Its been several years but a buddy and I compared 10x42 SLC and EL side by side. We couldn't detect any difference in resolution, side by side the EL view was slightly red and the SLC slightly green - only noticeable tinting when both there to compare.
That slight difference in color tint is what I referenced above regarding Swaro's attempt to optimize the coatings on these binocular lines toward their end user's needs. That being said, it is just one more little thing Swaro does to respond to their customer and no one listens to their customer's more attentively. That is what makes them great!
Does that mean that you are giving up some value in going EL as opposed to SLC? Not if there were other features that lead you to go EL except that you wanted "the best." No one but you knows if you are going to get the added value in "buying up" except you AFTER you have checked both out.
My choice is a Nikon EDG and it too is optimized to give a "true to life" color rendition and not (very slightly) emphasize the brown color and make it stand out from green and dry grass just a
little better, as the SLC coating is designed to do.
Other features were where I found value and that drove my choice. I also use our SLC and it lacks the field flattener lens group that the EL and the EDG has. That gives me a
little better edge sharpness over the SLC, and I liked how they fit me just a little better than the other offerings I was considering.
The tripod mounting of the SLC rocks. That could make it your choice, or maybe not. That is for you to decide. If you are in this market,you are not in for a dime, you are in for a dollar, and the price differential should not drive you one way or the outher... unless you just cannot
get there and your decision matrix suggests that you are willing to give up something you are willing to trade in order to start using them. But, you are
there in being ready to spend to have something that (and let's be clear, Alpha glass simply does not leave room for major improvement any longer) meets, and hopefully will exceed, your needs.
Please do go to the link and understand "globe effect" or rolling ball phenomenon as it is sometimes referred to. See if you are someone who notices that with binoculars that have a field flattener lens group. Or maybe just with some that do.
If I am judging correctly this will be your primary binocular from here on out, and you want to get it right before making that kind of commitment.
Make no mistake about what I am saying re: the future. Swaro will not
rest on their laurels and will continue to look for ways to squeeze every last drop of what is possible out and improve on what is on the market today. What is there to be had in the future is simply never going to be "leaps and bounds" above what you purchase, there simply isn't room for that.
Get the best Alpha binocular for you and you are never going to need to upgrade in order to get a really "eye popping" improvement. In fact, I will go as far as to say that before it is possible to
step up enough to even notice any slight improvement you would have to sell what you are going to have to sell, what you buy today, and put as much money as you are about to spend today along side what you will get for selling what you have in order to realize a difference that you will have to work real hard to see. Alpha binoculars are just that good today.
You are set on Swaro, and I am certain that between these two lines of Alpha binoculars from Swaro you can realize your goal. Just do what you are doing and take your sweet time until your mind is made up and understand the differences in both lines and prioritize the features of each that you appreciate over the other and you will come out of this very happy that you made the right decision whether it is EL or SLC.