Steiner Ranger 8x30 (1 Viewer)

Anyone seen these?

http://www.sherwoods-photo.com/steiner/steiner_hunting.htm

Opinions sought on this model - good or bad.

Since you seem to be primarily interested in birding binoculars, let me say this as politely as possible. STAY AWAY FROM IF BINOCULARS! There, I feel better now. I have pretty much an equivalent Steiner binocular, the 8x30 Predator. These have a violet tinge to the coating which is supposed to highlight gray and brown and other earthy colors and make them stand out better in foliage. I am assuming that the Ranger is the same binocular with a different coating scheme. They are well made and comfortable to hold. However they are IF which you will likely find impossible to bird with. When mine are focused properly on a reflective object 75-100 meters or so distant, the depth ranges from about 40 meters to infinity, with most fine detail resolution lost after 600 or so meters, or less depending on what sort of detail you need to see. There are tons of birding opportunities closer to your eye than the close limit of these binoculars. If you focus close, then the distant focus goes to about 100 meters. You will shortly go crazy trying to follow a flock of warblers through the foliage with these. Whatever you get be sure to stay away from IF.

Steve

Steve C said:

Whatever you get be sure to stay away from IF.

Click to expand...

IF = Insta-focus??

Jim

Jim,

Sorry. IF= Individual focus. Close one eye and focus, then close the other eye and focus. Both barrels appear to have a diopter ring. Even though I don't like them, they would be better than the insta focus, aka permafocus seen on some really cheap binoculars.

Steve

Thanks Steve.

If you want inexpensive porro binoculars I can recomend Leupold Yosemite 8x30.

I bought a set from Optics Planet and costing £65 inclusive of delivery they give a view as good or better than all but my Nikon SE 8x32. They are for sure superior to my wifes Minox 8x32 BL in image quality.

Their construction is a little toy town, being predominately plastic, yet my wife and son have given them some serious knocks with no ill effects.
Their handling seems to span all, as I have large hands and my son small, yet we both find them good to handle. They are very light and seem to fit all hand sizes.

It is a shame that there is no UK dealer as they could sell barrow loads of these at the USA price!!!!

As I understand things the 6x30 is supposed to be even better than the 8x30. They must be superb if that is the case!

My son has several pairs of mid range roof bins to choose from. He always takes the porro Yosemite's.

Cheers

Steve

An absolute +1 to the Yosemite. I never thought I'd see the day where I'd actually buy, much less recomend, a small porro for less than $100 US. These are very good, astonishingly good for the price. They don't seem quite so toy town to me as to the above poster, but mine are dandy. I have the 6x30. I will probably get the 8x30 as well.

Steve

The bins look good but sadly Eagle Optics don't ship to UK.

Try Optics Planet and follow their recommendations on shipping to limit import duty!

Steve