Birding in Stereo: The New BTX from Swarovski

The new BTX from Swarovski offers binocular vision through a spotting scope.

There is a clash of Titans at the top of the sport optics field among three European optics manufacturers—Swarovski, Zeiss, and Leica—vying to be the brand that you choose when purchasing a high-end binocular or spotting scope. Your average serious birder interested in using the best optics available could select a model from any of these three companies and be deliriously happy. In the rarified air of these highest, high-end optics, the differences in the optical quality from one to another is probably beyond what the human eye can perceive. It comes down to what feels good to you personally—in the hand, to your eyes, and around your neck. I own and use optics from all three companies and have enjoyed years of amazing optics performance from them.

When one of these manufacturers develops a new product that they feel is important, or even game-changing, they sometimes organize a tour or event to help launch the new product in a big way. That's how I found myself on an airplane bound for Innsbruck, Austria, just a few hours after returning home to Ohio from the Space Coast Birding Festival in Florida. I'd been invited, along with a bevy of other journalists, optics retailers, opinion leaders, and marketing professionals, to attend the unveiling of a new, top-secret product from Swarovski Optik.

I won't keep you in suspense—like they did us. The new product is called the BTX, and it's a modular binocular unit that fits onto the existing ATX/STX line of Swarovski spotting scopes. This means that if you already own a Swarovski ATX/STX  spotting scope, you can purchase the BTX unit and dynamically change how you use your scope. You simply remove the existing single eyepiece section and replace it with the BTX, rotating it and snapping it in place exactly as you would the eyepiece.

Let me explain in my typically non-techy way what is special about the BTX (which stands for Binocular Telescope. ATX and STX stand for Angled and Straight Telescope, respectively.)

The BTX offers incredible, stereoscopic viewing by combining a binocular vision/two-eyed image with the magnification power of a spotting scope. The image gathered by the objective lens of the scope is split into two images in the front end of the BTX and delivered, in stereo, to your eyes. This is something you probably have to experience to understand fully. And I'm sure you'll get a chance at one of the birding festivals later on in 2017 where Swarovski is certain to have the BTX on display.

The BTX can mount on any of the three ATX/STX objective lens bodies.

Like any binocular, the BTX has multiple adjustments that must be made for optimal, customized, individual use. These are:

• the inter-pupillary distance (the barrels adjust in or out like binocs to match the distance between your eyes)
• the eye relief for those who wear glasses (adjusted by rolling eyecups up or down)
• the diopter (to correct for differences in visual acuity between your two eyes; adjusted on the right eyepiece)
• and the forehead rest

The what?

Yes, the forehead rest. The BTX comes with a forehead rest that makes the viewing experience more stable and somehow more relaxing.

The optics inside the BTX are a product of meticulous engineering and rigorous testing, as we've come to expect from Swarovski. I don't pretend to understand the physics behind how the BTX functions optically, but I can tell you that watching birds in stereo is magical.

I noticed much greater plumage detail on distant ducks, despite the mostly gray and drizzly conditions in which we were birding. Birds seemed to pop out of their surroundings because the stereo view added dimension and a shallower depth of field, which made the focus seem much sharper.

Standing on the shore of Lake Constance, in Austria, scanning through rafts of ducks and loitering flocks of gulls, I felt my eyes and brain practically sighing as they relaxed.  Stepping to use a standard spotting scope next to me, I immediately felt the strain of closing one eye and forcing my open eye to do all the work. This may seem weird, but it was my natural reaction.

The BTX test group at Lake Constance.

Sharing a BTX with another birder or birders is a slight challenge because there's no one-size-fits-all setting for the various adjustments. In fact making those adjustments takes time, so any birder in a hurry or overcome by impatience to get a quick, focused look will likely experience some frustration.

The ultimate use for the BTX might be for birders/ornithologists spending long periods of time scanning shorebird flocks, or doing a sea watch, or a hawk watch, or monitoring an active nest. I believe a bird artist would seriously love field sketching while looking through a BTX. It is this type of extended use that can wear out the eyes and brain. In my few days of using one, the more relaxed stereo view provided by the BTX virtually eliminates this fatigue problem.

