Reviews of different Swarovski pocket binoculars
Buying a Swarovski binocular will be a day to remember for anyone – and that goes for a Swarovski pocket binocular as well. However, being faced by at least 10 models to choose from, does not make it easy.
Swarovski Optiks are all about quality and everybody knows that – and they back their products with a lifetime warranty, so that says it all. And when we talk about quality, we mean everything – not only the optics. Just by looking at the instrument you know you're looking at quality.
The Swarovski Optiks pocket binoculars are in the true sense of the word "pocket binoculars". They are compact enough to fit in any pocket (even of a shirt) and so lightweight that you'll hardly notice them. Their weight vary from 6.7 ounces to 8.1 ounces, which is about as perfect as can get. As a matter of fact, Swarovski claims that one of the models are indeed the smallest pocket binocular ever made!
Clearly, choosing between the different models is not going to be easy! However, there are some differences and I will show them to you. Maybe that will help you to make a decision.
Magnification:
Some are 8x and some 10x.
8x
Swarovski offers two 8x20B-P ones, one green and one black, as well as one Traveler: Swarovski Optiks Pocket Traveler Binocular, 8x20. In addition to these they offer luxury models, the Swarovski crystal series (Crystal Tosca, Nabucco and Idomeneo) as well as the Swarovski Tyrol.
10x:
"Standard":
Swarovski Optiks Pocket Binocular (10x25B-P, Black)
Swarovski Optiks Pocket Binocular (10x25B-P, Green)
"Traveler":
Swarovski Optik Pocket Traveler Binocular, 10x25 mm
Obviously you have more magnification with the 10x models, but that comes at a price. If you don't have a steady hand, don't even consider any binocular with a magnification of 10 times. The problem with higher power is the fact that the slightest movement (either from the object you're trying to look at, or your own hand holding the instrument) is exaggerated. The bigger the power, the smaller the exit pupil, since the exit pupil is calculated by dividing the objective lens diameter by the magnification. So, with a magnification of 10x and an aperture of 20 mm, the exit pupil would have been 2 mm, which would be a limiting factor in fading or dim light. To counter this problem Swarovski widened the objective lens to 25 mm, thus maintaining the same exit pupil of 2.5 mm as is the case of the 8x20's.
Objective lens size:
All of the 8x power binoculars have apertures of 20 mm, whereas the 10x power binoculars have apertures of 25 mm. As argued above, the main reason being to compensate for the loss of exit pupil diameter.
An advantage of the wider objective lenses (25 mm) above the 20 mm is the fact that wider lenses gather more light than smaller lenses. This means that the 25 mm lenses binoculars will be more effective in dim light than the 20 mm aperture binoculars.
Weight:
The 8x20's weigh 6.7 ounces and the 10x25's 8.1 ounces. The reason for this is the "more bulkier" frame due to the bigger apertures (25 mm). However, half an ounce will hardly be noticed.
Dimensions:
The bigger 10x25's are slightly longer than the 8x20's: 4.57 inches as compared to the 3.98 inches of the 8x20's. The height is the same: 1.5 inches. Just like the 8x20's the 10x25's fold back to an incredible 2.3 inches, making them to fit in any pocket, just like the 8x20's.
Field of view (FOV):
Usually (but not necessarily so) higher magnification means narrower FOV and this is indeed the case with these Swarovski Optiks pocket binoculars. The 8x's have a FOV of 345 feet @ 1,000 yards (6.6 degrees), whereas the 10x's are limited to 285 feet @ 1,000 yards (5.4 degrees). A wider field of view is handy to find an object in the distance and in particular to follow a moving object.
Close focus:
A binocular with longer barrels can never focus a close as one with shorter barrels. Some compact binoculars are designed specifically to focus as close as possible for viewers interested in things like butterflies or bugs. For those you really need binoculars with close focus of less than 2 yards. Some focus as close as 1.2 yards (1 meter), but the king of all close focus binoculars is the Pentax Papilio, specially designed to focus as close as 18 inches! The Swarovski's have a moderate close focus of 13 feet in the case of the 8x20's and 16 feet in the case of the 10x25's. This is sufficient, unless you really need to get closer, in which case you will have to consider the Pentax Papilio, which is excellent as far as close focusing is concerned, but not in the same class as the Swarovski's overall.
Price:
Prices vary considerably from $679 for the "standard" and Traveler 8x20's, to $899 for the 8x20 crystal models (the Tosca, Nabucco and Idomeneo). The only difference between these binoculars is the look. The crystal models looks like a beautiful piece of jewelry in addition to being binoculars – and small wonder, since the crystals are the famous Swarovski crystals. Between these two poles the 10x25's are sold for $769 and the Tyrol 8x20, also a luxury model, for $840.
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