What are your thoughts on binocams? (1 Viewer)

nightheron28 said:

I ran into a model that looked like it might be pretty good. I think this is a brilliant idea although so far from a model I looked at, at one of those useless gadget type stores in the mall that optically they fall flat on their face.

This bushnell looks like it might actually be pretty good! I think it would be really nice to be able to capture memories of some of my sightings without having to lug around and cough up the thousands for a camera setup capable of taking pics of birds.

Click to expand...

Jne_K @ OpticsPlanet said:

Digital binoculars are about the convenience of having two instruments in one, not about performance. If you are concerend about pic quality or optical performance in the binocular, this kind of product will not compare to even an average digital point and shoot camera or an average quality binocular. It's not so much a matter of MP as it is low lens quality and processing capability. This is about what you should expect from the price. Remember, you are getting two products in one for less than the price of an average quality digital point and shoot camera.

Click to expand...

lucznik said:

I found this very interesting quote from one of the site administrators at the OpticsPlanet forum.




In other words, the "benefit" is that you can have two pieces of crap in one package!! Why is it that doesn't sound like much of a bargain to me?

Sorry but, I'm way too poor to waste my hard-earned money on such "bargains" and "conveniences."

Click to expand...

consumersearch.com said:

Note that products in the digital camera binoculars category can’t compete with regular binoculars, or regular digital cameras quality-wise, so you give up something to get the combination.

Click to expand...

lucznik said:

This quote is taken directly from the web page you posted and speaks directly to the Bushnell model in question - which they list as the best of the current crop of combo offerings. Please note that they are in essence saying the exact same thing as the Optics Planet Forum Administrator. Furthermore, the fact that no higher end makers have touched this concept (which you also pointed out yourself) says a lot about where the technology really is (or isn't) in making the bino-camera combo a viable, high-quality option.

I agree with you that the concept is great and would go even further to say that I'm confident that, sometime in the not-so-distant future, they will prove very viable and useful and also that every high-end manufacturer will eventually have a bino-camera offering to entice us. We're just not there yet.

However, it's your money. If you like the concept and aren't all that concerned about quality, then go for it.

Click to expand...