newfie ghost
Well-known member
Steiner Optic is about as synonymous with birding as PETA is with hunting. If the number of binocular reviews were indicative of actual sales, you’d think Swarovski would outsell bread and Steiner would be out of business. No doubt Steiner primarily caters to government contracts from law enforcement and military; their individual focus, bullet proof construction, and inability to drown makes them a sensible choice for these markets.
But what about us birders? Many folks are familiar with the top of the line Peregrine/Discovery series but not everyone can afford them. Next up are the Night Hunter series with the XP glass and bright images and the somewhat more affordable Merlin series.
But what if a guy (or gal) was looking for a quality porro that was tough, waterproof, long eye relief, close focus and optically intriguing? How about all these traits and an internal bridge focuser in a porro? Does it exist? Yes, bring forth the Steiner Wildlife Pro 8x30 at $399-409 USD. Below is a very early impression of this glass.
Presentation and packaging: First and foremost the box and packaging is interesting and pleasing to the eye. The print, color and type of cardboard seems much more expensive than I’m used to. An inlay picture of a couple of grizzly bears fishing at the top of the falls and a factory sealed sticker help initiate the buying experience. Inside is a nice owners manual that is actually worth reading as it discusses more than function but also information about the company and other pleasant words about nature. A 30 year warranty a nice soft case, and click strap all round out your hard earned dollars.
The housing: The first thing you notice about this glass is the quality of the build- these things are built like a tank, nice and solid. They are smaller than what I thought being rather short and stubby, very weird from the perspective of a roofie. They fit in my hands comfortably, the rubber is grippy, but it does smell a little. It is a different smell than the Leica, but not too bad. The winged eye cups feel good and they peel back well for using eye glasses. Real world eye relief is great for glasses.
Focus: this model has a center focus, but it also has IF for each barrel. Odd, yes I agree. According to the manual, you are supposed to put the center focus in the middle, then look at something 100 yards away and adjust each barrel until sharp. Then they should be in focus from 20 yards onward (i.e., sport focus). To get closer views, just tweak the center knob. I am still getting used to this but it seems to work. The depth of field is very large especially for an 8 power and the center focus seems fast- Zeiss fl or Nikon Premier fast.
Color, 3d effect and brightness: The transmission curve according to Allbinos is flat and above 90%. The result seems to be a very accurate color rendition for the price point. No it is not the holy Nikon or Leica color, but pleasing for sure. Today is overcast so take this with a grain of salt. Even so I did compare against the Swaro el and Premier- not as good for sure but nice none the less. I thought I saw some minor hazing or glare even in the dim light, but the jury is still out on this. The thing I did like was the nice 3d effect, remember I am a roofie, but this is the best 3d effect I have seen in my collection. A strong point for sure. For a 30mm and for a dull day I was happy with the brightness, no not as bright as a 32el but hey- price check.
The image: No this is not the EDG, but I’d say the sweet spot is about 60%- the center sharpness is very good for this price point. I can resolve pine needles and very small berries at distance. Distortion is a bit high in the form of pincushion. It is high enough to bend straight lines near the edge of the view. There is also some “reverse rolling ball”- you can see the image wobble as you pan in the opposite way of rolling ball. This might bother some. Too early to tell, but I think there is some CA, but not really bad.
Summary: This is only my first impression but I like: the presentation, perceived quality, perceived toughness, look and feel in the hands, the 3d effect, good color and nice clarity. The cons seem to be: uncertain focus, too much pincushion while panning and potential glaring issue. I will update this review when I’ve had a chance to test it under different conditions (e.g., glare) and when I get used to this focus. I’d opt for one of the Steiner XP porros (e.g., marine), but IF is not for me. No it’s not the SE (hey it costs more and I can’t get one) and it is not the Habcht (cost even more and low eye relief), but I never had a Steiner and wanted one (damn marketing I guess :eek!: ). Below is a Swarovski 8X32 EL and an 8X20 Nikon lxl Premier for size comparison
But what about us birders? Many folks are familiar with the top of the line Peregrine/Discovery series but not everyone can afford them. Next up are the Night Hunter series with the XP glass and bright images and the somewhat more affordable Merlin series.
But what if a guy (or gal) was looking for a quality porro that was tough, waterproof, long eye relief, close focus and optically intriguing? How about all these traits and an internal bridge focuser in a porro? Does it exist? Yes, bring forth the Steiner Wildlife Pro 8x30 at $399-409 USD. Below is a very early impression of this glass.
Presentation and packaging: First and foremost the box and packaging is interesting and pleasing to the eye. The print, color and type of cardboard seems much more expensive than I’m used to. An inlay picture of a couple of grizzly bears fishing at the top of the falls and a factory sealed sticker help initiate the buying experience. Inside is a nice owners manual that is actually worth reading as it discusses more than function but also information about the company and other pleasant words about nature. A 30 year warranty a nice soft case, and click strap all round out your hard earned dollars.
The housing: The first thing you notice about this glass is the quality of the build- these things are built like a tank, nice and solid. They are smaller than what I thought being rather short and stubby, very weird from the perspective of a roofie. They fit in my hands comfortably, the rubber is grippy, but it does smell a little. It is a different smell than the Leica, but not too bad. The winged eye cups feel good and they peel back well for using eye glasses. Real world eye relief is great for glasses.
Focus: this model has a center focus, but it also has IF for each barrel. Odd, yes I agree. According to the manual, you are supposed to put the center focus in the middle, then look at something 100 yards away and adjust each barrel until sharp. Then they should be in focus from 20 yards onward (i.e., sport focus). To get closer views, just tweak the center knob. I am still getting used to this but it seems to work. The depth of field is very large especially for an 8 power and the center focus seems fast- Zeiss fl or Nikon Premier fast.
Color, 3d effect and brightness: The transmission curve according to Allbinos is flat and above 90%. The result seems to be a very accurate color rendition for the price point. No it is not the holy Nikon or Leica color, but pleasing for sure. Today is overcast so take this with a grain of salt. Even so I did compare against the Swaro el and Premier- not as good for sure but nice none the less. I thought I saw some minor hazing or glare even in the dim light, but the jury is still out on this. The thing I did like was the nice 3d effect, remember I am a roofie, but this is the best 3d effect I have seen in my collection. A strong point for sure. For a 30mm and for a dull day I was happy with the brightness, no not as bright as a 32el but hey- price check.
The image: No this is not the EDG, but I’d say the sweet spot is about 60%- the center sharpness is very good for this price point. I can resolve pine needles and very small berries at distance. Distortion is a bit high in the form of pincushion. It is high enough to bend straight lines near the edge of the view. There is also some “reverse rolling ball”- you can see the image wobble as you pan in the opposite way of rolling ball. This might bother some. Too early to tell, but I think there is some CA, but not really bad.
Summary: This is only my first impression but I like: the presentation, perceived quality, perceived toughness, look and feel in the hands, the 3d effect, good color and nice clarity. The cons seem to be: uncertain focus, too much pincushion while panning and potential glaring issue. I will update this review when I’ve had a chance to test it under different conditions (e.g., glare) and when I get used to this focus. I’d opt for one of the Steiner XP porros (e.g., marine), but IF is not for me. No it’s not the SE (hey it costs more and I can’t get one) and it is not the Habcht (cost even more and low eye relief), but I never had a Steiner and wanted one (damn marketing I guess :eek!: ). Below is a Swarovski 8X32 EL and an 8X20 Nikon lxl Premier for size comparison
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