Steiner Optics Worth the Cash ?

Guyon

Guyon

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Was looking at this set. Steiner Elite Safari model in 8x42. Decent rugged body. I may call Steiner on Monday and get more info. Not too much online since they're discontinued models. Would like to know more about the glass coating, if any.

I currently can get them for a just over three bills. Decent exit pupil on them (5.25), which should make them okay for low light, yet they're not so bulky that I'm going to mind carrying them. Thoughts? Any experience with Steiner binocs? With this set in particular?
 
Steiner's are very nice "medium priced" optics. I've had a pair of 8x30's for twenty years and they still perform very, very well out in the woods.

AJ
 
I too have had a pair of Steiners for close to 20 years (7x50 Military/Marine) and must agree that both the optical clarity and low light performance are excellent.

One thing I should point out, however. At the time I bought mine, Steiner's claim to fame (besides producing a very well made and reasonably priced product) was their unique focusing system. Basically, all you had to do was adjust each eyepiece once to match your vision and then you could view objects from 20 ft? to infinity without using any focus knob. In general, the technology works great. This is especially true at sporting events, airshows, etc., where you're constantly viewing activity at rapidly varying distances. This feature can, however, be a slight hindrance to the hunter, IMHO. When glassing thick cover in search of a pair of well camouflaged antlers, for instance, I think there's some advantage to having only relatively narrow bands of foliage in sharp focus at any one time. It forces you to study the detail of just that area and doesn't allow your eye to become distracted by the terrain in the fore or background.

Again, this is just my impression based on a pair of 20 year old binos. It may well be the case that Steiner now makes regular manually focusing binos. I couldn't say as I haven't been in the market in some time. But it's worth looking into if for no other reason than so you'll know what you're getting up front.
 
I've had my Steiner 7x50 Military/Marine binocs for about 5 years now and I couldn't be happier. Their light gathering ability is amazing and the optical clarity is great. They are also absolutely brute tough, although a wee bit heavy. I would recommend Steiners to anyone.:thumbup:
 
I have the 8x30 Safari II, bright and clear and are probably better than other offerings in the same price bracket. They are not Swarovski quality, but for the odd times I use them they are great. I handled a bunch at SHOT this year and while most frown at 10X here the Police and Military/Marine 10X50 we really sweet. They are pretty truncated and dont get in the way, I would imagine the 8X42 will be great, go ahead and get them says I.
 
AJ said:
Steiner's are very nice "medium priced" optics. I've had a pair of 8x30's for twenty years and they still perform very, very well out in the woods.

AJ
Click to expand...

What he said.

To add, I bought my 8X30 Military-Marines in 1981, and they are my main glasses. They have traveled and been dragged just about everyplace since then and I still love them.

I don't think you can go wrong with Steiners.:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
 
anything with a 42 objective up to 10 power is a great choice in size and steiner's are one of the best. Yes you can pay 3x more or so and buy another german or austrian made pair of binos but they're not going to be that much better.
 
I have a pair of Swarovski 8x30 Mark II that I have used for 20 years. Awesome optics that cost $400 in 1986, however they are in the $800+ range now. When my son began hunting with me a few years ago I let him use the Swaros and I began the search for a new pair for myself. This is what I ended up with http://betterviewdesired.com/audubon/audubon.html

While not quite as sharp as the Swaros they are excellent and I have been very pleased. I bought mine here.http://www.digitalfotoclub.com/sc/from-bizrate.asp?id=794246020&rf=bz&dfdate=04_22_2005
 
Steiner makes some great stuff, but my eyes have no need for anything more expensive than the Pentax binocs I bought last year on the forums for about $200. New, they are twice that, but still a lot less than Steiners.
 
Bronco said:
One thing I should point out, however. At the time I bought mine, Steiner's claim to fame (besides producing a very well made and reasonably priced product) was their unique focusing system. Basically, all you had to do was adjust each eyepiece once to match your vision and then you could view objects from 20 ft? to infinity without using any focus knob. In general, the technology works great. This is especially true at sporting events, airshows, etc., where you're constantly viewing activity at rapidly varying distances. This feature can, however, be a slight hindrance to the hunter, IMHO.
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Thanks for the tip. I was aware of this feature, which I think they call the Sports-Auto-Focus system. The pair I'm looking at, however, seems NOT to have it and instead seems to just have a central focusing knob.

72291_05


Edited to add: These Elite Safari 8x42's look remarkably like Steiner's current offering called the Merlin. I'm going to call on Monday and ask about lens coatings and about differences between the Elite Safari and the Merlin lines.
 
Agree with the other posters. I have Steiner 8X30 Safaris that have been used and abused for years and despite looking a little battered, they still perform like new.

