Is swarovski simply the best?

Author's Rating:

Pros: World class optics, 56 mm objective lens is very bright at night

Cons: lack of image stabilizer and high power implies need for tripod, price

The Bottom Line: 
First set a budget. Be sure your choice is usable for your purpose. These are not everyday binocs. They are highly specialized tripod based units.

Author's Review
I first fell in love with Swarovski Optik using their rifle scopes which featured a tritium illuminated reticle for night use and the high quality optics to bring in the faintest light even at night (not intensified). The 56mm objective lenses will certainly bring in the faint images on a dark night.

While a sniper has the steady hands to use a 15x pair of swarovski's the average bird watcher does not and will need a tripod or suitable surface to secure these binocs. I have used them resting atop my rifle to get a wider field of view than my targeting scope with much higher power but they do not work well without sitting on a solid surface.

At 15x and above image stabilization is a problem. Unless these are for a fixed observing tower (smoke observation in a forest, etc) or will be always tripod mounted, give up the prestigious Swarovski Optik name and get the canon 15x50IS. Yes, they are 6mm smaller in diameter and won't be as bright however the image stabilization feature will allow them to be used in a vast number of applications where a 15x never could before.

These are very fine glasses - there is no arguing that the optics here are world class. The money however buys alot more usability with the canon IS system than the 6mm larger lens and S.O. name here. I have both and always grab my canons unless I am laying in a prone position where I can stabilize the S.O 15x56 and enjoy the quality optics from Austria instead of the gyro stabilization from Japan that Canon offers.

The S.O.'s are heavy but well balanced and feel comfortable in normal use. There is plenty of grip area. The tripod adapter allows you to remove the from the tripod where they will usually be placed and hold them to track a fast moving subject, then return them to the tripod. All features are well engineered and smooth to operate, as to be expected at this price range.

Any glasses above 10x will seem bouncy (even a 7x will be hard to use by some fraction of the population but most will find the 7x not too bouncy to be practical). At 15x only professionals will appreciate the glasses and they make up a very small fraction of a percent of the population. An active IS system allows anyone to experience what a professional hand can do with a pair of 15x binocs - I WISH Swarovski Optic had image stabilization built in - I would highly recommend them in that case. Without it, however, most people won't truly appreciate them without a tripod.