John Cantelo
Well-known member
I've used 8x binoculars for 20+ years for two reasons; reduced ‘hand shake’ and the wider field of view they offer compared to 10x instruments. However, spending more time watching distant birds of prey in Spain made me reconsider my options. Having done so I had more or less decided to buy a good, but ‘second tier’ pair of binoculars for c£800-900 when two things happened; the COVID lockdown and the appearance of Swarovski NLs. Like many, the former meant I was spending less money so my bank balance was unexpectedly healthy and the specifications of the latter were too good to ignore. Despite the view that any improvement in image quality that the NLs may have over top quality sub-alpha glasses is minimal in field use to the average birder I just had to look at them.
It must be said that NLs are very bright, sharp and exhibit very little distortion even at the extreme edge of the view. The point shouldn’t be forgotten is that they are Swarovski products so being optically superb is in their DNA. The NLs have that coveted 'Wow!" factor on first use. Chromatic aberration is very well controlled and for me only (just) visible as a very narrow green line and then only noticed when actively looked for. Also remarkable was how little distortion there was out of ‘true’ even at the very edge of the. Some suggest that the NLs are markedly superior in image quality when compared to the ELs which is a remarkable claim. Comparing the NLs with the ELs on a dull, wet and cloudy day the former did seem to offer a marginally crisper view, but it was very slight and could be no more than wishful thinking on my part. In field use, without a studied direct comparison between the NLs with their stablemate, on image quality the two would be effectively indistinguishable. What was obvious – and for me a major selling point – was the wider field of view of the NLs. Not only was this clearly better than the 10x42 ELs but at 133m at 1000m identical to the 8.5x42 ELs and similar to many top quality 8x42s. Since then I have used the NLs extensively in the field and the only optical problem I have experienced is very occasional instances of ‘flare’ rending the view temporarily ‘milky’ but this has only happened in exceptional circumstances (and no more than with my old binoculars). Some have complained that the NLs have an annoying 'rolling ball' effect but it's not something I'm sensitive to or have noticed to be a problem.
Unlike their optical quality and the well-advertised generous field of view, I had no expectation that the NLs would handle much differently from other roof prism binoculars. I was wrong. The barrels of the NLs sport a waisted ‘Coca-Cola bottle' shape which encourages your hands to naturally slip firmly into place. It usually takes me a while to get used to holding new binoculars, but these were ‘right first time’. This excellent grip makes the NLs easier to hold steady than other binoculars that I’ve used. However, one of my concerns with the NLs was their weight. At 850g they are 60-100g heavier many rival binoculars and so at the heavier end of 10x42 instruments. However, in use with the good, wide strap they came supplied with this has proved not to be the problem I feared it might be. For some a binocular harness may be a sensible option. On the other hand, those additional grams possibly assist with holding them steady and reflect Swarovski brand’s famously robust construction.
With my hands grasping the barrels my index finger seemed to naturally fall into place on the focus control. The focus wheel rotated smoothly taking about 1½ turns to go from close focus (2m) to infinity. This may seem a lot but in normal field use you probably won’t need any more than ½ a turn (which takes you from a frequent viewing distance of 5-6m to infinity). This is fine unless you do a lot of butterfly watching as it takes a whole turn (or thereabouts) to go from c5-6m to 2m. The diopter adjustment (located forward of the focus ring) was easy to use but, although a little raised, not easy to accidentally knock out of position. Initially, I found it very easy to inadvertently unscrew the eyecups whilst clicking them up or down. After repeated use, however, I appear to have subconsciously learnt the trick of not doing so and it’s no longer any concern.
All new Swarovski binoculars have a unique method of attaching the neck strap. This seems to work well once set up but I found fixing the strap to the binoculars so problematic that I had to return to my dealer and get them to do the job for me. In fairness, a couple of operations on both hands has left me with poor dexterity but even so the shop assistant, despite being familiar with Swarovski binoculars, took 25 minutes to successfully attach the strap. Perhaps I was unlucky to have an unusually difficult fitting, but the mechanism seems wildly over complicated and over engineered. All this innovation seems to do is complicate using an alternative strap of your choice which can be done as the binoculars come with adaptors to allow the attachment of more conventional straps. However, the anchor points seem surprisingly flimsy and I question whether they’re sufficiently robust. Wrestling the supplied strap off and the adaptors on isn’t something I’d relish but this may be the only option if you want to replace the strap with a harness. The supplied neck strap was comfortable and extremely easy to adjust for length, but those who prefer a short strap will find that, annoyingly, 6” of strap dangling free down each side of the binoculars. The strap has a neat rubber tag-end which made me loathe to cut strap to size but with a Velcro tie I found it possible to neatly tuck the excess strap out of the way.