Mine are used for hunting, and while Bronco (#3) makes a very valid point abount focussing, I have never had a problem with this. I do hunt in relatively open country however, so your mileage may vary.

Buy with confidence, sez I.
 
When I see posts like this, I always come back to two general questions
  • Can eyeglass users get a full field of view?
  • Are they better the Pentax DCF SP models?

Steiners don't seem very eyeglass friendly with their eye cups and eye relief. With Euro being so expensive, I tend to feel I get better value from Japan.

What I really have a hard time dealing with on a binocular purchase is, assuming I can even find them at a store or gun show, judging one against the other in the building. I mean really, flourescent lights and short distances? What good is it too look through the binoculars?

I keep coming back to the Canon 7X42 and Pentax DCF SP models because of relatively good pricing and wide availability. Swift models come highly recommended by many but, a blind purchase on-line is something I have a little bit of hard time doing on binoculars.
 
Eye glass wearers need a Long Eye Relief lens , about 20mm eye relief.My Steiners have this .
 
Steiner's claim to fame (besides producing a very well made and reasonably priced product) was their unique focusing system. Basically, all you had to do was adjust each eyepiece once to match your vision and then you could view objects from 20 ft? to infinity without using any focus knob. In general, the technology works great.
Click to expand...

ARGGHH :) ! Actually, guys, forget about the "Sports-Auto-Focus system." This isn't technology at all, and is misleading. It's a marketing trick and is a feature of cheaper binoculars, or binos which need to be "idiot proof".

In this case, Steiner is actually omitting a very important feature most of us want (a central focusing knob) and marketing it as a good thing. The reason for this is that it's a little more difficult and more expensive to make binoculars waterproof or water resistant if they have a conventional central focusing knob instead of individual focusing eyepieces. -- More holes to seal because of the gearing from the central knob to each eye tube, in addition to the individually adjusting eyepieces.

All binos have individually adjusting eyepieces anyhow to adjust for differences in eyes. This feature was very common for idiot-proof and much abused military pieces at one time. Now, most manufacturers offer excellent waterproof binos with central focusing and great warranties.

There is no magic to this either. You get exactly the same effect by taking conventional binoculars with a central focusing wheel, focusing, let's say at hills 5 miles away, and then not touching the knob again. With 7 x binoculars, everything from about 60 feet away to infinity should be pretty much in focus (the "depth of field" or "focus range" gets shallower as bino "power" increases, or if you focus closer). It's then a pain in the butt to focus closer because you have to adjust both eyepieces individually instead of one central knob, and your band of focus, being nearer, is much shallower, an inherent property of the optics. That's ok for mariners or some hunters, because those things you want to see are often further than 60 feet away. Most of those older, more conservative designs won't let you focus closer than 20 feet or less anyhow. Most central focusing binos will focus within 10 feet (many to 6 ft), and will let you do it fast -- and then go back to a distance. Also, close-focusing capability is a lot handier than you may think. You'll use it a lot if you've got it.

If your criteria are waterproof, compact pretty economical and good, Steiner, Nikon Mountaineers, Pentax, Swifts, Celestrons, and Ranger Opticals (internet) are all good. I've used or handled 'em all at one time or another and have an old pair of "focus-free" 7x50 Fujinons in my boat.

Cheers!
Darrell
 
Eye glass wearers need a Long Eye Relief lens , about 20mm eye relief.My Steiners have this .
Click to expand...

True, and 20 mm is excellent eye-relief. However, if you don't have astigmatism, just something like near-or far-sightedness, then you don't need the more substantial eye-relief. You can just poke your glasses out of the way and use your binos like normal if you wish.
 
That astigmatism will get me every time ;)

Especially after that nice "starburst" effect on any light becomes irritating.
 
Whatever you do if you want to save money, DO NOT go into a store that has all the brands and try them side by side. I will be saving for a pair of swarovski when I do plunk down some cash. I went to a Cabelas type store and tried out the binos side by side. Thats the only time you regret going cheap, when you look through the pricey binocs.;)

Paul
 
I have a pair of Swarovski 10x42. Incredibly good, bombproof, lifetime warranty, but very expensive. However, worth it to me. Wildlife is my job and they are an every-day tool.

Note that most mid-priced binos ($300 to $400 range) are 90% as good as my Swarovskis at 25% of the price. That 10% or so difference, gives me a critical edge when I need it, though.
 
Another Steiner fan here. I've had my 7x50 Military/Marine for close to 20 years. They are tough and survived most of that time on my boat. For travelling I bought a pair of 8x42 Pentax and they are working out fine, always in whatever vehicle we're using.

We always liked the Steiners for there simplicity and light gathering.

Win
 
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