Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics mid $$$ 8x30 questions

I don't know which model Predators are in question here, but my 8x42 Predators (roof prism) were with me in Sask. one year where the merc dropped to -26F on one day of the week and it was no warmer than 5-10F the whole week and mine performed flawlessly. The Predator coatings really do help in spotting deer. Although I wouldn't go so far to say that they "pop-out" at ya. Every little bit helps.

You're right, I did misread that. Thought you were referring to the Swaro.......my apologies. I've never messed with the Steiners but have heard enough about them to avoid them.

Dan C

Most of what I hear about optics is the opinion of people who glanced through them and rated the clarity.

There are other features to consider besides resolution and brightness.

Weight - do you need light weight?

Size - how are you going to carry them?

Focusing - will you be using them at all sorts of ranges?
If so, and the ranges are not that long, why not trade off some marginal optical quality for constant focus?

Use - Purpose? Spot and stalk or sitting and glassing? Time of day?

Length of use - All day, or just a few hours? Maybe a larger pair would be best.

Eyeglasses - Some binoculars which are great with the naked eye are not so easy to use with eyeglasses.

Most of what I'm reading about binoculars is experience from folks who've owned them and used them. Without the clarity mentioned, all else is naught with binoculars. You can lightweight and leak free and easy handling, but if the optics are bad, they're junk. You could have great optics, but if they weigh a ton, fall apart, and leak, they're junk again. I've looked and looked and looked at binoculars over the years, tried friends binos out, and bought several pairs of junkers trying to save money. Steiners 8x30 IF binoculars are trash. Since they're selling for less than $200, I have tried them and tried them in a vain effort to find some that were usable. The "auto focus" is not a usable feature. If you focus the oculars on something inside of 50 yards, then try to look at something further away, they are out of focus, and if you focus on something farther away and then look up close, they are out of focus. The depth of field may be good, but it ain't THAT good. In side by side tests, the Zeiss Conquest 8x20's blew the Steiners away for brightness and resolution, and this was the opinion of not just myself, but multiple others and even the owners of several different stores, they all looked and they all agreed. The Steiners even when focused as well as they could be focused could not read print on packages across a store's length, whereas the puny little Zeiss's could, as well as many different mid priced mid sized binoculars. The Pentax DCF WP and SP models will vastly outclass the 8x30 IF Military Marine, Nighthunter, and Predator Steiners. I would buy Pentax DCF's or Bushnell Legends for an 8x32 class binocular under $500. I WISH that Steiners IF's were good glass because I could have some good binoculars for $200, but they are not. The resolution on them is simply too poor to be usable.

I own the Pentax DCF WP, but they are a lot heavier than the Steiner 8x30s. I also own porro prism binoculars. I also have used various Zeiss, Leicas Minox, Nikon and Steiner binoculars for days at a time. The autofocus of the Steiner 8x30 works for me, but maybe my eyes are better than someone else who thinks they are junk.

There is no best binocular any more than there is a best shotgun or rifle. That is why I own several of each and use the best one I have for the task at hand.

It is a shame that so many equipment threads turn into bashing and bragging, usually by people who buy expensive equipment because they are unable to evaluate the appropriate features for the job, and hoping to buy compensation for some other hunting handicap, and insecure about their status in the eyes of others.

I bought one of my Zeiss binos from a dealer who sells tons of German glass to tourists who use them for one trip to Alaska or Africa, then sell them back to him, so I am thankful for people who like that.

This is primarily why so many people consider your comments the work of an internet dungbeetle.

Lee24 espousing his expertise in optics:

You got that picture the same place you got your opinions about binoculars.

I even had one poster tell me that the Nikon 8x30 LX was "junk", so you're not alone out there, stillhunting73.

I don't know which of my facts hit your nerve, but don't bother to tell us. Post it in a therapy forum.

Go play with your Steiners.

I don't own Steiners, but I do own Zeiss.
Did some kid named Steiner take your lunch money or something?

Wait a minute...

You DON"T own Steiners??? What in the hell are you doing recommending them against a list that includes SLC's, LXL's, and Zeiss? Pentax, for that matter.

Never did face up to the fogging, did you?

This is just another opportunity for you to play the part of contrarian/expert, but at the expense of a guy going out and buying that junk. Just like your notions on wood, ballistics, and on and on.

You're a joke.

I didn't recommend any binoculars.

I recommended that he carefully compare some binoculars and named some Steiner and Minox to include on the list, and not listen to armchair experts and brand worshippers who have only used a few items and probably not in his intended uses. I have actually USED the Steiners and Minox and they have some features that the others listed don't have.

thanks for the input everyone. I'm surprised there wasn;t any votes for the Zeiss classics though. I'll have to find a pair opf Nikons I can have a look through

I saw where doug has a 10X32 Nikon LX refurb bino for $550. I'm sure he would send them to you for a look. I'm sure you would be impressed.... I know they are 10X not 8X but the quality of this bino is superb for that price point.

Of course we would send a bino for him to check. It is the only fair thing to do when someone has no access to what they have interest in.

I'm very pleased with the top-of-the-line Pentax binoculars I bought last spring. g8atefuldoug will steer you right.

*8x30 military steiners. 119 bucks at SWFA factory refurbed.

Not bad

Swarovski REFURBISHED SLC 7x50B Black Binoculars
MSRP: $1,487.78
$849.00
http://www.optics4birding.com/swarovski-refurbished-slc-7x50b-black-binoculars-10400.html


LEICA TRINOVID 8X 32 BN REFURBISHED $749.99
http://www.acephotodigital.com/binocular...ovid-40328b.asp

Free_Miner,

PM sent...

Steiner Sucks... I have looked...
art

That was really uninformative, but proves my point about how useless most opinions on optics are.

Here is a more objective review of what is not a mid-range Steiner.
http://www.optics4birding.com/RevSteinerPeregrine.aspx

Some of the tests which rate some binoculars lower than others are laughable. BetterViewDesired, for example, measures how far away their tester can see the engraving on a dollar bill with binoculars. Well, it is going to be between 5 and 10 feet for the best glass. Who needs binoculars that focus that close? No one. That is why none of them do well.

You might ask yourself why the expensive binoculars you worship can't pass the GSA test to be on the list for purchase by the Army, Marines, Navy or Coast Guard - and why the binoculars you hear slandered are on that list and used in combat daily for years before being refurbished.