Steiner 8x50 Merlin Binocular

by Steiner

Product Features

• Compact and Lightweight
• Fully multi-coated lenses
• Waterproof and Shockproof
• Center focus knob
• 8x magnification

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

If you need high performance for faster discovery, especially of birds on the move, take a close look at the new light weight alloy bodied Steiner Merlin. They precise, yet amazingly rugged and also fully waterproofed for even the rainiest days.

The optics are made with premium optical glass and are coated with our own natural color transmission multi-coating which boosts light transmission much higher than similar binoculars in this price range and yields extraordinary clarity, resolution and color fidelity.

Focusing is our unique "Fast-Focus" system which turns from close focus to infinite distance in two full turns of the focus wheel, for razor sharp fine tuning. The focusing is smooth and precise, and it's waterproof.

Since birds are skittish by the presence of bright or light colors, Steiner tried the opposite approach with the exterior finish of the Merlin: the almost transparent neutral color on the Merlin is a unique earth tone brown; chosen by Steiner's development staff and birders as a color least noticeable to birds.

The Merlin 8 x 50 is a new Merlin binocular featuring compact design yet boasting 50 millimeter objective lenses. Phase corrected roof prisms and Steiner's fully multi-coated optics offer exceptional brightness and perfect color rendition. Waterproof, shockproof. Very long eye relief, and of course the comfortable rubber armored body that are a favorite in feel and comfort among active users.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5.2 x 2.5 inches ; 1.6 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0007XY55G
• Item model number: 428
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #734,335 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent binocular, September 14, 2006

By 

PGH "import99" (Downingtown, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Steiner 8x50 Merlin Binocular (Electronics)

My goal was to find a binocular that would do well at four things; observing wildlife, hunting, astronomy and checking shots at the rifle range.

Given that there are very specialized binoculars for each of these separate activities I knew there would have to be compromises somewhere. Hunting and astronomy would require light gathering capability, use at the range would require high power, hunting would require light weight and wildlife would require rapid focusing.

The 8x50 Steiners are excellent for wildlife observation. I've used them to watch deer and raptors and they've provided clear views in bright light and at dusk. One evening I noticed some movement in a dark, almost silhouetted, tree and turned the binocular on it. Almost as clear as daylight viewing was a hawk being harassed by a couple of smaller birds. The rapid focus has made viewing flying birds much easier.

These glasses are underpowered for use at the rifle range but that is something that I expected. I didn't want to go above 8x magnification in order to avoid shaking problems. Since I'm not a competition shooter the lack of magnification here is not a big deal for me. I've switched to Shoot-N-C targets and these glasses are good enough for me to know I'm on paper with a reasonable grouping at 100 yds.

I have only viewed the moon at night. Nice crisp image but not a substitute for a telescope. I'm expecting these glasses to be more useful for meteor showers and perhaps viewing Andromeda from a dark location.

These are the first high-priced binocular that I have ever bought. One thing that struck me right away was the stereoscopic image. Cheap binoculars that I have used previously had a very flat image, these make using binoculars much more fun.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars starry nights, May 1, 2008

By 

Mary Bishop (Las Cruces, NM USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Steiner 8x50 Merlin Binocular (Electronics)

After taking an amateur astronomy course, I knew I had to upgrade my little old Nikon toys. Funbear's review of the Steiner Commander V started me off. The diopter adjustment on that pair happened to break when rotated, a fluke quality flaw, or I probably would have stopped there. I tried and returned (thanks, Amazon!) Pentax, Celeston and Leupold 10x50s and some from Garrett Optical. All were nice in some ways but not perfect, and many were very heavy. I kept thinking of how it felt to look through the Steiner optics and went back to the brand, ordering this style. They're not specifically designed for astronomy, but they work well for that, too. The 8X magnification doesn't look much different from 10x to me, and stars are much, much steadier. The roof prism is lighter than a porro prism and your hands are closer together, also reducing shake. They have amazing depth of field just like the first ones I tried. The wing style eye cups reduce ambient light and help me see better. These apparently have been discontinued. I'm so glad I got mine. I reach for them every day and pay closer attention to the world around me -- a beautiful product.