Home > Consumer Reviews > Steiner 7x50 Marine Binocular

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.

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!

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.

Very high quality product. It really brightens up the scene in
daylight and low light conditions. For those that don't know 7X50mm
is the preferred configuration for boating. You get a large field of
view which is important when you are on a moving/rocking boat. I find
the 7X magnification fine. I use these on my Jetski as an aid to
my GPS when out exploring in Florida waters. The waterproofing is
great and the rubber armor is superb. A great value, worth the price.

I ordered these binoculars for boating and it was like growing a new pair of eyes. The quality starts with the box they come in. The sports focus system is so easy to set and so useful compared to continually readjusting as with other binoculars that it makes using them a pure pleasure. You can find yourself just lost in gazing at one thing after another. The clarity is superb. The great light transfer into your eyes in low-light conditions makes you wish you had natural night vision. My pair has attached protective rubber caps to cover the glass when not in use. The warranty is great and be sure to register the serial number. The price offered by Amazon is on par with the lowest price I've been able to locate on the Internet, and a lot better than many.
The included strap will hurt you after a short while so do yourself a favor and buy a Steiner floating, cushioned strap (presently also available at Amazon). It will save your neck and keep them floating if you drop them overboard. Don't like the bright yellow or orange color? Wrap your favorite cloth over it.
This is a best buy. Happy viewing.