Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32 binoculars review

Even compared with other premium binoculars, the Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32 binoculars stand out thanks to their smart technology — the manufacturer calls the AX Visio 10x32 the world's first Artificially Intelligent-enabled smart binoculars. 'Smart' here doesn't mean built-in image stabilization. Instead, it refers to users' ability to identify birds and animals in the wild, with the specifics relayed via an eyepiece display. While doing this, users can also snap photos with the device. Because there's no removable media slot, you must pair your smartphone via Bluetooth to transfer pictures to your phone and share them.

The Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32 binoculars are also excellent for stargazing, because when they're operating fully in analog mode, they function as very impressive, high-quality binoculars. Although astronomy enthusiasts may prefer a higher magnification, the 10x reach and the large, bright lens are suitable for examining craters and scars on the moon's surface and for identifying star formations.

That said, you're paying a premium for the AI technology, so if you're just looking for optically excellent binoculars, it may be sensible to look elsewhere.

Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32 binoculars review

Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32: Design

★★★★

• Rubberized focus ring ergonomically placed at the fingertips
• Adjustable interpupillary distance
• Protective rubber caps

The bulbous, chunky design feels like a way to disguise the onboard tech, although it works well for those with larger fingers. Swarovski is so proud of its curvaceous looks and distinctive rubber lens rims that it credits designer Marc Newson on the base of the device while also stating it's made in Austria, rather than farmed out to China. Getting an influential industrial designer to craft binoculars further signals the manufacturer's ambition.

At 2.4 pounds (1.1 kg), the Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32 binoculars are rather heavy, although not distractingly so. That's before the cylindrical rechargeable battery has been inserted beneath a hatch at the base.

To get everything ready for action, a charger and USB cable are provided in the box, along with a user manual, lens cloth, soap and a brush, but you need to provide your own USB cable. Another metal cylinder sits between the eyepieces and lens barrels. This is functional too, rather than just an aesthetic choice. It houses a camera on the front and a chunky mode-selection dial on the back.

The twist-up eyecups allow for adjustment and the avoidance of light bleed, regardless of whether you're wearing glasses. For added comfort, there is a slightly stiff folding mechanism at the center that allows you to adjust the interpupillary distance between the eyepieces to match your eyes. A less-common addition is a dioptric adjustment wheel on each eyepiece rather than on just one. This enables further precise adjustments, for example, if one eye is weaker or stronger than the other.

Ultimately, we're aiming to see a single, large, bright circle that maintains sharpness edge to edge. Given that Swarovski is noted for its optical expertise and lens construction, our hopes here are as high as the AX Visio's price tag. A stiff rubber eyepiece protector can be threaded through the comfortably thick and padded neck/shoulder strap so it doesn't get lost when not in use. The design and implementation convey that this is a luxury item.

There are three operational buttons atop the device, but they can have more than one function depending on which mode you're using. For example, the circular button that you press to identify wildlife doubles as a shutter release button in camera mode. The second button, marked with an arrow, is for tabbing between selectable options, while the third is the power button.

Overall, the Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32 binoculars feel solid when gripped, with the top plate buttons and focus wheel readily accessible to our fingertips. With our eyes locked on our subject, it was easy to press the wrong operational button, as the three controls are very close together. However, this is a minor gripe that sorts itself out with increased familiarity.

Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32: Performance

★★★★★

• Bright, clear and sharp views from the 32 mm objective lens
• 10x magnification
• Onboard ability to identify up to 9,000 birds and wildlife

Although these binoculars were not explicitly made for skywatching or astronomy, the 10x magnification is as useful for lunar observation and stargazing as any other binoculars with class-leading optics.

As with the Kenko VcSmart 10x30 binoculars we recently tested, we could zoom in to identify details on the moon. For example, we saw the Copernicus and Tycho craters and noticed the visible streaks made by meteorite impacts, as well as gray areas, such as the Sea of Tranquility. We also got closer to constellations that were already visible with the naked eye, such as Ursa Major (the Great Bear).

When we looked through the eyepieces and used the Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32 as we would any other high-end, fully analog binoculars, we were mightily impressed by the razor-sharp clarity and brightness, thanks to a large and clear 32mm objective lens. The viewed image, especially during daytime use, was as lifelike and three-dimensional as we could hope for; we could examine fine detail, without any noticeable falloff in sharpness or visual aberrations. Swarovski is noted for its excellent optics, and the results signal that paying top dollar is justified for the best results. A quality padded neck/shoulder strap aided comfort and helped us hold the binoculars level and steady.

Swarovski is not merely providing top-notch glass but also cutting-edge tech. To identify birds and other wildlife, we simply turned the selection mode wheel on the back of the binoculars to the corresponding graphical setting, and a different digital overlay appeared within the eyepieces. For example, selecting the bird icon enabled Merlin Bird ID support for identifying the bird we were observing.

The less immediately obvious symbols on the same selection wheel include access to a compass, plus a pair of customizable settings denoted by star symbols. These can provide shortcuts to optional apps or, if you really want to expand the potential usability, a connection with an external third-party app. We reckon most users will feel there is already enough to experiment with, however.

The Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32 binoculars are essentially a three-in-one device: very high-quality (albeit standard) 10x magnification binoculars, software that can identify up to 9,000 birds and wildlife species, and a built-in camera to photograph it.

