Are the Swarovski NL 8x32s the best birding binoculars? (5 Viewers)

[lilcrazy2]

I am thinking the Swarovski NL 8x32 are the best birding binoculars available for the average birder right now.

If the NL 8x32's are the best for the average birder, I wonder what the best would be for the advanced birder?
I wonder if the average birder would even spend a grand on binos, let alone two or three grand. Same would be true in my mind for the average hunter, archer, shooter or peeping tom. Just one of those things I read and ponder and go hmmmm.

 

[[email protected]]

If the NL 8x32's are the best for the average birder, I wonder what the best would be for the advanced birder?
I wonder if the average birder would even spend a grand on binos, let alone two or three grand. Same would be true in my mind for the average hunter, archer, shooter or peeping tom. Just one of those things I read and ponder and go hmmmm.

What I mean by average is the birder that hikes a moderate amount and birds mostly in the daytime. If you bird a lot in low light or under canopy, you might prefer the 8x42 mm, but an 8x32 mm is a pretty good all around binocular, and I think the NL is one of the best.

 

[[email protected]]

Well. As I've said before it's not for everyone due to the weight and size but I prefer the 8x56 SLC hd due to its all round performance. It works in all lighting conditions, suppresses glare very well and has exceptional resolution. It's Fov is also adequate for me and a step up in that regard from the habicht 7x42 I was previously using. It also has a nice flat field that I quite like. The only optical flies in the ointment as such is a slightly longer set up time with regard to ipd adjustment and eye cup extension, once sorted though this is not a problem. It also has slightly more off axis c.a than I'd like (worse than a kowa prominar)- centre field though c.a is invisible.

No one binocular is the best for every birder though!

The 8x56 SLC is a great binocular. Do you do a lot of low light birding? Do you feel it has better resolution and glare suppression than an 8x32? I always felt the FOV on the 8x56 SLC was a little small compared to something like an NL 8x32.

 

[William Lewis]

The 8x56 SLC is a great binocular. Do you do a lot of low light birding? Do you feel it has better resolution and glare suppression than an 8x32? I always felt the FOV on the 8x56 SLC was a little small compared to something like an NL 8x32.

Hi Dennis. Coming from the 7x42 habicht the fov looks quite big to me! 133m @ 1000 is plenty for my uses, especially as it's clear all the way accross. Not as big as the nl but not too bad.

Resolution in daylights the best I've seen.

Yes I do tend to go bridging at dawn and dusk a fair bit, I'm not a twitcher so tend to just head out locally when the opportunity provides and dawn round here is when things are most active so its good for me to have something that works in patchy light.

 

[[email protected]]

Hi Dennis. Coming from the 7x42 habicht the fov looks quite big to me! 133m @ 1000 is plenty for my uses, especially as it's clear all the way accross. Not as big as the nl but not too bad.

Resolution in daylights the best I've seen.

Yes I do tend to go bridging at dawn and dusk a fair bit, I'm not a twitcher so tend to just head out locally when the opportunity provides and dawn round here is when things are most active so its good for me to have something that works in patchy light.

Anything would be big after the Habicht 7x42! Is the 8x56 SLC sharp to the edge? I had one, but I kind of forget. That is why I think the NL 8x32 is the best birding binocular. The SF 8x32 is good, but it is not as sharp at the edges as the NL 8x32. That is a big reason I prefer the NL 8x32 over the SF 8x32.

 

[CharleyBird]

Dennis, my understanding from all this is that at your "advanced age" your priority is "lighter weight".

 

[[email protected]]

Dennis, my understanding from all this is that at your "advanced age" your priority is "lighter weight".

"Lighter weight" is a priority, but it is not the only one! If it was, my ideal binocular would be an 8x20 Ultravid or 7x21 Curio. I feel that for the way most birders bird, an 8x32 is probably the ideal compromise in weight and performance. I think most birders appreciate a big FOV. If they didn't the manufacturers wouldn't be competing to have the largest FOV. A big FOV sells binoculars. You're lying if you say you don't want a bigger FOV. Why not have a bigger FOV? It increases the amount you can see at one time, and it makes it easier to find birds. I feel the two best 8x32 binoculars on the market are the Zeiss SF 8x32 and the Swarovski NL 8x32 because they have the biggest FOV and I think the NL has the edge because it has sharper edges and better build quality.

