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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Who has used the Bushnell Excursion 8x28? (2 Viewers)

I find the Excursions to have a very definite purple tint. A most peculiar binocular really, too big and heavy to be a compact but at 28mm not bright enough for full time use. Nevertheless they are very sharp indeed, completely surprising for the price in fact.
Anyone know if the rest of the Excursion or Excursion EX range are this sharp?
 
OK, I have the 8x28 now. Went to a little wildlife area and spotted a wood thrush right away. Good sign.

My roofers family now
8x28 Bushnell Excursion
GONE 8x32 Bushnell Legend
GONE 8x32 Eagle Optics ranger
GONE 10x42 Monarch
10x43 Pentax DCF

I should take a family portrait. I put the Excursions in an old 8x32 case, the case they gave is too bulky. I even left the strap off.

The 8x28 will be my grab a pair or will spend some time in the trunk of my car at first.

Still have the 8x28s and they get some use. I fixed the eye cup so that they are permanently out.
 
I did receive the Bushnell 8x28 Excursion today from Tom [Lilcrazy2] on here. He gave me a great deal on this binocular. I must say I really like this small overachieving binocular, esp. for the price. It is overcast today and I did notice the slight reddish cast, no problem and I am happy with this binocular, very sharp. This is a Christmas gift from my wife, so I put in back in the box.

Thanks Tom!
 
Steve,

Good choice. I let the future-Mrs. use my 8x28 on a trip up to Hawk Mountain back in October. She loved the size and handling. The wide field of view and large sweet spot also made it very easy to use for the limited amount of hawkwatching we did that day.
 
Frank for giggles I tried the Bushnell 2 1/2 extender on this 8x28. It didn't fit right but wasn't a bad view at all in a pinch for more power. This was before my wife wrapped it for Christmas.
 
After asking for some advice on budget priced compact bins in another thread, I bought a pair of these.

I must say that I had prepared myself to accept a few compromises due to the size of these. I had a surprise when I used them.

I unpacked them and tried them out in the yard, then again to compare them to my Nikon Monarch 8x42. I am aware that this may not represent a fair comparison, but at least provides a kind of yardstick.

First, and as warned, they aren't small and not very light, not at least as I remember my Nikon 8x25 compacts to be, but are significantly smaller and lighter than my (now damaged) Barska 8x32 Blackhawks. These fit my face far better than the smaller compacts and so have an instant feeling of being usable (I don't wear glasses). Given the "fit & feel", I'm happy enough with the size and weight.

The view through them on this overcast day is very good indeed. In good light, excellent detail within the large sweet spot and a wide FOV. They have a significant "warm" colour cast in comparison to my Monarch and the view is not as bright. I would say that the Excursion has a little more contrast, this probably helps the impression that they are sharper. In comparison with the Monarchs, the sweet spot is larger too.

The large focus knob is quite firm to rotate, not too much to be a big problem, but I hope that it becomes easier with use. Otherwise, the ergonomics suit me.

As described in other threads, the accessories are a little unusual, objective caps that look as if they will come off easily and get lost, a wide strap that's far too long and a wonderful case that might be large enough to fit a cheese sandwich in addition to the binoculars.

Overall I'm very pleased with them and will keep them. If I were to look again, I would be very interested in the (smaller, lighter & brighter) Opticron Discovery 8x32 WP PC at a street price around £120. I had set myself a target price of up to £100, and spent £70 inc delivery so feel that the Excursions represent great value.

(My wife's Opticron discovery 8x32 WP PC bins have a minor issue where I can't quite achieve the same level of sharpness in the right barrel as I can in the left (with either eye), so although I can compare FOV, image colour, brightness, weight, size and handling, I can't properly compare resolution between these two.)


Dave.

Edit: After trying them again in poorer light, the Excursions (not surprisingly) give a less detailed view than the Monarchs. This edit is made to emphasise that in good light only, there is little difference between them.
 
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Short story about the 8x28:
I have made friends with a guy at work who has been birding for decades, does most of his ID's via song and flight pattern/profile, and hasnt looked through a new bino since Nixon was in office. Seriously. He is OLD SCHOOL. He has a small porro leitz ??? and a Zeiss porro that I havent seen yet. He has zero access to the internet and is influenced by absolutely nothing other than his own eyes.

He tried my viper 8x42 last year and really liked them.
I recently brought in my sightron SII 8x32, Theron LT 8x32, ProOptic10x42, Bushnell 7x36Excursion, Yosemite Porro 6x32, and the little 8x28 excursion for him to try.

After looking at all 6 binos and his leitz (?) he said he preferred the 8x28!
 
It's decent. Mine is more than 5 years old and the thin plastic over the eye cups came off twice, I glued it back on. I never put the strap on, they fit in my coat pocket.

I now have a 8x25 that is asingle hinge sold out model and it is essentially the same but better eye cups.

The 10x28 of the same Bushnell is junk.
 
I never put the strap on, they fit in my coat pocket.

I now have a 8x25 that is asingle hinge sold out model and it is essentially the same but better eye cups.
.


I like the size, it fits in many coat pockets but not quite all. My straps come on and off regularly, so those goofy bushnell snaps come in handy for me.

Which 8x25? I'd be interested in checking it out. My 8x28 is single hinge as well, as I think all were. The larger x36 and x42 excursions are open hinge design.
 
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