 |
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Guest review, written by: Mark Peace
The Swarovski SLC 15x56 HD is currently the highest magnification binocular in Swarovski's range. Along with its predecessor, the non-HD Swarovski SLC 15x56, it has gained a significant reputation amongst hunters, in particular, for its quality and low light performance.
My interest in the Swarovski SLC 15x56 HD has come from a desire for a high magnification binocular for coastal and wetland bird watching. Most bird watchers will use their spotting scopes in these situations, but I wanted to see how a high power binocular would perform as an alternative. Spoiler alert - it performs very well!
The Swarovski SLC 15x56 HD was introduced in 2013 and brings a number of improvements over the non-HD Swarovski SLC 15x56 that first appeared in 1999 and was updated to the new version in 2005. Perhaps the most significant improvement is the use of Abbe-Koenig prisms, which utilize total internal reflection and therefore increase light transmissivity, instead of Schmidt-Pechan roof prisms. Other improvements include a slight reduction in weight, the use of 1 fluoride-containing HD lens element in each objective to reduce color fringing, slightly enhanced field of view and slightly more eye-relief.
The range of Swarovski SLC HD binoculars is considered as Swarovski's second-tier line of binoculars behind the premium EL-range. They however by most standards, should be recognized as premium binoculars sharing many high-end features with the ELs and include 8x42, 10x42, 8x56, 10x56 and 15x56 configurations.
Considering the highest power EL binocular is currently the Swarovski 12x50 EL SV Field Pro, this Swarovski SLC HD 15x56 is their premium high-power binocular. Some notable competition in a high magnification format comes from the Zeiss Conquest HD 15x56, Meopta Meostar 15x56 HD and the recently launched Vortex Razor UHD 18x56.
Contents:
Single Top Hinge
One of the key differentiators of the Swarovski SLC line of binoculars compared to the EL line is that the former feature a top hinge design, while the later is open hinged. The top hinge on the Swarovski SLC 15x56 HD, is noticeably broad as we might expect for a larger binocular where the hinge has to support more weight and mechanical forces when in use. The result is binoculars that feel sturdy and durable.
Inter-Pupillary Distance (IPD) Adjustment
To adjust the distance between the eye-pieces of the binocular to suit your own particular inter-pupilar distance (IPD - the distance between the pupils of your eyes) you rotate the binocular barrels around the hinge. The tension on the hinge is quite high meaning you need to put a little force into changing the IPD, but once set it will stay in position.
By closing the hinges, the minimum IPD is 5.6cm and then opening the hinges, the maximum moves out to 7.6cm.
Rubber Armor and Body Design
The dark green rubber armor has a firm texture and a leather-textured pattern. The texture provides plenty of grip and the armor feels tight fitting to the body. The overall effect is pleasing to look at with a quality feel in the hand.
Chassis
On the bottom side of the binoculars are thumb indents giving a comfy grip and compensating for the large girth of the barrels. [Body indents 1] The natural grip seems to be with the thumb in the indents, the first finger on the focuser, the middle finger over the hinge and the 4th and 5th fingers behind the hinge
O-ring Sealed
The internal focusing of these binoculars along with air-tight seals on external elements provides an effective barrier against the ingress of water and dust particles. They are listed as being waterproof to a submersion of 4 m / 13 ft.
Fogproof
The binoculars are nitrogen purged meaning the gas inside them has no water vapor which could condense on internal elements and obscure the view by 'fogging up'.
Eye-Cups
The eye-cups on the Swarovski SLC 15x56 HD binoculars are the screw-type and have 4 positions which are, fully down and 3 stepped raised positions. There's a nice smooth action between the different positions and the eye-cups stay firmly in any of the raised positions.
Long Eye-Relief
As a glasses wearer, I am particularly pleased with the eye-cups on the Swarovski 15x56 SLC HD. When fully down the eyecups sit quite low and close to the eye lens. This means that with glasses on I can make use of nearly all of the 16mm of eye-relief and therefore see the entire field of views.
