Swarovski EL Range 12x42 with Tracking Assistant First Impressions

We asked, they finally delivered. Swarovski just launched the EL Range w/ TA in 12x42. 

While I haven’t had enough time to write a full review, (soon) I wanted to jot down my first impressions.

Really the first and biggest thing to me is how Swarovski was able to maintain a seemingly similar light transmission in the 12 power while keeping the overall size down to that 42-objective chassis. In my limited use, (in overcast conditions) I really didn’t notice much of a drop off in brightness, if any at all. Granted, I wasn’t glassing more than 600 yards from outside our front doors. Which, by the way, wasn’t too bad considering the 12x42s have a field of view of 288 ft at 1000 yards. Other than that, they are exactly what you would want in a higher power rangefinding binocular. Their overall and edge to edge clarity are what you would expect from this line. 

As far as the rangefinder is concerned, it's fast and accurate. The display is minimal and not cluttered. I also like that I can have my yardage and MOA or MIL adjustment displayed simultaneously.

Like I said, I didn’t get a lot of time behind these things, just about 15 minutes while Levi snapped some pictures. However, I was able to mess with the new Swarovski Hunting app. I easily changed my display preferences and input some ballistic data. So far the app is super easy to use and my ballistics seem to be on point. Luckily, I’ve got a rifle tag coming up and I plan on putting these EL Range 12s through their paces. So please check back with us soon!

We did film an unboxing video about the new EL Range 12x50, so if you're interested, check that out here!