Swarovski dS 5-25×52 Gen II Riflescope Review | Optics Trade Reviews

Today we’ll discuss a second generation of the renowned Swarovski dS 5-25×52 riflescope. The first model was introduced in 2017, and it was one of the most talked-about technological breakthroughs in the area of sports optics at the time. Swarovski unveiled the second generation of the dS rifle scope at the beginning of 2021.

Swarovski dS Series

The Swarovski dS gen 1 was the first high-grade rifle scope of this sort from a premium Swarovski Optik manufacturer, which is why there was so much interest in it. And it’s still generating buzz today. We already did a detailed review of the first-generation model.

You can watch Swarovski dS 5-25×52 Gen 1 Review below

In this article, I’ll go over the improvements that a second generation offers, as well as all the scope functions that apply to both versions. I won’t go into specifics like zeroing and app usage in depth. You may learn more about it by watching my review on the first-generation model rifle scope.

What is the difference between Swarovski dS Gen 1 and Gen 2

As I stated, I’d like to go over the most recent modifications first. The most significant change is in the customizable high-resolution head-up display, which has been improved even further. If you’re aware of the first generation of Swarovski dS scope, you’ll notice that it’s considerably expanded.

1. The reticle has been developed. There are several types of it to select from. Some of them are thinner than others.
2. There are five distinct wind speeds to choose from. With the Swarovski dS gen 1, you previously had only two alternatives.
3. You may also pick whether the alignment mark and windage line are on or off.
4. On the left side of the display, we can also showcase various other items: The wind speed, knockdown force, bullet velocity, and flight time. You may turn any of this off if it’s unnecessary.

As you can see, there are numerous new features in the settings area.

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Physical properties of Swarovski dS 5-25×52 P

Let’s look at the outside appearance of dS 5-25×52 Gen II smart scope. You might mistake it for the first generation. They’re that similar. There are no major changes, though the LED indicator is now positioned further back on the scope than it was previously.

When the dS second generation scope was first released, it was reported that the turret is now thinner and shorter. However, I’ve compared the second-generation turret to the first and can confirm that there aren’t any substantial changes.

You can see that dS 5-25×52 is a big and hefty rifle scope, weighing more than a kilo. Because there is a sophisticated laser range finding system inside, this is completely understandable.

Zeroing Tool

A new feature is the inclusion of an additional zeroing tool in the package. Special adjustment tool is hidden beneath the top turret cover, which is the same as on the previous generation. However, this tool is small, and it is very difficult to adjust the elevation and windage with it. It’s considerably easier with this new zeroing tool, which is now added to the box. This is simply a minor difference.

Aside from that, I haven’t noticed any significant changes. As a result of this, the modifications are primarily due to software updates because you may customize them to your preferences and adapt them to different hunting situations.

The Swarovski dS 5-25×52 has a 40-millimeter central tube diameter. Only a few rifle scopes on the market have this tube size, although many mount manufacturers produce mounts for it. The first generation was introduced in 2017, when only a few mounts were available, but more manufacturers began producing 40-millimeter mounts after that.

Of course, I’m talking about the scope version that doesn’t have the SR rail mounting. If you want to buy a dS scope without an SR rail, you’ll need 40-millimeter rings, and there are many options on the market. Swarovski isn’t the only company that makes 40-millimeter rifle scopes; others like IOR from Romania and Sightron do as well.

Check out 40mm Scope Mount Rings here

You can watch Swarovski dS 5-25×52 Gen 2 review below

Design

The design, in terms of appearance, is fantastic. Swarovski dS has a traditional design, even though it’s a high-tech optics. Even though the turrets, objective bell, and eyepiece have a classic form, certain components are not what they seem to be.

The top of the dS scope has a turret, which is not a real turret. It’s simply the top-mounted battery compartment along with the zeroing kit. If you remove the cap, you can see that there’s a battery and zeroing tools inside.

