 that the prisms are dielectrically coated.
This is great news as it is means that they have the highest level of reflectivity possible (more than 99% across the full spectrum).
Lesser instruments will use silver (95% to 98%) or worse still aluminium which results in a less bright image and one that has less accurate color reproduction because less light passes through the prisms.
Next, I can also confirm that the prisms have been treated with a phase correction material that corrects the phenomenon known as phase shift and thus ensures that the image resolution remains as high as possible and definitely better than those without.
Steiner Optik do advertise that the HX series incorporates their proprietary "Nano Protection" coatings as the external layers on their lenses.
Basically these coatings have a substance in them that has hydrophobic properties at the molecular level and thus instead of water collecting and staying on the lens, it simple forms into tiny balls and roll off without leaving behind water stains.
This also works to some extent for dust and dirt particles as well as making sure that oil (like from your fingers) is repelled.
All of this means that you get a better view in wet conditions and means that you hopefully need to clean the lenses less often and when you do have to clean them, less force is needed. All of which help in ensuring that they remain perfectly clean and mark/scratch free.
One area where this 15x56 Steiner HX binocular really excels in comparison to it's direct competitors is that it has a nice wide view for such a high powered instrument.
Once again, for a bin with such a powerful magnification, the close focus distance of only 8ft is excellent and improves on most of it's direct competitors.
I found this great for getting stunning very close-up views of the birds visiting my bird feeder in my garden. For hunting this feature may be of less interest, but if you are also interested in nature in general, this is always a nice feature to have.
Steiner do not stipulate the exact amount of eye-relief that you get with this model in their product details, however I managed to find out from them that it is actually 15.4mm.
So whilst this is not up there with what i would call a long eye-relief instrument, it should be sufficient for most eye-glass users.
I did actually also test them whilst using my sunglasses and by fully twisting in the eye-cups and folding down the side shields, I was able to get a full view without any dark rings on the edges, which indicates that there was enough eye-relief for my particular shape of face and glasses.
For almost all of my reviews, I compare the view through the instrument under review against a benchmark binocular with the same or very similar configuration. This consistent point of reference makes it easier for me to more accurately judge the level and image quality.
However in this case I do not have a benchmark 15x56 and so there is no point of reference. So for this review I compared the Steiner HX 15x56 binocular against my benchmark 10x42 (mid range) and for interest also against my super high quality "alpha" 8x42 binoculars.
When it comes to the amount of detail that you can see in an image, being able to keep it still is as an important factor as the actual quality of the view.
It is for this reason and to minimise the level of image shake, my general advice for most users is to stick with a binocular that has 12x magnification or less and that an 8x, or 10x power is usually sufficient.
However if you specifically want or indeed need more image detail and a further reach, then I do think that 15x is a great option. I say this because it is just at a level where most people will be able to hand hold the binocular and still be able to keep the image steady enough to get a clear view.
Sure I will concede that there will be some users that have unsteady hands and so may have to use a tripod or stick with a lower power. On the flip side there will also be others who will be able to go higher with perhaps even a 20x power without too much of a problem. But for most people, I would say that 15x is a good compromise between high power and image stability.
This is exactly what I found to be the case with these Steiner HX 15x56 binoculars: Personally I did not find it noticeably more difficult than a 10x binocular to keep the image nice and steady without having to prop my elbows on a steady surface or lean against something.
For long periods of observation, I would consider using a tripod, but then again this would be no different to what I would do with a 10x binocular. Although as this instrument is a fair bit heavier, you may find that you tire more quickly and so what you deem to be a "long period" will be a little shorter with a 15x56 in your hands instead of a 10x42.
A 15x56 setup gives you an exit pupil of around 3.7mm (56÷15), which is a little smaller than the 4.2mm you get with a 10x42, but the difference is not huge.
It is for this reason that even in pretty poor light conditions, I really did not perceive the 10x42 to be any brighter.
Indeed because of the higher Twilight Factor (29 for a 15x56 vs 20.5 for a 10x42) and better quality of optics on the Steiner, I certainly did notice (including in low light) that I was better able to spot fine details, like markings on a tree trunk from a far further distance than I could with my 10x42 binocular.
For many uses, but especially hunting and surveillance, this can be a considerable advantage and one that i feel is well worth keeping in mind.
I thought that the image reproduction in terms of the colors and the level of contrast on my sample Steiner 15x56 HX binoculars to be good.
However I would like to add that the colors were not quite as vivid as that as which I get from my very high end "alpha" 8x42 binoculars. Don't get me wrong, the difference is very minimal and really nothing to be overly concerned with, but this is another small compromise that you need to make when opting for higher magnifications. One reason is that the thicker glass needed obviously lets though less light and so just makes it impossible to have exactly the same performance.
I was really impressed with the very low level of color fringing that I could see whilst looking through these 15x56 Steiner binoculars and here is another example of a binocular that does not use ED glass, yet performs as well, if not better in this area than many that do.
For me there really was not a discernible difference between these and my 10x42 control, which when you consider the difference in magnification is impressive on it's own. However if you also take into account that my control uses ED glass which is specifically designed to limit the optical distortions that cause color fringing is even more so.
Higher powered devices magnify any problems and so especially with color fringing, it is one area where if you have a low quality instrument, they do really perform badly. Thankfully this was not at all the case with these, indeed I would go as far as to say they performed excellently.
The softening of the image right at the edges of the view is minimal. It was at the same level as that of my 10x42 and not quite as good as that of my alpha 8x42's.
Once again, the level I observed is perfectly acceptable and nothing to be concerned with. I also think that for such a high magnification this low level is actually quite impressive and far less than what i often see through high end spotting scopes.
Lastly it is important to point out that at no time did I ever see or become aware of any other image distortions like unwanted curving or waviness of the image that you do occasionally find.
Whilst it is well made, the included soft carry case is what I would describe as being good, completely functional, but does just lack a little in comparison to the very best.
For a binocular of this size and weight, I would have preferred to have seen a semirigid design that would offer more protection than the soft case provided.
The binoculars do fit very well within the case and I like the fact that they can be stored away with the eye-cups still extended and the lens covers in place, which is not always the case.
Access to the interior is via a large Zip that goes around three sides of the case and some makes it simple enough to replace or retrieve the instrument.
Whilst the use of a Zip is a secure method of closure, as a hunter, wildlife observer, birder or even those in security situations there will be times that you will have to be extra careful not to make too much noise when using it. I would like to add that this is however a far better and more secure solution than Velcro that is also often used.
Where I do think instruments like these that are mostly aimed at the hunting market could improve is by taking a leaf from the Best Hunting Bino Harness and using a a more silent and quicker to access magnetic closure or cord and loop system.
The case comes with it's own un-padded carry strap that can be removed via a couple of quick release clips.
There are no extra pockets either in the inside or out, which is a shame as they can be useful for storing a few small personal items, keys, money and the cleaning cloth for use out in the field.