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B & L 10x42 Discoverer VS. Bushnell 10x42 Legends (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter gug
- Start date
iambirding
Well-known member
gug said:
in my opinion bushnell legends are sharper glass than the discoverer many people say they are the same as the pentax DCF SP (500 dollar US bins) you wont be dissapointed. i really love the legends. also the discoverer is discontinued.
iambirding
Well-known member
these are 2 reviews on the bins your thinking about
Bausch and Lomb Discoverer 7X42 review fron Better View Desired.com
There has been a good deal of interest in Bausch &;Lomb's waterproof Discoverer roof-prism series, especially as the Elites, while fine binoculars in most ways, conspicuously lack any sort of weatherproofing.
The 7X42 and 8X42 Discoverers are yet another example of a well designed housing wrapped around so-so optics. The body of the binoculars is heavily rubber armored with a particularly comfortable and relatively attractive coating, well contoured to fit average hands. B&L;has borrowed the pop-up eyecup idea from some of the premium European lines, and implemented it well. In fact, the whole physical unit is very similar to the Swarovski and Leica units of a similar size.
On the test bench and in the field, however, the optics, while certainly a very good example of their kind, are simply not up to the level of the premium roof prisms, or up to the level of the best $200 porros for that matter. The Discoverers display the slightly soft image that I am coming to associate with non-phase-coated roof prisms. When compared to phase-coated roofs, or to high quality porros, the image lacks just a bit of fine detail resolution, and a bit of contrast. It is also not quite as bright as you might expect from 7X42s.
I did say, however, that the Discoverers are a good example of their kind. Contrast is better than most other non-phase-coated roof prisms that I have tested, and resolution is certainly acceptable. Field of view is excellent. Eyerelief is so long that I had to wrap rubber bands around the pop-up cups to keep them only partly collapsed. The view is very easy and natural and the binoculars are balanced well enough to make them quite steady in the hands. Without direct comparison to optically superior systems, many birders would be completely satisfied with the Discoverer's performance. If your primary need is for waterproof binoculars (after our move to the coast of Maine I can certainly understand that need much better than I did living and birding in New Mexico), and if the Bausch and Lombs fit your budget better than, say, the Swarovskis, then I would have no problem recommending the Discoverers.
Bushnell Legend 8x32 from betterviewdesired.com
While we are on the subject of 8x32 glasses, I have the Bushnell Legends here for testing. Again, this appears to be, optically and mechanically, the same glass as the Pentax 8x32. There may be differences in individual components that aren’t apparent (in either looks, or, in this case, in performance) but the major difference between the glasses would appear to be external. The Pentax has a sleek modern looking design in dark gray, the Bushnell has a bulkier, more traditional, black heavily ribbed armor that might appeal to hunters as much as to birders. Which is better? Only your hands and eyes can tell you that. You might like either, in both look and feel. Whichever glass you choose, you can be assured of fine optical performance: not equal to the Nikons reviewed above, but certainly fully satisfying in the field, and at a price most of us can afford. The days when the only bird-worthy waterproof roof-prism binoculars cost over $1000 are long gone. The Legends, and other glasses in their class, represent legendary values in birding optics.
Bausch and Lomb Discoverer 7X42 review fron Better View Desired.com
There has been a good deal of interest in Bausch &;Lomb's waterproof Discoverer roof-prism series, especially as the Elites, while fine binoculars in most ways, conspicuously lack any sort of weatherproofing.
The 7X42 and 8X42 Discoverers are yet another example of a well designed housing wrapped around so-so optics. The body of the binoculars is heavily rubber armored with a particularly comfortable and relatively attractive coating, well contoured to fit average hands. B&L;has borrowed the pop-up eyecup idea from some of the premium European lines, and implemented it well. In fact, the whole physical unit is very similar to the Swarovski and Leica units of a similar size.
On the test bench and in the field, however, the optics, while certainly a very good example of their kind, are simply not up to the level of the premium roof prisms, or up to the level of the best $200 porros for that matter. The Discoverers display the slightly soft image that I am coming to associate with non-phase-coated roof prisms. When compared to phase-coated roofs, or to high quality porros, the image lacks just a bit of fine detail resolution, and a bit of contrast. It is also not quite as bright as you might expect from 7X42s.
