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dave132mm
super member
Reged: 12/28/06
Posts: 126
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Does anybody know if these are worth looking at. They are
a bit over $ 1000. They also make a 15x80.
Thanks Dave 
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wal.s
member
Reged: 04/06/08
Posts: 18
Loc: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Dave, not for a bit over $1,000. I have used them for nearly 3 months now and find them good to very good. if you search CN you'll find a review by 'daniel_h', which it's very similar to my experience.
The best things are a solid build with very good colllimation, minimal flaring, clean sharp view and 1.9 kilograms in weight.
The worst thing is narrow field of view and practically a non existent eye relief.
Second hand $350 to $550 would be more the mark.
Regards,
Wal.s
Melbourne Australia
7x50 WO,
8x20 Trinovid,
10x42 Ultravid,
16x70 Fujinon
20x80 Steiner Senator
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dave132mm
super member
Reged: 12/28/06
Posts: 126
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They are only 56 oz, and new they are about $1200 bucks.
The fact that they are made in Germany means they are
well made.
Dave
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Erik D
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/28/03
Posts: 3196
Loc: Central New Jersey, USA
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There is a favorable review of the Steiner Observer 25X80 by forum member Rick from Tokyo in the 427 Bino mini review section of this forum.
Rick paid $535 for his pair(new) including shipping.
And another CN review of the Steiner 20X80 in which the author said this in the first paragraph:
__________________________
I purchased a pair of Steiner 20 X 80 binoculars (which I am subsequently returning). In daylight there was serious chromatic aberration, but what turned me off the most was the limited diopter adjustment on the right eyepiece. It would not turn as far as the left eyepiece diopter. I'm not sure if this was just a defect, but with the lack of chromatic aberration correction and obvious lack of quality control at the factory, I was very disappointed. I am mildly myopic (nearsighted), and have been elated with my other two Steiners (an 8 X 24 and an 8 X 30, with which I could see Jupiter's moons!) through which I can view without my glasses. I was not happy with the quality of these German-made 20 X 80 binoculars.
__________________________
Here is the link to the full article:
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=232
I would not be paying $1300 for a pair of Steiner 20X80s based on those reviews, or make assumptions about quality of optics base on the brand name or country of origin. Leica and Zeiss makes some really top notch binoculars, but not every model with their name on it is worth the price of admission either.
For $1,300 I may look for a pair of used 15X60 Zeiss BGA/T, or a pair of 22X60 Takahashi Astronomers for $$$ less.
56 oz is nice and light for a pair of 20X80s. I do use my 3.5 lb 20X80 LW without a mount for day time viewing and scanning at night. Most of the time they are mounted. If you are back packing with a pair of 20X80s for few days a saving of 2 lbs means you can take other gear; if you are using 20X80s for mounted observation from your yard 3.5 lbs vs. 5.5 lbs is not an issue.
ERik D
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BillC
on a new path
Reged: 06/04/04
Posts: 2241
Loc: Washington, USA
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"The fact that they are made in Germany means they are
well made."
Not necessarily; some of Europe's best binos have been coming from Asia for years. Buy the PRODUCT not the NAME!
Cheers,
Bill
--------------------
William J. Cook, Chief Opticalman, USNR-Ret.
Founding Editor, Amateur Telescope Making Journal
20-year vet. of Captain's Nautical Supplies, Optics Dept. Mgr.
Optics Machanic, WG11-3306, Ft. Lewis, Tacoma,WA
Yata, Yata, Yata . . .
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Gordon Rayner
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 03/24/07
Posts: 971
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Many of the Steiners are glued so much that they cannot be repaired, and have some other problems . Would "Glued in Germany" have equivalent panache?
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dave132mm
super member
Reged: 12/28/06
Posts: 126
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Fair enough. I will go on a different tangent.
Thanks Dave
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Rick
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/12/05
Posts: 3050
Loc: Tokyo, Japan
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Quote:
There is a favorable review of the Steiner Observer 25X80 by forum member Rick from Tokyo in the 427 Bino mini review section of this forum.
Rick paid $535 for his pair(new) including shipping.
Wow, talk about a blast from the past Erik. I was a real optics newbie then! I kinda regret selling those bins now since they seem to be discontinued. The price I paid for them was a true bargain. I remember doing a 10min shootout with them and a Tak Astronomer 22x60 on the Moon that got interupted by a freaky snow storm! I had never noticed the CA before until I looked thru the Tak. But I still preferred the noticeably higher mag of the Steiner.
Bought a Fuji 16x70 but its ergonomics really put me off. Thought I found nirvana with the Nikon 18x70 but in the end, I just never enjoyed the freedom-of-movement crippling tripod. I sprung for the Canon 18x50IS and never looked back.
cheers,
Rick
--------------------
www.japanastro.com
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Erik D
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/28/03
Posts: 3196
Loc: Central New Jersey, USA
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Hi Rick,
Good to see you still checking the bino forum from time to time.
I came close to ordering a pair of those 25X80s because of your review. I enjoy using high power binoculars for day time observation, but was not happy with the purple fringing of my Japanese 25X100s. Hearing that I could have a pair of German made 25X binos weighing ~ 3.5 lbs caught my attention.
In the end I did not go for a pair of Steiner 25X80s, nor the Fuji 16X70 FMT SX or the Nikon 18X70 Astroluxe. But I did purchase about 10( or is it 12, 14?)) more pairs since then. My problem is I am quick in the acquisition mode but quite lacking the other way around. ;-))
Maybe I should trade in 10 of the pairs I don't use much for one pair of used Tak 22X60s.
Just took delivery a pair of vintage 10X50s with 8 deg FOV this past weekend. Got to go check them out now before the clouds roll in....
ERik D
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Rick
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/12/05
Posts: 3050
Loc: Tokyo, Japan
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The Steiner was a handsome bino too. Very sleek styling compared to the standard bin. Here's a pic of it next to my first astro binocular, the Obie 15x70, which was at the time the CN "flavor of the moment". Even as a newbie, I found the Obie to be disappointing.
--------------------
www.japanastro.com
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