Alternatively, you could buy a flagship mirrorless camera and a premium lens for the same price. You could also spend far less on binoculars with premium optics, similar magnification and the same objective lens size that are still top-notch for stargazing but lack the wildlife-identifying tech. When you're deciding whether to purchase these binoculars, you really have to consider whether the Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32, as a complete package, will be useful to you.

After you've selected the desired identification mode, you must center the provided circle or frame shown within the eyepiece over the wildlife you wish to identify. It's better to have the binoculars powered up and ready to go before you attempt to identify a subject, because you need to hold down the power button for a couple of seconds before it activates and then wait a few more seconds while an LED lamp flashes and then stops flashing. By the time you do all of that, a rare bird may have flown off. It's a bit like booting up a desktop computer.

To do more, you must download the Swarovski Optik Outdoor App. This allows you to pair your smartphone with the binoculars to transfer images for saving or sharing. The promise is that future device updates will be carried out via the app, with Swarovski envisioning a product life cycle of many years.

In addition, an onboard "Share Discoveries" feature allows users to note markers in the eyepiece display to guide another person to an observed subject of interest if they hand over the device.

But again, you don't have to get caught up in these fancy features to enjoy using the binoculars. They deliver stunningly clear results even when used as "regular" fully analog binoculars, and even when the myriad features are inactive, the Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32 will still benefit stargazers.

Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32: Functionality

★★★★

• A promised 88% light transmission
• 13-megapixel camera
• Two- to 15-hour battery life

Thanks to the Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32's weight and solid construction, including a rubberized surface, the binoculars were stable when used handheld. Any hand tremors or wobbles were kept under control by the sheer heft of the device. There is no screw thread for a direct tripod connection anyway.

The binoculars can be used in temperatures ranging from minus 14 to over 122 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 10 to 50 degrees Celsius). On cloudless, cold nights perfect for stargazing — particularly if you're lucky enough to be out in the desert, far away from streetlights — the ability to function in such extremes could prove useful.

Once everything is up and running, the Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32 binoculars are both fun and informative. In our tests, they managed to correctly identify various wildfowl even with their backs to us or when they were partly obscured by vegetation. For the greatest accuracy, we found that we needed to get the bird's whole body into the frame to avoid getting an error message. It would be fantastic if future updates could also broaden the binoculars' functionality to include spotting guides for astronomy rather than just wildlife watching.

It's a shame, because the amateur observers who would be best served by these binoculars may pass on them because of both the price and the degree of familiarity required.

The Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32 binoculars feel like a first-generation, highly considered and well-engineered stab at something we'll see a lot of in the future as AI continues to permeate our lives and gadgets. Early adopters of this device are paying a premium for the privilege.

A nagging question we weren't quite able to shake is, exactly whom is this product made for? Anyone who's considering spending big money on a high-quality optical device for wildlife observation would conceivably already be an expert in identifying subjects. Stargazers would be paying extra for features they may not want or need. And those who just want well-made, impressively sharp binoculars without all the tech on board may be better served by a different device so they're not paying for features they don't need.

How we tested the Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32

We tested the Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32 binoculars outdoors in both full sun and overcast conditions, as well as near sunset. We also used these binoculars for stargazing at night and viewing the lunar surface, along with readily identifiable constellations, such as Ursa Minor (the Little Dipper) — in both light drizzle and fully dry conditions.

Given these binoculars' wildlife-identifying capabilities, we also took it to London's largest park, where deer roam freely, as well as to the local pond to aim them at geese, ducks and swans. We were consistently impressed by the clear, class-leading observations delivered by this product, no matter what we were looking at.

User reviews of the Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32 binoculars

Users say the Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32 binoculars are a flagship product at the cutting edge of innovation, but like us, they questioned who would benefit from this product the most. Some users also found the process of pairing the device with their phone a little fiddly and the supplied instructions less illuminating than they may have liked. Those comments concurred with our own assessment that some patience and familiarization are required to get the most from this product.

Should you buy the Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32?

If you don't need the digital bells and whistles and device-pairing capabilities of the Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32 binoculars, you can still use them as a very capable high-end analog portable observation tool, even when there's no battery loaded. However, if you don't need the AI-enhanced experience, then it's also worth considering high-end alternatives with similar magnification and objective lens dimensions.

For example, Swarovski also offers the 10x32 NL Pure binoculars, which have the same 10x32 core specification but not all the onboard tech that might prove extraneous to some users.

If the Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32 isn't for you

If you're looking for something more affordable, check out the Kenko VcSmart Cellarto 10x30 WP, which is waterproof and offers built-in vibration correction and image stabilization; they're some of the smallest binoculars with this feature. They offer similar core specs as the Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32 binoculars at one-sixth the price. When we tested the Kenko VcSmart Cellarto 10x30 WP, we were suitably impressed by the razor-sharp clarity, particularly for skywatching and lunar observation.

If you need a higher basic magnification than the 10x the Swarovski and Kenko examples offer, consider the Canon 12x36 IS III binoculars, which are a less-expensive high-end alternative. These Canon binoculars have a larger and brighter 36 mm objective lens to go with that boosted 12x magnification.

Another option is the compact, futuristic-looking Fujifilm Techno-Stabi TS 16x28 WP binoculars, although these waterproof binoculars' 28 mm objective lenses suggest less effectiveness in lower-light conditions.

Right now, however, the luxuriously high-tech Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32 binoculars' innovation and boundary pushing mean they are in a class of their own and an enticing option for those who can afford them.