Swarovski SLC vs Zeiss SFL?

[Will-will hunt]

Love my Leica Ultravide 10X42s so much I’m Selling a my Swarovski SLC 10X42s that I just had reconditioned by Swarovski.

Im selling them now

 

[Magma]

The SFL sure provokes some interesting excitement - how can we already talk about a „game changer“ if we haven‘t even seen the binocular yet or held it in hand? I just hope people will not be disappointed in the end because expectations get too high (as happened with the Noctivid, after Leica had provoked an over-hype with it‘s excessive marketing claims).
Zeiss seems to market the SFL as if it were their top bino. But it isn‘t. In my eyes, that justifies some caution. If such caution is proven unnecessary, so much the better.

 

[roweraay]

Interestingly, the Zeiss SF was designed by top engineers and designers that Zeiss poached from Swarovski. And it was certainly acknowledged as being better in every way, than the Swaro ELs that came before it.

Of course the NL Pures that came years after the SFs, have bettered it in some aspects.

 

[roweraay]

Zeiss seems to market the SFL as if it were their top bino.

I don't think Zeiss ever marketed the SFL as their top bino. They were always positioned below the SFs. The SFL was always an Alpha-minus option from Zeiss.

 

[Pilotone78]

Im selling them now

Did you compare the Noctavid to the SFL? Those Leica are on my short list. I’m hoping to demo a pair soon.

 

[Pilotone78]

I meant Ultravid btw! Noc’s are a difft price point.

 

[wnelson14]

My quality ratings of the various Swarovski/Zeiss lines would be as follows:

Swarovski NL Pures >= Zeiss Victory SF > Swarovski EL = Zeiss SFL

The Zeiss SFs are every bit the equal of the NL Pures, with a bit less FOV, higher light transmission than the NLs, better handling than the NLs etc.

The SFLs come at a lower price point over the others, and a tiny bit less size of the objective lenses (40mm vs 42mm etc), but have absolutely top-notch optics, significantly lighter than the others, along with impeccable build quality…….I personally don’t have them, but know others who do.

I personally decided to go the whole hog, and went with the Swaro NLs and just ordered a new set of 8x42 NLs - you only live once, what the heck ! I already have a NL 12x42 that I recently bought used from a forum member, and subsequently put it on sale here, but still waffling about keeping it VS selling it, since I will then have 2 NLs (8x42 and 12x42).

Do you still use both 8s and 12s? If you
Sold the 12s do you feel
Under gunned with just 8s?
Or Do you use them separately or together combined on a hunt?

 

[roweraay]

Do you still use both 8s and 12s? If you
Sold the 12s do you feel
Under gunned with just 8s?
Or Do you use them separately or together combined on a hunt?

I have the 8s, the 12s are sold.

The 8s and 12s are entirely different animals, with both serving their respective purposes. The 8s are certainly more multi-purpose, while the 12s, due to their large FOV is surprisingly more useful than traditional 12s with their narrower FOV.

If I must decide on a single Bino between the above 2 options, I would do the 8x, for my style of usage.

I certainly miss the 12s, but might spring for the newly released 14x52, to supplement the 8s, as long as its hand-holdability with the Forehead rest, comes close to that of the 12x42. I could steadily handhold the 12s, when I had them.