A variety of accessories are available with the BTX. A sliding shoe-mount balance rail permits a user to position a scope with a BTX for better balance, preventing its weightier back end from obeying the Law of Gravity at inopportune times. A Gimbal-style tripod head makes for smooth panning in all directions. A 1.7x magnifying extender makes the BTX into an even more powerful optical weapon. And a stay-on case protects your BTX from weather, dings, and other damage.

I can attest personally to the durability of the BTX: The one I was using fell off the tripod mount as I hefted the unit onto my shoulder. It crashed hard onto a cement parking lot, followed immediately by my scream of utter horror. Three of the engineers who helped to develop the BTX saw this happen and rushed to help. Other than a small scratch on the unprotected side armoring, the unit was completely fine. Unlike yours truly. They were pleased to witness this independent demonstration of the BTX's durability. I was light-headed with relief.

Like any top-of-the-line product, the BTX isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea. It's a large unit, and, mounted on the ATX 95, it's a bit on the heavy side. With all of the adjustments necessary to "personalize" one's BTX experience, it may not be as easy to use in group settings, such as on guided birding outings. And the price tag, at $2,689 (MAP, or minimum advertised price) means that there probably won't be a BTX in every birder's arsenal. But this type of quality and innovation comes at a price, as Swarovski has previously demonstrated with its successful EL line of binoculars and the ATX/STX scopes. Additional details and specifications on the BTX can be found here on the Swarovski website.

BTX side view.

BTX showing Stay-on Case and Gimbal head.

These considerations aside, the BTX is a great leap forward, optically. It reminds me of the first time I saw true high-definition television—there was a palpable sense of "NOW I get it!" And then a sense of "I can never go back to the old way of watching again!"

If the BTX sounds like YOUR cup of tea, you'll have to cool your jets until early May 2017, when the first units are scheduled to be available for sale in North America.

My thanks to Swarovski for inviting me to have a sneak peek at the BTX.

Caption Contest #25 Winners!

Hey everybody! We have winners for Caption Contest #25! Yes that's winners—plural, with an s. Our judges were stymied at the prospect of choosing just one winner, so we divided the entries into two categories and we have two winners!

In the Dirty Minds category:
WINNER:

Nilpad said...
Optics for all your middle-aged guy needs!


FINALISTS:
Alyssa said...

Although the invite specifically said "bare-naked birding", Geoff didn't feel comfortable unless he brought along certain..."enhancements."

Erik said...
Looks like Geoff stores his Viagra in his optics case.

In the Funny and Clean category:
WINNER:
Leslie said...
OK, scan north until you hit Michigan, look for third jack pine from the left, halfway up the tree, eight o'clock, sitting on skinny branch against the sky, yellow breast, black streaking, split white eye ring..........

FINALIST:
kevbosnafu said...
Our new 'Pinocchio' binoculars will let your birding friends know when you are....exaggerating... about that ivory-billed in the backyard.

Congratulations to our two winners and all of our finalists! And thanks to all who played!

Leslie and Nilpad, please contact me via e-mail to give me your details and claim your prizes! bt3 AT birdwatchersdigest DOT com. Use the subject line BOTB Caption Contest.

Thank you!

The BWD Optics Annual 2013!

Every bird watcher I know wants to upgrade their optics at some point. Even the best, top-of-the-line binocular or spotting scope can get a bit compromised over time, especially with a lot of usage. Dust, weather, lens scratches, body dings, and just plain old usage take an inevitable toll.

The advances in manufacturing technology for sports optics are incredible, giving us products today that just a decade ago were unimaginable. The $350 binocular that we can buy today is likely to be far superior in optical quality to a bino that cost $1,000 in 2003! While it may be hard to keep up with all the new makes and models, it's certainly a benefit to bird watchers and nature observers to have so many options available to us.

Over the past year or so, Bird Watcher's Digest has published several in-depth articles about birding optics. These articles are so good (in our humble opinion) that we feel they are worth sharing again, which is why we created The BWD Optics Annual.

