Swarovski SLC 10×42 W B

Specifications:

Objective diameter:  42 mm
Magnification:  10 x
Exit pupil: 4.2 mm
Eye relief (acc. to spec): 16 mm
Usable eye relief (measured from rim of eyecup): 13.5 mm
IPD:  56 – 74 mm
RFOV:  6.3  degrees = 110 m
AFOV (according to spec.):  61 degrees
Minimum focus distance (measured): 3.2 m
Focus type: CF (direction of rotation from close to infinity: > clockwise)
Degrees of rotation of focus wheel from 3.2 m to infinity (measured): 640 degrees
Range of diopter adjustment (acc. to spec.): +/- 4 dpt*
Excess travel of focus wheel beyond infinity position (estimate): 5.5 dpt*
Prism system:  Schmidt-Pechan
Waterproof: yes
Weight (measured, with eyepiece cover and strap): 870 g
Made in: Austria
*range of diopter adjustment not affected by position of focus wheel

Remarks:

The SLC used to be Swarovski’s “second tier” line of binoculars, with models in sizes 8×42, 10×42, 8×56, 10×56 and 15×56. But as you would expect with Swarovski, “second tier” doesn’t mean compromises on either optics or mechanics. Differences to Swarovski’s flagship EL Swarovision are rather marginal in most areas; the largest may be the slower focuser and the fact that the image is not as flat-field as in  the ELs. Also, the image of the SLC may just be a tad less bright – something you may only notice in a side-by-side comparison -, and the eye relief is a bit less generous. But otherwise, the SLC is one of the best choices if you are looking for excellent optical and mechanical performance but don’t want to spend the kind of money needed for an EL SV or Zeiss Victory. It is also more compact and lighter than the EL SV. Some samples had much discussed issues with the evenness or even stickiness of the focuser (something Roger Vine seems to omit in his otherwise excellent review of the SLC 10×42) or sounds coming from the focusing mechanism, and BINOCULARS TODAY had to claim service from Swarovski in one case. Still, the 10×42 SLC – and even more so the 8×42 model, see separate post – are two of our favourite general purpose binoculars in the entire collection.
In 2020, Swarovski stopped selling the x42 models of the SLC, but it is still producing them and selling them through its subsidiary Kahles (see separate post, https://binocular.ch/kahles-helia-s-8×42/).

Ratings: