What comes to your mind when you think of pocket binoculars? Well, most people may think that with compactness, the manufacturers have to compromise on optical performance. The major problem with most compact binoculars is that they are extremely uncomfortable to use. They have a small aperture, less magnification, narrow barrels, and no extra properties. This ultimately impacts the quality of optics and the performance of the binoculars. So most people may prefer using mid-sized or bigger binoculars over them.
Had Swarovski not manufactured its Swarovski CL Pocket 8×25 Binoculars, people still would not believe they can get superior quality optics, versatility, and compact features all in one binocular.
Swarovski CL Pocket 8×25 Binoculars are premium binoculars manufactured by the Austrian brand Swarovski Optik. Although these binoculars are comparatively new in the market, they have proved to be top-rated and one of the finest palm-sized binoculars that you can completely rely upon.
If you want to know more about these CL Pocket Binoculars, read this article where we have carefully analyzed their features and usability in various conditions.
Swarovski CL Pocket 8×25 Binoculars Review
- 25mm objective lens
- 14mm eye relief
- Waterproof and fogproof
- Compact
Whether it’s bird-watching, sightseeing, hunting, sporting, and several other outdoor activities, the CL pocket has everything you need to bring the world closer to you. Lightweight yet strong and robust, these binoculars are designed to meet the needs of every outdoor enthusiast.
These binoculars may look small in size but they deliver brilliant optical quality that outshines their larger-sized competitors in the market. They are only the size of your palms and can be easily folded to fit in your pockets.
Don’t get disappointed looking at the price, Swarovski CL Pocket Binoculars have much more to offer that makes them worth every single penny.
Highlighted Features
- Fully multi-coated lenses
- BAK4 phase-coated roof prism
- 8x magnification
- 25 mm objective lenses
- Twist-in eyecups
- Hypoallergenic eyecups
- Aluminum housing
- Field of View: 357 feet at 1000 yards
- Weight: 1.55 pounds
- Eye relief: 17 mm
Additional Accessories
- Carrying belt
- Field bag with zipped closure
- User manual
- Cleaning cloth
Features of Swarovski CL Pocket 8×25 Binoculars
Magnification
The Swarovski CL Pocket Binoculars have a magnification of 8x. This means they bring the subject under view eight times closer to you. This power is enough to make these binoculars fit for any type of outdoor activity. For binoculars whose magnification is more than 8x, the hand movements are also magnified and a steady image will not be formed.
Size of the lenses
With a much larger aperture, the binoculars become bigger in size and bulky. Most of the compact binoculars have objective lenses of size 20-30 mm. The diameter of objective lenses is 25 mm which is enough to gather light for forming a bright and crisp view. The ocular lenses are 18 mm wide which is quite large to help with comfortable viewing.
Lens coatings
Most often to ensure more light transmission, manufacturers use much larger objective lenses overlooking the size of the binoculars. Some of the binoculars in the market even have 76 mm lenses that make the binoculars much bulkier. In order to make the binoculars compact, you have to compromise on the size of the lenses but not on the image brightness. To overcome the problems with the smaller sized lenses, the lenses are coated on multiple layers.
The Swarovski CL 8×25 Binoculars also have fully multi-coated lenses that reduce the loss of light due to reflection and deliver maximum brightness. These binoculars ensure 88% light transmission so that you can use them even in low light conditions like dusk and dawn.
Prism Type
These binoculars have a BAK4 roof prism design. The prisms are made up of glasses having a high refractive index that makes them anti-reflective and more light is transmitted to the eyepieces. The prisms are coated with phase correction coatings that reduce phase shift and form high resolution and color-accurate images.
Field of view
While some of the larger sized binoculars are still making a strenuous effort in achieving a wider field of view, the Swarovski CL Pocket 8×25 Binoculars have surpassed them. These binoculars have a large field of view of 357 feet at 1000 yards so that you don’t miss any details of the action.
Eye relief
Many of the pocket binoculars have smaller eye relief so they are difficult to use by glass wearers. Unlike others, Swarovski has manufactured the cl pocket binoculars that work wonderfully for all people who wear glasses and those who don’t. The twist-in eyecups made of hypoallergenic materials are easier to use and can be adjusted to one’s comfort.
These binoculars offer an eye relief of 17 mm which is long enough for comfortably using the binoculars by every type of person. Just move the eyecups to accommodate the glasses and you can get a full view without straining your eyes.
Exit pupil
It is calculated by dividing the objective lens diameter by the magnification of the binoculars. The exit pupil of the CL Pocket 8×25 Binoculars is 3.1 mm. This is a remarkable distance to allow enough light to exit the system. The human’s eye pupil expands up to 2 mm in broad daylight and having an exit pupil of 3.1 mm will transmit enough light and form bright images.
Close Focus Distance
The Swarovski CL Pocket Binoculars offer a close focus distance of 8.2 feet. These binoculars allow you to get a close shot from 8.2 feet and focus up to infinity. This feature allows many birders and hunters to have a detailed view of the near targets that are not visible to naked eyes.
Interpupillary distance
These binoculars are made with a double hinge design that can be folded to easily fold into the pockets and expanded for use. The folding bridge design also provides the binoculars with large adjustable interpupillary distance. The IPD ranges from 48-74 mm which is suitable to use by kids as well as adults. You can adjust the binoculars parallel to your eyes effortlessly.
Focus System
The focus knob is centrally situated in the bridge which is 16 mm long and 18mm in diameter. It is easy to reach and turns smoothly. The focus wheel is made up of metal embedded with the bridge and is covered by rubber housing with ridges making it easier to grip and turn while using gloves too.
