| You'll get $40 back from Steiner when you buy this binocular before December 31! We’ll send a rebate certificate along with your binocular. Simply fill it in, mail it to Steiner along with an original copy of your sales receipt and the original UPC barcode from your binocular carton, and Steiner will send you your $40 check. It’s that simple to get $40 from Steiner. Your rebate request must be postmarked by Jan. 31, 2010 and received by Feb. 15, 2010. The Steiner 10 x 42mm Merlin packs good high power performance into a surprisingly lightweight body. It weighs only 24 ounces, making it easy to carry on all-day birding trips without tiring. The 10x magnification is good for shorebirding, observing across open meadows and fields, scanning the opposite side of lagoons and lakes, etc. – anywhere the subjects are distant and/or difficult to approach closely. That said, a near focus of 8’ or better allows for close-in birding as well. However, its depth of field is shallower than an 8x binocular, necessitating more frequent focus adjustments with the 10x to keep a mobile nearby bird in focus. This Merlin could well be useful for occasional close-in birding, but we wouldn’t recommend it as your primary or full-time warbler watcher. Long distance birding is its strong suite. The Merlin has good optics, with good resolution and surprisingly bright images for a high power binocular. Its color fidelity is excellent, even in fairly low light conditions. This high quality high power roof prism can handle most long distance birding and wildlife observing situations with distinction and will give you years of service while doing it. Features of this binocular . . . Body construction: H-body roof prism with internal center focus. The body is clad in noise- and shock-absorbing rubber armor. The armor’s unique dark brown earth tone was formulated to absorb light, rather than reflect it, making the binocular less visible to wildlife. Ribbing on the body provides a sure grip. Raised thumb rests on the underside of the barrels help position the hands for a very precise balance that reduces fatigue during extended observing. The armor provides a comfortable grip in all temperature and weather extremes. A 1/4"-20 thread tripod adapter port is built into the front end of the center hinge and covered by a thread-in plastic cap when not in use. Eyecups/rainguard: Rolldown soft rubber eyecups are flared at the side to block ambient light for those who don’t wear glasses while observing. Contrast is visibly increased compared with conventional flat eyecups. The eyepiece rainguard is flared to fit the eyecups. Objective lens covers: Flipdown soft rubber lens covers are attached to the underside of the binocular objectives so they hang down out of the way when the binocular is in use. The attached covers can’t be lost in the field. For those who prefer to do without objective lens covers, or for those observing hawks directly overhead where the covers might inadvertently flip up and cover the objectives at an inopportune time, a simple push with a ballpoint pen or paper clip on a recessed quick release button in the armor releases the lens covers so they can be removed. Focusing: Large ribbed focus knob can be used with either hand, even while wearing gloves or mittens. Two turns of the focusing knob moves from an infinity focus down to an 8’ close focus or better (Steiner specifies 7' 9"). Case/carry straps: Semi-rigid case has Cordura-type nylon sides, with rigid, but resilient, thermo-molded protective front and back panels. A wide woven case strap is provided, as is a wide and soft neoprene comfort neck strap. As with the objective lens covers, the binocular neck strap can easily be removed by simply pushing on a recessed quick release button in the armor with a ballpoint pen or paper clip. However, accidentally releasing the neck strap is virtually impossible. Optics: Fully multicoated on all air-to-glass surfaces for good light transmission and contrast. Excellent color fidelity makes it easier to resolve subtle species differences. Low geometric distortion (very little bowing of straight lines at the edges of the field). Astigmatism and curvature of field are well-controlled over the critical central two-thirds of the field. The 15mm eye relief may slightly vignette the field for those who must wear eyeglasses while observing, but most eyeglass wearers will barely notice it. Diopter adjustment: Ribbed rotary collar on left eyepiece adjusts for individual eyesight differences. Weather proofing: Waterproof and guaranteed not to fog internally or leak.
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