The Binocular Advisor
Page 7
by Michael and Diane Porter
  Answers to questions from real people with real questions about how to choose a binocular.
Situation: I need some help in choosing between the Swarovski EL and the Swarovski SLC models. Can you give me the main differences in the two? I am looking at either the 10x42 or 10x50 size. I am 65 years old and wear glasses. I will be using them for both bird watching and hunting. — Phil, Utah
 Diane's Advice: The SLC is Swarovski's older model. It's an outstanding line of binoculars. It's hard to beat their optical performance.
But they're heavy.
Despite their weight, if you set your heart on a 10x50 Swarovski, you'll have to get the SLC 10x50. It is one of the greatest binoculars ever made, and yet I personally would not carry one. It weighs 40.9 oz.! But when we were testing full-size binoculars for a review Michael loved to use. It has phenomenal eye relief for glasses wearers. The published eye relief is 17mm, but it is better for glasses than many binoculars that claim 20 or 21mm. And it gives a gorgeous, bright view.
 A few years ago, Swarovski came out with a new line, the EL, with equally outstanding optical quality. It's lighter in weight than the SL line. The 10x42 EL is 27.5 oz. , compared to 30.7 oz. in the SLC.
 The biggest difference is in the design. The Swarovski EL has a hollow bridge, or you might call it an open hinge. This allows you to wrap your hand around one barrel and hold the binocular in one hand.
Note that the Swarovski EL does not come in a 10x50.
Copyright 2007 by Michael and Diane Porter.
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