The focus knob allows you to focus from close focus to infinity by making 2 full rotations. The diopter setting is on the opposite side of the knob on the bridge.
Weight and Size
As lightweight as they can get, the Swarovski CL Pocket Binoculars weigh only 1.55 pounds. This weight is a little bit heavier than other small-sized binoculars but the full metal body, double hinges, and eyecups make the extra weight completely justifiable. Built with strong aluminum chassis, these binoculars are durable and rugged than many other flimsy and cheap binoculars with plastic chassis.
The dimension of these binoculars is 4.3×3.9×1.8 inches. The dimensions can vary slightly with the folding of the hinges and twisting out the eyecups. These binoculars are as big as the size of your palm. They are compact and small in size and take up less space in your bag packs and if not you can also fold them to easily fit them in your pockets.
Waterproof and Fog proof
Many binoculars in the market are fully rubber-armored which prevents the penetration of water into the inner parts. However, the CL Pocket binoculars are only partially covered by external rubber coatings and most of the metal part is exposed. The thin yet sturdy rubber armor is provided in the parts like the top face of the bridge and sides of the barrel to secure the grip for use in any weather conditions. The metal part is also water-resistant, temperature-resistant, and corrosion-free.
These binoculars are filled with dry nitrogen gas and sealed to make them 100% waterproof and also prevents internal fogging of the lenses. This also protects the binoculars from external moisture, dust, and debris. You can submerge these binoculars in water to a depth of 13 feet and still, they will remain intact.
Twilight factor
It is the square root of the product of objective lens size and magnification. Most often, the twilight factor is given only in larger binoculars. But as we already mentioned Swarovski has more to offer and the twilight factor is just another feature. The twilight factor of these binoculars is 14.1 mm. This is not the best value but having a 14.1 mm twilight factor in miniature binoculars is a great aspect.
These binoculars guarantee optimum brightness and good clarity even in weak lighting conditions like dusk, dawn, and dark hours of twilight.
Applications of Swarovski CL Pocket 8×25 Binoculars
Designed to offer superior optical performance in a wide range of environments, the Swarovski CL Pocket 8×25 Binoculars are perfect for outdoor enthusiasts. Grab a pair of these before going out on jungle safari, cruising, sightseeing, birding, etc from snow-capped mountains to dense forests to exotic islands. These binoculars will make your adventure more enjoyable and memorable.
Hiking and trekking
While going out hiking or trekking, you will encounter various eye-relieving sights like mountains, scenery, wildlife, birds, and so on. To have a clear view of the sights, binoculars help a lot.
The Swarovski CL Pocket Binoculars will never let you down while you are sightseeing. They can be easily packed with your hiking essentials and will not be much of a weight to your backpack.
You can obtain vivid and color restored imagery with these binoculars. They will not strain your hands even while using for a long period of time. And even if they do, the neck strap is there to save you. The rugged exterior and waterproof design make them resilient to tough handling and extreme weather conditions.
Hunting
Ever missed a hunt because your binoculars let you down? There are several hunting binoculars in the market that perform best but only with a tripod fixed to them. If you want firm images without a tripod, you should opt for compact binoculars which in most cases would fail to provide a required field of view.
But you can completely trust the Swarovski CL Pocket Binoculars whilst on hunting. The wide field of view of 357 feet at 1000 yards will let you focus on a wider area and you can easily spot the elk or deer in the forest from a significant distance. The 8x magnification is good for delivering precise and steady images without the need for mounting a tripod.
Bird-watching
Birding is one of the relaxing and inexpensive ways for recreation. There is a very less number of people who would deny not enjoying bird-watching. For bird-watching, the binoculars must be lightweight, have a larger field of view and long eye relief.
The lenses of CL Pocket Binoculars are phase-corrected and coated on multiple layers that reduce color fringing and restore the natural colors of the images of birds. These palm-sized binoculars are easy to carry and offer long eye relief and easy focusing so you can watch all types of birds all day long.
Cruising
Cruising can be fun when you have the right pair of binoculars in your hands. The Swarovski CL Pocket Binoculars are easy to hold for long cruising experiences. The textured metallic body provides a non-slip grip even in wet and slippery conditions.
The inert gas and nitrogen fillings make these binoculars water-resistant for using them in marine activities. Though they won’t float if you drop them in water, they are submersible to about 13 feet in the water.
Most people prefer binoculars with a rangefinder and compass for cruising but if these properties are not of much concern to you then you can use the Swarovski Binoculars for cruising too.
Surveillance and spying
For surveillance and spy missions, you need binoculars that are lightweight and easy to hold. The Swarovski CL 8×25 Pocket Binoculars offer excellent optics in any kind of lighting condition. You can use these binoculars for spying on suspicious people and for security surveillance. You can also fold these binoculars into your pockets without letting people know of your mission.
The larger eyepieces and eyecups will protect your eyes from fatigue and the multi-coated objective lenses will ensure full light transmission to form bright and crisp vision at dim lighting too. The focusing is smooth and lets you focus from a nearby focus to infinity which helps to monitor any activities from a far distance to infinity.
Final Verdict
The Swarovski CL Pocket 8×25 Binoculars fulfill all the requirements of being compact binoculars and are one of the best binoculars for the money. Built with a solid and foldable design, these binoculars are completely waterproof and are suitable to use for a number of outdoor adventures. You name the activity and the Swarovski is ready to go into your pockets.
The price value may be a bit disappointing for some people but you are getting all the high-quality optics and technical features of high-end and larger-sized binoculars in these miniaturized versions of Swarovski CL Binoculars. With these binoculars, you are making a lifetime investment.