Thread: Top end Binoculars with all the extras

So I'm out of the loop on where high end Binoculars have gone in the last 10 years since I brought my Swarovski 10x42 Range

Optically have Swarovski or any other makers made any noticeable improvements ?

And then there is the mine field of on board electronic ballistic calculators etc !
Who uses them and are they any good ?

Or am I better off with my EL Range and ballistic charts for multiple dial up scopes.

All that tech stuff is no use at all with my vintage and BP stuff

I'm not 100% committed to Swarovski ( have binos, spotter and scopes ) but when I brought the EL Range they were tested in the field with Leica and Zeiss and the Swarovski just suited my eyes etc

The EL Range replaced standard ELs I had for 10 years also

It seems the EL Pure are top of the heap optically from the many professional reviews I've read. Mind you, when you get to that end of the market, the differences can be pretty small.

The dilemma I had was replacing an old set of Swaro binos I had had for 25 years. Do I buy range or std EL’s. I ended up buying EL 10 x 42’s as I think ranging technology will continue to improve quite quickly and I didn’t want technology to be out dated in a long term investment in binos. So I run a separate ranging device.
I have since added a pair of EL 10 x 32.’s as well as they I think are the perfect size and magnification for much of the hunting I do.
My 2 cents worth.

Originally Posted by 6x47

It seems the EL Pure are top of the heap optically from the many professional reviews I've read. Mind you, when you get to that end of the market, the differences can be pretty small.

But not a Range Finder

In my world integrated Bino / Range essential

When I get to a lookout point I range round as I view and mentally create a maximum point blank range firing zone.
Then I range areas further out and think about corrections for the likely spots.

When something shows up inside my max point blank range I just shoot fast because of the type of cover etc

Further out I do my corrections and hope for the best

The Swaro glass is where it is at optically, apparently the Pures are better. I use the old EL10x42 with rangefinder, really good in low light and the true ballistic distance display is fantastic. Can move quickly to shooting from there. Interestingly, Sig Sauer have come out with really impressive image stabilising software which eliminates the need for tripods etc. The glass is pretty entry level - and listening to them on podcast, they are looking to put their higher end glass into image stabilising in a couple of years time. My pick, the other brands (Swaro, Leica, Zeiss) with top optical glass, will need to very quickly adapt and put image stabilising software on their platforms quick smart. Reading between the lines it sounds like they have the top end optical glass supply locked up. Anedoctal reports from hunters in the States are the Sig binos with IS are preferred over Swaros which sounds crazy. I for one hope this puts a rock up Swaro and they invest in this software. IS with Range Finding will be a few more years away, quite the software/optical challenge. There are plenty of good ballistics apps available separate to binos, so not required in my view.

I think it comes down to you personally. My eyes preferred the leicas when compared to the swarovski.
Stick with your preference I reckon.

@akaroa1 sorry to possibly hijack your thread but I was just looking at the specs on the current EL Range and noticed in the specs that they have a "2,000 measurements Life cycle" which doesn't seem like a lot ...

Originally Posted by Shamus_

@akaroa1 sorry to possibly hijack your thread but I was just looking at the specs on the current EL Range and noticed in the specs that they have a "2,000 measurements Life cycle" which doesn't seem like a lot ...


Attachment 238097

Bigger brain and the same battery I guess

What brought this on is that my EL Range need some repairs and were out of the warrantee period.

So me being me ! I pulled them apart and found the obvious problem with the diopter adjusters not working.
Basically a fault in the way the plastic bezzel is attached means you can't excerpt much pressure to open them and the plastic ring pops off.
When I removed the screws and took off the diopter outer ring these was some corrosion between the two alloy parts which increased friction, hence pulling off the ring because the glue was old and gave up.

Cleaned and reassembled it all with new glue on the plastic bezell and also the eye cup rubbers which were coming loose.

So wait 48 hours for the glue to cure 100% and see if I have succeeded

@akaroa1 You are a braver man than me taking a pair of Swarovskis apart!

Originally Posted by imaca

@akaroa1 You are a braver man than me taking a pair of Swarovskis apart!

There's a small flat clip flies out from between the two parts of the diopter housing.

So decided be extra careful taking the other side apart.
Bloody clip flys out without warning and have no clues at all

So a lot of looking and trying and measuring and I found its original home

I work best under pressure, so being a typical kiwi bloke I pulled it down and managed to get it all back together

Well the repairs are 100% effective and for the first time in a while both eyepieces are perfectly synchronized

But I will still look at the new version of these for a replacement and this can trickle down the food chain to my son in law

How many daughters you got...?