Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics just played with some Swaro 10-42 EL's

daaaaaaaaaang... best glass I've ever messed with, crystal clear, solid construction. SOOOOOOOOOOOO easy on the eyes, I could look through those things for days. The clerk tried to put me behind some Zeiss Terras, but I wasn't impressed at all, tough to focus and shallow depth of field. I asked the shop about Leica's and they said that Leica isn't making their binoculars anymore... focusing on their survey/ scientific optics. Is that true?

Either way $2700 is alot of money to put down, but when you think about it like 2x very nice scopes that will work with any gun you ever take out in the field, I can almost justify it =]

I need to figure out a way to get me some of that glass...

still shocked...

so some $2700 binos were better than some $400?
i have some meopta/ cabelas non HD. To me they work well. Though Im hunting words and not glassing for hours at a time.

I too was amazed with them when someone handed me a pair to look through at a shooting competition...so much, that I went home and ordered some. Great binos. Well worth the money IMO.

Still to my eyes the best bino's I've ever looked through, those EL SV's. I have a pair of the 8.5x42's and still get the wow factor even after using them for years.

The clerk is a [bleep] moron, but most are.

The 10x50 EL is the clearest glass on the market IMHO. That being said, leica still makes bino's but the Noctovids (Top end) aren't in many stores (I've never laid hands on a set) that being said the ranging glass and trinovids are still pretty common. The Ziess in the Victory are nice, not very impressed with the rest of them.

I didn't know they were that expensive now, but I've been using a Swaro 10x42 EL for several years on my annual elk hunt. I do lots of glassing every day and these have proven ideal. I am not familiar with all the optical terms and have had limited experience with other binoculars. However, use the Swaros for a week then try to go back to using a lesser binocular that you thought was good. You'll quickly see the big difference...

My Swaro 8.5x42 ELs have frozen solid on me, as has my ATM 65mm spotter. I couldn't adjust the focus on either or the bridge on the binos. That said, when functioning they're CRYSTAL clear, and won't strain your eyes at all.

When it gets really cold or rainy, I leave the ELs home and either take my 10X Zeiss or my 10X Steiner Peregrines instead. I will put up with the "reduced" clarity for the more reliable function.

WRO knows

I have 4 pair of Swaro bino's, great glass. The Leica Noctovids are very nice, and don't skip past the Zeiss Victory SF's in 10x42...a huge field of view, love them too.

Give Swaro a call, they will give you a Return Authorization number, send them in and in a few weeks you will have a binocular that cannot be told from new.
I have sent my EL's and SLC's in for a checkup and the turn-around time was right at a month, they came back with new skin, and the latest updates including the latest lens - all at no cost. IMO they have the best customer service in the business.

I spent a lot of time looking at high dollar glass before I sprung for the Swaro and I have absolutely no regrets with them, probably the best money I ever spent on a sporting goods item.

drover

That is a huge benefit to something like binos that will get used/ potentially abused and banged around and cost more than many medical procedures. a true "lifetime product" now what will I do to get there?

Keep an eye on Sportsmans Warehouse (if you have one in your area) they occasionally have Swaros marked down on specials, that is where I picked up my SLC's and EL's, they were a couple of hundred off if I recall correctly.

They are expensive but I doubt that you will have any buyers remorse when you use them.

drover

All the ones by me closed down... gander mountains too. And LLBean coupons don’t work on optics... I’ll save some pennies and look for some Black Friday specials for next season. Maybe give Doug at camera and a call and see if he’s got any magic demos or something he needs moved out.

I’ve been fighting between which I like better 10x or 8x for years, might go with the 8.5x42 and try to split the difference??

You can find good deals on Ebay. A used 10x42SV will cost you around $1800.

Mjduct,
When comparing the 10x42 SV's I had with the 8.5's I still have I was shocked to see how little difference in the field at distances there was, yet to me the 8.5's were certainly easier to hold/easier on the eyes.....
having said that I do still have and get good use out of my 10x42 Geovid HD-Rs.

hmmm...I may just do that.

Thanks!

If they are your go-to pair, buy the 8.5's....wider field of view, brighter in last light, easier to hold steady at longer distances, you'll never be able to notice the power difference between 8.5x and 10x.

Nonsense!

I have owned a slew of "alpha" binoculars in the last several years to include:

Early 8.5x42 Swarovision
Zeiss Victory FL 10x42
Swarovski EL pre swarovision 8.5x42
Zeiss Victory HT 10x42
Zeiss Victory HT 8x42-still own
Swarovski 2015 Swarovision
Swarovski current model SLC HD 10x42-still own

I have tested the alpha's against many "almost alpha" designs that are on the market today.

The finest binocular I have seen optically overall so far is my 10x42 SLC HD. Its handling and focus mechanism as well as finish is not as nice as the Victory HT or Swarovision though so I am not saying it is the best all aspects considered. Just optically.

I bought the Victory HT 10x42 and Swarovision 10x42 trying to see if the SLC's sharpness could be bested but the SLC optically came out ahead. Its brighter than the Swarovision in low light and has a larger sweet spot and better contrast as well as sharpness over the Victory HT. The SLC also has a better depth of field over either and is easier to get perfect focus (has more leeway) than either.

