I’ve got a pair of EL 8.5x42 for a few years (love it) and recently got myself a pair of SFL 8x30. I live in ranthambhore (India) so when I am photographing big cats, it’s easier to carry the zeiss along with my camera kit. When I am birding with my son, tend to use the swaro as the EL is sharper and gives more satisfaction with identification and closer viewing. The zeiss though is amazing for its size and weight, great piece of optics.
Hahaha i love how the guy says these are ideal as they're under 2k & ideal for someone not looking for an Alpha binocular!! In my book those are Alpha binoculars for god's sake!
I'm glad you brought up the point of how far your eyes are located on a person's face I tried both the Zeiss sfl 10 x 42 and the Swarovski NL pure 10 x 42 which I found the Zeiss sfl a better glass for my face which I have now purchased. For 9 out of 10 people will prefer NL pure 10 x 42 but for me I can see the space between both lenses know matter how close I push the lenses together. It's unfortunate but what can I do.
@@miertjestoer9525 Thanks for asking. As stated in the video, sharpness is actually one of the areas where the Swarovski EL beats the ZEISS SFL. By ZEISS's own admission, the SFL does not use their highest quality glass, whereas the Swarovski EL uses their finest glass (part of their SWAROVISION technology). But the SFL has many ergonomic advantages some find more important. Personal preference rules at the end of the day!
We have not. While we do carry the rangefinders, our focus and expertise mainly relate to birding and nature observation. We have looked through the rangefinder binoculars, but do not have enough field experience with them to make in-depth reviews.
I already have a 8x42 NL Pure and a Zeiss Victory Pocket 8x25. I want to add one with more magnefication. Should i Buy the 10x32/30 Or better go for a 12x42?
All three of those sizes (10x30, 10x32, 12x42) will give you more magnification, so it just depends on how much more you want and how much low light performance you need. We always recommend getting the largest binocular you're willing to bring with you, so you first would have to decide if the 42 mm or 32 mm/30 mm is better for you. You may also want to consider the 10x42 which is brighter than any of those three due to the larger exit pupil. Hope this helps!
I can't choose between the Swarovski 10x32 EL ( €1299 good used condition ) and Swarovski 8.5x42EL . ( €1773 ). They are both great . Thanks for the tip! ( for birds and landscape viewing...my feelings says the 8.5x 42 because they are More comfortable...though heavier )
Hi, it depends. You only use t at daytime in open area's? or also at dusk/dawn and think forests? 8.5x42 is better for light gathering in low light conditions. And can you hold a 10x32 still? Many people cant. And then its too shaky. But its personal. I think 8.5 x42 is a better alrounder. @@miertjestoer9525
I really want to buy a Swarovski 8.5x42. But someone said that the view is not sharp. He bought a Zeiss victory and said that it is MUCH sharper. What's going on? Thanks for the tip!
The ZEISS Victory SF and Swarovski EL both use their respective manufacturer's finest glass, and there is no huge difference in sharpness. The Victory SF has other advantages over the EL but sharpness is one of the few traits where they're almost equal. The Victory SF has a much faster focus which can trick the eye into believing the image is sharper, but this is not the case. This is just a guess though. He may have had the diopter incorrectly adjusted on the EL and got the impression it isn't sharp. Hard to say for certain!
The EL does not have a threaded mount, so you have to use Swarovski UTA or a 3rd party adapter with a platform the binocular sits on and a strap that secures it.
Well...we reserve the term "Alpha" for the very best binoculars. No doubt the ZEISS SFL and Swarovski EL are amazing binoculars, but neither are the manufacturers' very best. The Victory SF and NL Pure are the best binoculars that ZEISS and Swaro make, respectively.
The fact is if the SFL's said 'made in Germany' somewhere on them it would be a surer buy. But with these 2nd tier Zeiss's being put together in Japan it keeps people on the fence about it. Including me.
