Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 22-04-2021, 12:27   #1
Registered User
 
Elcid's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Lefkada, Greece
Boat: Jeanneau Sun Oydssey 40.3
Posts: 116
Steiner Commander Compass problem

I got a new Steiner Commander from amazon.de and I played with it for a little bit. However I noticed 2 issues but maybe I’m doing something wrong.

1. The compass is off by about 20 degrees compared to any iPhone’s compass.
2. The compass moves only if I keep the binoculars relatively horizontal. If I point it upwards or downwards the compass doesn’t move at all. I can turn 90 degrees with it in the same position.

Did I get a faulty unit? I might return it and go for a Nikon without compass. I was really hoping for the compass to be reliable. But if it’s not bulletproof I’d rather use something else…
Elcid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-04-2021, 13:07   #2
Registered User
 
danstanford's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Peterborough, Ontario
Boat: J/88
Posts: 789
Re: Steiner Commander Compass problem

I have a set that I believe are the same but older and they don't have either problem.
Dan
__________________
Never attribute to malice what can be explained away by stupidity.
danstanford is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 22-04-2021, 13:35   #3
JPK
Registered User

Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 109
Images: 1
Re: Steiner Commander Compass problem

1) Not sure I'd trust an iPhone compass as a reference. I'd compare it to a known-good "real" compass.

2) yes, mine does the same thing. I think the little floating disc inside the housing will touch the housing and not float freely when the binoculars are not relatively level. I guess the assumption is that you're looking at the horizon when compass heading is important.
JPK is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-04-2021, 13:42   #4
Registered User
 
Elcid's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Lefkada, Greece
Boat: Jeanneau Sun Oydssey 40.3
Posts: 116
Re: Steiner Commander Compass problem

The problem is the 2 iPhones and one Apple Watch are all under 1 degree compared to one another…
Elcid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-04-2021, 15:27   #5
Registered User
 
deblen's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Bay of Fundy,Grand Manan,N.B.,Canada N44.40 W66.50
Boat: Mascot 28 pilothouse motorsailer 28ft
Posts: 3,197
Images: 1
Re: Steiner Commander Compass problem

The steiner compass works off magnetic North only.
The phones can probably display True or Magnetic-depending on settings.
Cheers/ Len


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_declination
__________________
My personal experience & humble opinions-feel free to ignore both
.
deblen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-04-2021, 15:42   #6
JPK
Registered User

Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 109
Images: 1
Re: Steiner Commander Compass problem

Very interesting. I never knew you could switch an iPhone between true and magnetic. Thanks for that!
JPK is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-04-2021, 15:54   #7
Registered User
 
deblen's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Bay of Fundy,Grand Manan,N.B.,Canada N44.40 W66.50
Boat: Mascot 28 pilothouse motorsailer 28ft
Posts: 3,197
Images: 1
Re: Steiner Commander Compass problem

That was an assumption on my part. https://www.businessinsider.com/how-...pass-on-iphone
A GPS can be switched also. Cheers/Len
__________________
My personal experience & humble opinions-feel free to ignore both
.
deblen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-04-2021, 16:49   #8
Registered User

Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: The boat - New Bern, NC, USA; Us - Kingsport, TN, USA
Boat: 1988 Pacific Seacraft 34
Posts: 1,454
Re: Steiner Commander Compass problem

I have had two pair of Steiner Navigator compass binoculars. Both gave readings without a noticeable difference from charted bearings, from my hockey puck hand bearing compasses, or from my boat's main compass. Tilting the binoculars would cause the compass card to strike the compass case. I have a small interocular distance, and with the two halves of the binoculars squeezed together to match my eyes, the compass was tilted somewhat occasionally causing problems.
wsmurdoch is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-04-2021, 23:16   #9
Registered User
 
Elcid's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Lefkada, Greece
Boat: Jeanneau Sun Oydssey 40.3
Posts: 116
Re: Steiner Commander Compass problem

I checked with both options True North enabled and disabled on the iPhone. The difference is much higher than that. I will return them to Amazon and get a replacement.
Elcid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-04-2021, 10:52   #10
Registered User

Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: The Netherlands
Posts: 5
Re: Steiner Commander Compass problem

I once bought a Steiner Commander. There was a lot wrong with it. It was old. I send it to Steiner in Germany and they refurbished the compass at zero costs! Super.
rolwolk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-04-2021, 11:04   #11
JPK
Registered User

Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 109
Images: 1
Re: Steiner Commander Compass problem

Quote:
Originally Posted by Elcid View Post
I checked with both options True North enabled and disabled on the iPhone. The difference is much higher than that. I will return them to Amazon and get a replacement.
I'd be careful with Amazon. A lot of counterfeit product gets passed along as genuine. I read somewhere that >90% of all "Apple" products sold as genuine on Amazon are counterfeit goods. For something as pricey a this, I'd be inclined to purchase from a place that specializes in marine products.
JPK is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-04-2021, 11:22   #12
Registered User
 
CarinaPDX's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Portland, Oregon, USA
Boat: 31' Cape George Cutter
Posts: 3,270
Re: Steiner Commander Compass problem

The card sticking may be indicating that you are using the wrong compass module for your latitude. IIRC Steiner sells different compass modules for various ranges of latitude, as do marine compass suppliers. A compass module for high Northern latitudes has to have a weight on the South side of the card to offset the downward pull from the North magnetic pole and that weight is reduced for more southern latitudes (IIUC). I have no idea what the 20° error is about.

I have heard good things about Steiner service and need to send my pair in for some work.

Greg
CarinaPDX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-04-2021, 14:14   #13
Registered User

Join Date: May 2011
Location: Australia
Boat: Wauquiez Pilot Saloon 40
Posts: 47
Re: Steiner Commander Compass problem

Quote:
Originally Posted by danstanford View Post
I have a set that I believe are the same but older and they don't have either problem.
Dan
Me to.
John Williams is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25-04-2021, 15:35   #14
Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Southern New Zealand
Posts: 60
Re: Steiner Commander Compass problem

Hello Elcid, Just recently bought a new compass and almost made the mistake of buying it on Amazon without checking the category. The problem is that compasses are made for different areas of the globe and from memory we (New Zealand) are in category 6. You likely as not bought one suitable for North America and it just sticks in Europe where the magnetic dip is different.
Uplander is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25-04-2021, 15:44   #15
Registered User

Join Date: Dec 2020
Posts: 750
Re: Steiner Commander Compass problem

Steiner product support is exceptional. My binoculars were more than 15 years old and I was having compass problems. I talked to the Steiner dealer at a boat show about repairs, and he said, "No problem. Those have a lifetime warrantee. Just send them to the service center, and they'll take care of it."

It was a exactly as he said. Repaired promptly and professionally--for free. Ten years later they are still going strong.

There are a LOT of Steiner knockoffs being sold out there. In most cases they just put cheap optics in a housing that looks like the real thing, but it wouldn't surprise me at all to find cheap optics in a housing with the Steiner name fraudulently slapped on--especially on Amazon or Fleabay.
BillKny is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
compass

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
For Sale: Steiner Commander 3 binoculars, 7 x 50 atmarine General Classifieds (no boats) 8 17-10-2019 19:32
For Sale: Steiner Commander V 7x50 HD-Stabilized with Compass whalertyfish General Classifieds (no boats) 1 30-07-2019 15:06
Steiner Commander III Binoc rubber coating. tomj Navigation 2 01-12-2013 12:59
For Sale: Commander Race Edition 7x50 STEINER with compass squizzy1 Classifieds Archive 9 29-03-2013 05:59

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 03:46.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.