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Bushnell Elite IIs? (1 Viewer)

FrankD

FrankD

Well-known member
Guys,

Check this one out....

http://marketing.bushnell.com/press/pdf/New e2 Binocs.pdf

It looks like Bushnell is redesigning the Elites and is calling them the E2's.

Here are the published specs...

8x42:

- 420 foot field of view, - 17 mm eye relief, - 28 or 24 ounces (press release info is misleading), MSRP of $579

10x42:

- 341 foot field of view, same eye relief and weight specs, MSRP of $599

So, they changed the entire housing design, increased the field of view and chopped the price to approximately 3/5ths of the original.???

:h?:
 

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They are not split bridge design. The increased field of view will probably not be associated with a larger "sweet spot". Probably nice binos, but not breathtaking.
 
I talked with the folks at the Bushnell headquarters when I dropped by there in January and learned about these. The Elite e2 name is very confusing since it suggests that these are a newer version of the Elite, but it is actually intended to designate them as a second (lower) tier in the Elite line (in other words, the advertising folks are trying to borrow some of the Elite's prestige). These are not a replacement for the Elite, but rather, are the redesigned Discoverer roofs (the Discoverer name now discontinued). The only real relationship that they share with the Elite design that I'm aware of is their prism and lens coatings, and perhaps redesign of the diopter adjustment to be locking.
--AP
 
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Thank you for the clarification Alexis. Now maybe you can clear up a bit more of my confusion. I seem to remember a recent post on here referring to a new split bridge design Bushnell in the $400 price range. I forget the model name. This $400 model is a different one from these new Elite E2s, correct?
 
Thank you. It looks to be another interesting year from the various manufacturers. So many binoculars and so little funds.:(

;)
 
Alexis Powell said:
I talked with the folks at the Bushnell headquarters when I dropped by there in January and learned about these. The Elite e2 name is very confusing since it suggests that these are a newer version of the Elite, but it is actually intended to designate them as a second (lower) tier in the Elite line (in other words, the advertising folks are trying to borrow some of the Elite's prestige). These are not a replacement for the Elite, but rather, are the redesigned Discoverer roofs (the Discoverer name now discontinued). The only real relationship that they share with the Elite design that I'm aware of is their prism and lens coatings, and perhaps redesign of the diopter adjustment to be locking.
--AP
Click to expand...

I got a chance to check out a pair of Elite II during a recent sportsman show. It is an awesome piece of equipment. Frankly speaking, I don't see any difference between Elite II and original Elite, except the Elite uses split bridge design. We actually talked the Bushnesll rep in to take that pair to the next door booth that has Vortex to compare against Razors. Optically, we cannot decide which one is superior: both are quite sharp, bright image, and EXPENSIVE! So everyone jokes about sending them to a lab to check the transmission curve over the visible spetrum range. Man, I just hope there is price war among all the brands so we can see a rapid drop of the price.. :D
 
Sorry Tero but I was outbid immediately. I have a feeling I wouldn't be winning until I bid closer to $500 regardless. ;)
 
NWBirder said:
It is an awesome piece of equipment. Frankly speaking, I don't see any difference between Elite II and original Elite, except the Elite uses split bridge design.
Click to expand...

The Elite II has a field of view much narrower than the Elite. At 330 ft, it's quite mediocre. I assume 1/3 of that is out of focus or distorted, and i ask myself, why the commotion?
The original Elite is not all that breathtaking and jawdropping to begin with, and i don't see how a model at 1/2 will be just as good.
You must be a very happy person if it does not take much to make you happy.
 
Luca said:
The Elite II has a field of view much narrower than the Elite. At 330 ft, it's quite mediocre.
Click to expand...

Wow, what a bummer. The Jan 30 press release (link is provided in Frank's message above) on the Elite e2 was consistent with what I had been told when I was at the Bushnell headquarters--that the e2 were a redesigned Discoverer roof (FOV info in the press release is the same as for the Discoverer--420 ft in 8x, 341 ft in 10x). But I just called Bushnell and they confirmed FOV in the 8x will be 330 ft and the weight 25.7 oz.

I'll admit to having a soft spot in my heart for the Discoverer 7x and 8x42, with their 420 ft FOV, so I am sad to see them go without being replaced by a functional equivalent. They have nice optics. I've never had much interest in binos with FOV under 7 degrees, a condition which characterizes nearly all of the "mid-priced" full-sized roofs, and I've never been comfortable recommending such narrow-field roofs to others. I simply don't understand why FOV isn't more of a selling point than it seems to be.

Vortex now has some 8x42 roofs (Sidewinder, Diamondback, Stokes Talon) with 420 ft FOV, so the world will not be left without a widefield low-end roof model in this configuration after the last of the Discoverers is sold, but I haven't compared these $200 models to the Discoverer for optical and build quality.

Get the 8x42 Discoverer while you still can!
--AP
 
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Vortex now has some 8x42 roofs (Sidewinder, Diamondback, Stokes Talon) with 420 ft FOV, so the world will not be left without a widefield low-end roof model in this configuration after the last of the Discoverers is sold, but I haven't compared these $200 models to the Discoverer for optical and build quality
Click to expand...

Hmm, now that sounds like an invitation to me. I may have to take you up on that. ;) I had planned on trying out either the 8x32 or 6.5x32 Furys next though.
 
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