Steiner Predator 8x42 vs Steiner Commander 7x50
Quick take: The Steiner Commander 7x50 costs $183 less; the Steiner Predator 8x42 reaches farther (8x vs 7x); the Steiner Predator 8x42 has a wider field of view (375 vs 357 ft @ 1000 yds).
Field of view, to scale
Top-down view · drawn to true scale — no exaggeration
Which one to buy
A binocular that can't focus inside about 20 yards is a poor fit for the woods, and that alone sorts this Steiner pair. The Commander 7x50 uses Steiner's sports-auto-focus: set each eyepiece once and everything from about 20 yards out stays sharp, which owners love on a pitching deck and which rules it out for wildlife closer in. It has a 66 ft close focus against the Predator 8x42's 6.6 ft. The Commander is also discontinued, so it may be hard to find new, though it costs $183 less.
On the water the Commander is the specialist. Owners describe a 7.14mm exit pupil they use mostly at night, an illuminated compass and rangefinding reticle for bearings, a buoyant strap and submersion-rated sealing. At 38.4 oz it is heavy over a long watch.
The Predator 8x42 is built for hunting on foot: a 375 ft field for catching movement, a 5.25mm exit pupil that owners say stays bright through dawn and dusk, grippy ergonomics and decades-long durability. Owners also relay mid-pack test scores, a stiff diopter, and an eyepiece shape that makes its 17.25mm of eye relief work less well with glasses than it should. They advise buying it on sale, since enthusiasts say other brands give more optics for the money at full price.
Unless your binocular lives on a boat, the Predator is the one that fits. The Commander makes sense only for navigators who can still find one.
Steiner Predator 8x42
For hunters and anyone viewing on land, from thick woods at dawn to open fields, ideally bought on sale.
Steiner Commander 7x50
For sailors who navigate by bearings and want set-and-forget focus at sea, if a new one can still be found; it is discontinued.
| Spec | Steiner Predator 8x42 | Steiner Commander 7x50 |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$713 | ~$530 |
| Use case | Hunting | Marine |
| Magnification | 8x | 7x |
| Objective | 42mm | 50mm |
| Exit pupil | 5.25mm | 7.14mm |
| Field of view | 375 ft @ 1000 yds | 357 ft @ 1000 yds |
| Eye relief | 17.25mm | 20.2mm |
| Close focus | 6.6 ft | 66 ft |
| Prism | Roof | Porro |
| Glass | HD | Standard |
| Coating | Fully Multi-Coated | Fully Multi-Coated |
| Weight | 26.6 oz | 38.4 oz |
| Dimensions | 5.4 x 4.9 in | 7.8 x 5.5 in |
| Warranty | Lifetime | Lifetime |
Feature comparison
Steiner Predator 8x42
- ✗ED Glass
- ✓Phase-Corrected
- ✗Dielectric Coating
- ✓Waterproof
- ✓Fogproof
- ✗Image Stabilized
- ✓Tripod Adaptable
- ✗Magnesium Body
- ✓Locking Diopter
Steiner Commander 7x50
- ✗ED Glass
- ✗Phase-Corrected
- ✗Dielectric Coating
- ✓Waterproof
- ✓Fogproof
- ✗Image Stabilized
- ✗Tripod Adaptable
- ✗Magnesium Body
- ✓Locking Diopter
What birders say
Steiner Predator 8x42
- ✓CAT (Color Adjusted Transmission) coatings are the signature feature - hunters report browns and reds of game popping against green foliage, which is exactly what whitetail hunters in thick woods buy this binocular for
- ✓Low-light performance draws consistent praise from hunting reviewers - dawn and dusk views stay bright and clear right through the prime movement windows
- ✓Legendary Steiner durability shows up in owner stories - one reviewer bought a second pair because his first was 'decades old and still awesome'
- ✓One long-time hunter on a major hunting forum put its sharpness and clarity 'right in there with my Leica and Zeiss V6' - high praise for a mid-priced binocular
- ✓Comfortable, grippy ergonomics with molded thumb rests and finger ridges that testers specifically called out - it stays planted in cold or wet hands
- ✓6.6 ft close focus is unusually good for a hunting binocular, rated highly in comparative testing
- ✓375 ft field of view is wide for the class, making it easier to pick up moving game quickly