Jump off the fence. I have a pair of 8X40 SFLs for the last couple of months, and am very satisfied with them. Probably one of the best attributes are the size and weight. Much more pocketable than my Noctivids. Sometimes it's okay to drive a Honda instead of a Porsche.
ZEISS Made in Japan is nothing to worry about. Servicing binoculars is my job. I've seen them all, I've tried them all out, I've seen just about all that can go wrong with them. We have no more trouble with the Japan models than we have with the Germany models. And in North America ZEISS gives you a "limited lifetime" warranty on the optical system for everything but the Terra line. Plus, if you register your binos with them, that protects you against the cost of fixing accidental damage during the first 5 years after you buy them - you drop them and something important breaks, they will fix it or get you a refurbished replacement optic for free. Be aware of the word "limited" though - if you're using your binos a lot, your focus knob may need maintenance, or your armor may wear out, or someone may use a dirty rag to clean the lenses, taking their coatings off. That's wear and tear, and wear and tear is not covered! That may seem harsh when you get the bill, but all the binocular manufacturers are businesses in the end. They can't exist without some profit. I'd be more worried if a manufacturer offered you a new optic anytime something is wrong with your old one, because that can only be a valid business model as long as they can make their binoculars really cheaply.
@@fmbga Free repair on droppage? I had to pay Swarovski £100 after my NL's took a fall only 2 months after I got them. The left objective lens fogged up from the inside. Sorted now. I also have some Swarovski CL's purchased after Christmas and the focus wheel has started to stiffen already. I'm expecting that repair to be done gratis though. If not, I might look at Zeiss.
I’ve got a pair of EL 8.5x42 for a few years (love it) and recently got myself a pair of SFL 8x30. I live in ranthambhore (India) so when I am photographing big cats, it’s easier to carry the zeiss along with my camera kit. When I am birding with my son, tend to use the swaro as the EL is sharper and gives more satisfaction with identification and closer viewing. The zeiss though is amazing for its size and weight, great piece of optics.
Hahaha i love how the guy says these are ideal as they're under 2k & ideal for someone not looking for an Alpha binocular!! In my book those are Alpha binoculars for god's sake!
I'm glad you brought up the point of how far your eyes are located on a person's face I tried both the Zeiss sfl 10 x 42 and the Swarovski NL pure 10 x 42 which I found the Zeiss sfl a better glass for my face which I have now purchased. For 9 out of 10 people will prefer NL pure 10 x 42 but for me I can see the space between both lenses know matter how close I push the lenses together. It's unfortunate but what can I do.
Thank you for sharing your experience!
@@Optics4birding Hi, is the Zeiss ( sfl) better/ sharper then the SW EL ? Thanks for the tip. ( maybe some people's has just a bad SW model? )
@@miertjestoer9525 Thanks for asking. As stated in the video, sharpness is actually one of the areas where the Swarovski EL beats the ZEISS SFL. By ZEISS's own admission, the SFL does not use their highest quality glass, whereas the Swarovski EL uses their finest glass (part of their SWAROVISION technology). But the SFL has many ergonomic advantages some find more important. Personal preference rules at the end of the day!
Have you done a review and comparison between the two using range finding models?
We have not. While we do carry the rangefinders, our focus and expertise mainly relate to birding and nature observation. We have looked through the rangefinder binoculars, but do not have enough field experience with them to make in-depth reviews.
@Optics4birding I appreciate your reviews, thank you!
Thank you so much!
I already have a 8x42 NL Pure and a Zeiss Victory Pocket 8x25.
I want to add one with more magnefication.
Should i Buy the 10x32/30
Or better go for a 12x42?
All three of those sizes (10x30, 10x32, 12x42) will give you more magnification, so it just depends on how much more you want and how much low light performance you need. We always recommend getting the largest binocular you're willing to bring with you, so you first would have to decide if the 42 mm or 32 mm/30 mm is better for you. You may also want to consider the 10x42 which is brighter than any of those three due to the larger exit pupil. Hope this helps!
