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thormulie
Guest
I am interested in the swaros 8.5x42el and the leica 8x42ultravid. Which one is better? Also, should the 10x be better? I hunt deer and going to start hunting elk. Interested in feedback, thanks.
straightshooter
Member
- Messages
- 18
Truely you could not go wrong with either brand of binocular. They are both superb quality and have great warranties. Personally I have the swarovski SLC's in 10x42. Why you ask? Just because I got a better price and I am extremely happy with my choice. Hope I could help.
fatrooster
Long Time Member
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- 4,187
I agree with straightshooter, they are both high quality and only your personal preference can choose which one is better for you. Go to the store and look them over. Hold them in your hands and look through them. Decide from there. fatrooster.
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thormulie
Guest
Thanks for the advice. I have looked through both in store and both have superb clarity. Could have differences in the low light situations? I really like the lightweight of the swarovskis.
I was just recently in the same situation when comparing 10X42's in the exact same models you are considering. I went with the Leica's. They were at least optically equal in all regards. They were also lighter and seemed to be of tougher construction. Best of all they were about $80 less. I attribute this to the fact that Swaro does a ton of advertising on every hunting TV show and in every mag. Both are excellent choices.
Foreman4x4
Very Active Member
- Messages
- 2,126
LAST EDITED ON Jan-19-05 AT 12:55PM (MST)[p]IMHO, once you get to the realm of Leica, Zeiss, Swarovski, and the Nikon Venturer/LX's, it all boils to down to personal preference, ergonomics and price, as the glass in each is about as good as it can possibly get. As long as you buy from an authorized dealer, warranty should be of little concern.
I personally prefer the Nikon Venturer/LX's to either Leica or Swarovksi. The view through them is stunning, plus they fit my hands and face like a glove. The best part is, they're several hundred $$$$ cheaper than the other three mentioned. There's a pair of the new Nikon LX L "lightweight" version listed on Ebay right now with a "buy it now" price of $649.00. If I were in the market for new binos, I'd be on them like a duck on a june bug!
I also own a Leica 10x42 BN that is a fantastic binocular, but doesn't fit me near as well.
Good luck in your decision.
I personally prefer the Nikon Venturer/LX's to either Leica or Swarovksi. The view through them is stunning, plus they fit my hands and face like a glove. The best part is, they're several hundred $$$$ cheaper than the other three mentioned. There's a pair of the new Nikon LX L "lightweight" version listed on Ebay right now with a "buy it now" price of $649.00. If I were in the market for new binos, I'd be on them like a duck on a june bug!
I also own a Leica 10x42 BN that is a fantastic binocular, but doesn't fit me near as well.
Good luck in your decision.
J
JimR
Guest
I recently went from the Swarovski 10x42 ELs to the Leica BRF in 8x42. The Leica BRF is the new model that has the rangefinder built into the binoculars. I think the Swarovskis are a better fit to my hands, but the Leica binocs provide a sharper image.
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Chad
Guest
Go with the Swarovski mainly for the warranty. Them and Ziess are very hard to beat. Leica has issues, one of the main ones being that their warranty only covers the original owner.It's hard to sell a used pair of $1,000 binos that have NO warranty if you ever want to get something different.
Don't get me wrong they all make great glass but the warranty thing is a big one for me. Swarovski and Zeiss's warranties are allot like Leupold. The folks at Zeiss told me as long as thier names on it they will warranty it no matter what, that's a warranty!
Don't get me wrong they all make great glass but the warranty thing is a big one for me. Swarovski and Zeiss's warranties are allot like Leupold. The folks at Zeiss told me as long as thier names on it they will warranty it no matter what, that's a warranty!
fatrooster
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 4,187
I have swarovski and I think that their warranty is only good for the original owner also. Correct me if I'm wrong. fatrooster.
Foreman4x4
Very Active Member
- Messages
- 2,126
Fatrooster, you're 100% correct. Zeiss is the only one of the "big three" that offers a transferable warranty.
have owned all mentioned except for the Nikon I just did not care for them optically very sharp glass but not enough depth and resolution. All great optics though. In the end sold all and kept a Leica binocular and swarovski spotter. Leica are just the toughest binocular on the market keep the warrantys on the others you will probably have to use them.
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bittersweetmuleymeat
Guest
You are surely thinking in the right direction with either brand. To make it simple for you, if there is a way you can compare them side by side (looking through them only) your eyes might like one pair better.
I have had the opportunity to field test most every brand of optics, and surely over 100 different models. You will pay for what you get, but unless you loose your investment you should never have to pay again.
One thing I have noticed, especially in recent years, is there is alot of brand out there that perform quite nicely right out of the box. Unfortunately, they dont hold up very nicely in normal hunting conditions and they will fail you when you need them most.
Everyones eyes are different. If you lined up 10 people and had them look through the two models you are interested in (not knowing which was which), Im sure it would be a divided crowd on which pair is clearer/brighter ect.
If they seem very comprable vissually to you, then it is true you cant go wrong.
Personally I have owned a pair of swarovski 10x50 for 15 years. They are the most durable and important peice of equipment I own. I feel for the types of hunting I do they are MORE imprtant than the weapon I chose to hunt with.