The eyecups can be removed by simply screwing them out beyond the highest eye-cup position. The top of the eyecups are made of rubber for comfort when pressed up against your face or glasses when viewing. I presume the rest of the eyecup is made of metal but it is difficult to tell being completely black with no obvious shiny metal. This could just be a very good paint job by Swarovski or otherwise, they've used a particularly hard plastic.
Focus Wheel & Focusing
The focus wheel is quite broad on this 15x56Swarovski SLC HD binocular, made of plastic and has raised ridges on it for added grip when focussing. In total the focus wheel has 2¼ turns available (810°). In practice from closest focus to infinity takes about 2 turns 720° when not compensating for a particular eyesight dioptre requirements.
It does feel quite slow to focus when going from near to far distances, but this can also be considered as being precise. At close distances, the depth of field is quite narrow and so having a precise, slightly slow focuser can be considered an advantage. Where this could be a drawback for birdwatching is following moving birds at close range, however, these binoculars would not be well suited to that kind of viewing anyway and a lower magnification binocular such as an 8x would provide a greater depth of view and wider field of view that would be preferable.
Lockable Diopter Adjuster
The dioptre adjustment is in the focus wheel and involves pulling the focus wheel forward and twisting it, which adjusts the focus off-set of just the right eye.
So to set the dioptre and thus calibrate your binoculars to your vision, you adjust the focus of the binoculars with the focus wheel in so that the left eye is in perfect focus. You then pull out the focus wheel and adjust the dioptre so that the right eye comes into perfect focus as well. Finally, you push the focus wheel in, which locks the dioptre adjustment.
This is a particularly neat feature of Swarovski SLC and EL binoculars and works very well. It makes slight dioptre adjustments easy to do. I find sometimes at different times of the day and in different lighting conditions my eyes can change a little and the dioptre setting on any binocular needs to change fractionally to compensate.
On some binoculars however the dioptre locking mechanism only allows rather large discrete changes and I often feel I would prefer a setting somewhere between two of the allowed settings. With the Swarovski SLC and EL binoculars the allowed settings are so fine I can always find the perfect setting.
Note: the diopter allows an adjustment +/- 5 dpt (8 dpt at infinity), which is a greater adjustment range than average in my experience.
Tripod Adaptable.
With a large 15x magnification to get the most out of these binoculars requires stabilization and the best was is on a sturdy tripod.
To enable this the Swarovski SLC 15x56 HD has a ¼ inch screw thread in the front of the hinge to enable a tripod adapter to be fitted. Swarovski clearly wants you to use their bespoke tripod adapter which is designed to fit the binoculars whereas generic ¼ inch screw tripod adapters are unlikely to fit so well.
Swarovski does not supply their tripod adapter with the binoculars, which is disappointing. I intend to buy a Swarovski binocular adapter, but in the meantime have been using a generic tripod adapter from eBay, which is fiddly to use and not particularly secure and seems to be taking the paint off the binocular mount socket, so definitely not recommended.
Image Stability and High Magnifications
The standout feature of these Swarovski binoculars is arguably the 15x magnification, which makes them somewhat niche rather than general-purpose binoculars.
At this magnification, you are encroaching on the lower magnifications of spotting scopes. While you do not have the ability to go to higher magnifications as spotting scopes do, you do have the advantage of being able to use both eyes. This is the principal attraction then, having the comfort of using both eyes, but at a higher magnification than standard binoculars.
Using two eyes instead of one enhances your ability to pick out detail and scan areas for longer and with the sense of immersion in the image that stereoscopic vision provides. A disadvantage of higher magnification is binocular shake. These binoculars can be handheld, but any slight shakes are highly visible being amplified by the high magnification.
