Jason13 Posted June 26, 2005 Report Share Posted June 26, 2005 Was thinking of buying the new Ziess Victory FL 8x42 but have also considered The Swarovski EL, i have read reviews and they rate the Ziess as the best bins especially for bird watching. Does anyone own own any of these , and what are there opinions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunganick Posted June 26, 2005 Report Share Posted June 26, 2005 my dad owns a pair of swaro 8.5x42's (i think) and they are amazing quite simply the best optics you can imagine and so well built. i will keep it short...buy them, unless you have glasses, becuase then they are as good as a choclate teapot, just like 99% of binoculars, apart from opticron binoculars, they have extra long eye relief and i have a pair of 8x50's they are great, not as good as swaro's in low light (i loose about 15 mins to my fathers) but they are only cheap £150 and are very good quality for the cost ive found zeiss optics to be very clear but to have very fussy eye relief and not to be so nicely finished as the swaro's, but still fine optics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted June 26, 2005 Report Share Posted June 26, 2005 Two pairs very close in specification and quality. I use the swarz for my birding.. Excuse the pun but nothing comes closer. I would prefer the swarz but i am sure you would be happy with either. FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason13 Posted June 26, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2005 Thanks for your opinions, think i might go for the Ziess as i like the look of it better, but they say that the New Ziess may have stolen the crown as the best birding bino from the Swaroski EL? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dexon Posted June 26, 2005 Report Share Posted June 26, 2005 I know some twitchers who say you have to spend £700 i have some £50 opticron's ok they have a little chromatic aberration but they do me. Spend as much as your budget allows. If you intend to birdwatch go for 8x, 10x start to show handshaking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunganick Posted June 26, 2005 Report Share Posted June 26, 2005 and at 10x you must have a 86? sized objective lense to make use of all the light the thought behind an 8.5x42 is that all our scopes are 8x56 so they are at an optimum for gathering light, where as the bino's are slightly too powerful for the objective lense size, so they die about 5 mins before the scopes, this means that if you can see it through the bino's you can see it through the scope, luckily i didnt learn this the hard way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HAMMY Posted June 29, 2005 Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 I have the Swarovski 8 x 32 EL's and IMO are fantastic, superb in the hand, looked at numerous before purchase Zeiss, et al. if you have the budget go for Swarovski. Hammy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjimmer Posted June 29, 2005 Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 Helmut Swarovski had a day's shooting with us a few years ago. He got me to take a group photograph with his digicam. I think that once you have looked through one of their optics, nothing else will seem good enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted June 29, 2005 Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 If you've got the dosh go for the Swarovski's every time...it should only be once in a lifetime! Once you've used them a while everything else pales into insignificance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted June 29, 2005 Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 Once you've used them a while everything else pales into insignificance. I whole heartedly agree with that and it would make a great advertising slogan for them. FM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason13 Posted June 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 Yes! but have any of you looked through the new Zeiss Victory FL though, and decided which is best? Acording to what i have read the Swarovski comes supplied with a case that is not so good for the money that you pay, and also some of the newer ones seem to have a rattle when shaken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunganick Posted June 29, 2005 Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 ive handled the very latest swaro binoculars, ones that arnt avalible much at the moment in the uk as they were only released a few weeks ago, and i felt no rattle, the case is fine its there to stop dust and scratches not protect it from being run over by a tractor. they are so well built that you could probably do this and then pick them up and carry on. they are the best bino's in my opinion end of story. if you can afford them get them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason13 Posted June 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 What are the improvements on the new model, and will they be the same price? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason13 Posted June 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 apparently the new Els are just new size additions 8x32 and 10x32, and not an improved model, the 8.5x42 is the same! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
palombier Posted June 29, 2005 Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 I had a pair of Swaro 8x30s that cracked the whole way down the central column and almost fell apart. I had not dropped them nor had they been abused as far as I was aware. Swarovski at first refused to honour their guarantee stating that it was my fault. You can imagine my reaction. To cut a long story short they compromised after I offered to split the cost 50/50 (£140). I have to say that the repair was superb. I now have a pair of the 8.5x42 EL and agree with other members, you will never have to look at or through another make again. P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted June 29, 2005 Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 Jason... you are worse than my wife... she spends a whole day looking at one item. and all night talking about it. Just take my word and by them you Tart :( FM. Ps just for you I popped into the local optical shop in Cheltenham this afternoon and picked up a pair of Zeiss victory for a gander. The guy who runs the shop said either are very good but the swarz would be his choice. I thought they were very nice but then again my swarz are very nice...and .... I wouldnt want to change them... Once youve had a rolls royce its difficult to drive a jag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason13 Posted June 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 Just want to be sure before before i part with 800 plus quid, anyway thanks again for you comments much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted June 29, 2005 Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 Just want to be sure before before i part with 800 plus quid, anyway thanks again for you comments much appreciated. shop around and dont be too proud to haggle I got a serious discount when i bought my last pair. Cheers. FM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason13 Posted June 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2005 Iv'e decided to go for the Swarovski 8.5x42 EL, will let you know what i think when i receive them, 859.00 do you think this is a good price best i could find on the internet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted June 30, 2005 Report Share Posted June 30, 2005 I bought a pair of Swarovski 8.5x42 last year, second hand though. Not bad bino's, certainly better than the £20 bino's I used previously! I used to go through a pair of cheapo's a year so by the year 2032 they will have paid for themselves. The only problem I have with them is that they are just way too good for wildfowling, I totally abuse all my gear but can't bring myself to take the Swaro's down past the seawall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted July 1, 2005 Report Share Posted July 1, 2005 Iv'e decided to go for the Swarovski 8.5x42 EL, will let you know what i think when i receive them, 859.00 do you think this is a good price best i could find on the internet? I think you might have bettered that with a face to face deal but worth every penny and a sound investment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted July 10, 2005 Report Share Posted July 10, 2005 For me Leica bins are the best. I've used 8x42BN for years and optically they are top draw. A few mates who have Swaro's have to get the sticky tape out regularly, they just don't seem as well built. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason13 Posted July 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 Just received my Swarovski EL 8.5x42 binoculars and they are excellent, so clear that it seems as if you are not using binoculars and feel and look quality. Best price i could get was 840.00 inc p&p from wilkinson.co.uk, nobody else could match this, not even my local dealer who said that the prices had gone up as of june 1st, and thus could not match it (his price was 879.99). Many thanks to everyone for recommending these bins, i now realise i have made the right choice, and look forward to using them next week as i am off up to the Farne Islands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted July 13, 2005 Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 and look forward to using them next week as i am off up to the Farne Islands. Fantastic :thumbs: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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