Here’s a first look at the new smart optic that can take photos, identify animals, and mark the location of things you spot
The Swarovski AX Visio 10×32 smart binocular launched this year. Swarovski
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For digital optics, integrated ballistic programs and rangefinders were just the beginning. Swarovski’s latest binocular has EL-quality glass with AI recognition software, a camera, and a compass. Here’s more on what it can do.
- Available February 1, 2024
- 10x magnification
- 32 mm objective
- Field of view at 1,000 yards: 336 feet
- 13 megapixels camera resolution
- Battery life: 15 hours normal operation and 2 hours maximum operation
- Features: Bird/animal ID, share discoveries, compass, and photo and video capture
- MSRP: $4,800
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Share Discoveries
Let’s say you glass up a really nice buck in a tough-to-spot location. You’re excited, and you tell your buddy where the buck is, but he can’t find it. Normally you’d have to painstakingly walk him into the deer. But the AX Visio will mark the location of the deer and then guide them to it with directional arrows.
Identify Birds and Animals
Look at any bird or mammal in North America, press a button, and the AX Visio will tell you what it is. It will also identify butterflies and dragonflies. Hunters probably won’t get a ton of functionality out of this feature. But, it is a cool thing to have in a bino and will inevitably teach you more about the wildlife where you hunt.
Take Photos
This summer at our annual optics test, we spotted three grizzly bears about a half-mile away. It was awesome watching them through binoculars and spotters, but it also detracted from the viewing experience when I fumbled to take a photo through the spotting scope. The AX Visio captures photos and videos of what you’re looking at, so there’s no fidgeting with aligning a camera through an optic or adding a mount. The 13-megapixel camera isn’t going to compete with a professional wildlife camera, but, for perspective, an iPhone 14 defaults to a 12-megapixel photo.
Compass
The compass setting displays headings. This feature can be handy for navigation or marking an animal’s location.
Open to Developers
The above apps are great features, but they aren’t the end of the AX Visio’s capabilities. Swarovski is allowing app developers to create custom apps, so these binoculars will do more in the future.
