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Bushnell small end 8x and 10x roof prisms (1 Viewer)

Tero

Tero

Retired
United States
Binoculars in the 36mm and smaller formats, 32mm, 28mm, 25mm etc.

We had the discussion on the 8x28s and I commented a little on the 10x28s.
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=59357

Bushnell also makes 8x32 and 9x25 Legends and others. Some are phase coated, some are not. Have any of you actually bought any of these and been happy with them.

The selection of powers and sizes is a bit odd. Not at all as consistent as say Monarchs.

Is it possible to rank the optical quality of the roofs in the Excursions, Legacys H2Os etc?

They even have a 10x28 Explorer, for some 40 dollars, and it is not much worse than the 8x28 Excursion in brightness, but FOV is only some 260ft. They sell it in sports stores and ours luckyly had a display item open to check out. Eye cups looked a little wimpy, but it should last a year or two. No 8x model in the store and nobody lists the Explorer current version on line.
 
Tero,
You ask about ranking Bushnell's optical quality.

I recently received a catalogue from "Time & OPTICS Ltd.", Millersburg, Ohio. Curiously, they do not have a web address listed. You will have to call 1-866-308-0727 if you want a catalogue, or Optics Buying Guide, as they call it.

They appear to have attempted to list Bushnell's Binoculars by quality. There are 32 listed by their Series name beginning with Elites(2) and continuing as follows: Discoverer(2); Custom Compact(1); Legend(5); Excursion(4); Natureview(6); H20(4); Legacy WP(2); Permafocus(4); and Powerview(2). Basically, they are listed by price. All are pictured. Most are standard sized Roofs and Porros.

Of the small binoculars, there are 4 reverse Porro's: 7 x 26 Custom; 8 x 30 Natureview; 8 x 25 Permafocus; and 8 x 25 Powerview.

There are 2 double hinged H2O roof's: 8 x 25 and 10 x 25. (These are probably your "Explorers")

There is one single hinged roof: 8 x 28 Excursion.

The 7 x 26 is by far the most expensive at $251.00 with the Excursion next at $124.00. The 8 x 30 costs 89 bucks and the rest are under 50 bucks.

There are also two 8 x 32 Roofs: A Legend ($275.00) and an Excursion ($163.00) No Porros.

Cordially,
Bob

PS: It's a darn good catalog. No Nikon or Zeiss but just about everyone else. with Scopes and accessories and books and tapes etc. 88 pages.
Bob
 
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Elites(2) and continuing as follows: Discoverer(2); Custom Compact(1); Legend(5); Excursion(4); Natureview(6); H20(4); Legacy WP(2); Permafocus(4); and Powerview(2). Basically, they are listed by price.
Click to expand...

Good list, I will try to see some Legends at some point.
 
I guess I am still a bit interested in the 10x, but I have come to realize they are a bit limited for me. Small 10x reverse porros are actually better than the 10x roofs of 28mm and 32mm I have seen. So I may really be most interested in the 8x and 9x Legends.

We have discussed the diopter problem some of us have, having to readjust often depending on distance, and it is a problem with me with almost all 10x smaller than 36mm. even at 36mm I am doing some adjustment, depending on brightness.
 
We have discussed the diopter problem some of us have, having to readjust often depending on distance, and it is a problem with me with almost all 10x smaller than 36mm. even at 36mm I am doing some adjustment, depending on brightness.
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Tero,

I am glad you again brought this issue up because I think we need to discuss it further. I never felt confident in any explanation I have seen as to why some folks require fairly regular readjustment of the diopter while others just leave it at one setting and forget it. I could accept that it has something to do with each individual person's eyes but my own experiences don't justify that as the only probable conclusion. I have owned some bins where I needed to readjust the diopter and others that I have not. I know some folks, on this forum for example, that have used the same pairs of bins and have had the opposite experience. I would be willing to say that our own eyes play some part but that the quality control is more of the problem we are dealing with. I am equally sure that any issues with quality control are further magnified, pun intended, with specific magnification and objective size combinations. I have found, from personal experience, that a slight issue with alignment can often force one to play with the diopter adjustment initially. I have also found that one's eye placement within the exit pupil of the binocular coupled with the level of edge distortion in the field of view can also lead one to attempt to use the diopter to adjust it.

