Because we are fortunate to have a community pond and duck pond at the end of our road, plus a national park within walking distance, migratory birds and all kinds of wildlife are always almost a stone’s throw away. Yes, I know what an urban fox and a wood pigeon look like and can identify them even in the dark, but ask me about the less common wild birds that splash around in front of me and I’ll often draw a blank.
As it is spring as I write this, some waterfowl have inevitably had young, resulting in a very aggressive male swan chasing away fellow pond inhabitants, dogs and people while his mate sits on top of her nest.
That’s why keeping your distance is wise and why binoculars are the best choice to observe what’s happening outside the rushes… but not just any binoculars.
Earlier this year, Swarovski Optik announced that it is the world’s first AI-enabled ‘smart’ binoculars. I was well aware that Swarovski is a premium Austrian-made brand known for its optical excellence. I had no doubt that the image produced by the AX Visio 10×32, which costs several thousand euros, would be razor sharp.
But the entire reason we’ll pay even more premium this time is the digital extras under the hood. Uniquely, this not only allows us to see wildlife up close and personal enough to notice the details of the feathers, but also identify what we are looking at, via the combination of a push of a button to activate the function activate and a digital overlay displayed in the eyepiece. .
The claim is that it can identify up to 9,000 birds and other wildlife – a claim I wasn’t able to test to the fullest during my review period in terms of the number of creatures spotted, but I did see enough to be pleasantly impressed are. as I will come back presently.
Education can be fun
Once the included rechargeable battery is charged and inserted via the included mains charger, handling these extremely high-quality AX Visio 10×32 binoculars proves an adage I once thought was impossible to prove: that education can sometimes indeed be fun.
However, as they are not just basic binoculars, I also found that it requires a period of getting used to and a bit of trial and error to get the best of the features and streamline the controls.
Of course, to get the identification software working you first have to turn on the binoculars, a process that involves waiting a few seconds while it boots up and a green indicator light flashes just above the right eyepiece. When the light stopped flashing and stayed green, I was ready to go.
Wild birds and wildlife are identified with the eyepiece of the binoculars themselves. Given the limited space it doesn’t go into great detail, it just gives the name of the creature and that’s it. If you want to go even further, you can pair the device with a smartphone after first downloading and installing the special Swarovski Optik Outdoor app.
As long as the binos are turned on during pairing, I found this to be a relatively smooth process. Additionally, because the binoculars don’t have a built-in LCD screen, you can use your phone as a remote control to access other features. Swarovski says it will offer future updates through this app, which it promises should lead to a product life cycle of “many years.”
Although it doesn’t seem obvious to me at first, the tube that rests on top of the eyepieces and has a mode button on the back used to switch identification settings is a built-in camera. Using the app, you can export photos and video clips from the binoculars to your phone for sharing.
There’s no separate slot for a memory card on the Swarovski AX Visio 10×32 and the battery compartment is protected by a screw-and-lever lock – in both cases so the device can maintain a degree of weather resistance. Although I did not attempt to dunk it in the pond, I was able to continue my observations in light drizzle without worry and without ill effects.
Do not accept substitution
During use, it quickly became clear that the Swarovski AX Visio 10×32 binoculars are both sturdy and heavy, meaning I need both hands to grip them and keep them stable. Officially the weight is just over 1kg without the rechargeable battery installed. This meant that the comfortable and well-padded shoulder/neck strap that came out of the box was appreciated.
We’re told the 1960s space-age look of the device is thanks to industrial designer Marc Newson, and the egg-shaped rubber edges protecting the front glass give it a slightly anthropomorphic feel. The rubberized surface covering most of the device provides grip and ensured that at no point did I feel like they would fly out of my hands if I turned too quickly. By the way, there is no thread at the base to alternatively attach a tripod for extra stability, so these are great for handheld use. The large ribbed focus wheel fell easily under my index finger while my thumbs circled the base of the eyepiece.
Unsurprisingly, the Swarovski AX Visio 10×32 binoculars are stunning when used as a regular analogue observation instrument, blowing most alternatives out of the pond in terms of razor-sharp vision. The first time I held them up to my eyes, I was blinded by the intensity of the vision, especially when I used them in the middle of the day and there was plenty of light available. But activate the software’s bird and animal identification features and use is taken to a whole new level.
Okay, so while you’re theoretically able to identify up to 9,000 creatures, I’d say the hit rate during the time I used them was roughly 90%. In one case, a pond turtle was initially identified as a fallow deer and on the second attempt, when I refocused, as a water beaver, which was not exactly in the photo but was getting closer.
Frankly, I don’t know if it’s set up for amphibians, and there was no problem identifying a squirrel or the numerous species of birds I pointed the binoculars at, including mandarin ducks and Egyptian geese. I just had to turn the mode dial to the bird icon for Merlin Bird ID support when the binoculars were active. Impressively, I discovered that I could correctly identify such critters even when looking at them from behind. I didn’t always need to hold the animal with its front or side facing forward, even though centering the entire body within the digital frame provided by the eyepiece worked best.
So, who is it for?
If I were being pushy, I’d acknowledge that, yes, we could debate who exactly the Swarovski AX Visio 10×32 is for, as it’s reasonable to assume that avid bird watchers willing to part with such a large bag cash, they will be well informed about what they are looking at.
And if you have your own bird book and are confident enough in identifying most species, I’d recommend checking out the ‘regular’ non-AI compatible 10×32 NL Pure binoculars, also from Swarovski, which offer the same core specs of a 10x magnification and a 32mm objective lens as here.
Ultimately, it is curious amateurs that the Swarovski AX Visio 10×32 would benefit the most, even if they are put off by the eye-watering price tag. But once the tears subside, they will become addicted in the same way.
In conclusion, as a freelance writer, the Swarovski AX Visio 10×32 binoculars are way above my salary level. But now that I’ve experienced their razor-sharp insights and Smart Alec-style AI-enabled identification capabilities, I’m afraid that when it comes to observation from afar, I’m so spoiled that I’ll find it hard to settle for anything less.