I am also working on getting a focus throw lever designed and manufactured that will be included with every C35 purchased from me and some extra free goods.
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Night Vision The Official: Steiner C35 Thermal Clip-on Review and User Thread!
- Thread starter TheHorta
- Start date
You mean you aren't sitting in your office waiting to answer my questions?? What is the world coming to
I wanna say there was A/B/C options for screen shift, so 3 profiles that I noticed.
A little side by side action with the RH25 and C35 at some cows about 130yd and 35yd away, in front of the Vortex 1-10. The extra clarity at distance and higher zoom levels is apparent with the Steiner, along with a calmer image that doesn’t seem to have the image processing cranked up to 11 like the iRay. But damn that size and weight…
If you can view it at 4K/60fps, it gives a pretty real-to-life view of the scope experience.
If you can view it at 4K/60fps, it gives a pretty real-to-life view of the scope experience.
I was able to finally get out and lightly wring mine out. I don't have a hell of a lot of time behind it but so far I'm really enjoying it. If someone would combine something like this with something like a PVS-30 in a vertically tandem arrangement with a fusion display I'd bet a lot of people would probably cum in their pants. A good friend of mine and I were talking about that and feel that that would be an absolute game changer (the fusion device, not the pants jizz).
I tried a COTI in fusion mode with a PVS-30 and PVS-24LR and it was neat but the COTI just didn't really have the reach or resolution to get much more than a couple hundred meters of usefulness, besides which hanging a COTI off the side of my rifle seemed like I was just asking to break a $4000 component and the recoil tolerance of a COTI is not well enough documented for me to want to send a lot of rounds down range with one mounted to the rifle. Also, doing what I'm wanting to be doing with it (fusion setup on a rifle) I would really like quite a bit more resolution out of a weapon-mounted fusion solution than a COTI provides.
I also pitted the Steiner C35 against an un-augmented green tubed 1804 FOM PVS-30 and an un-agumented WP tubed PVS-24LR under a thoroughly overcast ~3/4 moon. The sensation of image depth and resolution with the PVS's is far superior but the limited contrast in the PVS's carried in an inability to easily detect relatively large things at medium range without significant movement putting the PVS at a serious deficit against the C35. When I started using them side by side with a buddy using the thermal to guide me onto stuff and me using the PVS's to identify them then things got really serious and certain wild canids seemed to sense that their lives were about to become much shorter.
Spotting coyotes at 700m, bunnies at 500m and mule deer at 800m was the best I could do at 4x with an IOR Recon optic with the C35. Things get pretty small at those distances and I ended up relying on movement for me to realize the Steiner had detected a thing. Pixelation really got in the way above 10x but I was able to zoom to >15x on 200mm steel plates at 200m and still see it as round. Battery life is pretty poor on paper but in practice I didn't have it so bad, starting with a fully charged battery I'd only used ~25% after 2 hours with the brightness up pretty high. The Steiner Connect app is really super nifty especially in that you can configure the thing from the app which eliminates the blind button pushing common to the experience of fucking with thermal sight settings.
I put it against (yeah, totally unfair comparison) Bering Hogster 35mm & 25mm standalone units and in some ways the Hogsters were superior. Certainly the weight of the hoggies is less by a far margin but in some cases it was actually easier to identify one critter as being one species versus another which I'll chalk up to dedicated versus clip-on and me being more familiar with the Hogster. I even went so far as to hook up the hogsters as clip-ons and they "functioned" but not well enough to really use for anything other than saying, "Oh, look. You can see the mountain." In the end the Steiner C35 is an amazing bit of kit and it will see a ton of use on pooch patrol protecting the sheep herd.
So far the red hot and amber color palettes have been the best for long range and black hot for short range. All of the other palettes kinda seem like, "well, we can do it so why not." rather than actually useful options.
Again, I've not had a huge amount of time behind this new toy so take the above as first impressions rather than a true wringing out.
I tried a COTI in fusion mode with a PVS-30 and PVS-24LR and it was neat but the COTI just didn't really have the reach or resolution to get much more than a couple hundred meters of usefulness, besides which hanging a COTI off the side of my rifle seemed like I was just asking to break a $4000 component and the recoil tolerance of a COTI is not well enough documented for me to want to send a lot of rounds down range with one mounted to the rifle. Also, doing what I'm wanting to be doing with it (fusion setup on a rifle) I would really like quite a bit more resolution out of a weapon-mounted fusion solution than a COTI provides.