Just some food for thought.
 
Also, the mysterious "depth of field" comes into play, and with 10x it is smaller.

I tried the Excursion 10x28
I tried Vortex Spitfire 10x32

Both were much the same, nowhere near the useability of a 10x36 Sporter or then almost any 10x42. I sent each back.

The 10x28 Explorer, a cheap Bushnell, was easier to focus than the similar Excursion, but FOV was only 260ft. Its clarity was no worse, a bit dim in winter.
Its older version is here
http://www.teamstore.com/sm-bushnell-10x28-explorer-waterproof-binoculars--pi-2001470.html
it looks a bit different now, all black.
 
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Unlike the Spitfire and Bushnell 10x28 Excursion, I actually found the Brunton 10x32 useable. It may not be the brightest, but the focusing and diopter did no drive me nuts.
http://www.optics4birding.com/brunton-echo-10x32-8655.html
the store where I saw them had them a bit overpriced. But it is an option to look at in these mid price and low end 10x32s, most of which are pretty poor. The optics is just a bit of a challenge, compared to 10x42.
 
Also took one more look at the Bushnell Explorer 10x28. It sells for about 40 dollars. The FOV is only 260ft, but the optics are actually better than in the 10x28 Excursion..confusing names by the way...though of brightness I could not say as I returned the Excursions. The only cheapness in the Explorer was in the screw out eye cups. They work, but there is very little plastic in them.

Conclusion: phase coating is not everything. Nikon Sporters are often better than the cheapest phase coated bins.
 
Tero,

I was leafing through the most interesting catalog that I received in the mail the other day. It was that same "Time and Optics, Ltd" that Bob listed above. It was all optics and predominantly binoculars. One of the things that caught my eye was the Bushnell Excursion "8x32". I did not know that they made this model in this configuration but if they do then you may want to check it out. Price should be in the $150-$175 range. It had quite a wide field of view listed....over 400 feet if I remember correctly.

Come to think of it, if both Bob and I received it then they must have received our names from one of the optics stores that both of us buy from....Eagle Optics, Cabelas, maybe?
 
There are Excursions in many sizes, 10x32, 10x28 and 8x28. The 8x28 would have met a need if they had put just a bit more into the optics. The 10x28 apparently is hard to make witht the 315ft FOV. The 40mm or so Excursions I have not seen.
Also still having a hard time finding the small Legends to look at.

I laready have the storebrand 8x32, so I skipped the 8x28 excursions for now, I could have exchanged the 10x for 8x. But I got tired of exchanges.
 
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I laready have the storebrand 8x32, so I skipped the 8x28 excursions for now, I could have exchanged the 10x for 8x. But I got tired of exchanges.
Click to expand...

Did you check out the 8x32 Excursions even if you did not buy them?
 
No, nobody has them, I got the 10x28 at Eagle Optics mailorder.
Click to expand...

I wonder why that is. I would think that an 8x32 Excursion would be quite popular for a variety of reason, most notably price. I am going to have see if I can find a pair.
 
FrankD said:
I wonder why that is. I would think that an 8x32 Excursion would be quite popular for a variety of reason, most notably price. I am going to have see if I can find a pair.
Click to expand...
_____________________________________
I'm pretty sure I saw some 8X32 Excursions listed on OpticsPlanet when I was looking at their web site this week. I may order some myself, as they sound like a nice size bino to have. Most of my current binoculars are on the heavy side.

Lynn
 
We had the discussion on the 8x28s and I commented a little on the 10x28s. [url said:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=59357[/url]

.
Click to expand...

A follow up on that thread:

Recently I got slight fogging in the right barrel so I sent them in under warranty.