Swarovski's diagnostic green 'armour' is comfortable to grip and, as far as I could judge, offered a good level of protection. The cover for the eyepieces fits snuggly, but at times too snuggly although with use should loosen up. The objective lenses are well recessed (by c1.5cm) protecting them from accidental damage. I've never previously used binoculars with protective OG covers in situ but am finding them quite useful as an extra layer of protection since I tend not to use a case. These covers can be removed, and two small bungs are supplied to close the small indentation left behind in the rubber armour. The case is well made and extremely well padded with a useful internal pocket. With the brace attached, however, I found it was less easy to loop the strap around the bins, slip them into the case and zip it closed. In a break from tradition, the binoculars fit into the case sideways, not vertically. I find this a retrograde step as, unlike traditional designs, there’s not plenty of space at the top for the strap to fold into and you cannot secure the binocular strap around your neck before extracting them from the case or take a firm hold of the strap and binocular’s barrels before you entirely remove them. I am yet to be convinced that the design is a good idea.
Considering good ideas brings me on to the most unusual aspect of the NLs, the forehead brace. This is an optional extra and an expensive one (c£100). Until I tried it, I thought it was just a useless gimmick but after only a few moments use I was proved wrong. With three points of contact the view became distinctly less jittery meaning that in this respect the 10x42s became just as good (or better) than my old 8x. Using the brace also meant I could hold the binoculars very steady single-handedly (freeing one hand to hold a pencil, a cup of coffee, etc) and, as an occasional user of spectacles when birding, I found that the additional anchor point really helped in steadying the view. It would go a long way to make the 12x 42 model a viable birding glass particularly as it has a FoV (113m @ 1000m) similar to most current 10x42 (although probably not worthwhile on the 8x). Two final accessories that came in the box were something of a surprise; a bar of soap and a brush. I’m not sure how many birders would opt to give their bins a quick wash and brush up but I suppose it does encourage confidence in the instrument’s waterproof qualities.
Are they worth the premium price when other top companies (and even Swarovski itself) make superb alpha instruments for considerably less? To be brutally honest, probably not. The 10x42 ELs offer a very similar optical performance to the NL's (other than the exceptional FoV) but are 60% of the price. Even if you have the cash, it arguably makes more sense to get the 10x42 ELs and supplement them with a pair of high quality 8x binoculars which would give you greater flexibility for the same overall cost. And yet, if you’ve got the money burning a NL sized hole in your pocket and weight isn’t a consideration, then buying the best 10x42s on the market is very hard to resist. To (cynically) paraphrase Jane Austen - It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a birder in possession of a good fortune, must want Swarovski NLs bins. The image of competence/seriousness that they project is worth more than the one the user perceives on looking through them.
FOR
Optical excellence Class leading FoV
Good close focus (albeit not class leading) Superb ergonomics
Innovative Foreheadbrace Build quality
Well-padded case
Swarovski’s legendary after sales service
AGAINST
Overly complex strap attachment
High Price
Weight
Questionable case design
NB - I've posted a longer more discursive review with photos on my blog - Review - Swarovski 10x42 NL Binoculars - Birding Cadiz Province (weebly.com)
It must be said that NLs are very bright, sharp and exhibit very little distortion even at the extreme edge of the view. The point shouldn’t be forgotten is that they are Swarovski products so being optically superb is in their DNA. The NLs have that coveted 'Wow!" factor on first use. Chromatic aberration is very well controlled and for me only (just) visible as a very narrow green line and then only noticed when actively looked for. Also remarkable was how little distortion there was out of ‘true’ even at the very edge of the. Some suggest that the NLs are markedly superior in image quality when compared to the ELs which is a remarkable claim. Comparing the NLs with the ELs on a dull, wet and cloudy day the former did seem to offer a marginally crisper view, but it was very slight and could be no more than wishful thinking on my part. In field use, without a studied direct comparison between the NLs with their stablemate, on image quality the two would be effectively indistinguishable. What was obvious – and for me a major selling point – was the wider field of view of the NLs. Not only was this clearly better than the 10x42 ELs but at 133m at 1000m identical to the 8.5x42 ELs and similar to many top quality 8x42s. Since then I have used the NLs extensively in the field and the only optical problem I have experienced is very occasional instances of ‘flare’ rending the view temporarily ‘milky’ but this has only happened in exceptional circumstances (and no more than with my old binoculars). Some have complained that the NLs have an annoying 'rolling ball' effect but it's not something I'm sensitive to or have noticed to be a problem.
Unlike their optical quality and the well-advertised generous field of view, I had no expectation that the NLs would handle much differently from other roof prism binoculars. I was wrong. The barrels of the NLs sport a waisted ‘Coca-Cola bottle' shape which encourages your hands to naturally slip firmly into place. It usually takes me a while to get used to holding new binoculars, but these were ‘right first time’. This excellent grip makes the NLs easier to hold steady than other binoculars that I’ve used. However, one of my concerns with the NLs was their weight. At 850g they are 60-100g heavier many rival binoculars and so at the heavier end of 10x42 instruments. However, in use with the good, wide strap they came supplied with this has proved not to be the problem I feared it might be. For some a binocular harness may be a sensible option. On the other hand, those additional grams possibly assist with holding them steady and reflect Swarovski brand’s famously robust construction.