The content highlights of the BWD Optics Annual include:

•  An optics buying guide based on an interview with birding optics guru Ben Lizdas of Eagle Optics.
• The results of BWD's field test of 8 x 42 birding binoculars.
• "Traveling with Optics" by Alvaro Jaramillo.

It's a whole lot of content on birding optics and it's available as a FREE DOWNLOAD!

Special thanks to the following organizations for their advertising support of the BWD Optics Annual.

Eagle Optics
Carl Zeiss Sports Optics
Swarovski Optik
Vanguard USA
and The Birding Optics Expo

We hope you enjoy the BWD Optics Annual! We welcome your comments, suggestions, and feedback. Please use the comments option on this blog to share your thoughts.

I'll see you out there with the birds!

—Bill

Podcast Episode #40: Optics Buying Advice Part 2

My interview with Ben Lizdas of Eagle Optics was just too meaty to include in a single podcast episode, so we broke it into two parts. And this new episode, which is number 40 in the "This Birding Life" podcast archives, contains the second half of our conversation about getting good advice when buying birding optics. Ben and the folks at Eagle Optics are super experienced in guiding customers through the buying experience.

Ben Lizdas of Eagle Optics.

In this episode we discuss some considerations for specific types of use: hawk watching, shorebird watching, warbler watching, backyard feeder watching as well as parameters for choosing the right binocs for traveling, hiking, and the proper binocs for use by young bird watchers.

 Special thanks to Zeiss Sports Optics for sponsoring "This Birding Life."

EVENT ALERT!
If you'd like to meet Ben Lizdas and sample the very best in birding optics for yourself, make plans to attend the Birding Optics & Gear Expo, March 23-24, 2013 at the Grange Insurance Audubon Center in Columbus, Ohio. Eagle Optics will be there along with reps from the major optics manufacturers. It will be a great opportunity to try before you buy. Registration is FREE and all registered attendees will be entered to win one of our fabbo door prizes.

New TBL Podcast Episode: Optics Advice

There's a new episode of my podcast This Birding Life available over at Podcast Central. This episode is part one of an interview with Ben Lizdas, sales manager at Eagle Optics. Ben has been in the optics game for a lot of years and he and the good folks at Eagle Optics have helped thousands of bird watchers and nature enthusiasts find their perfect optics match.

Buying a binocular can be a bit like trying to swim underwater through seaweed in the dark. There are thousands of different makes and models of binoculars, so how do you choose the right one? In our interview Ben and I discuss the important considerations for the binocular-buying consumer: power, weight, size, price, close focus, warranty, and others. He shares a lot of expertise and insight—valuable stuff if you're looking to purchase binoculars in the near future.

Ben Lizdas of Eagle Optics

This Birding Life is hosted by Bird Watcher's Digest and sponsored by Carl Zeiss Sports Optics. You can listen to the MP3 version of the episode, or listen and watch the images that come along with the enhanced (M4a) version of the podcast. This and the 38 previous episodes of TBL are available at Podcast Central or via the Podcast section on iTunes.

Scenes from the Bird Fair

When you arrive at the British Birdwatching Fair, which is as close to a Woodstock for Birders as anything in the world, you are directed into one of several car parks. These fill up quickly, as shown above, just an hour after the gates opened on Friday. Two things amazed me about the car parks at the BirdFair (as it's called for short): One, I couldn't believe how MANY people attend this annual event—more than 25,000 this year! Two: I was astounded that all of these people know how to drive safely on THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD!


Just outside the entrance gates, the seed trucks stand by, sides splitting with tons (or tonnes) of seed waiting to be loaded into cars. You can buy your seed inside at one of the seed-selling booths (or stalls), take your receipt out to the seed truck and the jolly seedman will load your purchase into your car.

Once inside the gates, you notice many large white tents (called marquees). Inside, the marquees are teeming with people, like a beehive of bird watchers.

Among the special offerings at the Bird Fair is a quiz-show-style competition called Bird Brain, where some of the UK's leading birders and personalities compete up on stage, like a game show. The Bird Brain tent was filled to capacity for each round.

