What’s your personal preference between the two ? Pros and cons.... ?

Ha...

No question: The Swarovski SLC - or even a big step better (but not that much more expensive) - the Swarovski EL 8,5x42 Swarovision!

http://www.titanium-gunworks.d...x42-swarovision.html

Why?
The body is made from Magnesium, the Zeiss is made from plastics!
Look through them: The Zeiss is very unsharp at the rim, look though ths SLC HD and it has a brilliant image, nearly sharp at the rim, or look through the EL Swarovision - it is astonishing and crystal sharp till the rim ! Noone grabed that one could get his fingers off - I promisse you, the image is too georgeous!

Me either: I use that one as well for night hunting for boars - it is comparable from the nigh useablity to a 8x56 Zeiss FL !!! (which can´t be, but test it - it is!

Klaus

Ingvar, just in case you have not noticed in the past... Klaus (a.k.a. "scubapro") sells Swarovski so is naturally biased in that direction. Your judgement.

- mike

Mike,

it´s nice that you point out that I sell Swarovski, but Ingvar should take a look himself through both of them and that is surely the best way how to find out.

Did You looked through both and noticed any difference? I did and I am sure - I never want to sell any Zeiss gear as my biggest policy is just to trade the FINEST gear and nothing else...

Klaus

I have looked through them both but on a clear and sunny day so not much challenge there. I like them both but I didn’t like the twist out eye cups on the Zeiss…..looks and feels like it will break very easily. No criticism after first glance on the Swarovski, looks perfect.

Both instruments are at the top of the heap. I really don't think there is much to choose between the two. The Zeiss weighs a bit less which may count for something. As for optical quality Klaus is the first person I've run across to complain about the current crop of Zeiss. I like to birdwatch and there is no more critical group than serious birders and they are about evenly split on the two glasses with no clear cut winner. If you need additional depth of field the 8.5x42 Swarovski is the winner (approx 12ft vs 8 to 9ft for either of the 8x glasses). I personally like the Zeiss but would be utterly satisfied with the Swarovski. Still, I'm using my 20year old 7x42 Zeiss Classic and feel no need to change. By the way if you need a larger field of view with unrivaled depth of field try the 7x Victory. Simply wonderful.

Jerry Liles

Jerry Liles

By the way the Zeiss Victoy bodies are magnesium coated with "armor". The Zeiss Conquest, the mid price Zeiss line, may be plastic.

Jerry Liles

quote:

Originally posted by Jerry Liles:
By the way the Zeiss Victoy bodies are magnesium coated with "armor". The Zeiss Conquest, the mid price Zeiss line, may be plastic.

Jerry Liles

Absolutely NO, have a look here:

http://www.zeiss.de/C12567A800...987D41256A7200570EC1
says: "Glasfaserverstärktes Polyamid-Gehäuse "

and Polyamid is still no Magnesium, or am I wrong... ???

and I doubt that the Nitrogen filling will last the lifetime of a binocular in a plastic housing as it is usualy semi-permeable...

Scubapro,

It seems you are correct on Zeiss body construction. I was going by Christopher Astronomics website which listed them as having a magnesium body. Thanks for straightening me out. I'll reserve judgement on the suitability of modern plastics for binoculars for the moment but it seems to perform remarkably well in firearms. As for permeability to nitrogen I don't think that would be a problem. Hydrogen or helium yes but not nitrogen. At any rate I'm sticking with My Zeiss Classic for the next several years.

Jerry Liles

Well, don't overlook the Leica HD's. I bought a PR of the 7x42 HD and the view is awesome. I thought the view was better than either the Swaro EL Swarovision and the Zeiss Victory FL. I am saving up for a pr of the Leica 12x50 HD bino's...another top shelf pr of optics that are just amazing....nothing I sampled even came close, period. Oh, and I don't sell optics therefore am not biased. All comparisons were side x side too.

quote:

Originally posted by scubapro:
Mike,

it´s nice that you point out that I sell Swarovski, but Ingvar should take a look himself through both of them and that is surely the best way how to find out.

Did You looked through both and noticed any difference? I did and I am sure - I never want to sell any Zeiss gear as my biggest policy is just to trade the FINEST gear and nothing else...

Klaus

Hey Klaus, as a private person, I don't get the chance of sampling all new optics - let alone all models. I own both Zeiss (including the latest Victory series) and Swarovski (including SLC and EL) products, and I have been happy with all of them. I have no personal experience with the exact devices Ingvar is looking for, and refrained from commenting on those specific models. These days, optics models seem to change more frequently than underwear.

I have no problem with your vocation, nor how you choose to represent optics on the different boards where I see your posts. It is just, that your recommendations become, kind of, predictable, which to some extent reduces the value of them. But hey, I like my Swaro ELs as well, even though they are not labelled Swarovision, HD or whatever the latest gee-whiz product line is called. So, no hard feelings, yes?

- mike

You will be very happy with either. If you hunt in inclement weather I would suggest the ZEISS as they have their "LOUTEC" coating on their lenses. To my knowledge Swar has yet to market a like coating ( Bushnell, Zeiss and Leica) all offer this technology.
I do not like one aspect of my FL's. They focus to fast and the focus wheel is too lose. I had Zeiss tighten it up. Just carrying them around, I would find then out of focus (focus wheel had turned). Look for a pair that might not have such a fast focus (A bird watchers option) but not necessaly good for hunting and a snug focus wheel.
I have all three major brands, IMO; The Leicas are the best Complete package; Compact, tough as nails, great focus knob for my taste, excellent optics.
Optically they are all outstanding. Swar EL's may have the clearest and brightest optics but The FL's are the best Binoc's I have ever looked through at dusk and dawn.
I place durability as a very high priority and the Leica's have never let me down in the field and I am tough on my gear.

EZ

Hi Mike,

no problem with that. It´s only discussion here, isn´t it...

But by the way: You are owning more binos then I have...

I have just one EL 8,5x42 Swarovision as it does all work for me (aminly night hunting for boars as well). All the others are gear for selling (of course I compare, check and test all I could get into my fingers)

Klaus