So to really get the most out of 15x binoculars some stabilization support is very helpful. The Swarovski SLC 15x56 HD come with the ability to fit a tripod mount for use on a tripod. Unfortunately, they are not supplied with Swarovki's proprietary tripod mount and this needs to be purchased separately. Other tripod mounts will fit, but it is advised to use Swarovski's own due to the bespoke connection socket on the binoculars.
Mounted on a good tripod the experience is transformed. The vibrations disappear allowing you to focus on the tiniest details and the weight of the binoculars is carried by the support. With a fluid tripod head, you can smoothly pan and survey the area for as long as you care to without fatigue. This is excellent for nature watching in a hide or on open marshland or shoreline.
It is perhaps fair to say that hunters are more familiar with the benefits of mounting binoculars on tripods and it's definitely something that more nature watchers and specifically birders should try.
I've used the Swarovski SLC 15x56 HD extensively for bird watching on a tripod and have found it to be enjoyable and successful in seeing much more than I otherwise would.
The wide apparent view means you can take in a lot of the scene and follow birds easily and the detail with using both eyes and 15x magnification makes identification straightforward. It is matched well with a lightweight lower magnification pair of binoculars like the Nikon 8 x 30 HG or Swarovski's 8x32 EL for general viewing and then when you spot something or find a location for more extending viewing you can mount the SLC 15 x 56 HDs on the tripod and continue viewing with the enhanced magnification and stability.
Rating for Body Construction Quality: 9/10
Weight
The weight of 1.2 kg /42.3 oz is quite heavy compared to many binoculars with smaller objective diameters but is only 200g heavier than Swarovski's 10x50 EL SV.
Considering the size of this Swarovski SLC 15x56 HD binocular, they actually feel lighter than you would expect in use. This is undoubtedly helped by the use of magnesium alloy in the manufacture of the housing.
Dimensions
The size of the SLC 15x56 HD is as large as can be expected on an instrument having 56 mm diameter objectives.
It is however relatively compact and doesn't appear excessively long. The barrels of the body taper fairly gradually to the eyepieces which adds to the feeling of being broad in width and depth, which makes their weight lower than might be expected when handling.
As you can read in the accessories section below, these Swarovski SLC binoculars are supplied with an excellent quality and extremely comfortable neck strap which is great, however, if the weight is still an issue for you, you may also wish to consider a binocular harness.
There are many designs available, but of those I have used with larger instruments, the Cotton Carrier Skout Harness is one of my all-time favorite harness.
BBR Body Stats Score (compared to Large Sized Bins): 8/10
The optics consist of 26 optical elements, which is 13 on each side and use Swarovski's High Definition (HD) system.
This consists of fluoride-containing elements to reduce chromatic aberration. Swarovski doesn't provide details on the particular design of either the objectives or the eye-pieces, but considering there are only 22 optical elements in the 8x and 10x 42mm SLC HD binoculars and 24 elements in the 8x and 10x56mm SLC HDs and 50mm EL binoculars the 26 element construction of the SLC 15x56 mm HD is complex.
The objective lenses are 56 mm diameter and are therefore notably larger than the common full size binocular objective diameters of 42mm and 50mm.
This provides greater light gathering than the smaller diameters, 25% more than 50mm Dia. And 78% more than 42mm Dia. objectives. That's important for higher powered binoculars to ensure a bright image and is particularly beneficial for twilight and nighttime viewing.
The large 56mm objectives, therefore, provide a bright image with an exit pupil diameter of 3.7mm, which is similar to 8x30mm binoculars and slightly less than the 4.2 mm exit pupil of 10x42mm binoculars.
The objectives are not set back very far from the front of the barrels, presumably to keep the length down, but this does mean less shadow protection against glare, but in practice, glare hasn't been a problem.
Ocular Lenses and Eyepiece DesignWhile Swarovski does not specify the construction of the eye-pieces there is speculation as to whether field-flattening lenses have been used and this seems likely considering the number of optical elements employed and because the image produced is sharp across the entire view.
