MORE LIGHT, MORE TIME

An upgrade from the already highly acclaimed Pure NL10x42 model, but built with a larger 52mm objective lens, these binoculars are designed primarily to offer much improved light transmission, providing a critical advantage for deer stalkers and hunters who can afford some of the best alpha glass on the market. As you can see from the accompanying pics, the new NL Pure 10x52s are a little more sylphlike than their predecessors. They are about 1cm taller but with a slightly pinched waist on each barrel and a single bridge, rather than the two of the 10x42s. Although similar in terms of overall optical design it’s a fairly dramatic change. Both models share the same satin finish rubberised coating, alongside Swaro’s legendary build quality, but to be honest I still prefer the feel of the originals with their perfectly positioned thumb scallops and overall dimensions ensuring they still hold the top spot for me in terms of comfort. The new binos certainly aren’t uncomfortable, but they feel much narrower and your hands are pushed backwards a little more and fall flatter beneath the barrels. The twist-up eye cups remain the same, while dioptre adjustment has been moved to the top of the bridge – and they’re much better for it. Focus adjustment is flawless as you’d expect and there are quality lens covers front and rear. And hardly surprisingly they ship with Swarovski’s custom strap and mounting system to help keep your optical investment safe in the field.

INCREASED LIGHT TRANSMISSION
By far the most important enhancement offered by the 10×52 model is its ability to transmit more light – about 25% more than the 10×42. This is a critical in low-light conditions, early morning and last light, when game is most active. The larger objective basically equates to more time glassing, and hopefully shooting, when the light starts to fade. Field tests using a professional light meter showed that the 10×52 NL Pure’s give nearly a full stop of additional light over the 10×42. This translates to having around an extra eight minutes of usable light at dawn and dusk. However, that’s not the only upside.

That extra light also means better performance throughout the day. We regularly find ourselves squinting at brownish things on a brownish background, with deer, foxes and whatever else tucked away in dark hedgerows and woodlands, or buried deep in heather or shadow. So 25% more light combined with exceptional clarity and colour rendition is a big win throughout the day – not just at dawn and dusk.

DEPTH OF FIELD
With a larger lens comes a shallower depth of field. While the subject will appear pin sharp, the background will blur out more quickly. That’s great for isolating subjects in a complex environment, but it does mean more time on the focus wheel when glassing a hillside. Don’t get me wrong, a shallower DOF makes for a beautiful image (who doesn’t like a pin-sharp soft-focus image), but it does mean a little more work for the shooter when it comes to glassing at a variety of ranges.

One very minor drawback to the larger objective is the slightly reduced close focus. The 10x52s can focus down to around 10.5ft, compared with the 6.5ft of the 10×42 model. This may be a consideration for those who enjoy a bit of close-range twitching in addition to their primary obsession of shooting and stalking.

FIELD OF VIEW
Despite the larger lenses, the new Swaro’s maintain an impressively wide field of view – 390ft at 1,000yd. This is only slightly less than the 399ft offered by the 10×42 model. Compared with other leading brands, including Leica and Zeiss, Swarovski still comes out on top in field of view by quite some margin. That’s an important USP, as wider FOV means it takes considerably less time to scan the same size patch of ground.

WEIGHT AND PORTABILITY
Weighing in about 6oz heavier (roughly the weight of a small orange) than their 10×42 siblings is not enough to make them cumbersome by any means, and certainly not a deal breaker for me or many other users, I would imagine.

AND FINALLY…
The Swarovski NL Pure 10×52 binoculars represent a definite upgrade for fieldsports enthusiasts, offering brighter optics, extended time in the field and an immersive viewing experience. While they are marginally heavier than the 10x42s, the benefits offered by the extra f-stop of light outweigh any minor inconveniences in terms of weight or ergonomics.

The ability to stay in the field longer during the critical hours of dusk and dawn, alongside brighter images throughout the day make these binoculars a worthy investment for any well-heeled stalker who wants to maximise their time on the ground. They come with a hefty RRP of £2,950, but for those who demand the very best they represent a sound investment that falls firmly into the buy-one-cry-once category.

When you enter the world of alpha glass with the likes of Swarovski, Leica and Zeiss, it really all comes down to personal preference, so you should try before you buy – side-by-side. But from a design, build and performance perspective the new 10×52 NL Pure’s certainly secure Swarovski’s position at the top table when it comes to binocular performance.