 

[tenex]

Which one? C'mon, let's argue about it.

Now I see why I should have avoided this thread. The word "best" in the title was the red flag.

 

[razor6]

For me?

I am thinking the Swarovski NL 8x32 are the best birding binoculars available for the average birder right now.

Nope, not for ME. For ME, it’s the Leica 7x42 UVHD+.
I can’t speak for the “average birder”, so I wouldn’t presume to tell “him” or “her” what’s the best birding binocular.

 

[CharleyBird]

"Lighter weight" is a priority, but it is not the only one! If it was, my ideal binocular would be an 8x20 Ultravid or 7x21 Curio. I feel that for the way most birders bird, an 8x32 is probably the ideal compromise in weight and performance. I think most birders appreciate a big FOV. If they didn't the manufacturers wouldn't be competing to have the largest FOV. A big FOV sells binoculars. You're lying if you say you don't want a bigger FOV. Why not have a bigger FOV? It increases the amount you can see at one time, and it makes it easier to find birds. I feel the two best 8x32 binoculars on the market are the Zeiss SF 8x32 and the Swarovski NL 8x32 because they have the biggest FOV and I think the NL has the edge because it has sharper edges and better build quality.

On paper the SF is lighter and has wider FOV (so too the Nikon e2 8x30 at quarter the price btw) than the NL.

Is it then sharp edges that matter to you now? I have to make a physical effort to view the edges of my bins, the middle ground is my natural habitat 😉

Assessing build quality of newish binoculars is surely guesswork and more about personal haptics than any reality imho. E.g. my two Steiners, despite claims in advertsments and their solid feel, both cracked, literally, under normal use over a decade (repaired free under lifetime warranty I'd quickly add).

NL 8x32 may be best for you, I'll take my NL12x42; everyone will sum the parts differently to reach an answer.

The average birder I imagine will be looking at the prices and find the NL and SF ridiculously expensive. My mate does, he buys Nikon monarchs and the RSPB brand.

 

[William Lewis]

Anything would be big after the Habicht 7x42! Is the 8x56 SLC sharp to the edge? I had one, but I kind of forget. That is why I think the NL 8x32 is the best birding binocular. The SF 8x32 is good, but it is not as sharp at the edges as the NL 8x32. That is a big reason I prefer the NL 8x32 over the SF 8x32.

In general use it seems sharp to the edges, I haven't checked on a meter rule though!

How has your preference changed over the years?

I know as a regular contributor you've been on a bit of a journey through a few binoculars, are there any that aren't necessarily the latest and greatest that you'd rate up with the new ones, a blast from the past you've hung onto? Maybe excluding the Nikon eii as we all know that's great until it gets wet/cold/humid!

Will

 

[[email protected]]

Now I see why I should have avoided this thread. The word "best" in the title was the red flag.

That was just to get your interest. I know the NL 8x32 is not the best binocular for everybody. Just 99% of birders.

 

[[email protected]]

For me?

Nope, not for ME. For ME, it’s the Leica 7x42 UVHD+.
I can’t speak for the “average birder”, so I wouldn’t presume to tell “him” or “her” what’s the best birding binocular.

I am not a fan of 7x. Every time I try them I end up selling them because they seem too weak, and I don't get the detail I do with 8x and on top of that most of them have a dismal AFOV except for the Zeiss Victory 7x42. Most 7x42's don't have any WOW factor. I had the Leica 7x42 UVHD+ at the same time I had the Leica Retrovid 7x35 and I compared them closely, and I thought the Retrovid was just as good, and it was a lot lighter and smaller, so I kept the Retrovid for a while but then 8x started calling me back with its superior detail and more WOW factor due to the bigger AFOV and I sold them. I am not saying the NL 8x32 is the best birding binocular for everybody, just 99% of the average birders.

