[Martin Fagg]

http://www.opticsplanet.net/picture-...cular-338.html

http://www.steiner-binoculars.com/ne...ifepro830.html

Anyone tried these?

Being a fan of porros, especially 8x30/32 configuration, I am very interested but unable to try any locally.

On paper they sound great but fov is at the lower limit of what I find acceptable but I may accept it if everything else about them is great.

They have a mixture of focussing systems. They have auto focus from 20yd to infinity and CF from 20yd down to 5ft which seems quite unusual. Does anyone else use a similar system? Is it a bit of a gimmick? I know many of Steiners bins use a fixed focus or IF. That's always put me off trying them. They always seemed to be more hunters or sailors optics than a birders and I am the latter.

What do you make of them?

Best wishes
Martin

[Martin Fagg]

Steiners specs are:

Item 338
8x30 Wildlife Pro CF
Weight: 21 ozs.
Eye relief: 17 mm
Field of view: 360 feet
@ 1,000 yards
Dimensions: (inches) 4.6Lx2.4Hx6.8W
IP (Inter Pupil) Distance Range: 56-74mm
Close focus: 4.9 feet

[Tero]

Looks OK, but seems to be unique in that style with ..part?...center focus.

Go ahead and spend the 400, so all the binoholics can read your report!

[NDhunter]

Steiner has been making the 8x30 in many different configurations, with different lens optionsand coatings. You can find them designed for marine, hunting, military, etc. This one sounds interesting. A lot of them are IF.

[Kevin Purcell]

I presume a combo focus, a bit like another Steiner roof, IIRC, of IF (or rather two diopter settings - one on each EP) to set "infinity" focus (i.e. hyperfocal focus so your accommodation if you have any can take you from 20m to infinity) at the distant end stop of the CF then the CF moves the focus closer from there for the 20m to 2m focusing.

Interesting idea.

[Martin Fagg]

Originally Posted by Tero

Looks OK, but seems to be unique in that style with ..part?...center focus.

Go ahead and spend the 400, so all the binoholics can read your report!

I'd love to Tero. I really would. But there's a credit crunch going on.
Would you lend me $400?

[Martin Fagg]

Originally Posted by NDhunter

Steiner has been making the 8x30 in many different configurations, with different lens optionsand coatings. You can find them designed for marine, hunting, military, etc. This one sounds interesting. A lot of them are IF.

I have looked at the many Steiner porros in the past and thought 'if only they had CF.'
Now this one has it. I am very interested but unsure of how the focus system works.
Hopefully they'll appear in one of the optics shops near me soon. If I get to try one, I'll post about them.

[Martin Fagg]

Originally Posted by Kevin Purcell

I presume a combo focus, a bit like another Steiner roof, IIRC, of IF (or rather two diopter settings - one on each EP) to set "infinity" focus (i.e. hyperfocal focus so your accommodation if you have any can take you from 20m to infinity) at the distant end stop of the CF then the CF moves the focus closer from there for the 20m to 2m focusing.

Interesting idea.

Hi Kevin,

Have you ever used bins with this sort of combo focus? Would it be any different to normal CF do you think. Easier/harder to use? Maybe the two diopers are easily nudged out of focus. I have never used IF bins so I am guessing here.

You wrote "accommodation if you have any." Does this mean that the bins will only be suitable for those with younger more flexible eyes?

As you say, interesting idea. Bit is it a good one I wonder.

Thanks
Martin

[Kevin Purcell]

You wrote "accommodation if you have any." Does this mean that the bins will only be suitable for those with younger more flexible eyes?

Though thinking about this a bit more it will probably be the "speed" of CF (i.e. how much you turn the CF knob not the rate) than it depends on accommodation. I suspect the bin can (just!) cover the whole range from infinity to close focus for someone with zero accommodation with just the CF so long a the two diopter settings to put the infinity focus at the end stop.

For people with more accommodation they'll be able to set the "infinity" focusing distance to be closer in (they can accomodate out to infinity) and then the CF will need to move less to bring them to close focus. So the more accommodation you have the faster it will seem.

