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No love for Steiner? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Upland
- Start date
PYRTLE
Old Berkshire Boy
There are older threads about this brand but with the continuing rise of eastern binocular factories producing countless multi branded units and Steiner changing ownership over the last few years, the name is almost all that is left of this former West German optic manufacturer.
I think binoculars are a small part of the business against rifle scopes and laser systems, with a close liaison to a known gun engineering name
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjAAegQIBxAD&usg=AOvVaw2W88JobwOds91nxw3x5DXM
I think binoculars are a small part of the business against rifle scopes and laser systems, with a close liaison to a known gun engineering name
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjAAegQIBxAD&usg=AOvVaw2W88JobwOds91nxw3x5DXM
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WJC
Well-known member
Steiner is a major brand to the mariner and those who perceive all GOOD optics come from Germany. People scramble for Steiners in Sea Ports. Even so, I wanted my customers to know a little about optics and the shuck-n-jive associated therewith. Popular or not, I wouldn’t let them on my salesfloor for 15 years, and only then when Pioneer Marketing agreed to let me sell them my way—without all that “autofocus” claptrap.
But with me gone from Captains, the new owner—a yachter—is happy selling Chinese-made Steiners to their clientele of old-school thinkers. Steiner binoculars never were that popular in Germany. And before anyone thinks I am disparaging Chinese binoculars: If you have the money ... they have the product. The problem is most importers don’t want to go that route in that the profit margin is better on low-ball instruments. :cat:
Bill
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mark clements
New member
My US purchased Steiner, police 10x42 were with me all through 6 years in the Caribbean, and are on the side table here, now, for watching the feeders in the garden.
I have always got on well with them and the fast focus is great. They're a wee bit heavy though.
They were the best available at the time, and in my price range.
I have always got on well with them and the fast focus is great. They're a wee bit heavy though.
They were the best available at the time, and in my price range.
I liked the 8x44 Peregrine and Wildlife XP binoculars, but their pricing puts them near the more well-known alpha manufacturers and so I'm not sure how well they sold.
I've heard good things about their NightHunter XP series, but never got a chance to see them.
Justin
I've heard good things about their NightHunter XP series, but never got a chance to see them.
Justin
I've got a little porro by Steiner, wildlife pro 8x30.
It has a bizarre focus arrangement with IF and CF but luckily it works for my eyes with both IF set to 0 and just using the CF. I've mucked about with it trying several different focus and can't help but think it's a pretty silly idea. A single diopter with CF is much better.
That said it does, by pure luck I reckon , work with the IF on 0 for me. Also the CF focuses on the opposite direction.
Aside from that they handle well and provide an excellent image in the centre which can be pretty impressive. An eccentric little binocular but I quite like then overall.
It has a bizarre focus arrangement with IF and CF but luckily it works for my eyes with both IF set to 0 and just using the CF. I've mucked about with it trying several different focus and can't help but think it's a pretty silly idea. A single diopter with CF is much better.
That said it does, by pure luck I reckon , work with the IF on 0 for me. Also the CF focuses on the opposite direction.
Aside from that they handle well and provide an excellent image in the centre which can be pretty impressive. An eccentric little binocular but I quite like then overall.
Foss
Well-known member
My Steiner Merlin 8x50 roofs are very nice for terrestrial viewing, though a bit too heavy to take on a long hike. I currently also have a 7x50 Marine.
I may be in the minority, but don't mind Steiner using the marketing term "Sports Auto Focus" to describe the 7x50's impressive depth of field. Heck, when Bushnell used the marketing term "Triple Tested," nobody seemed to care that they meant the binoculars were tested once at the factory, once in their sales office, and once in the field by the end user.
I may be in the minority, but don't mind Steiner using the marketing term "Sports Auto Focus" to describe the 7x50's impressive depth of field. Heck, when Bushnell used the marketing term "Triple Tested," nobody seemed to care that they meant the binoculars were tested once at the factory, once in their sales office, and once in the field by the end user.
PYRTLE
Old Berkshire Boy
The original poster is just enquiring about the brand, your post is blatantly a commercial advert.
He is the original poster.
WJC
Well-known member
Hi, Foss:
Folks not minding is what they are banking on. The secret there lies in the power of words to convince people of things that aren’t true. Depth of field has EVERYTHING to do with MAGNIFICATION and NOTHING to do with the name on the side of the product. Please see the attached. :cat:
Bill
Attachments
CalvinFold
Well-known member
We should all mind when anyone lies, even marketers.
I'd consider that deception if I found that out as a consumer and would never by that brand again.
If we "don't mind" as consumers then what we're really saying is "it's okay to pull that B.S." It's really not okay.