 

[[email protected]]

On paper the SF is lighter and has wider FOV (so too the Nikon e2 8x30 at quarter the price btw) than the NL.

Is it then sharp edges that matter to you now? I have to make a physical effort to view the edges of my bins, the middle ground is my natural habitat 😉

Assessing build quality of newish binoculars is surely guesswork and more about personal haptics than any reality imho. E.g. my two Steiners, despite claims in advertsments and their solid feel, both cracked, literally, under normal use over a decade (repaired free under lifetime warranty I'd quickly add).

NL 8x32 may be best for you, I'll take my NL12x42; everyone will sum the parts differently to reach an answer.

The average birder I imagine will be looking at the prices and find the NL and SF ridiculously expensive. My mate does, he buys Nikon monarchs and the RSPB brand.

Yup. Why not have the biggest FOV you can get it WITH sharp edges, so you can use the whole FOV instead of just 90% of it. I know some say they can't see the edges of their FOV, but I certainly can, and fuzzy edges bother the heck out of me. But that is just me. The NL gives you the biggest FOV WITH sharp edges and I like that! I can not hold 12x steady and honestly see how anybody can unless they are an android! I use a Canon 10x42 IS-L for higher magnification, and it will kill any non stabilized binocular for detail. The NL 8x32 has obviously better build quality than the SF 8x32. The eye cups alone are enough to choose the NL over the SF, and the rest of the binocular is at a quality level well above the SF. The NL 8x32 may be expensive, but I think it is the best birding binocular for most birders.

 

[dries1]

99% =

 

[[email protected]]

In general use it seems sharp to the edges, I haven't checked on a meter rule though!

How has your preference changed over the years?

I know as a regular contributor you've been on a bit of a journey through a few binoculars, are there any that aren't necessarily the latest and greatest that you'd rate up with the new ones, a blast from the past you've hung onto? Maybe excluding the Nikon eii as we all know that's great until it gets wet/cold/humid!

Will

Any more I figure screw the costs. Give me the biggest FOV I can get with sharp edges. That is the NL 8x32.

 

[wdc]

The NL 8x32 is a fine binocular, but it certainly isn't for everyone, and the 99% claim is an idle fabrication on your part.

I own the NL 8x32, as well as the SF 8x32, but I use a 10x42 most often when birding. I didn't expect to prefer 10x, it just ended up that way, it is purely subjective, and I wouldn't bother to make the claim that 10x42 is 'the best' for everybody.

The fact that you can't hold a non IS binocular steady enough to enjoy 10x doesn't make you average, nor does being able to afford a $2500+ binocular qualify you as average either.

You are merely an aging enthusiast of optics and birds, as many of us are here, with your own ever-changing ideas of what is good or important about binoculars, generally focussing on what is currently in your possession, as your primary goal in these sorts of posts is to speak highly of binoculars that you will soon be selling, when a refund from a dealer isn't an option.

In theory I agree that 8x32 as a format should satisfy many folks that would otherwise buy an 8x42, but there are many factors involved.... eye relief, FOV, size, price, exit pupil size, AFOV, glare .....

When others on the forum bring up exit pupil size as a determining choice in viewing comfort/accommodation, who am I to disagree with that?

Size and price... An Opticron 8x32 Traveler at about 1/7th of the price of an NL might be perfectly fine for a huge amount of folks. And its a heck of a lot smaller than an NL in an 8x32 format.

I was in the eastern Sierra last week with a bunch of artists and birders. We birded about 4 mornings. Those that had their own binoculars used Nikon and Vortex binoculars that they were perfectly happy with. I did loan out some Leica and Zeiss bins but nobody went 'whoah' with the view, as they were all about the bird, not the bin, as long as it fit them.

We regularly blow many issues out of proportion on this forum, and it doesn't reflect how most folks use, or think about their bins in real life.