I can't choose between the Swarovski 10x32 EL ( €1299 good used condition ) and Swarovski 8.5x42EL . ( €1773 ). They are both great . Thanks for the tip! ( for birds and landscape viewing...my feelings says the 8.5x 42 because they are More comfortable...though heavier )
Hi, it depends. You only use t at daytime in open area's? or also at dusk/dawn and think forests? 8.5x42 is better for light gathering in low light conditions. And can you hold a 10x32 still? Many people cant. And then its too shaky. But its personal. I think 8.5 x42 is a better alrounder. @@miertjestoer9525
I really want to buy a Swarovski 8.5x42. But someone said that the view is not sharp. He bought a Zeiss victory and said that it is MUCH sharper. What's going on? Thanks for the tip!
The ZEISS Victory SF and Swarovski EL both use their respective manufacturer's finest glass, and there is no huge difference in sharpness. The Victory SF has other advantages over the EL but sharpness is one of the few traits where they're almost equal. The Victory SF has a much faster focus which can trick the eye into believing the image is sharper, but this is not the case. This is just a guess though. He may have had the diopter incorrectly adjusted on the EL and got the impression it isn't sharp. Hard to say for certain!
@@Optics4birding thanks.
Do the Swaros have a threaded mount for a tripod adapter?
The EL does not have a threaded mount, so you have to use Swarovski UTA or a 3rd party adapter with a platform the binocular sits on and a strap that secures it.
So 2K binos and you do not call them Alphas??
They aren’t….
Well...we reserve the term "Alpha" for the very best binoculars. No doubt the ZEISS SFL and Swarovski EL are amazing binoculars, but neither are the manufacturers' very best. The Victory SF and NL Pure are the best binoculars that ZEISS and Swaro make, respectively.
The fact is if the SFL's said 'made in Germany' somewhere on them it would be a surer buy. But with these 2nd tier Zeiss's being put together in Japan it keeps people on the fence about it. Including me.
Jump off the fence. I have a pair of 8X40 SFLs for the last couple of months, and am very satisfied with them.
Probably one of the best attributes are the size and weight. Much more pocketable than my Noctivids. Sometimes it's okay to drive a Honda instead of a Porsche.
ZEISS Made in Japan is nothing to worry about. Servicing binoculars is my job. I've seen them all, I've tried them all out, I've seen just about all that can go wrong with them. We have no more trouble with the Japan models than we have with the Germany models. And in North America ZEISS gives you a "limited lifetime" warranty on the optical system for everything but the Terra line. Plus, if you register your binos with them, that protects you against the cost of fixing accidental damage during the first 5 years after you buy them - you drop them and something important breaks, they will fix it or get you a refurbished replacement optic for free.
Be aware of the word "limited" though - if you're using your binos a lot, your focus knob may need maintenance, or your armor may wear out, or someone may use a dirty rag to clean the lenses, taking their coatings off. That's wear and tear, and wear and tear is not covered! That may seem harsh when you get the bill, but all the binocular manufacturers are businesses in the end. They can't exist without some profit. I'd be more worried if a manufacturer offered you a new optic anytime something is wrong with your old one, because that can only be a valid business model as long as they can make their binoculars really cheaply.
@@fmbga Free repair on droppage? I had to pay Swarovski £100 after my NL's took a fall only 2 months after I got them. The left objective lens fogged up from the inside. Sorted now.
I also have some Swarovski CL's purchased after Christmas and the focus wheel has started to stiffen already. I'm expecting that repair to be done gratis though. If not, I might look at Zeiss.
😅Only knows how to talk & talk & talk & never compared them side by side using see through by exit pup HD video view🤔🤔🤔
EL have great optic, but the fokus wheels sucks!
😢Edge to Edge Sharpness is how many % ! 90% or 95% or 100% ! Or just as same as Nikon only 80% E to E max only.