With my hands grasping the barrels my index finger seemed to naturally fall into place on the focus control. The focus wheel rotated smoothly taking about 1½ turns to go from close focus (2m) to infinity. This may seem a lot but in normal field use you probably won’t need any more than ½ a turn (which takes you from a frequent viewing distance of 5-6m to infinity). This is fine unless you do a lot of butterfly watching as it takes a whole turn (or thereabouts) to go from c5-6m to 2m. The diopter adjustment (located forward of the focus ring) was easy to use but, although a little raised, not easy to accidentally knock out of position. Initially, I found it very easy to inadvertently unscrew the eyecups whilst clicking them up or down. After repeated use, however, I appear to have subconsciously learnt the trick of not doing so and it’s no longer any concern.
All new Swarovski binoculars have a unique method of attaching the neck strap. This seems to work well once set up but I found fixing the strap to the binoculars so problematic that I had to return to my dealer and get them to do the job for me. In fairness, a couple of operations on both hands has left me with poor dexterity but even so the shop assistant, despite being familiar with Swarovski binoculars, took 25 minutes to successfully attach the strap. Perhaps I was unlucky to have an unusually difficult fitting, but the mechanism seems wildly over complicated and over engineered. All this innovation seems to do is complicate using an alternative strap of your choice which can be done as the binoculars come with adaptors to allow the attachment of more conventional straps. However, the anchor points seem surprisingly flimsy and I question whether they’re sufficiently robust. Wrestling the supplied strap off and the adaptors on isn’t something I’d relish but this may be the only option if you want to replace the strap with a harness. The supplied neck strap was comfortable and extremely easy to adjust for length, but those who prefer a short strap will find that, annoyingly, 6” of strap dangling free down each side of the binoculars. The strap has a neat rubber tag-end which made me loathe to cut strap to size but with a Velcro tie I found it possible to neatly tuck the excess strap out of the way.
Swarovski's diagnostic green 'armour' is comfortable to grip and, as far as I could judge, offered a good level of protection. The cover for the eyepieces fits snuggly, but at times too snuggly although with use should loosen up. The objective lenses are well recessed (by c1.5cm) protecting them from accidental damage. I've never previously used binoculars with protective OG covers in situ but am finding them quite useful as an extra layer of protection since I tend not to use a case. These covers can be removed, and two small bungs are supplied to close the small indentation left behind in the rubber armour. The case is well made and extremely well padded with a useful internal pocket. With the brace attached, however, I found it was less easy to loop the strap around the bins, slip them into the case and zip it closed. In a break from tradition, the binoculars fit into the case sideways, not vertically. I find this a retrograde step as, unlike traditional designs, there’s not plenty of space at the top for the strap to fold into and you cannot secure the binocular strap around your neck before extracting them from the case or take a firm hold of the strap and binocular’s barrels before you entirely remove them. I am yet to be convinced that the design is a good idea.
Considering good ideas brings me on to the most unusual aspect of the NLs, the forehead brace. This is an optional extra and an expensive one (c£100). Until I tried it, I thought it was just a useless gimmick but after only a few moments use I was proved wrong. With three points of contact the view became distinctly less jittery meaning that in this respect the 10x42s became just as good (or better) than my old 8x. Using the brace also meant I could hold the binoculars very steady single-handedly (freeing one hand to hold a pencil, a cup of coffee, etc) and, as an occasional user of spectacles when birding, I found that the additional anchor point really helped in steadying the view. It would go a long way to make the 12x 42 model a viable birding glass particularly as it has a FoV (113m @ 1000m) similar to most current 10x42 (although probably not worthwhile on the 8x). Two final accessories that came in the box were something of a surprise; a bar of soap and a brush. I’m not sure how many birders would opt to give their bins a quick wash and brush up but I suppose it does encourage confidence in the instrument’s waterproof qualities.
Are they worth the premium price when other top companies (and even Swarovski itself) make superb alpha instruments for considerably less? To be brutally honest, probably not. The 10x42 ELs offer a very similar optical performance to the NL's (other than the exceptional FoV) but are 60% of the price. Even if you have the cash, it arguably makes more sense to get the 10x42 ELs and supplement them with a pair of high quality 8x binoculars which would give you greater flexibility for the same overall cost. And yet, if you’ve got the money burning a NL sized hole in your pocket and weight isn’t a consideration, then buying the best 10x42s on the market is very hard to resist. To (cynically) paraphrase Jane Austen - It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a birder in possession of a good fortune, must want Swarovski NLs bins. The image of competence/seriousness that they project is worth more than the one the user perceives on looking through them.
FOR
Optical excellence Class leading FoV
Good close focus (albeit not class leading) Superb ergonomics
Innovative Foreheadbrace Build quality
Well-padded case
Swarovski’s legendary after sales service
AGAINST
Overly complex strap attachment
High Price
Weight
Questionable case design
NB - I've posted a longer more discursive review with photos on my blog - Review - Swarovski 10x42 NL Binoculars - Birding Cadiz Province (weebly.com)
However, the other fact that comes better with 8x is the DOF (and wider exit pupil). I couldn't test it but excited to know how much it affects the real-world bird-watching experience.