My wife and I have the Swift 820 ED, 44x8.5 and love them.  Very wide, bright, sharp,with good contract.  But they aren't waterproof and are a porro design.  If you are at Mt Philo on Sat we will probably be there with the Rutland County Audubon group.
 
BTW, the Cornell review was for the Swift 828 44x8.5 roof.  The review wasn't very flattering.  The very few reviews of the porro are very good. 
 
Michael 

----- Original Message ----
From: Kevin Cross <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Tuesday, September 4, 2007 1:32:33 PM
Subject: [VTBIRD] another optics question


On the way to Algonquin last week, my beloved Swift Ultra Lites  
(8x42, the old design, paid $200 about 8 years ago) were stolen from  
our vehicle. I always thought the clarity and light-gathering of the  
Swifts were as good as binos costing quite a bit more.

As I research a replacement, I'd love to hear what folks like in the  
mid-range, say $300-500.

I'll be sure to check the archives for previous threads. Please  
respond off-list if you prefer...

Thanks,
Kevin Cross
Richmond