Swarovski Optik Pocket Binocular (8x20B-P, Green)

I enjoy doing light-duty birding while going on long bike rides, so I got these bike-friendly binos as a complement to the Swarovski 10 x 42's that I use for more serious birding. And, of course, they're great to take to a theatrical or sporting event. I've used them for a couple of months now, and I continue to be amazed at how good they are. The image is bright, clear, and with no noticeable geometric distortion from edge to edge. Focusing is fast and smooth, and the easily manipulated diopter adjustment is very handy when I take off my prescription sunglasses to avoid color distortions. The build quality is fully up to Swarovski standards for full size binos.It's surprising that they pack so much performance into such a small, light package: if you check the specs of other compact binos, I think you'll find that less expensive ones are heavier and bulkier. As with all Swarovski products you may have to swallow hard before you click the Buy button, but you'll love using these long after you've forgotten how much they cost.

These binoculars are nice and optically they are great but when I went to register mine at the Swarovski website to validate my warranty I encountered difficulty. To validate your Swarovski warranty you need your Serial Number and your UPC number. Both of these numbers are on the side of the Swarovski Box. I entered the Serial Number without any problems but when I went to enter the UPC number I noticed there was another non-removable sticker OVER the UPC number. In other words you couldn't read the proper UPC number underneath this tag and you can't remove this sticker because it takes the UPC number underneath with it. The UPC number MUST be 12 digits beginning with 708026 or it will not validate your Swarovski warranty. So in other words no UPC number no warranty on your binoculars and I think since you are paying almost retail you should get a warranty. I feel these binoculars are grey market binoculars. So be forewarned if you buy these you get no warranty. I returned mine . It has been a few days now and I wrote an e-mail to Focus Camera and gave them negative feedback and I have not heard ANYTHING from them. Basically they don't care! I guess the mentality is that if your price is low enough people will buy it from you no matter what kind of customer service you have. I have noticed this mentality especially when dealing with the NY camera shops. Alot of them are rude and don't care about customer service. Well guess what I ordered this binocular from Eagle Optics and I will bet I don't get one with the UPC covered up with a non-removable label and If I did e-mail them with a problem they would at least answer me. I also complained to Amazon about these binoculars and I got no response from them either. They don't really care either. You are basically on your own here and I know I will NEVER buy anything from Focus Camera again. They totally don't care about the customer.

These are truly pocket-sized, small and light enough to take along just about anywhere. And the optics are great! I normally carry the Swarovski EL-32's. In comparison the 8x20's (these) are harder to use, and don't work as well in low light. No surprises there! But being able to bring them anywhere is great, I've used them at concerts in addition to nature walks. Note that these are an old model, the new model is bigger and heavier.

I just received my Swarovski 8x20B binoculars and I am happy. They are exactly as described in various expert reviews: Spectacularly good optics, more compact than almost any other 8x20, light, handsome, and tough. I can't actually say I have tested the last quality, but they have the feel of a well-designed and engineered device. In use, I find that even though they are very small, it is easy to hold them steady and enjoy the bright, sharp view. Wonderful piece of combined art and technology.