What about the finish? I must compliment the smoothness of every moving element, as it is expected from a high-end rifle scope. You can tell that the Swarovski dS 5-25×52 riflescope is produced by a top-notch optics manufacturer simply by testing out all these movable components.

Illumination

The eyepiece has illumination control buttons. There are more than 60 brightness settings to pick from, and the display brightness may be easily adjusted based on ambient light. You can set it according on whether it’s bright outside or dim if you want strong nighttime lighting or not.

Turrets

I’ve already mentioned the turrets at the start. The elevation turret is not really a true elevation turret; instead, it’s used to house CR 123A batteries and standard adjustment tool. This set is identical to the previous dS generation scope.

Other zeroing tool that comes in the package makes it a lot easier to adjust for elevation. It’s bigger and has a longer handle, so it’s much easier to zero the rifle scope with this tool. The disadvantage is that you won’t always be able to access it because it isn’t kept in the battery compartment.

I’m not a big supporter of this system. In my opinion, the second generation of dS scopes could have been designed much more simply. These tools may be quickly misplaced; you must be cautious if they fall in a location where you’ll have trouble locating it again. But I get the idea behind it. Elevation and windage adjustments are a one-time process. You probably won’t be touching these compartments again after you’ve zeroed the DS scope.

Parallax adjustment

The parallax on dS 5-25×52 P rifle scope can be adjusted from 50 meters to infinity (55-∞ yds). I appreciate that it clicks on 100 meters, so you don’t have to keep looking at it. Simply turn the turret until you hear a click, and the parallax is set to 100 meters, which is where you’ll most often use it.

Swarolight

The Swarovski dS high-tech scope also has a Swarolight function. This means the illumination will switch off if you turn the scope around or up and down to save battery life. It’s not uncommon to forget to switch off the illumination. A Swarolight option is useful since the scope is frequently left in this position.

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4A-I digital reticle

Swarovski dS 5-25×52 features a 4A-I digital reticle in the second focal plane (second-focal-plane (SFP) reticle). This is the original reticle. DS scopes also have a secondary reticle that compensates for bullet drop. I frequently referred to it as the holdover reticle. With a button presses, the holdover reticle will be visible.

The secondary reticle works as if it were in the first focal plane. If you increase magnification, the reticle will get bigger. If you decrease the magnification, the reticle will get smaller. So, it acts as if it were in the first focal plane. The rifle scope immediately receives the information that the magnification has been altered, and as a result, the reticle size on the secondary feature is adjusted. This is one of my favorite features about this rifle scope. It’s like having your very own smart rifle scope.

How to connect Swarovski dS scope with Configurator App?

If you want to use a smartphone app with the dS rifle scope, you must first turn on Bluetooth pairing on the rifle scope. To enter this mode, press and hold both the plus and minus buttons for three seconds on the rifle scope’s illumination control. You know you’re in Bluetooth pairing mode when LED starts blinking. You may now go to your phone, open the app, and click Connect. Your smartphone and dS riflescope are now connected.

The dS Configurator app is compatible with any smart device, such as an iOS or Android device. 

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How to use Swarovski dS App?

In the calibration section, you provide basic settings such as your ammunition’s ballistic data, ammunition type, aiming point and distance as well as your zero range and so on. Then you may set various options such as the secondary reticle (holdover reticle), line thickness, and slots.

When you make the modifications in your app, it will notify you that you’ve made changes but haven’t transferred them to the rifle scope yet. So, all you must do is click “transfer now,” and within seconds, the settings and information (such as the ballistic curve) are carried over to the rifle scope. And this is how it works. All the data on the display is shown in real time. 

When the data has been sent, you click the main button on the riflescope to reveal a holdover under the center of the original reticle. I also like to call this a secondary reticle, because you can configure it in the settings, and this reticle will be displayed underneath the original center. What you need to do is place the secondary reticle on a target. And if your data is accurate, you should be able to hit it the way you want.

So how does Swarovski dS rifle scope work?

