Swarovski is one of the premium optics manufacturers in the world. Their binoculars and field scopes are top-of-the-line products and are dream gear for birdwatchers worldwide.
Greece Bird Tours had the honour and privilege to be offered by Nafpliotis SA - the dealer of Swarovski Optics in Greece - to test the brand new
Swarovski BTX Eyepiece module, a novel eyepiece that combines crystal clear binocular vision with extra magnification (
30-35x) than a classic pair of binoculars. It can easily attach to any spotting scope of the Swarovski range. We were also given the new
1.7x extender that boosts the magnification to
51-57x (depending on the scope model).
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| Swarovski 95mm scope + BTX eyepiece + 1.7x extender |
We tested BTX in several different habitats and weather conditions: we scanned the sea for gulls and shearwaters, checked every wader, heron and waterfowl in lagoons and marshes.
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| The BTX is ideal for scanning the sea for seabirds |
It also proved to be a great tool when looking for birds like the Rock Partridge or the Griffon Vulture in rocky outcrops and cliffs. Superb image quality and binocular vision provided great and very relaxed views of birds so that one can look through it for hours, literally.
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| Enjoying the views of Griffon Vultures |
Overall, the BTX module is a great eyepiece for those who want to have the benefits of binocular vision along with an extra-long zoom (30-35x or 51-57x with the use of the extender, depending on the spotting scope). If you want to use your field scope for hours, then this is the right gear for you!
