Product Description

If you've always wanted a high performance 7x50 but weren't ready to spend the big dollars leave it up to Steiner to deliver performance at a tremendous value. The 7x50 Marine Steiner features fully multi-coated optics for excellent low light performance with a peak light transmission of over 90%. Black rubber armoring provides a sure grip even when wet. Long 22mm eye relief for full field of view with eyeglass or sunglasses. Waterproof and shockproof. Nitrogen pressurized. Guaranteed to outperform any other binocular in this price category!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #19168 in Sports & Outdoors
• Brand: Steiner
• Model: 575
• Dimensions: 5.60" h x 7.50" w x 9.40" l, 4.00 pounds

Features

• Waterproof, shockproof binocular with 7x magnification and 50mm objective lens
• Sports-Autofocus system puts everything into focus from 20 yards to infinity
• BAK-4 prisms, fully multicoated optical surfaces, and 20mm of long eye relief
• Light transmission peaks at over 90 percent for viewing in low-light conditions
• Measures 8.2 x 2.8 x 5.2 inches (W x H x D) and weighs 37 ounces; 10-year warranty

Amazon.com Product Description
Big on performance and generous on economy, Steiner's 7x50 Marine binocular is ideal for both boaters and shore-bound users. The binocular is equipped with marine glass that's built to traditional Steiner navy/military styling, from its sharp and incredibly bright optics to the easy-to-grip exterior. The Sports-Autofocus system, meanwhile, puts everything into focus from 20 yards to infinity once calibrated to the user's eyes. Most importantly for boaters, however, is the binocular's waterproof and shockproof housing, which protects the optics should you accidentally drop the binocular into a body of water. Other details include BAK-4 prisms, fully multicoated optical surfaces, an easy-to-grip exterior, outstanding light transmission that peaks over 90 percent, and 20mm of long eye relief. The 7x50 Marine binocular--which comes with a web strap, a rain and spray guard for the eyepieces, and an attached objective lens cap--is backed by a 10-year warranty.

Specifications:

• Objective lens: 50mm
• Magnification: 7x
• Field of view: 354 feet @ 1,000 yards
• Eye relief: 20mm
• Dimensions: 8.2 by 2.8 by 5.2 inches (W x H x D)
• Weight: 37 ounces

Customer Reviews

excellent low light performance
I have the 7x50 Steiner Ralleye model, which appears to be identical to the Marine version. It is built like a tank and gives you a lot of confidence that it will hold up to abuse. In low light and night conditions this is an excellent performer. If you are using this is an area with a lot ambient light (such as a town) or moonlight, it will really bring a lot of detail out of the shadows and is a better choice by far then night vison equipment costing hundreds more. The 7x magnification is also a nice choice for avoiding lense shake. (I also have a pair of 9x40 Steiners, and that move from 7x-9x power is noticeable.) The 7x50 also allows you to better follow moving targets. The sport auto focus system works very well and the optics are excellent.

Edit: Oct 2009. I have acquired several other binos since this purchase and now primarily use a roof prism set of 10x40's as the weight is better and I wanted that little bit of extra power in the day light. However for low light and stability nothing beats these and they are still the best built pair I have. I would still recommend these.

Great German optics for the price!
The Steiner Marine 7x50 binoculars have met my (admittedly high) expectations. The Sports Auto-Focus is great -- even better on my Marine pair than the Predator models that I looked at in Academy Sports. It makes changing from viewing one object to another fast and easy. They are very clear too. With the focus set at the closest range I can read the buttons on my microwave from across my small trailer. Using them out of doors the foliage really pops out (even when overcast). In almost complete darkness they enable one to see things the naked eye cannot. I have used them at night when I could barely see to walk around. The view through the binoculars was hardly affected at all. Once I used them to look from my parent's back yard, across the (six-lane) interstate, into the parking lot of the local community college at night. I could see the bugs playing around the streetlights!

I hadn't seen this particular pair in person, so they surprised me with their light weight -- some people had called them heavy online. They must be very frail people. This pair is much, much lighter than the Sears brand ones my parents got me 15+ years ago that are smaller. Compared to all steel binoculars the Steiners hardly weigh anything. They are not so light that image-shake is a problem however. The weight combined with the 7 magnification makes for an easily stabilized view.

One other thing of note is the 22mm of eye relief. That is a very helpful feature to me since I wear eyeglasses. Other binoculars with less eye relief have been problematic for me -- even ones with 19mm eye relief made by Steiner. Of course, for those who do not wear glasses, the rubber eye-cups can be folded out to reduce the amount of eye relief. In that mode people with normal vision do not seem to have any problem with them.

So far I am pleased with the binoculars in every detail but one. The strap sucks. It is way too thin, and I could imagine that after a day in the field the binoculars would really dig into one's shoulders with the supplied strap. What is a little odd is that the case that came with them is rather nice and has a comfortable, wide strap attached to it... The package also came with a little cleaning cloth, which was kind of a nice touch.

For the price, $260 through Amazon with free shipping, I think the Steiner Marine 7x50 model is fantastic. It would certainly be hard to beat the performance in that price range!

Disappointing - in light of the raving reviews
I returned the item for a refund.

Image distortion is quite prominent near the edge of the field of view. The focus in the center area (the middle 1/3 of the diameter) seems different from the focus in the outer area. The construction is sturdy, but the craftsmanship seems wanting. There are jagged edges in the plastic casing.

For its price, Steiner Marine is not a bad performer. But I don't consider it an outstanding value.