Essentially they act to remove the need for any over run or under run in the CF. But as you only use a small range of the CF anyway I suspect it won't make much difference to focusing speed (unless they have a interesting variable ratio focusing system) especially if you are "older". A bit like the argument of the Chinese ED bins with 2.3 turns (endstop to endstop) where the actual range in normal birding (3m to infinity) use is about 1.2 turns.

It would be interesting to hear some reports on this from folks of all ages especially those with reading glasses (the sign of a loss of accommodation so bad you need to correct it).

The other thing that doesn't impress me is the FOV that is only 6.8 degrees though I suspect they might add this to their other bins.

[Martin Fagg]

Originally Posted by Kevin Purcell

It would be interesting to hear some reports on this from folks of all ages especially those with reading glasses (the sign of a loss of accommodation so bad you need to correct it).

I am beginning to lose my accomodation it seems. I am very short-sighted but now, at the age of 42 and after wearing specs for 31 years, I am beginning to become less short sighted. My eye prescription is improving as middle age brings on long sightedness which is counteracting the shortsightedness, according to my eye doctor.
Unfortunately this will be a short lived golden age of improvement. They tell me that after a little improvement at this stage, varifocals are soon to follow. Quite what that means for binocular use I don't know. I doubt it is good news though.

I think contact lenses for shortsight while using binoculars is the way forward. Then I can wear glasses for reading over the top of the contacts. And sunglasses too.

I am going to end up as one of those people with half a dozen pairs of specs, I can tell.

[Steve C]

I agree with Kevin. It is just a typical CF binocular, just that this one has diopters on both barrels. I can't think of much negative, except of course there is an extra set of moving parts associated with an extra diopter. I would tend to think this would be a good system for somebody who has different vision capabilities in both eyes. The focus system here rings no alarm bells with me.

I have an 8x30 Predator and the optics are frankly, mediocre. Put aside the strange violet hue, I don't think it is a coating problem. I would be far more concerned about the optics than the focusing system. The fov is OK, if the image checks out. That would be my concern.

[Martin Fagg]

Originally Posted by Steve C

I agree with Kevin. It is just a typical CF binocular, just that this one has diopters on both barrels. I can't think of much negative, except of course there is an extra set of moving parts associated with an extra diopter. I would tend to think this would be a good system for somebody who has different vision capabilities in both eyes. The focus system here rings no alarm bells with me.

I have an 8x30 Predator and the optics are frankly, mediocre. Put aside the strange violet hue, I don't think it is a coating problem. I would be far more concerned about the optics than the focusing system. The fov is OK, if the image checks out. That would be my concern.

A local shop has the IF version in stock so I may check it out some time on the assumption that the view will be the same as the CF version. It'll give me an idea anyway until I get to try the CF version.
The CF version might have better optics though as Steiner are calling it the Wildlife Pro Ultra-Sharp. May well just be marketing speak though.

I'll have to wait and see. I'm in no rush, got enough binoculars to be getting on with for now anyway. Just can't help being curious when I notice a new set on the horizon.

[Tero]

Martin, just ask OP at the forum. Joanie will compare them to the regular Steiners, if she has both.
http://www.opticsplanet.com/msgboard/forum-1.html
you do not need to register to ask there. The others have wider field.
http://www.opticsplanet.net/steiner-...ry-marine.html

I think I could use IF if it were 7x. Otherwise the IF are useless for birds.

[Martin Fagg]

Originally Posted by Tero

Martin, just ask OP at the forum. Joanie will compare them to the regular Steiners, if she has both.
http://www.opticsplanet.com/msgboard/forum-1.html
you do not need to register to ask there. The others have wider field.
http://www.opticsplanet.net/steiner-...ry-marine.html

I think I could use IF if it were 7x. Otherwise the IF are useless for birds.

Thanks Tero. I didn't know OP had a forum. Even more opinions to read up on before I buy. Cool!
Mind you even longer at the computer instead of doing something constructive. Not so cool!
Sometimes I think I like researching optics more than I like birdwatching.