The lack of sharp edges compared to the Swarovision bothers me not at all and I dislike the globe effect/rolling ball effect of the Swarovision when panning though I can see it as a possible advantage when grid searching a hill side mounted on a tripod (having the whole FOV in focus and sharp).

To the OP I say try the SLC before you buy the Swarovison.

As far a s the 8x verses 10x for a hunting role it is no contest. You will see far greater detail (espically in low light) with the 10x over the 8x.

Timber, you ever tried the 10x50SV? It is "special" to say the least.

well I found a local shop that had them all today at a pretty steep discount. not the current models with the goofy strap adapters, but the ones with a loop built into the armor and with "Swarovision" so I am guessing some new old stock models from around 2013/2014 all about 15-20% off. PM me if you want the name of the shop.

I tried

10x42
8.5x42
8x32

They were really pushing the 8x32's they had lots in stock and only 1 each of the other 2 (price and performance made it a close call) but I ended up coming home with the 8.5x42 pair. They were the crispest from 180 yards to a mile to my eyes. and I love the open bridge ergonomics, and the rolling ball effect I noticed at first but after 2-3 minutes of looking through them I totally forgot about it and didn't notice it. I also love the locking diopter adjustment. The depth of field is so great on these it's hard to get the diopter dialed in because it all looks so dang good, but I know where my eyes are and can usually get it within 10% of my final setting before even looking through the bino's.

Happy camper, can't wait to glass some fur with these things this season!

Mjduct, you made a great purchase IMO. When using them, you will never, ever utter the words "I sure wish I hadn't spent this much on binoculars". They are a joy to use. I briefly had the 8x32SV's, wanting to take them to Namibia. Everything was great except that they had horrible glare control issues. Way worse than the 10x42 and 10x50's. You've likely got the best all around bino known to mankind. Enjoy!

Good choice. I love my 8.5x42's, They will be the last binocular I will ever have to buy.

drover

Despite the high price tag, I've never regretted getting Swaros

If you're susceptible to the rolling ball effect, the 50's seem to minimize it the most.

I saw the rolling ball initially but after a few minutes of use I don't even notice it now, in my current hunting/ usage I don't do alot of panning, being able to "look around in the picture" that the swarovision allows is well worth the extra expense and slight distraction that it might cause me.

I think that I saw it more in the 8x32 and the 10x42 models I looked through, maybe with the 8.5x42 my eyes were dialated smaller than the exit pupil (mid-morning on a very bright day looking into the same direction as the sun) removing some of it. If that theory is correct, the 10x50mm versions would have even less with their larger exit pupil.

I went out last night and this morning and played with them some more and it took alot of work at zero light to get the diopter locked in just perfectly, I had to use 2 branches at about 90 yards away they were hanging down about 1/2" apart and were thinner than a pencil, and I had to uplight them so their background was black and they were light gray/ white and get the left eye focused in and then adjust the right diopter to see 2 branches instead of 1-.5" thick branch. This was about 30 minutes before sunrise.

I also took some time at lunch to go outside and look around, saw a few butterflies while scouting for birds, and followed them around in the sky at about 60-70 yards. No issues with rolling ball chasing them in all their erratic flight patterns. I feel for those who have issues with it, this glass is amazing.

I can't wait to look at fur and antler with these things!!!!

Timberbuck, thanks for that quick analogy. I have a pair of Swaro 10x42 SLC HD's inbound and can't wait to try them out.

If you don't want field flattening lenses, then the SLC's are fine...along with the original EL's if you want open bridge design.

Mjduct-I was concerned about the "rolling ball effect" as I have always been very susceptible to motion sickness. However, I've spent many hours over several years panning lots of western landscape on elk hunts using a Swaro10x42 EL. No problems whatsoever. I know little about the technical aspects of optics and continue to wonder if this effect is real or something that has been played up and exaggerated by Internet optical experts.

At $500 off retail and the EL's another $1200-1600, yeah I'm ok with the SLC's.

Thanks for the info.

Its been exaggerated to no end..

I've sold hundreds of pairs or swaros, leicas, etc, in the real world, less than 1% of users actually notice it. Of that 1 % 99% don't notice it in the 50's.

If you really want to boost the images on the Swaros (EL & SLC) get a set of the winged eyecups, they block the side light and it is amazing how much better the images is. Disclaimer - if you wear glasses you will not like them since you have to take your glasses off for them to be effective.

drover

Drover, I loved the glass on my 8x42 SLC's but they weren't quite perfect.

Yep, looks like a good farmer fix to me.

drover

I agree with the winged eye cups. I run them on my SLC's and they are a great addition.

The 10x50 Swarovision is awesome but I gave up on carrying a 10x50 as a primary hunting binocular years ago.

Local Dirt-you are welcome.

As has been previously stated, a purchase you will never regret making. They are by far my most used piece of equipment.

Timberbuck, I wear glasses. (old fart).

Will the winged eye cups work for me?

Not timber buck - but no they will not.

drover

Little bino porn.

Nice ones there dirt.. not likely to have regrets

Thanks, Cert. I'm liking them a lot.