B, the 7x35 Leitz is a great binocular and still command a steep price used... I follow them on e-bay occasionally to see where the market is at. Used, but in good shape, they fetch in the $500 range. I believe the 7x35's were made primarily for the US market. I think the 7x35's are the "30-06" of binocular's... "just right" for about anything. It's a pity that European tastes dictate the market as everyone's gaga over more power. Sometimes less truly is more.

I would treasure those...

[/QUOTE]

Am I the only one here that finds the irony of this pic hilarious? All this talk in general of amazing clarity, unsurpassed optical precision, etc etc., and here we have illustrated a photo that is so far out of focus it's making me dizzy...

Swarovski Optiks is by far the number one in the world of hunting.Quality speaks..not the price.Trust the Optiks from Austria.

r.
seloushunter

I have the opportunity to use great class side by side that clients bring to sheep camp......I have seen two pair of Swaro SLCs lose their eye pieces and one top end pair of Pentax fog in bad weather(really bad weather).......never have seen any problems with Leica and Zeiss.....I have a pair of Leica 8x50s(yeah, they're heavy) and a pair of 7x42 Zeiss Classics.......the Classics have been beaten up but are still as clear as the day I got them.....the Leicas are as good as it gets.....at the beginning and end of the day, there are no better. None of my glass gets babied, but it's respectful use!

Joe

That is exactly the problem that I have seen, as well and I don't trust the hinges on the ELs, but, that may be because I am an old curmudgeon. I agree on the used deals, I just passed up a Leica Televid 77 spotter in the cordura canvas case, absolutely like new, for $1200.00 CDN. and I am kicking my self (hard) for doing so.

I would like to get a Leica Ultravid in 7-42, a perfect glass for the hunting I do and I may yet, I can always just eat only twice a day, walk everywhere and continue to wear ancient jeans and t-shirts with holes in them....a guy has to have his priorities straight!

Swarovski EL hands down the best out there (my opinion). I shoot alot of IBO tournaments w/my bow and have had the the new Ultravids. Try looking down a 50 yard dark shadowed heavily brushed lane, with a small framed very shot up McKenzie black bear in another shadow. Yourself standing in bright sunlight and try to find the X-ring (1 inch circle). You can see it with
8.5x42 EL's. Don't get me wrong the Ultravids are great, but for me the EL's are the best. Contrast, color definition and light transmission. Plus they are only .9 ounces heavier than the Ultravids, but you get 8.5x versus 8x and you can see the difference. Bottom line, if you are breaking for that kind of jack on binos, get what is best for your own eyes. Don't cheat yourself by comparing them in the nice bright store or outside as others have stated, you have to be in crappy light to see these high end binos strut there stuff. I would have the Ultravids if there were no EL's.

Eddie Fosnaugh

For those of you out there who have never looked through a pair of Swarovskis in the field (looked through your buddie's pair). DON'T DO IT !! It will be a very expensive mistake. You will realize how crappy your binoculars are and you will have to buy a pair. God how I wish I had never looked through them! God I'm glad I have a pair now. It really cut into the hunting budget though.

Riodot

Riodot,

That's exactly what I'm saying. I only know about Swarovski's lack of ruggedness from this thread but I can tell you that their optics are far clearer than anything I've seen and in low light they're nothing short of phenomenal!!!

$bob$