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Steiner Commander binoculars | Optics Trade Debates

Hello and welcome to another episode of Optics Trade Debates. Today, we talk about Steiner series of binoculars called Commander, which is a famous series of marine binoculars. The new Commander series is unmatched in terms of technology and innovation. For the highest ambitions in marine use, Commander is the answer.

Steiner is updating the Commander series every couple of years, but lately, they had two additions – the Commander Laser Rangefinder and the Commander Global.

The Commander series is top of the line of Steiner marine binoculars and probably even of all marine binoculars, since most manufacturers don´t persist on this market anymore. Steiner was the first company that made the compass available on the binoculars. All of these binoculars are made in Germany.

There are six models in this series, namely 7×30, 7×30 with a compass, 7×50, 7×50 with a compass, 7×50 LRF (with a laser rangefinder) and 7×50 Commander Global. The 7x Magnification is the marine standard.

The outer appearance is similar to the entry-level of Steiner marine binocular series, called the Navigator Pro, although the Commander series is still better in most aspects.
It offers better optical performance, the best possible light transmission rate, edge-to-edge sharpness, etc. The binoculars are beautifully designed and really rugged. They also offer a wider field of view, around 130 m.
They have a 30-year warranty, whereas the Navigator has only 10.

These binoculars have a dual diopter setting, one on each eyepiece and no focusing knob.

They have a Sports-Auto-Focus system, which means that you focus the diopter of each eyepiece to your vision once and then the eyes will focus the image by themselves.
This Sports-Auto-Focus makes it difficult to observe objects that are close by, but it performs much better in the twilight. A big advantage of this system is also the waterproofness, because you only need to seal the binocular in one place with one O-ring to prevent the water from coming in.

The binoculars’ diopter system allows the user to mark his or her zero. You need to pull the ring up and set it – once that is done, you always know where your zero is. The Global version has this mark in color gray and all the others have it in yellow, so it is nicely visible.

The Commander series binoculars have Porro prism fold-down rubber eyecups that are not adjustable. This can be problematic for eyeglass wearers, because when you pull the rubber down, sooner or later it pops back up. Furthermore, the rubber can wear out. The eyecups have side wings that keep stray light and water drops out while observing.

All materials on Commander can withstand salt, water and sun. They are really robust and will last a long time.

The difference between 7×50 with a compass and 7×50 Commander Global is that the Global is self-calibrated in all regions of the world, whereas 7×50 with a compass must be bought for the region you are in for the compass to perform accurately.

All models, except the laser rangefinder, have a Clicloc system that attaches and releases the neck strap with instant, push-button ease, so the binoculars are always within reach.

The Laser Rangefinding model was introduced last, in 2018, and the range of the laser is 1700 m. The laser is meant for you to see how far away you are from the shore or other boats or ships. By pushing the button you activate Scan mode which is great for moving targets.

The model 7×50 with a compass has a mechanical compass – in the lower 20 percent of the field of view in the right tube, you see the reading of the compass. The illumination of the compass can be activated with the press of a button, which is great in low-light conditions.

The price of the most basic Commander model is somewhere around 1000 €, whereas the Commander Global costs about 2000 €; there is quite a price difference amongst those two binoculars. The price is really good for such a premium and quality product.

The models come in a big box with a cloth, an instruction manual, a neckstrap, a floating strap, lens covers (front lens covers are attached to the binocular, so they cannot be removed so easily) and a carrying bag.

Steiner offers a refurbish program, so if you are using a binocular for 10–20 years and you damage or break it, you can send it back and for 250–300€ you receive it completely refurbished.

This is everything for today. Thank you for your attention.  If you have any questions or would like to provide feedback, feel free to send us an email or leave a comment in the section below. We love to help. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content. See you next time!

Products mentioned:

Steiner Commander Binoculars: https://www.optics-trade.eu/si/manufacturer-steiner/binoculars_series-steiner_commander.html

Steiner Commander 7×50: https://www.optics-trade.eu/en/steiner-commander-7×50.html

Steiner Commander 7×50 with Compass: https://www.optics-trade.eu/en/steiner-commander-7×50-with-compass.html

Steiner Commander 7×50 LRF: https://www.optics-trade.eu/en/steiner-commander-7×50-lrf-63837.html

Steiner Commander Global 7×50 K: https://www.optics-trade.eu/en/steiner-commander-global-7×50-k.html

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