The oculars appear quite wide at about 22mm diameter, which is similar to binoculars with a wide apparent field of view such as the 24mm oculars of the Swarovski 8.5 x 42 EL FP. Generally, this is indicative of binoculars offering a wide field of view with generous eye-relief and the specifications of the SLC 15x56 HD support this, which is also apparent in use.
For more, take a look at my article on ocular lens size in binoculars.
Abbe-Koenig prisms are used to erect the image. This is a roof-prism, but different from the Schmidt-Pechan design used in the Swarovski 42 mm SLC HD binoculars and the EL binoculars. Abbe-Koenig prisms have the advantage of utilizing total internal reflection, which incurs no loss of light compared to Schmidt-Pechan prisms, which use a reflective surface, which does lead to some light loss.
However, modern multi-dielectric coatings reduce light loss at the reflective surface and the compact design of the Schmidt-Pechan prism makes it a popular choice. Nevertheless because of the inherent large design of the 56 mm Diameter SLCs the use of Abbe-Koenig prisms with the superior light transmittance seems a good choice.
The same coatings that are used in Swarovski's premium EL binoculars are also used in the SLC range of binoculars. The only exception is the SWAROBRIGHT coating, which is not used in the 56mm SLC HD binoculars.
The reason for this is because SWAROBRIGHT is the dielectric mirror coating used on the reflective surface of Schmidt-Pechan prisms to improve reflectance. Because the 56mm SLC HD range use Abbe-Koenig prisms with total internal reflection there is no need for SWAROBRIGHT.
The other three coatings used are SWAROTOP, SWARODUR, and SWAROCLEAN:
SWAROCLEAN is a water and dirt-repellent coating on the outside surfaces of the lenses that help keep them free of dirt and lets water run off them more easily. They also assist in cleaning the lenses more easily.
SWARODUR is a hard coating applied again to outside surfaces of the lenses and provides scratch resistance.
SWAROTOP is the coatings that are applied to the lenses and prism to enhance transmittance, reduce reflection and ensuring accurate color reproduction.
Optical Components Quality Rating: 10/10
Field Of View (FOV)
The true field of view (FOV) of the Swarovski 15x56 SLC HD binocular is quite narrow when compared to lower magnification binoculars due to the high magnification. But the apparent field of view, which is the size of the image seen through the binoculars is actually very large for any binocular.
The true field of view is 4.5 degrees, which corresponds to a width of 78 m/234 ft at a distance of 1000 m/1000 yds. To compare, the 10x42 SLC HD has a FOV of 6.3 degrees, which translates to 110 m/330 ft at a distance of 1000 m/1000 yds, which is not the largest FOV for a 10x binoculars, but is still considered a wide FOV for this format.
Comparing the apparent FOV, the 10x42 SLC HD is 61 degrees whereas the 15 x 56 SLC HD is 62 degrees. So while similar, the 15x56 SLC HD will provide the largest image to the viewer although that image will be of a smaller area than lower magnification binoculars.
The impact of a large apparent FOV is a sense of immersion in the image, so that more of the observer's view is occupied by the image. With a small apparent FOV, perhaps 55 degrees or lower you can get a 'tunnel effect' where the view is occupied by the image appearing rather small in the center of the view surrounded by the black of the inside of the binocular tubes.
Comparing the FOV at 1000m to similar binoculars in this configuration the Zeiss Conquest 15x56 HD is 80 m and the Meopta Meostar B1.1 HD 15x56 is 73 m. So the 78m of the 15x56 SLC HD isn't the largest, but is not far behind.
Close Focus
Close focus is not generally a strength (or intended use) of higher power binoculars and that's the case here:
The Swarovski SLC 15x56 HD binocular has a close focus of 4 m/ 13ft. Interestingly this is the same as the whole current range of SLC HD binoculars. So while it's not surprising for the 15x56 to only focus down to 4 m it is for the 8x42 and doesn't compare well with binoculars like the Zeiss Conquest 8 x 42 HD with a close focus of 2 m/ 6.6 ft.
