These luxury smart binoculars from Swarovski Optik use AI to identify up to 9,000 birds and other wildlife, and I'm hooked

Lina PortmanMay 26, 2024

0 5 minutes read

Being fortunate to have a communal pond and duck pond at the end of our road, as well as a national park within walking distance, migratory birds and all manner of wildlife are almost a stone's throw away at all times. Yes, I know what an urban fox and a wood pigeon look like and could identify them even in the dark, but ask me about the less common wild birds dabbling in front of me and I'll often draw a blank.

As it is spring at the time of writing, some waterfowl have inevitably had young, leading a very aggressive male swan to chase other pond inhabitants, dogs and humans while its mate perches on top of its nest.

In these conditions, it is wise to keep your distance and binoculars are therefore the best option for observing what is happening beyond the rushes… but not just any binoculars.

Swarovski AX Visio 10x32 handheld binoculars — (Image credit: Future)

Earlier this year, Swarovski Optik announced what it claims to be the world's first AI-powered “smart” binoculars. Well aware that Swarovski is a premium Austrian-made brand renowned for its optical excellence, I had no doubt that the view offered by its AX Visio 10×32 costing several thousand £/$ would be razor sharp.

But the only reason we'll pay even more this time around is the digital extras under its hood. Uniquely, these not only allow us to view wildlife up close and personal enough to capture feather detail, but also identify what we are looking at, via the combination of a button press to activate the feature 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 haven't been able to test to the nth degree during my review period in terms of volume of creatures spotted, but I've seen enough to be pleasantly impressed. as I'll get to that in a minute.

Swarovski AX Visio 10x32 binoculars close-up of the controls

(Image credit: Future)

Education can be fun

Once the supplied rechargeable battery has been charged via the supplied mains charger and inserted, handling these very high quality AX Visio 10×32 binoculars proves an adage that I once thought impossible to prove: that education can indeed, sometimes, be fun.

However, as these are not just standard binoculars, I have also found that they require a period of familiarization and some trial and error to get the most out of their features and streamline their operation.

Naturally, for the ID software to be operational, you must first turn on the binoculars, a process that requires waiting a few seconds while it boots up and a green light located just above the eyepiece right flashes. Once it stopped flashing and showed a solid green, I was good to go.

Wild birds and wildlife are identified through the binocular's eyepiece itself – given the limited space, it doesn't go into detail, just gives the name of the creature and that's it. If you want to go further, you can pair the device with a smartphone after first downloading and installing the dedicated Swarovski Optik Outdoor app.

As long as the binos are powered on when pairing, I found it to be a relatively smooth process. Additionally, since 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 provide future updates through this app, which should lead to a product lifecycle lasting “many years.”

Although it's not obvious to me at first, the tube that sits over the eyepieces and has a mode dial on the back used to switch between ID settings is a built-in camera. If you use the app, you can export photos and video clips from the binoculars to your phone for sharing.

There is 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 that the device can maintain a certain degree of weather resistance. Although I did not attempt to submerge it in the pond, I was able to continue my observations in a light drizzle without worry and without any negative effects.

Swarovski AX Visio 10x32 binoculars on grass

(Image credit: Future)

Accept no substitutes

While using them, it quickly became apparent that the Swarovski AX Visio 10×32 binoculars were both bulky and heavy, requiring grip and stability with both hands. Officially, the weight is just over 1 kg without the rechargeable battery inserted. This meant that the comfortable, well-padded shoulder/neck strap that came right out of the box was appreciated.

We're told the device's spacey 1960s look is thanks to industrial designer Marc Newson, and the egg-shaped rubber ledges that protect the front glass give it a slightly anthropomorphic feel. The rubber surface covering most of the device makes for easy grip and ensures that at no point do I feel like they're going to fly off if I move too quickly. Furthermore, there are no threads at the base to attach a tripod for added stability, so they are very much designed for portable use. The large ridged focusing wheel fell easily under my index finger as my thumbs circled the base of the eyepiece.

Unsurprisingly, the Swarovski AX Visio 10×32 binoculars are stunning when used as a classic analog observing tool and blow most alternatives out of the pond in terms of razor-sharp visibility. The first time I held them up to my eyes, I was dazzled by the intensity of the view, especially when used in broad daylight with plenty of light available. But enable bird and animal identification software features and usability goes to a whole new level.

Okay, even though you are theoretically able to identify up to 9,000 creatures, I would say the success rate during the time I was using them was 90% overall. In one case, a pond turtle was identified as, firstly, a deer and, on the second attempt, when I refocused, a water beaver, which was not there but who was getting closer.

In all honesty, I don't know if it was designed for amphibians, and there was no difficulty identifying a squirrel or the myriad types of birds I pointed the binoculars at, including Mandarin ducks and Egyptian geese. I simply had to turn the mode dial to the bird icon to support Merlin Bird ID when the binoculars were active. Impressively, I found that I could correctly identify these creatures even when looking at them from behind – I didn't always need to place the animal front or side, although centering the entire body in the digital frame provided by the eyepiece worked better.

Swarovski AX Visio 10x32 binoculars on grass

(Image credit: Future)

So, who is it for?

If I was being rowdy, I would acknowledge that, yes, we could debate exactly where the Swarovski AX Visio 10×32 should go, given that it's reasonable to assume that birding enthusiasts willing to part with such a large bag of money will be well informed. anyway about what they're watching.

And if you have your own pocket book of birds and feel confident enough to identify most species on your own, I recommend checking out the non-AI-enabled 10×32 NL Pure “classic” binoculars, also from Swarovski, which offer the same basic specifications. 10x magnification and a 32mm objective lens like here.

Ultimately, it's curious enthusiasts who will benefit most from the Swarovski AX Visio 10×32, even if they balk at the hefty price tag. However, once the tears subside, they'll be just as hooked.

In conclusion, as a freelance writer, the Swarovski AX Visio 10×32 binoculars are way above my pay grade. But now that I've experienced their razor-sharp views and AI-enabled Smart Alec-style identification capabilities, when it comes to observing from afar, I fear 've been so spoiled that I'll have a hard time settling for less. .