[mayoayo]

Is this binocular an internal Focussing Porro ?...It features a center focus Wheel,but there is no focussing Bridge....

[NDhunter]

Mayo:
I think you are correct, this is a center focusing porro prism type, with internal focus, so that
means waterproof. No moving bridge.

[Kevin Purcell]

Looks like they don't have full focus range

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

The describe the CF s a tweak to their usual 30m to infinity "fixed" focus (i.e. eye accomodation) focus system. Both EPs have the usual IF system to infinity focus the bins.

I suspect it's internal focus with a very limited range to pull the close focus from 30m to 2m.

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

Interesting idea.

Anyone tried them?

[brocknroller]

An interesting idea especially for someone like me whose focus accommodation isn't that good. With IF EP bins I need to set and reset the diopters for different distances, even though it's usually only a small tweak, but that still makes them impractical even for general use.

However, this center fine focus may obviate that problem. If so, Fuji should take note. This may just be "what the (eye) doctor ordered".

Brock

[ronh]

Very interesting, good catch Mayo and Jerry. Thanks for the link Kevin, sort of hard to figure out what they mean though.
Ron

[mayoayo]

Well..I wonder if the Individual diopter settings are also internal or would work like a classic Porro diopter adjustment ,raising the eyepiece in a helicoidal move to the desired distance...If this is the case they would Be a Hybrid system external-internal focus,unlike the last models of Internal focus Porrs by leupold,Minox,Opticron,that have diopter settings in the center wheel.(no eyepiece movement)...
Still very good way to go,since the seals on the eyepieces only would stiff the diopter setting action,making it ,if anything,less prone to be knocked out of place,even if would not have a locking system...This probably leaves the center focus wheel to do a smooth,fast action ,internal focussing move from whatever your setting to infinity is,To whatever the closer focussing point is to that particula setting....You would be able to focus closer or further.If you set the near focus to the minimum you would probably loose override , and maybe loosing infinity focus You can get to focus as close as..?.It would interesting to see HOW close a myopic eye can focus these without using eyeglasses...
If the optics are good,seems a nice idea indeed.and seems the best of both worlds..I have thought of this design before..I should have patented it!(LOL)

[hinnark]

The diopter adjustment on both sides of this binocular is also internal.

Steve

[Kevin Purcell]

Internal?

From the description it appears that the "diopter adjustment" is as it is in an IF bin (helicoid setting on each EP) i.e. the bin is just a regular Steiner 8x30 plus an limited range internal focus.

At least that's what I get from reading the cryptic Steiner docs.

Have you played with these Steve?

[hinnark]

Kevin,

I haven´t seen the advertising/description so far. Anyway, this model isn´t a IF bin but a CF one with internal focussing and internal diopter setting similar than with the Steiner Discovery roof bins. Internal diopter is something I have seen only with high class mechanical bins (Leica, Swaro, Zeiss and Meopta) so far. Apart from the very fast internal focussing I can´t see anything special with the focusser which ranges from infinity+ to about 2m, which is pretty good for a porro.
The new 8x30 Wildlife Pro is a complete new construction and differs from the old one in many respects.

Steve

[John S.]

Originally Posted by Kevin Purcell

Looks like they don't have full focus range

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

The describe the CF s a tweak to their usual 30m to infinity "fixed" focus (i.e. eye accomodation) focus system. Both EPs have the usual IF system to infinity focus the bins.

I suspect it's internal focus with a very limited range to pull the close focus from 30m to 2m.

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

Interesting idea.

Anyone tried them?

After re-reading the press release several times and parsing the advertising hype my impression is that auto focus is nothing new. It is focusing beyond the far away object and relying on closer objects to be reasonably well in focus. That's an old trick that most owners of adjustable binoculars know how to employ. Steiner also added a central focuser and a diopter that is controlled externally but moves internally. The internal diopter is nice if it secures the adjustment.

I'm sure they are very nice binoculars but that press release indicates a lot more marketing sizzle than steak.

[Kevin Purcell]

Originally Posted by hinnark

Kevin,

I haven´t seen the advertising/description so far. Anyway, this model isn´t a IF bin but a CF one with internal focussing and internal diopter setting similar than with the Steiner Discovery roof bins.

I don't think so.

That's how I read what the PR says:

This new focusing system consists of two parts. The first is Steiner’s automatic focus system that is already a popular feature in several hunting, nature, and military binoculars made by Steiner. This focus system feature makes objects sharp without the need to manually refocus from 30 yards to infinity. When the object of observation can barely be seen and is difficult to focus on, this timesaving feature is critical to be able to clearly view the object.

The second feature of the new ULTRA-SHARP focus adds a fingertip adjustment. Similar to a traditional center focus, this new adjustment only requires a miniscule touch of the ribbed fingertip wheel to fine-tune sharpness or focus on nearby objects. It has a close-focus distance of six feet. The result of this new focusing system is a sharper picture faster than with any other binocular on the market.

The Steiner's automatic focus system also allows setting the binoculars for individual eyes, no matter what your particular eye condition may be. This is a one-time initial step. Adjustments for both the left and right eyes can be made, resulting in an exceptionally sharp image for all users.

"Adjustments for both the left and right eyes can be made," that sounds like an IF bin to me: IF + small range CF focuser

Take a look at the Steiner photos ... there is a + and - scale on each ocular. Just like an IF bin.

http://www.steiner-binoculars.com/as...ery/image0.jpg

[brocknroller]

Originally Posted by Kevin Purcell

I don't think so.

That's how I read what the PR says:



"Adjustments for both the left and right eyes can be made," that sounds like an IF bin to me: IF + small range CF focuser

Take a look at the Steiner photos ... there is a + and - scale on each ocular. Just like an IF bin.

http://www.steiner-binoculars.com/as...ery/image0.jpg

Thanks for posting a link to that photo. It's obvious from that view. I figured they probably had IF EPs from the ribbing around the bottom of the EPs. Why put ribbing if you're not going to turn them?

The description also said the bin uses an "evolved polycarbonate" housing.

It appears that despite the Cambrian Roof Explosion, the old porrosaurus has continued to evolve, though in isolation from roofs, sort of like the birds and reptiles on the Galapagos Islands. :-)

Brock

[ronh]

Holger reviewed an earlier Steiner and has some interesting negative comments about the nonmetal housing's reliability and repairability. http://www.holgermerlitz.de/zeiss8x30.html
Look like instead of evolution, it may be just back to the future.
Ron

[brocknroller]

Originally Posted by ronh

Holger reviewed an earlier Steiner and has some interesting negative comments about the nonmetal housing's reliability and repairability. http://www.holgermerlitz.de/zeiss8x30.html
Look like instead of evolution, it may be just back to the future.
Ron

Ron,

The Steiner Fero-D 12 was made almost four decades ago. Plastic manufacturing has "come a long way, baby," to the point where even Zeiss feels confident in using polycarbonate in its bins.

The new Steiner "evolved polycarbonate" may still not be mil spec, but the true test will come when a hunter drags one through the mud, the blood, and the beer!

Fatboy Slim