Swarovski is perhaps trying to steer people looking for close-focus viewing to their EL range with a close focus for the 8.5 x 42 EL FP of 1.5 m/ 4.9 ft.
Back to the SLC 15x56 HD we can compare again to the Zeiss Conquest 15x56 HD which has a close focus of 3.5 m/ 11.5 ft and the Meopta Meostar B1.1 HD which has a close focus of 4.2 m. Again the Swarovski is behind the Zeiss, but ahead of the Meopta.
Close focus is good for observing insects or perhaps birds on a feeder close to a window. In particular observing insects up high in blossom and foliage can benefit greatly from high-powered binoculars.
Eye-Relief:
Eye-relief is of particular importance to spectacles wearers, many of whom like to keep their glasses on while using binoculars.
It is important then that the eye-relief is large enough to allow the viewer to see the entire field of view with their glasses on. Typically this requires an eye-relief of around 15 or 16 mm or higher. Other factors are also important including the design of the eye-cups as mentioned above.
As a glasses wearer, I find the 16 mm eye-relief of the 15x56 SLC HD is just enough for me to comfortably see the entire field of view and would not actually want any more eye-relief for my close-fitting glasses. Others with thicker frames or less-close fitting glasses may struggle to see the entire field of view and will need to try the binoculars for themselves.
In comparison, the Zeiss Conquest 15x56 HD has an eye relief of 18 mm and the Meopta Meostar B1.1 15x56 HD has an eye relief of 15.2 mm. Again the Swarovski's specifications are between the other two competing models with the Zeiss Conquest at the top.
Optical Stats Rating (compared to 15x Bins): 8/10
I have had the Swarovski SLC 15x56 HD binoculars for around 3 months now in winter and they have performed well in the dim light of overcast and wet UK. The sharpness is excellent but needs support to really appreciate it.
Color Reproduction & Contrast
I find the color reproduction to be neutral and true to life. Colors are nicely saturated with good contrast.
I find the color and contrast to be closest to my Nikon HG 8x30 binoculars, which provide a very good view. However, the contrast and color saturation of the 15 x 56 HD doesn't quite match the Swarovski 8.5 x 42 EL FP.
This is probably in a large part due to the greater magnification of the 15 x 56 SLC HD and certainly when the air quality is a bit lower, even over distances of 50 m or so, atmospheric haze appears more visible in the 15 x 56 HD.
In these circumstances switching to the 8.5 x 42 EL FPs results in noticing greater richness of color and contrast. In perfect viewing conditions, differences are less noticeable. Another factor may be the greater light transmission of the SLC 15 x 56 HDs resulting in slightly less contrast in some conditions.
Image Brightness
As mentioned before image brightness of the 15 x 56 SLC HD is excellent and at 93%, the transmission is very high.
Along with the high magnification and the large objective diameter, the binoculars are very well suited for low-light viewing in twilight hours and in stargazing.
An absolute must for anyone having the opportunity to use these or other high magnification binoculars is to observe some of the deep-sky Messier objects in the night sky such as nebulae and galaxies. These are objects or star clusters that you can't see with the naked eye, but many of them can be seen with a good pair of binoculars.
Using the Swarovski SLC HD 15x56 binoculars to observe the Orion Nebula (M42) for the first time was a revelation!
Everything about these binoculars seems to be optimized to give you the best possible view: high magnification, large light-gathering objectives, very high light transmission and a wide field of view that makes objects easy to find and puts them in context.
Color Fringing
Under normal conditions looking at ground level, color fringing is not significant with the 15x56 SLC HD and is not something I notice.
If however, you look into trees or at rooftops then it becomes apparent in the outermost part of the image.