Over along the water that gives Rutland Water its name is the Optics Marquee, home to displays of the worlds leading binoculars and spotting scopes for birders. This marquee has grown over the years, and spawned some babies: a special marquee for retailers, and another for cameras and digiscoping gear.

Seeing all the new optics was enjoyable, but my favorite thing was getting my Zeiss 8x Victories cleaned by an expert optics technician. These two guys sat there all weekend cleaning Zeiss after Zeiss, inside and out. They did things to binoculars that made me feel light-headed—like taking out the lenses and swabbing out the optical tubes. And they did this while people waited!


I'm thinking that the cleaning did me some good because just two days later I spotted a fairly rare bird—one that got the local rarity hotline jumping. More on that in a future post.

Across the central path from the main marquees is the food court, where everyone ends up sooner or later. In fact, each time I wanted to try to find someone in particular, I went to the food and beverage area and looked around. I usually found them or they found me. And if not, I just waited, like a spider waits for a fly, and before long, here came my friend or colleague.

Over at the food court you could buy a wide variety of food and foodlike things. Shown above is the Traditional English Breakfast: Fried egg, fried whole tomato, fried sausage, fried mushrooms, fried pieces of country-cured bacon, and baked beans (unfried). Next to it is a cup of coffee-like liquid used to wash down the Traditional English Breakfast. I found that this worked better for me than Traditional English Breakfast Tea.

Tomorrow: visiting the Philippines in England.

Ye Olde Brytish Byrd Faire

Ahh! The British Birdwatching Fair! The world's largest gathering of bird aficionados--kindred spirits to us all. Looking for something--anything--having to do with birds? It's probably here. Lots of neat new products, great books we'll never see in the U.S., clothing MADE FOR BIRDING! And the Bird Fair even has a beer tent. U.S. birding festivals please take note....

More than 20,000 bird watchers wend their way to north-central England each August for this unique event. I try to go as often as I can, but as travel to Europe has gotten more expensive, it's gotten tougher to make it to Rutland Water, an RSPB reserve that is the site of The British Birdwatching Fair.

The BirdFair is set up inside of several huge tents, called marquees. I think there were at least five different marquees, plus two optics marquees, and an art marquee. Even though I spent parts of three days there, map in hand, I never really felt I got the lay of the land. Everywhere I looked I saw something else interesting and someone I wanted to talk with about birds and birding.


Perhaps the most fabulous thing about the BirdFair is the set up for trying optics. In two different optics marquees perched on the shore of Rutland Water, all the major optics companies are set up, side-by-side. This allows attendees to sample the optics under actual field conditions, looking at actual wild birds! I'm not sure what the sales figures are, but I saw a steady stream of grinning bird watchers walking out of the optics marquees clutching new optics. I was sorely tempted to buy several binocs I tested. Thank the gods that the exchange rate made such purchases insanely expensive for me.



The optics marquees were jammed all day long with eager bird watchers sampling the world's finest binoculars and scopes.


The BirdFair always features a large number of bird and wildlife artists in the art marquee. Nearly all of the participating artists contribute their time and talents to creating a large mural

The BirdFair annually chooses a bird conservation cause to support. This year it was highlighting the world's most critically endangered birds and these species were painted onto the BirdFair mural by the participating artists.
I got to hang with my pals from Guatemala at the BirdFair. They were there telling people about all the wonderful birds that can be seen in their lovely country.
Dozens of other organizations were also at the BirdFair promoting birding tourism in their regions and countries. This booth is promoting birding in Uganda.

I got to see several dear friends at the BirdFair. Among them were (from left) Nicholas Hammond of The Wildlife Trusts, Lisa White from Houghton Mifflin, and David Quinn, bird artist extraordinaire.

While visiting with Mavourneen from Lawson's Birdwatching Tours (at left, back) I was surprised to see this very friendly Englishman wearing a T-shirt (from High Island in Texas) with one of Julie's designs on it. Had to snap a pic of that moment! It's a small world after all....