I DO NOT take care of my hunting gear, I buy it to use it and I use it mercilessly. First thing I did was throw away the box and lens covers. I have never used a lens tissue on them(although YOU SHOULD) wipe them with wool shirts, been dropped, (50 ft one time), lost in snow for two weeks, fell off top of moving truck twice and the only thing that has ever damaged them was being kicked by a horse. (They probably saved me from being lame till this day) That cracked the corner of one of the 50mm lenses. Astonishinly it did not effect the performance. Apparently the small corner of the lens that was cracked is mostly for light gathering. They did not get knocked out of allignment, they did not take in moisture. I finally sent them back to Swarovski last year (7 years after they got kicked) just to see what they would do. They were smart enough to know whatever the heck cracked them wasnt "normal use" (guess they never packed the back country of Idaho)however they did do the basic service, allignment check, replace some armor rubber and replace that cracked lens with another used (but not cracked and much less scratched than my other 3 lenses) lens. They did send the optics back with some complimentary lens tissue and a kind pamphlet on proper optic care.
So I CAN say personally that my Swarovskis have been unfailingly durable and they have helped me spot thousands of animals and do to this day.
Out of the two pairs you have it narrowed down to I think its win win situation for you.
I have had the opportunity to field test most every brand of optics, and surely over 100 different models. You will pay for what you get, but unless you loose your investment you should never have to pay again.
One thing I have noticed, especially in recent years, is there is alot of brand out there that perform quite nicely right out of the box. Unfortunately, they dont hold up very nicely in normal hunting conditions and they will fail you when you need them most.
Everyones eyes are different. If you lined up 10 people and had them look through the two models you are interested in (not knowing which was which), Im sure it would be a divided crowd on which pair is clearer/brighter ect.
If they seem very comprable vissually to you, then it is true you cant go wrong.
Personally I have owned a pair of swarovski 10x50 for 15 years. They are the most durable and important peice of equipment I own. I feel for the types of hunting I do they are MORE imprtant than the weapon I chose to hunt with.
I DO NOT take care of my hunting gear, I buy it to use it and I use it mercilessly. First thing I did was throw away the box and lens covers. I have never used a lens tissue on them(although YOU SHOULD) wipe them with wool shirts, been dropped, (50 ft one time), lost in snow for two weeks, fell off top of moving truck twice and the only thing that has ever damaged them was being kicked by a horse. (They probably saved me from being lame till this day) That cracked the corner of one of the 50mm lenses. Astonishinly it did not effect the performance. Apparently the small corner of the lens that was cracked is mostly for light gathering. They did not get knocked out of allignment, they did not take in moisture. I finally sent them back to Swarovski last year (7 years after they got kicked) just to see what they would do. They were smart enough to know whatever the heck cracked them wasnt "normal use" (guess they never packed the back country of Idaho)however they did do the basic service, allignment check, replace some armor rubber and replace that cracked lens with another used (but not cracked and much less scratched than my other 3 lenses) lens. They did send the optics back with some complimentary lens tissue and a kind pamphlet on proper optic care.
So I CAN say personally that my Swarovskis have been unfailingly durable and they have helped me spot thousands of animals and do to this day.
Out of the two pairs you have it narrowed down to I think its win win situation for you.
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bittersweetmuleymeat
Guest
I dont recall my swarovski warranty card being limitited to the original owner. I didnt register them when I got them. When I sent them in last year to Swarovski RI (after 15 years) they took care of everything no charge, no questions asked. A friend purchased a pair on Ebay last fall and sent them in for a checkup. Free again, no questions asked, in fact they sent him a free loner pair for a week (they had to get his credit card # 1st) while his were out.
Anyway, not sure what the warranty really reads, or if has changed at all but they sure have been darn good about things from everything I have seen.
Anyway, not sure what the warranty really reads, or if has changed at all but they sure have been darn good about things from everything I have seen.
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D13er
Guest
The quality of both are very good but let me tell you a little about swarovski warranty. I bought an sts80 spotter 2 years ago and last september I ran over it with a jeep and busted it up good. I called swarovski and told them what happened. They sent mine to Austria to be repaired, overnited a loaner to me that I had for 14 weeks. When mine was returned to me and the loaner to them I was only out the money it took to ship mine and the loaner to them. They fixed mine and shipped it back for free.
Warranty doesn't get any better than that.
JB
Warranty doesn't get any better than that.
JB
N
NMRaptor
Guest
Another vote for Swaros here.
-Raptor
-Raptor
norby
Active Member
- Messages
- 296
I purchased the swaro slc 10x42 binos. I am very pleased with
the product, however if I were purchasing again I would buy the
Leica's. A friend bought the Leica's and we did a side by side
comparison in the field. Both of us agreed the Leica's were a
little bit clearer and they gathered more light.
the product, however if I were purchasing again I would buy the
Leica's. A friend bought the Leica's and we did a side by side
comparison in the field. Both of us agreed the Leica's were a
little bit clearer and they gathered more light.
D
D13er
Guest
Hey Norby, you're supposed to put your eyes against the small end.
JB
JB
Robin_Hood
Active Member
- Messages
- 112
I have been looking at both as well. I own a pair of Swaro's, but I like the rangefinder in the Leica BRF's. I have been hesitant about the warranty of the Leica, so I sent them an e-mail. Leica replied and said that the BRF model is only covered for 5 years. Because the rangefinder is electronics, they only cover it for 5 years. All other full size, compact and other binoculars are covered with the pass-port warranty. Now, I am not sure which ones to buy? EL 10X42 or the BRF 10X42?
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Hunter25
Guest
When it comes to the big 3 names preference is all that seperates them. I own a pair of 10x42 slc's & 15x56slc's, so that is my preference just can't see spending 400 more on the el's to sacrafice a few ounces for the same glass. If money is the issue for around 700 to 800 the pentax 10x50 or 12.5x50 dcf sp's are a clear as can be from dawn to dusk. That's just my two cents
Hunter 25
Hunter 25
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