Discovery - The new professional birdwatching binocular from Steiner. BIRDWATCHERS are among the most demanding recreational users of optical equipment in the world, so leading German manufacturer Steiner, made it a priority to understand their needs before embarking on the design and manufacture of their latest high-spec binoculars - the Discovery 10x44.

Steiner Discovery binoculars, with their open design and distinctive wrap-around eye-cups are visually striking. They are also slim and light and their ribbed rubber armouring and soft-touch thumb panels offer a secure grip in all weather conditions. Because they are so light (854 g for the 10x and 834 g for the 8x), they will cause very little fatigue, even after a long day in the field. Slender barrels and the absence of a solid central bridge makes them very easy to handle, even for birders with smaller hands.

The focus knob works fast, taking just one 360 degree rotation to move from close focus to infinity, to ensure a birder can keep pace with the fastest moving birds. Nitrogen-filled magnesium alloy barrels eliminate the possibility of internal fogging at any temperature between –40 degrees and +80 degrees Centigrade and the patented Steiner Nano-Protection coating on external glass makes the surfaces resistant to both dirt and water. Steiner binoculars have a well-deserved reputation for robustness and practicality and the Discovery range comes with a 30-year warranty, padded, heavy Cordura case, Neoprene rainguard and padded strap that has snap-in connections to attach to the sides of the barrels for easy removal.

The eyecups are among the most distinctive features of these binoculars. Their soft rubber is sharply angled, so that they wrap comfortably around the sides of the viewer’s eyes to eliminate stray light. These soft raised eyecups fold down for wearers of spectacles to get the maximum field of view.

Steiner has listened to serious birdwatchers about what they need in terms of performance and comfort. The Discovery models deliver everything they asked for.

Setting new standards for optical excellence - Steiner Discovery binoculars will deliver everything a birdwatcher looks for in terms of performance (first class light transmission, pin-sharp focussing and true-to-life colour) thanks to its unique High-Definition XP-Optics, which use the purest index-matched glass and coatings of titanium, fluorite and other rare minerals. Steiner achieve a new level of brightness and natural colour balance by use of a new dielectric prism coating, in which more than 40 layers of titanium oxide and other rare minerals are alternately applied to the glass surfaces. The Discovery is also phase-corrected for the sharpest possible, distortion-free images. German-built optics rightly enjoy a worldwide reputation for innovation and excellence, so Steiner has drawn on its 60 years of experience to introduce two completely new features in the Discovery range. The Dual Precision Setting offers the user the opportunity to adjust focus for each eye independently to provide a new standard in precision viewing, while the Distance Control System allows you to pre-focus before lifting to the eyes.