Binocular Chart

Best marine binoculars: 10 waterproof 7x50 models

The Steiner Commander 7x50 has the widest field of view in the list at 420 ft, while the Steiner Navigator 7x50 is the lightest at 26.6 oz.

Top picks

Longest eye relief

Bushnell H2O 7x50

  • Longest eye relief of the 10: 27 mm
  • Waterproof
  • Takes a tripod adapter

Binocular Chart earns a commission from qualifying Amazon purchases made through these buttons.

Best marine binoculars: 10 waterproof 7x50 models
ModelSizeField of viewEye reliefClose focusWeightExit pupilAmazon
Steiner Commander 7x50 Widest field of view 7x50 420 ft 66 ft 38 oz 7.1 mm Check price on Amazon
Bushnell Marine 7x50 7x50 267 ft 18 mm 35 ft 37 oz 7.1 mm Check price on Amazon
Steiner Navigator 7x50 Lightest 7x50 419 ft 20.2 mm 66 ft 26.6 oz 7.1 mm Check price on Amazon
Steiner Military-Marine 7x50 7x50 302 ft 20.2 mm 65 ft 36 oz 7.1 mm Check price on Amazon
Fujinon Mariner 7x50 WP-XL 7x50 366 ft 18 mm 32.2 ft 31.2 oz 7.1 mm Check price on Amazon
Celestron SkyMaster Pro ED 7x50 7x50 409 ft 20.8 mm 26.2 ft 44.3 oz 7.1 mm Check price on Amazon
Nikon Action EX 7x50 CF 7x50 336 ft 17.1 mm 23 ft 35.3 oz 7.1 mm
Bushnell H2O 7x50 Longest eye relief 7x50 340 ft 27 mm 24 ft 37.5 oz 7.1 mm
Opticron Imagic TGA WP 7x50 7x50 315 ft 21.5 mm 16.1 ft 28.4 oz 7.1 mm
Hawke Endurance ED Marine 7x50 Closest focus 7x50 367 ft 21 mm 8.2 ft 31.2 oz 7.1 mm

Binocular Chart earns a commission from qualifying Amazon purchases made through these buttons.

How these binoculars were chosen

Every model here is a 7x50 that the maker prints as waterproof or submersible, taken from the makers' documents. Each series appears once, and the list runs most popular first.

All ten share the same optical sums: a 7.1 mm exit pupil and a twilight factor of 18.7, both calculated from the size. What separates them is field of view, weight, eye relief, close focus and the way each maker states its water rating.

Picks for every use and price are in the main best binoculars list.

The picks, most popular first

Widest field of view

Steiner Commander 7x50

  • Field of view 420 ft
  • Close focus 66 ft
  • Weight 38 oz
  • Maker list price $1,000 to $2,000

The Commander 7x50 shows 420 ft of field, 2nd of 24 in its size, and Steiner names marine use for it. It is rated for submersion to 33 ft with nitrogen filling. At 38 oz it sits above the 36.8 oz size median, and it focuses down to 66 ft. Its band is $1,000 to $2,000.

Check price on Amazon

Bushnell Marine 7x50

  • Field of view 267 ft
  • Eye relief 18 mm
  • Close focus 35 ft
  • Weight 37 oz

The Marine 7x50 carries an IPX7 print and 18 mm of eye relief, and Bushnell names marine use for it. Close focus is 35 ft and it weighs 37 oz. The trade is a 267 ft field, the narrowest in the list and 23rd of 24 in its size. It is a porro prism model that takes a tripod.

Check price on Amazon

Lightest

  • Field of view 419 ft
  • Eye relief 20.2 mm
  • Close focus 66 ft
  • Weight 26.6 oz
  • Maker list price $500 to $1,000

At 26.6 oz the Navigator 7x50 is the lightest in the list, and it still gives 419 ft of field with 20.2 mm of eye relief. Steiner rates it submersible to 5 m and fills it with nitrogen. It focuses down to 66 ft, and the maker list price band is $500 to $1,000.

Check price on Amazon

Steiner Military-Marine 7x50

  • Field of view 302 ft
  • Eye relief 20.2 mm
  • Close focus 65 ft
  • Weight 36 oz
  • Maker list price $200 to $500

The Military-Marine 7x50 is the lowest maker list price band among the Steiner models, at $200 to $500, with 20.2 mm of eye relief and a waterproof print. The trade is a 302 ft field, 22nd of 24 in its size, and 36 oz of weight with 65 ft close focus.

Check price on Amazon

Fujinon Mariner 7x50 WP-XL

  • Field of view 366 ft
  • Eye relief 18 mm
  • Close focus 32.2 ft
  • Weight 31.2 oz

The Mariner 7x50 WP-XL focuses each eyepiece on its own and gives 366 ft of field with 18 mm of eye relief. It focuses down to 32.2 ft and weighs 31.2 oz. The maker states its seal as 1m-5min, a short immersion rating.

Check price on Amazon

Celestron SkyMaster Pro ED 7x50

  • Field of view 409 ft
  • Eye relief 20.8 mm
  • Close focus 26.2 ft
  • Weight 44.3 oz
  • Maker list price $200 to $500

The SkyMaster Pro ED 7x50 pairs ED glass with the IPX7 waterproof print and 20.8 mm of eye relief. Field is 409 ft, near focus is 26.2 ft, and the band is $200 to $500. At 44.3 oz it is heavier than the 36.8 oz median for 7x50 models.