If we don't mind, then what we get is...the modern marketing and social media landscape.
Upland (post #1),
Here are my 0.02 $, for what its‘s worth.
My view is that Steiner - allegedly the largest binocular maker/seller in the world - has two problems, and both are homemade:
- stupid marketing lyrics overselling their binos („Sports Auto Focus“, „UltraSharp“, and other fairytales)
- beside some very decent binos, they sell a lot of mediocre instruments.
This has caused many to turn away from Steiner altogether, and discussions on internet forums have not been overly positive for some years now.
You do come across hunters who carry a model from Steiner, but I have so far never seen a birder with one.
Because of that, it gets often overlooked that beside many not so noteworthy instruments, Steiner also produces some really good ones.
There is a total of 10 binoculars branded „Steiner“ in my collection, of which I really like two and find them very good:
Commander 7x50 (and no, it does not have an „incredible depth of field“, it has the usual depth of field of a 7x bino)
Nighthunter 8x56 (only the 2016 edition, called „ShadowQuest“ in America, not the previous version)
The other eight I have are okay or even good, but nothing extraordinary.
The new Nighthunter gets excellent ratings everywhere (see e.g. allbinos review, or various threads on CloudyNights), so people seem to agree with me at least on this model.
The Wildlife you quoted is not among my favorites, the predecessor - called Discovery - was more to my liking.
Canip
Here are my 0.02 $, for what its‘s worth.
My view is that Steiner - allegedly the largest binocular maker/seller in the world - has two problems, and both are homemade:
- stupid marketing lyrics overselling their binos („Sports Auto Focus“, „UltraSharp“, and other fairytales)
- beside some very decent binos, they sell a lot of mediocre instruments.
This has caused many to turn away from Steiner altogether, and discussions on internet forums have not been overly positive for some years now.
You do come across hunters who carry a model from Steiner, but I have so far never seen a birder with one.
Because of that, it gets often overlooked that beside many not so noteworthy instruments, Steiner also produces some really good ones.
There is a total of 10 binoculars branded „Steiner“ in my collection, of which I really like two and find them very good:
Commander 7x50 (and no, it does not have an „incredible depth of field“, it has the usual depth of field of a 7x bino)
Nighthunter 8x56 (only the 2016 edition, called „ShadowQuest“ in America, not the previous version)
The other eight I have are okay or even good, but nothing extraordinary.
The new Nighthunter gets excellent ratings everywhere (see e.g. allbinos review, or various threads on CloudyNights), so people seem to agree with me at least on this model.
The Wildlife you quoted is not among my favorites, the predecessor - called Discovery - was more to my liking.
Canip
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To clarify, I am neither a Steiner rep or Sierra Trading Post employee. When Coin Hound said he really liked the Wildlife XP I decided to share the closeout deal I had seen at STP. I started this thread because I know Steiner is a major brand and yet I rarely see them mentioned here.
mark clements
New member
I picked up a pair of the "jungle store" AZ842s about 19 months ago for under $100 and gave them to my son. I liked them so much (given the price) that I stalked them every day and bought a "refurbished" (new, I would swear it) AZ842 for WAY less than that. For what I paid, I couldn't be happier. I was issued Steiner Police 10x50s at work, and while huge, they are extremely bright and very sharp.
justabirdwatcher
Well-known member
I kinda loathe companies that rely on their name recognition and nobody has done that more than Steiner IMO
Steiner Wildlife XP 8x44
I bought the Steiner Wildlife XP 8x44 from Sierra Trading Post for $599. They are fantastic. The fluorite glass makes a big difference. They are brighter and sharper than my Peregrine XP 10x44. The FOV is not as wide as my Zeiss HT 8x42, but I think the optics are in the same league. Build quality is superb.
I've always liked the styling of the Steiners. Very Teutonic!
At $2000, I would buy an alpha instead because of the resell value. But, at $599, the Wildlife XP 8x44 is a screaming bargain. I wish they had the 10x44 at the same price so I could upgrade my Peregrine XP's.
I bought the Steiner Wildlife XP 8x44 from Sierra Trading Post for $599. They are fantastic. The fluorite glass makes a big difference. They are brighter and sharper than my Peregrine XP 10x44. The FOV is not as wide as my Zeiss HT 8x42, but I think the optics are in the same league. Build quality is superb.
I've always liked the styling of the Steiners. Very Teutonic!
At $2000, I would buy an alpha instead because of the resell value. But, at $599, the Wildlife XP 8x44 is a screaming bargain. I wish they had the 10x44 at the same price so I could upgrade my Peregrine XP's.
