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CFC
member
Reged: 07/02/08
Posts: 50
Loc: Austin, TX
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Hi all,
Pardon another newbie question. Recently I've been browsing some Steiner binoculars. One thing i notice, Steiner website and other online retailers don't mention what type of prism grade (Bk7 or BaK-4) is in the binoculars. Is it safe to assume all Steiner binoculars use BaK-4 prism? If no, how do you find it out?
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Barska X-Trail 15x70, Jason Empire Mercury 10x50, china-brand 15x60
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Swedpat
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/18/05
Posts: 1033
Loc: Boden, Sweden, Scandinavia
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Hi,
According to my personal experience Steiner has Bak4 prisms, all models I have seen have a perfectly round exit pupil.
Regards, Patric
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*2,3x40 Constellation View Wide-Bino
*Leupold 6x30 Yosemite
*Leupold Katmai 6x32
*Swarovski SLCNew 7x42B
*Bresser (Lidl) 10x50
*Oberwerk 11x70
*No name (Kunming) 15x70
*Scopos ED APO 66
*Meade 5000 26mm Plössl, Vixen LV 10/5mm
Psalm 19:2
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Gordon Rayner
professor emeritus
Reged: 03/24/07
Posts: 506
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Remember that the Fuji 25 x 150 uses Bk7 prisms. It is f/5. Higher index prisms are needed at lower f/ratios. Bk7 is lighter, costs less, is widely available, may have production advantages, etc.
The main feature of the Steiner I have seen is the predominance of gluing, rather than securing with fasteners, which considerably complicates or makes impractical any service, and the use of plastic, rather than metal, components. Perhaps things have changed, but that was the situation a few years ago.
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RHoward42
member
Reged: 01/13/08
Posts: 32
Loc: Jacksonville, Florida
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Hi,
Kind of off point (sorry) but this reminded me of something.
My first pair of high quality (or so i thought) binoculars was a pair of Steiner 7x50 marine. Found the view to be agreeable, but wanted more power, so stepped up to a Steiner 10x50 military marine. The first pair i ordered/received had a loose hinge resulting in the two halves literally flopping around. I saw no way to fix this problem, so i returned them for another pair. The next pair never really focused and gave me headaches/eye strain after short use. Again, i returned these and ordered a pair of Bushnell legend roof 12x50 that have been exceptional. This negative experience with Steiner still lingers in my mind and makes me wonder about their quality control. Strange for a German company.
Rick
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Richard Howard
10x42 Nikon ATB
12x50 Bushnell Legend Roof
12x60 Fujinon HB
10x50 Fujinon FMTR-SX
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hallelujah
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/14/06
Posts: 1674
Loc: Colorado Rocky Mt. High
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Quote:
One thing i notice, Steiner website and other online retailers don't mention what type of prism grade (Bk7 or BaK-4) is in the binoculars. Is it safe to assume all Steiner binoculars use BaK-4 prism? If no, how do you find it out?
http://www.steiner-binoculars.com/news/010302.html
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Pentax 12x50mm PCF WP II FMC/WP/FP
Pentax 16x60mm PCF WP FMC/WP/FP
Pentax 20x60mm PCF WP II FMC/WP/FP
Orion 12x63mm Mini Giant FMC/JAPAN
Orion 15x70mm Little Giant II FMC/JAPAN
Orion 16x80mm Giant FMC/JAPAN
Orion 20x70mm Little Giant II FMC/JAPAN
Orion 30x80mm MEGAView FMC/JAPAN
Barska 30x80mm X-Trail LW FC
Burgess Optical Series II 20x90mm FMC/WP/FP
Handel's Messiah**Hallelujah! For the LORD God Omnipotent Reigneth
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CFC
member
Reged: 07/02/08
Posts: 50
Loc: Austin, TX
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Thanks guys for sharing your experience, and Hallelujah for the link. Too bad it only mentions about Police series. I checked other news links to other Steiner series, they don't mention anything about the prism index used.
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Barska X-Trail 15x70, Jason Empire Mercury 10x50, china-brand 15x60
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hallelujah
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/14/06
Posts: 1674
Loc: Colorado Rocky Mt. High
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Quote:
I checked other news links to other Steiner series, they don't mention anything about the prism index used.
If you send Steiner an e-mail they will give you the answers you are looking for.
info@steiner-binoculars.com
www.steiner-binoculars.com
Among all the hunters, on other forums, who use Steiner binoculars, I have never heard any complains of BK-7 prisms being used, in today's Steiner binoculars.
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Pentax 12x50mm PCF WP II FMC/WP/FP
Pentax 16x60mm PCF WP FMC/WP/FP
Pentax 20x60mm PCF WP II FMC/WP/FP
Orion 12x63mm Mini Giant FMC/JAPAN
Orion 15x70mm Little Giant II FMC/JAPAN
Orion 16x80mm Giant FMC/JAPAN
Orion 20x70mm Little Giant II FMC/JAPAN
Orion 30x80mm MEGAView FMC/JAPAN
Barska 30x80mm X-Trail LW FC
Burgess Optical Series II 20x90mm FMC/WP/FP
Handel's Messiah**Hallelujah! For the LORD God Omnipotent Reigneth
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hallelujah
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/14/06
Posts: 1674
Loc: Colorado Rocky Mt. High
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Quote:
The first pair i ordered/received had a loose hinge resulting in the two halves literally flopping around. I saw no way to fix this problem, so i returned them for another pair.
Rick
I experienced the same "flopping around" from a demo, at BassPro Shops.
I think the model in question may have been a Nighthunter XP 12x56mm, which is extremely SAD because that model is one of their top-of-the-line binoculars which comes with a 30 yr. warr.
Not a very good representation of their product line.
