Steiner Binoculars

[HopCar]

Reefmagnet, if you decide to buy Steiner, I'd love the chance to quote you. We ship to Australia quite often. The Binoculars can go by Priority Mail which is pretty reasonable.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Reefmagnet

Hey thanks guys. Hellosailor, I noticed the rubber cups on the eyepieces appear slightly different and wonder if that is what alters those parameters?

I'm not overly keen to spend a zillion dollars on a pair of binos especially since someone decided they needed my last pair more than I did. I had a compass on those but found that I rarely used it so am leaning towards opting out this time.

But.... now you guys have me thinking. I've had a look through a pair of Navigators and was pretty impressed with their optics, but I'm intrigued to know if the Commanders are really worth that extra step up in cost? And while I'm at it, I was looking online at the Minox BN DCM binos with the digital compass which l would seriously consider if convinced a compass was the way to go. They are cheaper then the Steiners but I've no idea how they would stack up against them in use. Anyone know?

Have you learned how to use the compass to check on ships around you at night? Get a compass equipped one and do (ask here if you want) because you will smile every time you use it while sailing at night and think back to the time you didn't have this

The commander is superb. But even a West Marine 7x50 (8x40 also works if you want to save a bit) with compass works. Match the budget with the brand of binoculars but get the features that are useful.

I use a Nikon 8x40 with camo skin ashore for spotting wildlife. Cheap and super effective.

[Reefmagnet]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Have you learned how to use the compass to check on ships around you at night? Get a compass equipped one and do (ask here if you want) because you will smile every time you use it while sailing at night and think back to the time you didn't have this

The commander is superb. But even a West Marine 7x50 (8x40 also works if you want to save a bit) with compass works. Match the budget with the brand of binoculars but get the features that are useful.

I use a Nikon 8x40 with camo skin ashore for spotting wildlife. Cheap and super effective.

Yeah, I here what you are saying. I use the old "line them up with a part of the boat" technique for determining potential collision courses which seems to work ok although no doubt the compass would be better. I guess the fact that I didn't really use the compass on my last pair of generic binos along with the fact that the compass on the Steiners looks prone to damage the way it sticks out like it does (and is butt ugly to boot) is kind of dissuading me.

[downunder]

The best price I found in Australia was Optics Central where I got my Commander XP's with compass 7x30 in wooden box & floating strap for around $780.

The 7x50's were well over $1000.

Binoculars - Optics Central

Was only a $100 diff from best price I could overseas and recieved within a couple of days.

Great binoculars. 30yr warranty and waterproof to 10 m.

The Navigator series was a couple of hundred cheaper.

[Reefmagnet]

Hey thanks downunder. How do find the 7x30 compared to the 7x50?

[s/v Jedi]

If the Steiner Commander at $1,200 is too much pecunia, then why not go for this Nikon 8208 OceanPro 7x50 with compass:

listed for $285.- at Amazon: Amazon.com: Nikon 8208 Oceanpro 7 X 50 MM Binoculars With Compass: Camera & Photo

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Reefmagnet

Hey thanks downunder. How do find the 7x30 compared to the 7x50?

Haven't tried them. The 30's are smaller and lighter, same magnification as 50's so i can't see a problem.

Someone else who has experienced both may have some knowledge.

Get me a PM sometime with your mobile if you are down at the harbor and I can bring them down.

Might get down to Yacht club over weekend.

Cheers

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Reefmagnet

Yeah, I here what you are saying. I use the old "line them up with a part of the boat" technique for determining potential collision courses which seems to work ok although no doubt the compass would be better. I guess the fact that I didn't really use the compass on my last pair of generic binos along with the fact that the compass on the Steiners looks prone to damage the way it sticks out like it does (and is butt ugly to boot) is kind of dissuading me.

I do that during the day, but at night I can't see the rigging well plus I tend to do it at long range so that it doesn't move visually in real time. I take a compass bearing with the binoculars and then again after 5 minutes, which gives 100% certainty.

Also, at night you really need 7x50. When you don't sail at night you can get 7x40 or 8x40 but I wouldn't go for 7x30 at all.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by downunder

Haven't tried them. The 30's are smaller and lighter, same magnification as 50's so i can't see a problem.

Someone else who has experienced both may have some knowledge.

Get me a PM sometime with your mobile if you are down at the harbor and I can bring them down.

Might get down to Yacht club over weekend.

Cheers

It is about how much light the objective catches. For this you have to compare the surface area of the front element, which is much bigger for a 50mm compared to a 30mm because it gets multiplied by pi: 157:94 meaning you get 67% more light into the 50mm objective. This results in a much much brighter view.

If you can't afford the Steiner Commander V, do NOT look through it in a shop

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Reefmagnet

Hey thanks downunder. How do find the 7x30 compared to the 7x50?

At night, no comparison.

Has to do with the size of the exit pupil (~7mm for 7x50s, 5mm for 7x30s) relative to the average size of the human pupil in full darkness (~7mm).

And a whole bunch of math about light transmission.

Eventually complicated further by the various anti-reflective coatings different manufacturers use.

FWIW, I've not found the compass to be fragile, although we tend to not knock the glasses around as if they're toys.

BTW, when Steiner says "Stabilized" on the Commander XP and Nav Pro they mean the compass, not the whole image.

-Chris

[sck5]

I have had fujinons for years but a guy I sail with a lot has steiners. I prefer mine for quick looks. His are lighter and that makes a difference after a while

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by Reefmagnet

Yeah, I here what you are saying. I use the old "line them up with a part of the boat" technique for determining potential collision courses which seems to work ok although no doubt the compass would be better.

The big advantage of compass is that you can change course. When comparing the the ship with parts of rigging even a small change in course like a knock means you have to re-watch the ship for some time.
Personally I prefer a HB compass to compass/binoculars for this, but this is personal preference.

As others have said something like 7x50 is best. Pupil size does however go down with age so older people can sometimes use a small objective with little disadvantage, but less than 7x40 is not ideal

If buying expensive binoculars look at some of the non marine brands such as Leica, zeiss, Swarovski etc. These companies make completely waterproof binoculars that are fine for the marine environment.
The image quality is better than Steiner IMHO.
Look through them and compare, the differences are not subtle especially in low light.

Don't forget the option of an image stabilised pair as well.

[Reefmagnet]

Well, I had to wait over three months for the supplier to manufacture a batch, but I received my Fujinon FMTR-SX 7x50 binos this past week and they are absolutely fantastic. I ended up choosing these particular binos thanks to their great online reviews and competitive pricing. They are a bit weighty and bulky, which I knew beforehand, but I solved this by picking up a used pair of ex military 8x30 Steiners off Ebay for small change to use as a spare/travelling pair. Very happy!

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

It is about how much light the objective catches. For this you have to compare the surface area of the front element, which is much bigger for a 50mm compared to a 30mm because it gets multiplied by pi: 157:94 meaning you get 67% more light into the 50mm objective. This results in a much much brighter view.

If you can't afford the Steiner Commander V, do NOT look through it in a shop

Uhh, Nick... I think R squared gets in there somewhere and is more of a factor than pi in comparing the areas of circles.

Jim

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by ranger42c

We have two Steiners, a Commander XP 7x50 C and a Navigator 7x30 C... both excellent. Eye relief is an especially important feature for us, since we both wear eyeglasses.

I couldn't live without the compass, since we often use that as reference when we're each scanning for stuff.

-Chris

Off topic drift alert.--------------------------------------------------------

I wear glasses.
I have never held a pair of binoculars and seen the whole circle.
Can you actually do that with those?
Thanks.