I also pitted the Steiner C35 against an un-augmented green tubed 1804 FOM PVS-30 and an un-agumented WP tubed PVS-24LR under a thoroughly overcast ~3/4 moon. The sensation of image depth and resolution with the PVS's is far superior but the limited contrast in the PVS's carried in an inability to easily detect relatively large things at medium range without significant movement putting the PVS at a serious deficit against the C35. When I started using them side by side with a buddy using the thermal to guide me onto stuff and me using the PVS's to identify them then things got really serious and certain wild canids seemed to sense that their lives were about to become much shorter.
Spotting coyotes at 700m, bunnies at 500m and mule deer at 800m was the best I could do at 4x with an IOR Recon optic with the C35. Things get pretty small at those distances and I ended up relying on movement for me to realize the Steiner had detected a thing. Pixelation really got in the way above 10x but I was able to zoom to >15x on 200mm steel plates at 200m and still see it as round. Battery life is pretty poor on paper but in practice I didn't have it so bad, starting with a fully charged battery I'd only used ~25% after 2 hours with the brightness up pretty high. The Steiner Connect app is really super nifty especially in that you can configure the thing from the app which eliminates the blind button pushing common to the experience of fucking with thermal sight settings.
I put it against (yeah, totally unfair comparison) Bering Hogster 35mm & 25mm standalone units and in some ways the Hogsters were superior. Certainly the weight of the hoggies is less by a far margin but in some cases it was actually easier to identify one critter as being one species versus another which I'll chalk up to dedicated versus clip-on and me being more familiar with the Hogster. I even went so far as to hook up the hogsters as clip-ons and they "functioned" but not well enough to really use for anything other than saying, "Oh, look. You can see the mountain." In the end the Steiner C35 is an amazing bit of kit and it will see a ton of use on pooch patrol protecting the sheep herd.
So far the red hot and amber color palettes have been the best for long range and black hot for short range. All of the other palettes kinda seem like, "well, we can do it so why not." rather than actually useful options.
Again, I've not had a huge amount of time behind this new toy so take the above as first impressions rather than a true wringing out.
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The real questions is for the money, does anything else come close as a dedicated clip on?
I have been looking myself. I think steiner hit it out of the park actually.
I also think a 75mm version would be fly me to the moon levels of intense.
Interesting. I think the Yoter-C probably kicks its ass at that mAP for folks wanting a bit more range.
Wasnt sure I had talked to anyone with both. Interesting - so you get more FOV out of the steiner but similar performance at like 10x on both? That would be a kick ass outcome.
I bet they use the same sensor so it should be pretty close image wise.
I enjoyed my time with the C35. It’s a very well-sorted unit with a lot of useful software features. The only negative is the obvious-to-everyone elephant in the room — literally… the damn thing *IS* an elephant. It’s even shaped like a Lego elephant.
I’m disappointed that Steiner is jumping the price by a whopping 25%. That totally jeopardizes the immense value proposition they currently enjoy. Maybe it’s due to supply chain and inflation — in which case every MFG will follow suit. Maybe it’s greed in seeing the initial popularity of their units. Maybe it’s both, who knows?
I’m disappointed that Steiner is jumping the price by a whopping 25%. That totally jeopardizes the immense value proposition they currently enjoy. Maybe it’s due to supply chain and inflation — in which case every MFG will follow suit. Maybe it’s greed in seeing the initial popularity of their units. Maybe it’s both, who knows?
Is there anyway to tighten the rail clamp on these? I clamp it to a urx 3.1, and I can slide the unit back and forth between the recoil lug in the rail slot. I can’t see any way to adjust.
Just guessing that’s going to give accuracy issues….
Just guessing that’s going to give accuracy issues….
Dedicated clip-on thermal is something I spent a lot of time looking for and I really didn't find anything that was approaching the price point while hitting the same specs. I never purchased any other thermal clip-on units because they were from 6000 to 20,000 bucks so I can't compare performance but by price, nothing was even available new for the money. I may be doing a depredation hunt tonight and if I do I'll get to see how it does in a target rich environment from 100-500m where critter silhouettes are overlapping . /me crosses fingers.