It's perhaps a little more evident than the Swarovski 8.5 x 42 EL FP, but similar to the Vortex Razor 10 x 42 HD.
Image Flatness & Softening
The image remains sharp across the whole field of view, therefore giving a flat field of view. This is excellent for stargazing, where stars remain in focus across the field and when using the binoculars on a tripod. It means you don't have to continuously move subjects into the center of the field of view to see a sharp image of them.
Image Quality Rating: 10/10
The binoculars come in the standard green and white box that Swarovski also supplies their EL range of binoculars in. It's stylish and functional containing the binoculars supplied in their case along with the other accessories.
This is Swarovski's standard green carry case that's padded and snugly fitted. Although it's not a hard-shell case the foam padding provides good protection for the binoculars.
The bag is opened with a double zip for quick access has a carry strap and there is an open pocket on the back. The pocket isn't particularly deep but is useful for small accessories like a sterile cleaning wipe.
Neck StrapThe neck strap is thick and well padded. It's securely connected to the binoculars with a metal connector that itself is locked in place with a plastic cover that pulls over it with a click when in position.
The length of the neck strap is adjusted near the padded neck strap area with clever strap locks that enable you to adjust the strap and then lock in position.
Overall, the strap is convenient to use and comfy, which is important for these larger binoculars. Generally, however, I don't use the strap preferring to carry them in the carry case, because when tripod mounted having the strap being blown around in a breeze can cause unwanted vibrations and is unnecessary.
Lens CoversThese are a stay-on type and have a ring that goes over the objective end of the binoculars meaning the covers stay on the binoculars when not on the objectives, and hang below them.
The advantage is convenience, meaning that you don't need to put them away when not in use and you're not going to lose them.
If you're in windy conditions however and you have the binoculars tripod-mounted you may wish to take them off the binoculars if they start to flap around creating unwanted vibrations. The covers are well fitted, made of good quality rubber and stay on well.
Rain-Guard
The rain-guard is plastic, chunky and fits very well.
Not being flexible it rotates about the middle with a satisfy ratchet effect enabling you to adjust it to the inter-pupil distance you have set the binoculars.
You push it over the binocular eyepieces then and it snugly stays in position protecting them.
If you're using the neck strap you can thread one side through one of the eyes of the rain-guard, so that it hangs off the neck strap when not in use
No Tripod Adapter Included
With such a large, high powered binocular and because Swarovski almost forces you to to use their bespoke design, they really should offer these with a their Tripod Adapter included.
Cleaning Pen & Cloth
Swarovski also provide a cleaning cloth and a sterile wipe. These are a useful addition for perhaps one clean, but for cleaning lenses you should really use a dust blower and fine brush first and avoid using cleaning clothes where there's any chance they may have picked up contaminant dust or grit.
Therefore a full lens cleaning kit with instructions would be advisable.
User Manual & Warranty
Lastly, Swarovski includes the user manual, which is helpful for setting up the binoculars and accessories.
Warrantee Swarovski provide a 10-year worldwide warranty for 10 years from the date of purchase. This is good, but falls short of the Lifetime guarantee offered by some.
Extras Rating: 9/10
Reviewed by Mark Peace for Best Binocular Reviews
|
Main Specifications & Features:
Below are similar pairs of Binoculars that you may also want to have a look at:
High power binos from Steiner that combine quality optics with an almost bomb proof exterior. These will appeal to hunters, long range wildlife...
General Price Range: (6/6) Expensive Binoculars
Below is a link that will take you to a page with online retailers in both the US and UK that sell Swarovski 15x56 SLC Binoculars this page makes it easy to compare prices and then to buy from your preferred option:
 Buy & Compare Prices for the Swarovski 15x56 SLC Binoculars |
||
 US Shoppers |
 Canadian Shoppers |
 UK Shoppers |
 Deutsch Shoppers |
 Aussie Shoppers |
 Indian Shoppers |
Price & Where to Buy
Price & Where to Buy
