I haven't used the Swaro to compare it to but I've owned the Kowa for about a year now. In my mind it has a couple of well documented drawbacks. First being the field of view. If you primarily use a spotting scope to get a closer look rather than using it as your primary glassing tool the field of view is a non issue in my opinion. The next drawback I see is the lack of a rotating collar. I almost wish I had gotten the straight model because there are times when I miss the rotating collar but I understand they cut that feature it to save weight. Lastly, I've heard a lot of people complain about the price as they hoped it would come in cheaper. For what you get, the price is worth it to me but everyone will have to decide that on their own. If you can live with the above mentioned drawbacks it's a great scope. It's light enough that I can justify carrying it around and it makes it into the pack. The brightness is insane for a 55mm scope. The edge to edge clarity is very good. I've come to really like the dual focus knobs and really like the scope all the way around.
I spent some time comparing it to my dad's 65mm Vortex Razor HD. Honestly, at least to my eyes, the Kowa was clearer, slightly brighter and a whole lot lighter/more compact with nearly identical magnification spectrums. I know the Vortex isn't a Swaro but it's another comparison point.
To me, this scope shines as a tool I use to take a closer look at things after glassing them up with my binoculars on a tripod. For that purpose it works very well and justifies it's weight in my pack. If I planned on spending time behind the spotter as my primary glassing tool or to check the legality of, say, a sheep 2-3 miles away I'd be looking at other, heavier and larger spotting scopes. That's my take on it, hopefully it helps.
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