- ✓Steiner's lifetime Heritage Warranty backs it, and multiple decade-plus ownership reports suggest you'll rarely need it
- ✗Independent testers could not verify the CAT coating's game-highlighting claim - one review team found 'no difference' in wildlife visibility versus ordinary competitors, so treat the marketing with skepticism
- ✗Comparative testing scored the optics as mid-pack (around 73/100) - clarity and brightness rated 7/10, behind what the price suggests
- ✗A vocal contingent of optics enthusiasts on forums considers Steiner's roof-prism models overpriced for the glass, recommending a Vortex Viper HD or Diamondback HD instead at similar or lower cost
- ✗The diopter adjustment is stiff and awkward to dial in, a repeated complaint in hands-on reviews
- ✗The eyecup/eyepiece design has extended sides that make life harder for eyeglass wearers despite decent 17.25mm eye relief
- ✗Some owners describe a finicky eyebox - eye placement has to be just right before the view snaps in
- ✗Isolated durability gripes exist alongside the legend - one forum owner reported plastic components cracking
- ✗Street price swings wildly (roughly $300 to $600+ depending on retailer and moment), which makes its value proposition hard to pin down and fuels the 'wait for a sale' advice on forums
Steiner Commander 7x50
- ✓Integrated illuminated compass with rangefinding reticle that sailors genuinely use - owners report reaching for it 'all the time' for taking bearings on marks, ships, and lights
- ✓Huge 7.1mm exit pupil makes it a low-light monster - one owner notes 9 out of 10 uses are at night, exactly what a watch-keeping binocular is for
- ✓Sports-auto-focus system: set each eyepiece once for your eyes and everything from about 20 yards to infinity stays sharp - no fumbling with a focus wheel on a pitching deck
- ✓Extra-wide field of view for easy orientation and quick reacquisition of targets from a moving boat
- ✓Bright, razor-sharp German optics that long-term owners describe as the reference standard for marine glass
- ✓Built for abuse at sea: pressurized nitrogen fill, deeply cushioned NBR rubber armor, and waterproofing rated for full submersion
- ✓Buoyant high-visibility neck strap included, so an overboard drop doesn't mean a lost binocular
- ✓Steiner's decades-long warranty coverage plus a repair program owners on forums describe as reasonably priced and reliable
- ✗Individual-focus design is wrong for wildlife and general nature use - anything closer than about 20 yards can't be brought into sharp focus, as birding forum users point out
- ✗Premium price - comparably specced Fujinon 7x50 models with compass and reticle undercut it, and a respected marine-binocular test picked the Fujinon as its favorite
- ✗Heavy at 38.4 ounces, which you feel during a long watch without the strap properly rigged
- ✗Bulky 7x50 format is overkill for daytime-only coastal use where a compact would do
- ✗Polycarbonate (Makrolon) chassis, though proven at sea, feels less premium to some than the metal bodies on rival glass
- ✗Compass models are balanced for a specific hemisphere zone, a detail circumnavigators need to check before buying
- ✗No image stabilization, which boating forum threads increasingly weigh against stabilized alternatives at similar money
- ✗The compass and reticle add weight and clutter that non-navigators will never use
Steiner Predator 8x42 vs Steiner Commander 7x50: common questions
Can the Steiner Commander 7x50 be used for hunting like the Predator 8x42?▾
Not well. Commander owners say anything closer than about 20 yards can't be brought into focus, and the compass is dead weight on land. The Predator 8x42 focuses down to 6.6 ft and is built around hunting on foot.
Which is brighter at night, the Steiner Commander 7x50 or the Predator 8x42?▾
The Commander. Its 7.14mm exit pupil is larger than the Predator's 5.25mm, and owners say most of their use is at night. Predator owners still praise its brightness through the first and last shooting light of the day.