10x50 Binoc. Swarovski vs. Leica

Does anyone have experience with these binoculars or any recommendation of one vs. the other. I have been especially impressed with Swarovski's service. Is Leica's service as good--lifetime guarantee, etc? Thanks for any information.

Wilson

I was floored by how good the Swarovski service is. I had seen the new 10x50 SLCs at a sporting goods store with their very good eye relief, which was much better than my old 10x50 Habicht SLs. So, I decided to put the old ones up for sale on eBay, and then later discovered a haze on some internal element and took them off the market. Though it has been more than 23 years since my wife gave me the binocular for Christmas and I have no proof of purchase, when I called the Swarovski repair center in Rhode Island, they agreed to honor the lifetime guarantee and repair the binocular anyway. Naturally, I leaning heavily toward the Swarovskis.

Leica's service is excellent. Their lifetime Passport warranty covers everything. You can run over them with a truck or drop them off a balcony, send the remains in to Leica and they'll either repair or replace them. Never dealt with Swarov so can't compare.

I have owned the Leica 10x50 and have compared it directly to the SW 10x50. My recollection is both were a tad dark for 50s. The Leica had better and more neutral color. The Swarovski had an ever so slight amber/green tint in daylight, but not under more color neutral artificial lighting, e.g., theater, ballet and symphony lighting. The Swarovski was sharper to the edge than the Leica and had a more relaxed and luxurious view. Both are heavy. Because of the weight of the SW 10x50, I bought the SW 15x56 instead, after selling the Leica 10x50. The 15x56 is not that much heavier and it is brighter and more powerful. Neither of the 10x50s is much short of excellent, but both feel heavier than they should or I would like, given their power. By contrast, in the weight department, the Zeiss 10x40 BT*G Classic weighs only 28 oz and is very bright, but is too light. All things considered, if I were to choose between the two 10x50s, I would take the Swarovski because of the oh so comfortable views.

Hello,

Just an update on my Swarovski 10x50 binocular that was sent to Swarovski USA for service. The binocular was returned today in new condition. It looks perfect. I am very grateful to that company and will be a Swarovski fan for life.

Wilson