Bushnell Audubon 8x42 (1 Viewer)

I got a very messy pair of these with of-kilter focusing arm
pretty cheap. They scared off most bidders. After a lot of dusty-red
dirt removal, the view was very nice. Then the focuser. Turns out that
under the cap plate, the screwed-down protractor, and the Loc-Tite'd clamp
screw, there was a loose attachment to the focuser deep inside,
just a Philiips head. Voila! All tidied up. The weather seal allowed no
gunk inside the things. Phew.

I think this is the circa-1996 vintage of the 8x42 Audubon.
Really nice: advanced coatings, the precision fine-focuser that harks back
the old Custom/Mirador/precise 7x50s days, focuser arms that feel as solid
as a Custom, and big wide occulars. Very flat, sharp view and good color.
Armored: the rubber is hard but not showing signs of stiffening.

Eye relief was good. You have to stay a distance away, a lot like Leupolds of
the same era. It has a "conical exit pupil", though, not "spherical".
That is to say, no blackouts if you're too far out, just if you're too close.
I can make that go away with a -5D occular cover, but that trades off
into a little barrel distortion instead of blackout. I'm just going to
use it with glasses.

I like these. Similar view to the Natureview 8x40 / BAK4 they make now.
Today's 8x40Natureviews have a more comfortable occular experience but
not quite the same precision focus as the 1996 Audubons.

I have a pair of the 13-2000 Bushnell audubons, pretty good glasses for what they were which is a pair of under $100 binocs. bk7 prisms but there seem to be no downside with these. A little too much flare when looking towards the sun but not bad.

My favorite part is the focuser. Should give me some good osprey views on the
tripod adaptor. I was using the 7x50 "Seefar" for its focuser but these should
almost keep up with those.