LAST EDITED ON Jul-27-14 AT 12:14PM (MST)[p]>Instead of spending $1200 on new
>Razors, grab a pair of
>used Sworobright EL's for around
>$1400, they are a whole
>different class of bino.
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>
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I disagree. The new HD Swarovision binos are in a class of their own, but the older EL's are maybe equal to the new Razor HD's.
I had the razor 10x42 HD 2012 model and they were great, though I think the field of view was almost TOO wide if you know what I mean. 362 ft @ 1000 yards is huge and demands a lot of attention from your eyes. But glass is excellent and the warranty is second to none. My buddy had an eyecup break on his Swaro SLC 15-56 bins and Swarovski charged him $80 to fix it. I had trouble with an eye cup on my Vortex Razors and Vortex refunded me $1200 to get a brand new pair off the shelf of the local sporting goods store. So that's something to keep in mind.
I used that $1200 credit to put towards the new Razor 10x50 HD bins instead of the 10x42 that I had and the 50s are WAY better. Much brighter and the field of view is a little more concentrated to help me focus on the area I am looking at. I believe they are 315 ft @ 1K.
I currently have my buddy's new model Swaro SLC 10x42 bins on hand and I have extensively compared them to my Razor 10x50 bins in all lighting conditions and even total darkness with street lights. I can't really tell a difference. I tried and tried, but they are pretty much the same. In daylight, I think the Razors make color "pop" a little better and provide a slightly "flatter" view with the new APO glass they put in the 2013+ models. Detail on both are absolutely stunning. In low light, maybe the 10x50 Razors are a hair brighter due to the larger objective, but it is very hard to determine definitely. I believe they are about dead even in low light. I think the SLC's would definitely be better in low light when compared to the Razor 10x42's, but the 10x50s step up the Razors low light game for sure and they don't weigh much more.
So I believe it's kind of a toss up. If considering the SLC vs. Razor, I would go with the 10x50 model Razor and save yourself $500 plus have a better warranty to boot. Nobody can touch the Vortex VIP warranty coverage, it is by far the best in the business.
Now if you can afford the new Swarovski HD Swarovision bins, that's the way to go. Those things are insane bright and clear. On a whole different level than the SLC or Razor, especially in low light. But they are $2500 new....