The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Guns, Politics, Gunsmithing & Reloading Optics Swaro EL vs SLCGo | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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Is it worth the price to step up to the EL vs the SLC? Looking at an 8x model in both. Mostly going to be used as hunting glasses, I haven't done an optics-intensive (read: glassing) hunt yet, but I don't discount the possibility in the future. | ||
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I have had both and they are both good glass,but neither is worth what you are paying.I think a Meopta Meostar is as good for a lot less money. | |||
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I took the step up as you call it, about eight years ago. Is it worth it, hard to say. I got a smoking deal on a 10x32 EL so I up graded and sold my SLC. Honestly I don’t think there is much difference in the two, optically. I do like the ergonomics of the EL. NRA Patron member | |||
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Well, that's one opinion . . . . . | |||
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I use SLC and my son uses EL, both 10 x. My eyes can't tell the difference but I personally believe Swarovski lens quality is quite superior. I have come to appreciate this with extended glassing sessions. Someone commented on Meopta. I checked a couple of models ( can't remember which ) which I thought pretty good lens wise but they were heavier than equivalent SLC's. My hunting at times is fairly mobile and less weight overall is a big help. Hunting.... it's not everything, it's the only thing. | |||
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The main difference between the SLC (newest model) and the EL is the eyepiece design. The EL has at least one extra HD lens to act as a field flattening lens and give you a perfect edge to edge in-focus image. They call it Swarovision. The SLC has a simpler eyepiece without field flattening. That said, you really have to look for it to see the curve in an SLC. Otherwise, they share the same coatings and both have HD elements to combat color fringing. One consequence of the Swarovision in the EL is it decreases light transmission. The SLC 8X42 has 91% transmission, and the EL 8.5X42 has 90%. All this info is on their website, but you have to dig for it. That covers the optics, the build is obviously different. Both are rugged. The SLC is easier to tripod mount since it has a threaded mount hole, the EL's do not. For my money, I would get new model SLC's. Jeremy | |||
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Comparing the SLC vs El's to me is no contest unless it's in the wallet. I used to be a Meopta dealer and while they are great optically, they are nowhere as refined as the Swarovski EL's. But you can buy two Meoptas for less than one pair of Els. I think the Meopta vs. the SLC is almost a wash if not even when compared side by side. If money were no object, I would buy the 10x32 El's. All the birding reviews I've seen say they are nearly as bright in low light as the 10x42's. They don't give as much field of view, but that doesn't bother me much. But cost is a factor for me, the EL's are $2200. I've been doing a lot of research and for $900 The 10x32 Zeiss conquest HD are right on the heels as the A tier binos. The reason I am going to stick with 32's is for weight and size. I've mostly carried 10x42s and 8x32's around my neck. After a couple days hunting, my neck starts to bother me and the large glass can interfere with my bowstring at full-draw. The 8x32's don't get in the way or bother my neck, but they just don't quite give enough magnification at times. | |||
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I have looked through both in the field. I cannot tell the difference but I did like the ergonomics of the EL. I spend a lot of time in glass hunting Couse deer. They are small almost large dog size deer that blend in to the desert in Arizona very well. Sometimes you are glassing deer over a mile away. Swaros by far are superior to anything I have looked through. Out to 800 yards there is not a lot of difference between my Pentax and my buddies Swaros in the middle of the day. But at Dawn and Dusk, the Swaros by far outperform anything including Leica. If you are glassing under a mile other brands may be good enough but I can score a couse deer rack with Swaros easily at a 1000 yards. The clarity is unreal. Someday I can afford a pair. | |||
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Earl You need the new swaro 15x56 HD's. An Arizona favorite amazing glass. But all my binos and spotters are swaro's I learned this lesson over many years. But I scored a cheap new pair of kahles 8x30 they are OK but get the best you can afford. Zero eye strain is pretty nice! White Mountains Arizona | |||
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I have all 3 of these binos. The Meopta and SLC HD are both 10x42's, and the EL SV is a 10x50. I agree 100% with this analogy. I will go so far to say that the 10x50 SV has no peer, period. They are an unbelievable piece of glass. | |||
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I have a Meopta 6-24x56 rifle scope. The 30mm high end Zeiss was about the same quality. The Swarovski 5-25x56 X5I outclasses it but just. The new turrets on the Swarovski are really sexy. I have owned a pair of 8x42 ELs I took on a hunt in 2005 to Namibia. They were solid, and I sold them a few months after my return. Meopta's hit above the financial paygrade. The new EL's especially the bigger 10x50 and 12x50s are without equal. | |||
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I would love to. Its on my list but near the bottom at the moment. I currently use a pair of Pentax 10x50 DCF (I think they are DCF) paid around $650 from camraland on a good sale. They are very good for the price. But my hunting buddies have swaros and any chance I get, I use theirs when we are out. I have looked through the new HD and love them. Another buddy has the EL rangfinding, those are super nice to use too. I tried Zeiss a local shop and did not like the eye relief on them at all. I could feel that a headache would come with much time looking through them. | |||
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How thick is a bee's dick? How fine were Franz Josef's clothes? | |||
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Please tell us,we want to know!!!  | |||
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I currently have the Swaro. 8x42 range finding binocular Swarovision. They are great due to the RF feature. The 8.5x42 are better glass. They are exquisite. If it was me, I would find a store that has them both and check them both out and let YOUR eyes tell you. Contact Doug at Cameraland for a show display model, usually nicely discounted, Lastly, when you get them, ship them to the Outdoorsman in AZ. and they will install a custom tripod adaptor. In fact , they make excellent hunting tripods, check them out. | |||
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Well, the former should not exceed 400 microns, the latter may have been too fine for the likes of yours truly to see. Those with Swarovski scopes or binos might see something, though, if they looked through the front end from a few inches away, were the Emperor to let them get that close. | |||
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The difference in good glass is at range in ideal atmospheric conditions. For example, my Swaro EL 10x42s are awesome, but in the mirage conditions in the Kaokoveld on our recent trip they didn't provide an advantage over lesser glass. I notice a big difference, though, in cool calm, clear weather. "Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid" -- Ronald Reagan "Ignorance of The People gives strength to totalitarians." Want to make just about anything work better? Keep the government as far away from it as possible, then step back and behold the wonderment and goodness. | |||
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If you are going to acquire alpha glass I would take into consideration how it may be used for hunting. One specific issue you are going to run into which is common in hunting but seldom in other uses is the use in sunrise and sunset when game may be typically more mobile. None of the Alpha glass comes close to Leica in looking almost into the rising and setting sun. With the current HD+ or noctivids you can look just a few degrees off of the sun and not get flare which is that giant yellow / orange glow that will mess up your vision through the binocs. I have owned Leica, Swar and Zeiss. For hunting I like leica's as they are more compact. I think they are better with definition in grey scales when the sun sets and you can no longer destinguish colors. They are all good choices and I believe all now have excellent coatings that allow water to bead and lessen impaired vision. I have found Swaro's somewhat fragile / delicate relative to Zeiss or Leica.Easy to knock out of alignment (SLC's) Birders look for fast focus. I think it is detrimental in hunting. I know the Toric company is offering a diaoptic lock which I would like to see the other alpha companies offer.Neat idea! EZ | |||
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Ended up picking up the EL 8x32's at an SCI banquet in April. They're light, they work well so far as I've used them yet (mostly poking around the back yard, took them on a cruise to Bermuda last month). I'll look forward to using them this hunting season. They are a lot better to look through than the 10.5x Leupold Northforks they're replacing. Scored them for $1800 in silent auction. | |||
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