[NoSpringChicken]

I have heard of Steiner binoculars but I have never noticed this model before:

http://www.steiner-birding.com/wildlifepro.html

I am intrigued to know what the automatic focus is and how it works. Apart from that the specs look reasonable: 17mm eye relief, very light and small. Has anybody tried them or know more about them?

Ron

[Tero]

see this thread
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread....74#post1730274

[NoSpringChicken]

Thanks Tero. I should have done a search before posting. I would still be interested to hear if anybody has actually tried them.

Ron

[ronh]

Here is a discussion of that binocular on Cloudy Nights.
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthrea.../o/all/fpart/1
Hope that helps,
Ron

[John Russell]

I really think Steiner's claims to "Auto-focus" border on the fraudulent and am surprised that they have not been banned by an advertising standards authority.

They merely rely on depth of field and the user's accommodation and do not differ from other bins of the same magnification.

John

[clschmalz]

I've never been able to completely figure Steiner out. For instance they offer at least five models of what appear to be the IF version of the CF Wildelife Pro glass. All have the same specification and presumably similar optical performance. The list prices of the four commercial models range from $200 to $280 while the reticule (and presumably laser filter) equipped Military-R mil-spec version sells for three times as much. I've often wondered how much of the cost differential, particularly among the commercial models, is build/optical quality and how much is marketing, in the same league as their 20yd to infinity "automatic" focus claim.

That said, the 8x30 Safari Pro pair I have is a good, if not great IF Porro that's waterproof and built like the proverbial tank.