Night Vision The Official: Steiner C35 Thermal Clip-on Review and User Thread!


Not sure what the diff is between 2 & 3, but these look like they could be great values/possible substitute. I'm sure the Steiner will be better resolution, but my son is using a first gen BTS50 to good effect with their 400x300. I bet the street price is closer to 2 than 3.
 
I used the Steiner and a Krypton 2 50 mm Clipon for the last 2 weeks extensively.
Both are used with a Buris RT6 and Rusan Modular Adapters.
Both are quite nice for identification of wild boar and roe deer.
The latter I’m not allowed to shoot with it though (local regulation).

The Steiner eats up batteries like crazy though. I don’t get more than 2 - 3 hours of use out of one.

Can you say more about your experience with the Steiner C35 gen II?

EDIT.....sorry, I see you have Gen I. I apologize
 
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No rail mount yet per Steiner; waiting on zee Germans as it were. With that said, I got it and a Burris smartclip out the door TT&L for a hair under MAP so I'll suffer it on my 700's VX-6 till I can rail mount
 
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Supposedly better processor etc etc, same viewing screen but I think the sensitivity and front end were improved?

Oh, and its a "design your own rail clip" situation. TBD on that, waiting on my not factory approved rail adapter to arrive.
 
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Both show 50Hz. Gen I is <50mK and gen II is <30mK. 800x600 OLED on the Gen I and 1280x960 on the Gen II.
I'm not sure if those are specs that someone can detect with the eye or not.
My buddy recently got the gen 2 and i have the gen 1. The image does look noticeably better on the gen 2. Haven't gotten a chance to use them in the field yet though.
 
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It rail mounts with caveats. Credit Trash Panda for figuring out you can flip a Burris clip. For a 1.5" mount, you're limited to about a 34mm objective bell unless you start shaving... could happen...
 

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It's my understanding AR-10's eat optics in general. As it has been explained to me, it isn't the amount of recoil per se, but rather the harmonics of the impulse back and forth. Burris told me they used the thermals on 50's without an issue but the shutters don't like AR-10's.

Its a mirrorless camera and a computer. I'm going to limit my semi use to suppressed 556/Grendel and 308 bolt guns.

Resolution is excellent, I think for the money it has a better screen than almost anything else anywhere near the price - up to even double the cost if I recall when I was researching.
 
It's my understanding AR-10's eat optics in general. As it has been explained to me, it isn't the amount of recoil per se, but rather the harmonics of the impulse back and forth. Burris told me they used the thermals on 50's without an issue but the shutters don't like AR-10's.

Its a mirrorless camera and a computer. I'm going to limit my semi use to suppressed 556/Grendel and 308 bolt guns.

Resolution is excellent, I think for the money it has a better screen than almost anything else anywhere near the price - up to even double the cost if I recall when I was researching.
I watched a 6.5 Grendel eat a good PVS 27 within one mag. I don't think it's harmonics on the AR10 vs each individual system and what they will tolerate.
 
I watched a 6.5 Grendel eat a good PVS 27 within one mag. I don't think it's harmonics on the AR10 vs each individual system and what they will tolerate.
Follow up thought - I think a better way to say it might be the AR-10 platform is inclined to eat optics and electronics but to be sure the specific configuration undoubtedly plays a role. A 20 lb suppressed AR-10 might be easier on equipment than say a 6 lb Grendel, you don't know until you put your optic up there and go hard
 
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I’ve had some time with the C35 now and i feel that it’s a great value for the price.

Pros-
-Affordable
-Durable
-Easy to adjust settings
-Good picture quality
-easy to zero
-Returns to zero when taken off and put back on
-Usable at mid to high magnification, if you have a positive ID on the target you can zoom in quite far on the scope and make shots. Longest shot so far is 320 yds on a coyote.

Cons-
-Heavy!
-Hard to adjust focus from behind the rifle
-Battery doesn’t last long. That’s ok because you can switch them out or run external pack.

Overall I would buy it again.
What power did you take this through-the-scope picture at? Is that 4x or up higher?
 
So far so good on the gen 2. High hopes for the fall and winter.

I would call the 2 useful at higher magnification than 8x, but it isn't crystal clear - but I've shot and watched yotes at 18X through a 3-18x50 Leupold VX-6HD.
 
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It rail mounts with caveats. Credit Trash Panda for figuring out you can flip a Burris clip. For a 1.5" mount, you're limited to about a 34mm objective bell unless you start shaving... could happen...
What extension is screwed onto the Steiner to allow the Burris clip on to clamp around it? The pictures of the Steiner don't appear to have as much rear extension as is pictured in post 1227.
 
The Gen 2 has some aspects that are superior - better battery situation, better processor, but lacks the hardware to be a true rail clip on. It is a compromise.

Where is the Zeiss actually for sale on US soil?
Until the Gen 2 has a real rail mount option, thr gen1 is better. I mean, it's a clip on, that's the whole purpose of having it. That scope bell mount thing is just not something that allows easily going from one gun to another. Jmo