In short, I can see a myriad of reasons why someone could very easily choose a different binocular than an NL 8x32:

Size (for an 8x32)
Price
Glare
Format (some might reasonably prefer 7x, or 10x, or an objective size other than 32mm)
Fit

Your claim that the NL is better built than 'x' doesn't ring any more true than your other subjective statements.
One of the objective lens covers on my NL broke off after about 2 weeks, mirroring other's experience here.

All that said, I actually like using the NL 8x32, but I'm not using it that often, compared to other bins I own.

Cheers,

Bill

 

[William Lewis]

Any more I figure screw the costs. Give me the biggest FOV I can get with sharp edges. That is the NL 8x32.

Ah I see. Not an answer to anything I asked but an answer of sorts I suppose!

 

[GrampaTom]

.................... I was in the eastern Sierra last week with a bunch of artists and birders. We birded about 4 mornings. Those that had their own binoculars used Nikon and Vortex binoculars that they were perfectly happy with. I did loan out some Leica and Zeiss bins but nobody went 'whoah' with the view, as they were all about the bird, not the bin, as long as it fit them.

We regularly blow many issues out of proportion on this forum, and it doesn't reflect how most folks use, or think about their bins in real life............

Cheers,

Bill

Amen/Awomen

 

[[email protected]]

The NL 8x32 is a fine binocular, but it certainly isn't for everyone, and the 99% claim is an idle fabrication on your part.

I own the NL 8x32, as well as the SF 8x32, but I use a 10x42 most often when birding. I didn't expect to prefer 10x, it just ended up that way, it is purely subjective, and I wouldn't bother to make the claim that 10x42 is 'the best' for everybody.

The fact that you can't hold a non IS binocular steady enough to enjoy 10x doesn't make you average, nor does being able to afford a $2500+ binocular qualify you as average either.

You are merely an aging enthusiast of optics and birds, as many of us are here, with your own ever-changing ideas of what is good or important about binoculars, generally focussing on what is currently in your possession, as your primary goal in these sorts of posts is to speak highly of binoculars that you will soon be selling, when a refund from a dealer isn't an option.

In theory I agree that 8x32 as a format should satisfy many folks that would otherwise buy an 8x42, but there are many factors involved.... eye relief, FOV, size, price, exit pupil size, AFOV, glare .....

When others on the forum bring up exit pupil size as a determining choice in viewing comfort/accommodation, who am I to disagree with that?

Size and price... An Opticron 8x32 Traveler at about 1/7th of the price of an NL might be perfectly fine for a huge amount of folks. And its a heck of a lot smaller than an NL in an 8x32 format.

I was in the eastern Sierra last week with a bunch of artists and birders. We birded about 4 mornings. Those that had their own binoculars used Nikon and Vortex binoculars that they were perfectly happy with. I did loan out some Leica and Zeiss bins but nobody went 'whoah' with the view, as they were all about the bird, not the bin, as long as it fit them.

We regularly blow many issues out of proportion on this forum, and it doesn't reflect how most folks use, or think about their bins in real life.

In short, I can see a myriad of reasons why someone could very easily choose a different binocular than an NL 8x32:

Size (for an 8x32)
Price
Glare
Format (some might reasonably prefer 7x, or 10x, or an objective size other than 32mm)
Fit

Your claim that the NL is better built than 'x' doesn't ring any more true than your other subjective statements.
One of the objective lens covers on my NL broke off after about 2 weeks, mirroring other's experience here.

All that said, I actually like using the NL 8x32, but I'm not using it that often, compared to other bins I own.

Cheers,

Bill

What other bins do you own, and why do you use them more often? I understand having other bins for different purposes. I have a Canon 10x42 IS-L for longer range birding in open country, a Meopta Meostar B1 Plus 8x32 for a knock around binocular and a Leica Trinovid 8x20 BCA for pocket use. My point is, if you disregard costs, I think the NL 8x32 is one of the best all around birding binoculars you can buy. If you can have only one binocular, it would be a good choice. It is fairly small and light, it has a huge FOV with sharp edges, it is bright, high quality and ergonomically it is superb.