Check price on Amazon

Nikon Action EX 7x50 CF

  • Field of view 336 ft
  • Eye relief 17.1 mm
  • Close focus 23 ft
  • Weight 35.3 oz

The Action EX 7x50 CF weighs 35.3 oz and focuses as near as 23 ft. Nikon rates it to 1 m for 5 minutes, a short immersion rating. The 336 ft field is 19th of 24 in its size, and focus is center, with one wheel for both barrels.

Longest eye relief

Bushnell H2O 7x50

  • Field of view 340 ft
  • Eye relief 27 mm
  • Close focus 24 ft
  • Weight 37.5 oz

The H2O 7x50 has the longest eye relief in the list at 27 mm, which suits eyeglass wearers, with an IPX7 print and argon fill. Close focus is 24 ft and it weighs 37.5 oz. The cost is a 340 ft field, 18th of 24 in its size.

Opticron Imagic TGA WP 7x50

  • Field of view 315 ft
  • Eye relief 21.5 mm
  • Close focus 16.1 ft
  • Weight 28.4 oz
  • Maker list price $200 to $500

The Imagic TGA WP 7x50 focuses as near as 16.1 ft and gives 21.5 mm of eye relief. It weighs 28.4 oz, second lightest here, and sits in the $200 to $500 band. The cost is a narrow 315 ft field, 21st of 24 in its size.

Closest focus

Hawke Endurance ED Marine 7x50

  • Field of view 367 ft
  • Eye relief 21 mm
  • Close focus 8.2 ft
  • Weight 31.2 oz
  • Maker list price $200 to $500

The Endurance ED Marine 7x50 focuses as near as 8.2 ft, the closest in the list, and it uses ED glass with a roof prism. Field is 367 ft, equal to the size median, with 21 mm of eye relief at 31.2 oz. Its band is $200 to $500.

By the numbers

Binoculars compared
10
Median field of view
353 ft
Field of view range
267 to 420 ft
Median weight
35.7 oz
Median eye relief
20.2 mm
With 16 mm eye relief or more
9 of 9
With an Amazon listing
6 of 10

Field of view of each pick, widest first, from the makers' figures.

Why 7x50 is the marine size

Practical Sailor calls 7x50 the traditional size for a marine binocular. Its reasoning is that 7x magnification gives a fairly stable view on a moving deck, and the 7.1 mm exit pupil suits low light and leaves room for vessel movement.

The exit pupil is the objective diameter divided by magnification, so 50 divided by 7 gives 7.1 mm, as Nikon's own worked example shows. Nikon also says the human pupil opens about 2 mm in daylight and 7 mm in the dark, which is why a wide exit pupil helps at dusk. Use the exit pupil calculator to compare other sizes, or read the 7x50 size page for every model of the size.

What the water ratings mean

Celestron defines waterproof as sealed and filled with dry inert gas, usually nitrogen, and says weather-resistant binoculars have minimal openings that can let water in. Every model here carries a waterproof or submersible print from its maker.

Nikon adds that its waterproof binoculars should not be used underwater. Ratings range from 1 m on the Nikon Action EX to 33 ft on the Steiner Commander. For more on seals and gas fill, read waterproof and fogproof binoculars explained.

Weighing the ten against each other

The median field of view across the list is 353 ft, within a range of 267 to 420 ft. The median weight is 35.7 oz, and the median close focus is 29.2 ft. All nine models that print an eye relief give 16 mm or more.

Pick weight first if you hold the binoculars for long spells: the Steiner Navigator at 26.6 oz and the Opticron Imagic at 28.4 oz are the two lightest. Pick field first if you scan a coastline for markers: the Steiner Commander at 420 ft and the Navigator at 419 ft lead. The Steiner binoculars page lists the series behind three of these ten.

What this list leaves out

Only 7x50 models appear here, with one per series, so other marine sizes such as 7x30 and 10x50 are not covered. A model also needs a waterproof or submersible print in the makers' documents to qualify. Where a maker prints no figure, such as a price band or close focus, the text says so and does not guess.

If you want a wider choice of waterproof glass, the best binoculars compared page covers every size. For prices near the bottom of the range, see binoculars under $100. If boat motion is your main problem, stabilized binoculars are the other route.

The short answer

For a light pair, the Steiner Navigator 7x50 weighs 26.6 oz and gives 419 ft of field. For the widest view, the Steiner Commander 7x50 reaches 420 ft at 38 oz. For a lower maker list price band, the Hawke Endurance ED Marine 7x50 sits at $200 to $500 and focuses down to 8.2 ft.

More binocular lists

Questions and answers

Why is 7x50 the usual marine size?

Practical Sailor calls 7x50 the traditional marine size. The 7x magnification gives a fairly stable view, and the 7.1 mm exit pupil suits low light and allows for vessel movement.

What is the lightest marine 7x50 in this list?

The Steiner Navigator 7x50 is the lightest at 26.6 oz. The Opticron Imagic TGA WP 7x50 follows at 28.4 oz.

Which model has the widest field of view?

The Steiner Commander 7x50 has the widest field at 420 ft. The narrowest is the Bushnell Marine 7x50 at 267 ft.

Is waterproof the same as fogproof?

No. Celestron describes waterproof as sealed and filled with dry inert gas, usually nitrogen, and calls nitrogen filling an extra barrier against internal moisture. Nikon says nitrogen helps prevent fog and mold inside the optics.

Can I take these binoculars underwater?

Nikon says its waterproof binoculars should not be used underwater. The Steiner Commander is rated for submersion to 33 ft, and the Steiner Navigator to 5 m.

Which pick suits glasses wearers?

The Bushnell H2O 7x50 has the longest eye relief at 27 mm. The Opticron Imagic TGA WP 7x50 follows at 21.5 mm.