I guess I am basically wondering, will a 5-10 year old pair of $1300 Swaro EL’s be OPTICALLY better than some of the $700-1000 glass on the market today?
Most likely that will be the case. There is more to a good pair of binoculars than just the optics. I would expect you can find the older EL binoculars for less than $1300.00 and would suggest looking for the 8X32 EL, they are fantastic.
Other than optical quality, the Swarovski line will be lighter and more durable than the cheaper stuff. When you decide to upgrade you will always be able to get your money back, the cheaper stuff will have to be gifted to your grandchildren because no one will buy cheap used glass.