They sent me back a new pair.

Had a chance to to give the new ones a good work out.

SURPRISE!
By any optical criteria the replacements are better.
Most notable is better resolution. They are not as soft as the old ones. Just as important to me is contrast and brightness is also improved. Eye relief is better-with the eyecups screwed fully out I can now see the full FOV. Could not do this with the old one. Close focus in now 5 feet instead of 9 feet. Focus is much smoother and less stiff.

I'm not just imagining this. I'm used to good optics and know what to look for. These are better over-all than the old ones.

It could be, given the low price, sample variation but I don't think so. Too many things are better. My opinion is that these are optically a different and better pair of bins.

It should be said that these bins got a lot of hard field use so I'm not surprised they may have failed-I've had both my Zeiss and Leica's in for repairs also over the years.

Also while they were out for replacement I was surprised at how much I missed them. They have become, perhaps, my most used bins and that's saying a lot considering my other options. Those little buggers have convinced me how important ergonomics is in a good field bino apart from pure raw optical performance.

So far I'm a happy camper.

In any case you will be the first to know when the objectives fall out.

SF
 
OK you 8x guys, I give in

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have not given up on 10x. But I now have a decent pair of 8x40s, porros. The porros turned out to be very bright. I will not mention the brand, but real binoculars, not Barskas or Bushnells.


Why are you interested in the Bushnells ?
You don't even class them as "real binoculars"
 
OK you 8x guys, I give in

I have not given up on 10x. But I now have a decent pair of 8x40s, porros. The porros turned out to be very bright. I will not mention the brand, but real binoculars, not Barskas or Bushnells.
Click to expand...

AnotherNightOwl said:
Why are you interested in the Bushnells ?
You don't even class them as "real binoculars"
Click to expand...

Mine was a very old message. I did not want to annouce the brand as someone used to come and laugh at my cheap investments. They were not trinovids, ultravids, fluorites or HG or Nikon Premier. I may not announce any purchaes here anymore.

Through the last few years I allowed myself to be talked into doubting that Bass Pro Shop RedHeads were not that great. In fact the 8x32 are one of the best roofs for under 200.

The first part above was my commnets. I had a pair of 10x50 Barskas, which I gave away. They were useable. Then I had after tha 16x50 Bushnel Powerviews, the worst porros I have owned.

Where I first ventured into 8x was with Nikon Actions, 8x40.

I have bought a number of Bushnells through the years and and have returend one pair. I am not using any now. Bushnell makes some OK pairs over $300, and probably some very good pairs that I have not checked out. You just have to be more careful with Bushnell, as the brand itself means almost nothing, only the models you are looking at. Other brands do not have this huge quality range. In the US especially. You have more of the better models over there.
 
Tero said:
Mine was a very old message. I did not want to annouce the brand as someone used to come and laugh at my cheap investments. They were not trinovids, ultravids, fluorites or HG or Nikon Premier. I may not announce any purchaes here anymore.

Through the last few years I allowed myself to be talked into doubting that Bass Pro Shop RedHeads were not that great. In fact the 8x32 are one of the best roofs for under 200.

The first part above was my commnets. I had a pair of 10x50 Barskas, which I gave away. They were useable. Then I had after tha 16x50 Bushnel Powerviews, the worst porros I have owned.

Where I first ventured into 8x was with Nikon Actions, 8x40.

I have bought a number of Bushnells through the years and and have returend one pair. I am not using any now. Bushnell makes some OK pairs over $300, and probably some very good pairs that I have not checked out. You just have to be more careful with Bushnell, as the brand itself means almost nothing, only the models you are looking at. Other brands do not have this huge quality range. In the US especially. You have more of the better models over there.
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Hi Terro.
Please don't think i was trying to be funny in anyway, i was just inquisitive thats all.
My own personal belief is that, as long as your happy with what you have purchased, that's all that should matter. It does not matter whether it is a car, a pair of boots or binoculars.
Price should be secondary to personal enjoyment.
 
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