ss7mm
Well-Known Member
I picked up a new Swarovski 8x30 range finder today. This is the unit that some call the Swarovski 1600. I've also heard it refered to as the Swarovski 1500. It's rated from 10 - 1600 yards.
First impression was the unit is exceptionally well made. The size is just right for a combination of being compact and yet being big enough to hold comfortable. The outer covering texture is non slip and the overall visual and physical impression is typical top of the line Swarovski quality.
I got a chance to compare it to a Leica 1200 scan and a Leupold Wind River range finder binocular combo. So far the only objects were in the 0-600 yard range and then from 900 to 1400 yard range. The Leupold handled things out to 600 but couldn't handle the 900+ ranges. However, I have had it range at 900 yards under favorable conditions but today it was exceptionally bright and sunny. The Leica stayed with the Swarovski out to 1100 yards but then had trouble on some even though it ranged one barn at 1150. The Swarovski ranged one dull barn at 1410 yards that the Leica couldn't get a range on.
In comparing the view through the 3 units I found that the binocular type unit had the bigger field of view as expected but I found that the Swarovski unit had a very bright, large view and was easy on the eye to use. I found that the Leica view was considerably smaller and harder to use to range items. It's like night and day comparing the view through the Leica and Swarovski with the Swarovski being the clear winner.
The impressions I found and saw today followed right along with what Ian had commented on and also what Shawn Carlock had said in previous posts.
We will be out shooting this weekend and I'm going to try and set the three up, if the Leica can be there, and try to get some pictures at different ranges and on different items to get a visual comparison.
Like Shawn said in another post, it's as if the Swarovski is on another planet compared to anything else in it's class at the current time. They're kind of expensive, I paid $770.00 for mine, but if you want a range finder with optics equal to the best binoculars and ranging ability unmatched by other units then the Swarovski is what you need.
First impression was the unit is exceptionally well made. The size is just right for a combination of being compact and yet being big enough to hold comfortable. The outer covering texture is non slip and the overall visual and physical impression is typical top of the line Swarovski quality.
I got a chance to compare it to a Leica 1200 scan and a Leupold Wind River range finder binocular combo. So far the only objects were in the 0-600 yard range and then from 900 to 1400 yard range. The Leupold handled things out to 600 but couldn't handle the 900+ ranges. However, I have had it range at 900 yards under favorable conditions but today it was exceptionally bright and sunny. The Leica stayed with the Swarovski out to 1100 yards but then had trouble on some even though it ranged one barn at 1150. The Swarovski ranged one dull barn at 1410 yards that the Leica couldn't get a range on.
In comparing the view through the 3 units I found that the binocular type unit had the bigger field of view as expected but I found that the Swarovski unit had a very bright, large view and was easy on the eye to use. I found that the Leica view was considerably smaller and harder to use to range items. It's like night and day comparing the view through the Leica and Swarovski with the Swarovski being the clear winner.
The impressions I found and saw today followed right along with what Ian had commented on and also what Shawn Carlock had said in previous posts.
We will be out shooting this weekend and I'm going to try and set the three up, if the Leica can be there, and try to get some pictures at different ranges and on different items to get a visual comparison.
Like Shawn said in another post, it's as if the Swarovski is on another planet compared to anything else in it's class at the current time. They're kind of expensive, I paid $770.00 for mine, but if you want a range finder with optics equal to the best binoculars and ranging ability unmatched by other units then the Swarovski is what you need.