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Pentax 12x50mm PCF WP II FMC/WP/FP
Pentax 16x60mm PCF WP FMC/WP/FP
Pentax 20x60mm PCF WP II FMC/WP/FP
Orion 12x63mm Mini Giant FMC/JAPAN
Orion 15x70mm Little Giant II FMC/JAPAN
Orion 16x80mm Giant FMC/JAPAN
Orion 20x70mm Little Giant II FMC/JAPAN
Orion 30x80mm MEGAView FMC/JAPAN
Barska 30x80mm X-Trail LW FC
Burgess Optical Series II 20x90mm FMC/WP/FP
Handel's Messiah**Hallelujah! For the LORD God Omnipotent Reigneth
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 12599
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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Quote:
Quote:
The first pair i ordered/received had a loose hinge resulting in the two halves literally flopping around. I saw no way to fix this problem, so i returned them for another pair.
Rick
I experienced the same "flopping around" from a demo, at BassPro Shops.
That would have been an easy fix. Hinge tension is adjusted by first removing the screw that holds on the IPD scale. Then with a jewelers screw drive, loosen (do not take it completely out) the tiny set screw inserted in the brass hinge screw. Then a very slight tighteneing of the brass screw that joins the two eyepeices and puts pressure on the hinge is all that's needed. Then retighten the set screw, and put the IPD scale back on.
edz
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Teach a kid something today. The feeling you'll get is one of life's greatest rewards.
member#21
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RHoward42
member
Reged: 01/13/08
Posts: 32
Loc: Jacksonville, Florida
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Edz,
Its been a few years since i had that particular binocular. I do remember being frustrated that there seemed to be no "easy fix" for tightening the hinge. If i remember correctly, the ipd scale seemed to be sloppily glued in place with no apparent easy removal for access to the tightening screws. I could be wrong but that seems to be what i remember. I didnt want to bugger things up and cause problems for return/exchange. I believe that was the problem, although i wish i still had a pair in front of me to refresh my memory. I do remember, that the $500 i shelled out for these was/is considered a fortune for binoculars and that they should not come from the factory with such a sloppy hinge. I may have been able to live with the looseness of the hinge if the optics would have been sharp, but unfortunately they were not.
Thanks
Rick
PS. I no longer own the Steiner 7x50 listed below, i need to remove them from my list.
Edited by RHoward42 (07/29/08 06:57 PM)
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amys
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 06/12/06
Posts: 1771
Loc: Groton, CT
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I just checked out 2 pair of Steiners at the local Cabela's -- some Merlin roof 8X42 and a pair of their porro marine series. The false color was quite hideous on both pair. The flared eye guards on the Merlins were great -- they really blocked stray light. Of all the binos I tried that day, including Leupold, Cabela, Nikons and a few others, I thought the Steiners had the least impressive optics, at least to my eyes. I was very surprised.
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Amy
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hallelujah
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/14/06
Posts: 1674
Loc: Colorado Rocky Mt. High
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Quote:
The false color was quite hideous on both pair. The flared eye guards on the Merlins were great -- they really blocked stray light. I thought the Steiners had the least impressive optics, at least to my eyes. I was very surprised.
Certain models have optical coatings that are intended for hunting, and that cause the animal to STAND OUT from among the brush, etc.
The flared eyeguards drove me NUTS on the Individual Focus model that I tried. Everytime the eyepiece was adjusted, it caused the eyeguard to have to be repositioned as well. Quite exasperating. Adjusting the eyeguard automatically knocks the eyepiece out of focus. Insanity!
You are NOT the first to find the optics underwhelming. Many hunters have complained of the very same thing.
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Pentax 12x50mm PCF WP II FMC/WP/FP
Pentax 16x60mm PCF WP FMC/WP/FP
Pentax 20x60mm PCF WP II FMC/WP/FP
Orion 12x63mm Mini Giant FMC/JAPAN
Orion 15x70mm Little Giant II FMC/JAPAN
Orion 16x80mm Giant FMC/JAPAN
Orion 20x70mm Little Giant II FMC/JAPAN
Orion 30x80mm MEGAView FMC/JAPAN
Barska 30x80mm X-Trail LW FC
Burgess Optical Series II 20x90mm FMC/WP/FP
Handel's Messiah**Hallelujah! For the LORD God Omnipotent Reigneth
Edited by hallelujah (07/29/08 09:26 PM)
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hallelujah
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/14/06
Posts: 1674
Loc: Colorado Rocky Mt. High
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Quote:
That would have been an easy fix. Hinge tension is adjusted by first removing the screw that holds on the IPD scale. Then with a jewelers screw drive, loosen (do not take it completely out) the tiny set screw inserted in the brass hinge screw. Then a very slight tighteneing of the brass screw that joins the two eyepeices and puts pressure on the hinge is all that's needed. Then retighten the set screw, and put the IPD scale back on.
edz
Easy for YOU no doubt, BUT, how many CUSTOMERS are willing to purchase a binocular, brand new, and take it home just so they can start repairing it?
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Pentax 12x50mm PCF WP II FMC/WP/FP
Pentax 16x60mm PCF WP FMC/WP/FP
Pentax 20x60mm PCF WP II FMC/WP/FP
Orion 12x63mm Mini Giant FMC/JAPAN
Orion 15x70mm Little Giant II FMC/JAPAN
Orion 16x80mm Giant FMC/JAPAN
Orion 20x70mm Little Giant II FMC/JAPAN
Orion 30x80mm MEGAView FMC/JAPAN
Barska 30x80mm X-Trail LW FC
Burgess Optical Series II 20x90mm FMC/WP/FP
Handel's Messiah**Hallelujah! For the LORD God Omnipotent Reigneth
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