I did say, however, that the Discoverers are a good example of their kind. Contrast is better than most other non-phase-coated roof prisms that I have tested, and resolution is certainly acceptable. Field of view is excellent. Eyerelief is so long that I had to wrap rubber bands around the pop-up cups to keep them only partly collapsed. The view is very easy and natural and the binoculars are balanced well enough to make them quite steady in the hands. Without direct comparison to optically superior systems, many birders would be completely satisfied with the Discoverer's performance. If your primary need is for waterproof binoculars (after our move to the coast of Maine I can certainly understand that need much better than I did living and birding in New Mexico), and if the Bausch and Lombs fit your budget better than, say, the Swarovskis, then I would have no problem recommending the Discoverers.
Bushnell Legend 8x32 from betterviewdesired.com
While we are on the subject of 8x32 glasses, I have the Bushnell Legends here for testing. Again, this appears to be, optically and mechanically, the same glass as the Pentax 8x32. There may be differences in individual components that aren’t apparent (in either looks, or, in this case, in performance) but the major difference between the glasses would appear to be external. The Pentax has a sleek modern looking design in dark gray, the Bushnell has a bulkier, more traditional, black heavily ribbed armor that might appeal to hunters as much as to birders. Which is better? Only your hands and eyes can tell you that. You might like either, in both look and feel. Whichever glass you choose, you can be assured of fine optical performance: not equal to the Nikons reviewed above, but certainly fully satisfying in the field, and at a price most of us can afford. The days when the only bird-worthy waterproof roof-prism binoculars cost over $1000 are long gone. The Legends, and other glasses in their class, represent legendary values in birding optics.
iambirding,
thanks for the advice. i realize the discoverers are discontinued but i have managed to find a few pairs of 10x42 roof's here and there. i found some discoverer's 10x42 roofs for about 400us, i also found legends for around 250-300us. do you think the discoverer's are worth the extra money? or for a little more would the pentax DCF SP be the better binocular? does the pentax DCF SP come in 10x42?
thanks for the advice. i realize the discoverers are discontinued but i have managed to find a few pairs of 10x42 roof's here and there. i found some discoverer's 10x42 roofs for about 400us, i also found legends for around 250-300us. do you think the discoverer's are worth the extra money? or for a little more would the pentax DCF SP be the better binocular? does the pentax DCF SP come in 10x42?
Atomic Chicken
Registered with the D.O.E.
Greetings!
Please note... the BVD review posted above is for the older, non-phase coated discoverers. The newer phase coated versions are a whole world apart optically, I own a pair of the 7x42 and 10x42 Discoverer roof prism binoculars and they are both among the best binoculars that I own in optical terms. They are also extremely rugged and have very nice features like threaded objective barrels and superb focus wheel. They are among the best bargains available currently - get them while they last.
Best wishes,
Bawko
Please note... the BVD review posted above is for the older, non-phase coated discoverers. The newer phase coated versions are a whole world apart optically, I own a pair of the 7x42 and 10x42 Discoverer roof prism binoculars and they are both among the best binoculars that I own in optical terms. They are also extremely rugged and have very nice features like threaded objective barrels and superb focus wheel. They are among the best bargains available currently - get them while they last.
Best wishes,
Bawko
iambirding
Well-known member
gug said:
i dont think the discoverer are that great and they make sure they are phase coated which bushnell and pentax are and that gives you a better image. the discoverers are very heavy in comparison to the DCF SP.
I have a pair of the pentax dcf Sp and so does atomic chicken and i absolutely love them and yes they come in 10x42 you wont be dissapointed. i reviewed the 8 x 42 in the equipment reviews forum.
Last edited:
iambirding
Well-known member
ulgah said:
i never posted this that i can remember. where did you get this? i wrote this?
iambirding
Well-known member
gug said:
i think you are talking about a review that i copied and pasted on the forum from BVD. i am aware the elites are very waterproof.
Jens Johan
New member
Hello from Denmark
Glad to join you
Jens Johan
Glad to join you
Jens Johan
