Unless you’re BFFs with David Attenborough, it’s hard to imagine a better way to go birding than the new binocs from Swarovski. The luxury brand’s powerful new birding tool, unveiled this week at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, combines an impressive number of features into one sleek product. If you’re looking for stellar optics from long distances, the AX Visio 10×32 binoculars should have that covered, as Swarovski has a stellar reputation.
But they also have built-in artificial intelligence (AI) to immediately identify a bird from its internal database of 9,000 species.
Moreover, the binoculars can shoot photos and videos, mark the location, and then give visual directions for another user to find the same bird. Rick Bateman, a birding writer tapped by Swarovski to test the gear, called that last feature “truly revolutionary.”
“The AX Visio was full of surprises,” Bateman wrote in a blog for Swarovski. “It allowed me to observe, identify and document birds in a whole new way. The more familiar I became with the AX Visio, the more I came to appreciate its unique advantages.”
Swarovski AX Visio: 3 Devices in 1
For birders, the minimum modern kit might include binoculars to find the animal, a camera with a telephoto lens to snap a photo, and a smartphone to identify the species.
Experienced birders get comfortable constantly switching between their binoculars, and — in recent years — using apps like Merlin Bird ID to identify the species. Still can’t figure out the species with your phone or bird guide? Then you’ll have to reach for the camera and try to snap a long-distance image before the bird decides to fly off.
With the AX Visio from Swarovski, you can do all of that — with just the binoculars. In his review, Bateman said that allowed him to feel more “in the moment” while birding. It only takes about 5 seconds for the binoculars to identify the species through the binocs, which incorporate the Merlin Bird ID technology. (Note that the binocular’s database can also identify some mammals.)
“At its best, the AX Visio allows the traveling birder to focus on the birds without having to switch between the smartphone, camera, and binoculars,” Bateman wrote. “Best of all, the AX Visio gave me access to these sightings on my smartphone screen, so I could identify a tricky bird at my leisure, either back at the lodge or while traveling. So while I had the option to use my Smartphone in the field, it wasn’t a must!”
Swarovski AX Visio: Other Features
The “share discoveries” function offers birders another streamlined approach for fieldwork.
Users can mark the animal or object of interest and pass the binoculars to a companion. The AX Visio then displays red arrow markings on the screen, visually guiding them to the exact location of your discovery.
Additionally, the binoculars include a compass function with an integrated tilt angle, aiding in orientation during outdoor adventures. Users can also capture photos and videos of their wildlife encounters, which can be managed and shared seamlessly through the Swarovski Optik Outdoor App.
The app can connect the AX Visio to a user’s smartphone, enabling easy management and sharing of images and videos. It also provides more information about discoveries and allows for personalized customization of the binocular settings.
Specs:
- Magnification: 10x
- Effective objective lens diameter: 32 mm
- Field of view m at 1,000m / ft at 1,000yds: 112 m/1,000m
- Light transmission: 88%
- Camera resolution: 13MP (4208 x 3120px)
- Battery operating time during normal / maximum operation: 15 hours / 2 hours
Swarovski AX Visio: Pricing & Availability
The AX Visio aims to redefine how animal lovers connect with nature — and it’s certainly a big, impressive swing in that direction.
Given that this cutting-edge product is from Swarovski, you’ll also have to fork over some bucks. It costs about $5,000 for the binoculars (converted from the online price of 4,600 euros). However, a serious birder could easily spend several thousand dollars on camera equipment (which these binocs could ostensibly replace).
It’s a tool that will likely be welcomed by many explorers — as long they’re not in the business of making bird guidebooks.