Key factors:

1. First, you have zero the scope
2. Then you connect the scope to your smartphone
3. You configure it in the app
4. You transfer the settings to the rifle scope, and you’re ready to go

Optical performance

The light transmission of dS 5-25×52 is only 83 percent. If you don’t know the science behind it, you’d guess that this is a low number. However, if you want a laser rangefinder scope, some light transmission must be sacrificed. This isn’t an issue in this example since long-range hunting is generally carried out during the day. There is plenty of room in the front of the dS rifle scope for mounting additional thermal and digital night vision attachments if you want to use it at night. Many users will not choose this option since this scope is mostly used during the day.

Magnification adjustment

The range of 5-25 times magnification, I believe it’s ideal for the scope since it allows it to be a true long-range specialist. And I believe that this magnification setting works well with the ballistic calculator software. The objective lens diameter is 52mm.

The Swarovski dS 5-25×52 has not been updated with any optical improvements from the first generation. As a result, it’s optical performance cannot match with Swarovski Z8 series.

Warranty and Price

Swarovski dS 5-25×52 Gen2 top-end scope is made in Austria and comes with a 10-year warranty. You may anticipate excellent service from Swarovski even after the warranty has expired. They are recognized for having one of the best service departments in the business when it comes to sports optics.

The price for a Swarovski dS digital riflescope is 4550 euros, and the model with an SR rail is 100 euros more expensive.

What about the scope of delivery?

In the box, you’ll find a small adjustment turret tool for opening the windage and elevation compartments, as well as one for manual adjustment of the elevation and windage. The tools are kept in the scope’s top compartment.

You also get an additional tool for elevation and windage setting and an instruction manual available in plenty of languages.

You will also receive a lens cloth and a bikini cover, which do not do the rifle scope justice. But at least you can protect your lenses when you’re not using the rifle scope.

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Pros

Let’s look at the benefits and drawbacks. And if I start with the advantages, I’d want to talk about the ballistics calculator and holdover display. Someone without a lot of experience with long-range shots can make a successful shot if all the data are entered correctly. I’m not suggesting that a person who has never shot on long range before should go out and get a dS scope immediately so they can go long-range hunting. It’s critical to practice on the range before going long-distance hunting and utilizing paper targets is a good idea.

I’m a big fan of how much more configurable the reticle is on this second version. So, the second generation does give greater reticle choices than the first. You may personalize the secondary reticle to whatever you want; it’s great since you can customize everything to your liking and any hunting scenario.

I also like some other things, such as the fact that dS Gen II is available with the SR rail. I like the illumination, which can be finely adjusted. This rifle scope’s construction and every movable component is incredibly smooth, which makes it an amazing riflescope. This represents a level of quality that tells you you’re utilizing a Swarovski rifle scope.

PROS summary:

• great long range capabilities
• ease of use
• configurable reticle
• SR rail mounting option
• overall quality

Cons

What about the cons? Well, the first thing is the turrets. It’s still an inconvenient process to zero the scope. The solution is still the same as with the first generation. You do get this extra tool now, which makes it a little bit easier, but it’s still quite a hassle, even though the philosophy behind it is that you zero the scope and leave it be. Nevertheless, you can quickly lose your zeroing tools and have problems.

CONS summary:

• inconvenient process to zero the scope

The weight and size are also problematic. We do have to keep in mind that this is a high-tech laser range finding rifle scope, but the weight and size are big drawbacks when compared to conventional rifle scopes. And of course, optical performance is not at the same level as top-class rifle scopes. So, laser range finding riflescopes still have a way to go before they match standard rifle scopes in terms of optical quality.

But other than that, there is practically no disadvantage that I can find.

Final Thoughts on Swarovski dS 5-25×52

There is still of course, room for improvement, but I would say that the Swarovski dS 5-25×52 is still a remarkable riflescope for someone who is into long range hunting. And for now, Swarovski still has no real competition in the premium class. We’re still waiting for the competition to come up with a laser range finding rifle scope of the same quality level. For now, Swarovski is still the king in this category.

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