History
In 2017 Steiner is celebrating their 70th anniversary.
For Steiner, superb performance and bone-deep tenacity was born in the ruin of war. In 1947, in the face of demolished infrastructures and a collapsed economy, Karl Steiner started a one-man workshop in Bayreuth, Germany, obsessed with a single goal: creating optical products so functional, sturdy and uniformly flawless that nothing in the chaotic, mass-production post-war world could compare. His passion for unmatched optical perfection pushed Steiner-Optik from a hardscrabble startup to a 50-man factory within six years, and on to become a worldwide optical icon with binoculars and rifle scopes for every purpose, a history of innovation, and legions of diehard enthusiasts in every category.
Faithful to the traditions upon which his father founded the company, Carl Steiner held on to his commitments of unsurpassed quality, to keep the production location in Germany, to create new jobs and career opportunities for his employees, expert training of his staff of now approximately 300 and a constant investment in research and development.
Today, Steiner manufactures binoculars for the military, marine, hunting, outdoor, birding and leisure activities. The name Steiner stands for performance optics.
These premium German optics are now available in 80 countries, prized by sportsmen and spectators, birders and sailors, aviators and explorers, and deployed by security and military forces around the globe. The research, development and production site in Bayreuth is arguably the most advanced optical facility on earth. Steiner world-class lenses, coatings and prisms are created, perfected and produced in Germany, enduring the most exhaustive production, inspection, testing and approval process in the industry – lenses alone go through 460 exacting steps.
Steiner was the first to develop the lightweight, indestructible rubber-armored Makrolon® housing, all-conditions nitrogen-charged fogproofing, the military laser protection filter, integrated binocular/compass, water-repellant Nano-Protection® lenses, and countless – and continuing – coating technologies that produce the highest contrast and light-transmission.
Steiner makes trusted optics for life’s defining moments. The successful pursuit and capture of these moments demands the fast and precise detection, location and identification of a distant objective. Whether the objective is wild life, a marine bearing, law enforcement suspect or military combatant, our optics enhance an individual's most important sense, vision, so that on land or sea –– Nothing Escapes You
Steiner is the undoubted market leader for marine and nautical binoculars for decades and remains the first choice for sailors and captains of small boats and big ships all around the world.
Milestones
1967
First huge success: Development of a new binocular concept for the German Bundeswehr. High-Tech Makrolon™ material for housing
1973
First Binocular with nitrogen filling. Technologies to avoid Inside fogging while temperature changes
1979
First binocular with integrated compass – still the most successful professional marine binocular in the world "Commander"
1988
New optics and coating technology with laser protection filter – biggest binocular order placed ever in American history (M22)
1992
Introduction Firebird binocular with High-Contrast Optics
2000
Introduction of the Nighthunter Concept - Highest standards in light transmission for hunting models
2006
First binocular with Nano-Protection
2008
Member of Beretta Holding
2009
First Steiner binocular with Laser RangeFinder
2012
Steiner introduces rifle scope for military and hunting
2013
Commander Global - First Compass for worldwide use
2014
First combat sight with integrated Laser RangeFinder
2016
G29 supplied to German Special Forces
2021
Introduction of the first Thermal Device as a fully digital product
To celebrate the 70th anniversary Steiner produced a special series of hunting riflescopes named Steiner Nighthunter 70 Years Edition. Renewed in technology and style the special edition is a must have for every passionate hunter.
Steiner makes trusted optics for life’s defining moments. The successful pursuit and capture of these moments demands the fast and precise detection, location and identification of a distant objective. Whether the objective is wild life, a marine bearing, law enforcement suspect or military combatant, our optics enhance an individual's most important sense, vision, so that on land or sea –– Nothing Escapes You
Steiner Optik is a Beretta Holding Company.
