Swaro SLC focus wheel

[Ehiggins]

Just bought my first pair of Swarovski binos (SLC 10x42) as an upgrade from some Razors. Optically I can already tell they are an improvement but the focus wheel on the SLCs is pretty bad compared to the razors. It’s a little gritty and harder to turn, at times I almost have to catch it with my fingernail to get enough grip to turn it vs the razor focus that rolls buttery smooth. Is this normal? Is it something that will smooth out with some use?


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[LaHunter]

Call Swarovski CS. What you describe is not normal. They will get you fixed up. Just confirm turn around time

 

[Travis2282]

Mine is not buttery smooth for sure but optically I love those things!

 

[Ehiggins]

Thanks. I’ll give CS a call and see what they say. It’s bad enough that even though I can tell they are better optically I’m considering sticking with the razors because the focus works that much better.


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[MattB355]

Sometimes people can manhandle the focuser and the diopter which can cause issues with the focuser (not saying you did). I tried a set of EL's years ago at a Bass Pro shop and the focuser was all but broke due to someone locking the diopter and trying to forcibly move the diopter and focuser causing issues. Call up Swaro and you will be satisfied when they return.

 

[realunlucky]

The focus wheel on the newer SLC has gotten plenty of complaints over the last few years.

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[Bubblehide]

I have the older SLCs and mine is as smooth as can be while taking slight effort to turn (it is not going to turn on it's own).

 

[gregory r]

I bought a used slc and the focus wheel was very light in one direction, and harder, and "gritty", in the other direction. Sent them in, and they greased the wheel, and put new eyecups on for no charge. Very smooth now.

 

[Ben RT]

I had an issue with some SLCs this spring. I got them used and the focus wheel was nothing like the others I have owned or handled. Knowing Swarovski's customer service is well revered, I kept them and sent them off to be repaired (partly in hopes that they'd come back better than any of the others). I know there's the whole pandemic thing going on, but I was initially without the binoculars for 9 weeks and when I got them back the issue was only partially resolved. They were very gritty feeling throughout the full rotation, made a little noise, and were especially bad in the sweet spot where western hunting binoculars spend most of their time (300yds to infinity...ish). When I received them back from Swaro they looked nice and clean, but were actually even more noisy in that sweet spot. The sound reminded me of a person with "thick" thighs wearing nylon pants (albeit only within that 15 degree rotation window) -- it was arguably loud enough to spook wildlife. Swarovski sent me an overnight label and did a rush repair for me; however, their technician said he found nothing wrong and they told me basically that my expectations were unrealistic. I got them back in under 2-weeks and they're now pretty much as good as any other SLC I've used. Although it is only speculation, my hunch is that the technician actually did work on them again and just didn't want to get in trouble for mailing out an item that had an unresolved issue. I suppose there's a chance things miraculously fixed themself while in the mail, or lube got spread around to the right places when the Swaro guys were fiddling with it trying to identify the issue. It's frustrating to have an issue like that with such expensive (and otherwise fantastic) piece of glass. I think Swarovski will do what they can to make things right, but I also don't think they have very high expectations from the focus mechanisms of their current model SLCs. Also keep in mind that repair timelines are pretty lengthy right now. I'm not sure where you got your SLCs, but maybe consider exchanging them for different ones if you don't want to wait for a repair.

 

[KurtR]

Just got a pair and the wheel is smooth

 

[TravisIN]

I bought a pair in December and mine out smooth. Hopefully it just got some dirt in it or something simple


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[Newtosavage]

...Stinks.

Just thought I'd finish the sentence. LOL

It kills me how my $100 Bushnells and countless sub-$300 bins I've owned over the years, all have much better focus wheels than both pairs of "legendary" SLC's I've owned.

It's stupid they can't get that right. They really should ask for help from Nikon, or even Bushnell.

 

[NoWiser]

I agree. The focus wheel on my SLCs stinks. It's entirely functional but is barely acceptable on glass that expensive. I do put up with it because I like looking through them so much. I've had them for over a year now and they haven't gotten noticeably better or worse.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

I guess that I am the odd man out. I just checked the following:

The focus knob my Vortex Viper HDs is the polar opposite of buttery smooth. This is with them living for several years in a drawer in my bedroom.

The focus knobs on my SLC 15s and SLC 10s are "buttery smooth".

 

[Newtosavage]

AZ_hunter consider yourself lucky. The fact remains that on an optic that expensive, there should never be so much variation between copies.

Especially when I can point to so many models that are 1/5th the price, that are better.

Other than the glass itself, the focus wheel is the ONE THING the user is actually using, all the time. Swaro really should sort this out. Nikon has long ago, and they are well known in the birding community for consistently nailing the best focus wheels.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

AZ_hunter consider yourself lucky. The fact remains that on an optic that expensive, there should never be so much variation between copies.

Especially when I can point to so many models that are 1/5th the price, that are better.

Other than the glass itself, the focus wheel is the ONE THING the user is actually using, all the time. Swaro really should sort this out. Nikon has long ago, and they are well known in the birding community for consistently nailing the best focus wheels.

It could be due to their use and age. Excluding scouting, my SLC 15s (5 years) are used 3-5 weeks (glassing before dawn to dusk) each year and my SLC 10s (4 years) are used 2+ weeks each year.

 

[Ehiggins]

Thanks everyone for the help on this. I called Swaro CS, they recommended I talk to the vendor since they are only a few days old before sending them straight in for service. I decided to drive out to the closest place that had both the SLC and EL in stock around here to see if maybe I just had a bad pair of SLCs and to see if the EL focus was any better. The SLC at the local Cabela’s was worse, way worse but the EL focus was perfect, go figure. At this point I’m starting to think that I should return the SLCs and buy a set of used ELs since apparently the SLC focus is a crap shoot. This morning I called the vendor (Rob @ S & S Archery) to talk about the issue.They are going to exchange them to try a different pair to see if they are any better, and if not than I’ll be in the market for some used ELs. I can’t say enough positive things about Rob and the whole conversation with him, truly exceptional customer service. For those of you who haven’t done business with Rob and S&S I highly recommend them.


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[Jo83ben]

I have a newer pair of SLC's and my focus wheel is sloppy and gritty which annoys me a ton, but one thing i've noticed is with the SLC's the need to focus is much less (is that called depth of field or something?). I can glass a hillside across a valley from me and then look down into the valley and then farther way without ever needing to refocus. that alone is amazing (more time looking and less focusing). though i still would like the focus wheel on my 1500 glass to be smooth. its funny when i hand them to my hunting buddies who run cheaper vortex diamondbacks and vipers and their focus wheels are buttery smooth and then they use my SLC's and are like "whats wrong with the focus". haha

 

[aaronoto]

Another SLC owner with a focus wheel that feels like crap and even occasionally squeaks when turning. It's embarrassingly bad for "top tier" glass. Hasn't bothered me enough to send it in though. Oddly enough it smooths out when I use the binos in cold weather vs warm weather.