Awesome vid - thanks for posting! At the one minute mark you show the compass bearing overlay for the RH25, does the C35 have anything like that?
I’m brand new to thermals and have been trying to get as much info on the RH25 and the C35 to make an informed decision. The image Q on both look similar, and, as you mentioned, that C35 looks better at zoom. I’m scratching my head wondering if the weight difference on the RH25 will justify the weight difference felt in my wallet…
I believe he said Vortex 1-10, assuming Razor Gen3. Any of these clip ones seemed maxed out at 10x. I put a Y-C in front of my ZCO 527 just to play around and it’s much better with my PA PLx 1-8. It appears the C35 is as well.
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I can tolerate some more pixilation, so I prefer my 4-16 or 5-20 behind it so I can zoom out to get PID, and zoom in for a precise shot. It doesn't look super pretty zoomed in all the way but if you have your gear dialed in, it works. I believe that optic is a Vortex Gen3 1-10.
Extrapolating the weight with the objective diameter means it would weigh about 20 lbs.
I think all clip ons looked small and light after I got the HISS.
I hope you guys don’t mind some dumb questions from a total noob… C35 vs RH25: 35mm objective vs 25mm objective…. I don’t know thermal other than what I have read here and elsewhere on the ‘net, but I do know photography and I know that 25mm objective will give you a wider field of view closer up vs 35mm. For thermal does a closer, wider FOV matter more vs the native magnification you get from 25 -> 35MM? Wouldn’t it be better to see heat at distance rather than closer up?
The weight difference between the two is significant; however, the majority of videos I see of people using thermal to shoot has them using tripod mounts to steady their rifles. If I am tripod shooting, does weight really matter?
Also, 1-8x zoom (C35) vs 1-4x zoom (RH25): is 8x zoom even usable?
Once again, very basic questions and I appreciate your patience in helping me educate myself.
The weight difference between the two is significant; however, the majority of videos I see of people using thermal to shoot has them using tripod mounts to steady their rifles. If I am tripod shooting, does weight really matter?
Also, 1-8x zoom (C35) vs 1-4x zoom (RH25): is 8x zoom even usable?
Once again, very basic questions and I appreciate your patience in helping me educate myself.
You’re correct on all counts.
Yet still… why the Steiners are so huge and morbidly obese remains an unanswered mystery.
I speculate that they are smuggling small nuclear bombs into our country and intend to detonate them all at once.
Yet still… why the Steiners are so huge and morbidly obese remains an unanswered mystery.
I speculate that they are smuggling small nuclear bombs into our country and intend to detonate them all at once.
His price is insanely low… if you’re interested at all, this is the time!
That being said I don't know the significance of having a weight off the objective part of your scope.
These batteries work in the C35 and S35:
www.getfpv.com
Also price change goes tomorrow. I will not be ordering more thermals as the price change affects cost and the new SH discount would be close to current MAP. You can take your time to pay for the units, you just have to commit before tomorrow. It is free shipping and no CC fees. The price I quote you is TYD.
Panasonic 18650B 3400mAh 3.7V Flat-Top Li-Ion Manganese Battery (2 pcs)
These Panasonic IMR 18650B flat-top Lithium-Ion Manganese batteries are rechargeable with a 3400mAh capacity.
www.getfpv.com
Also price change goes tomorrow. I will not be ordering more thermals as the price change affects cost and the new SH discount would be close to current MAP. You can take your time to pay for the units, you just have to commit before tomorrow. It is free shipping and no CC fees. The price I quote you is TYD.
Thanks for sharing that.These batteries work in the C35 and S35:
Panasonic 18650B 3400mAh 3.7V Flat-Top Li-Ion Manganese Battery (2 pcs)
These Panasonic IMR 18650B flat-top Lithium-Ion Manganese batteries are rechargeable with a 3400mAh capacity.
Also price change goes tomorrow. I will not be ordering more thermals as the price change affects cost and the new SH discount would be close to current MAP. You can take your time to pay for the units, you just have to commit before tomorrow. It is free shipping and no CC fees. The price I quote you is TYD.
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