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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mike V" data-source="post: 2368238" data-attributes="member: 105525">Easy, there is no such thing as an Elite e2 Custom! Many people continue to confuse this e2 designation. There were only two e2 Elite models made, 8 x 42 and 10 x 42. These ran as an Economy Elite line  (TWO E's = e2 = Economy Elite, get it?) while the superior full bore regular Elite 8 x 43 and 10 x 43 open bridge models were being made. The e2 line is discontinued. No 7x26 was labelled e2, but many retailers did so in confusion caused by Bushnell's own website, which allowed the main data block for the full size e2 to stay up when you clicked on the 7x26 Elite Custom model. (This also led to much confusion over them being waterproof, they are not.)The Elite Custom 7 x 26 - Model 62-0726, is fully rubber armored with twist up eye cups and was successor to the Custom Compact 7 x 26 - Model 12-0726. Bushnell's Model 12-0726 had a polycarbonate body and partial rubber armor on the top and sides only, with soft roll down rubber eye cups. This version was made from 1993 to 2004 as the Bausch & Lomb Custom Compact - Model 61-0726, and from 2004 until 2008, as the identical Bushnell Custom Compact - Model 12-0726, when the Elite Custom replaced it. There has been only one model of Elite Custom 7 x 26 made, and it is still the one in production, Model 62-0726. It says Elite on the left body side and Elite Custom in the center of the focus wheel and has a round inset logo on top of the right body that says Bushnell Birding Series. It is said these are magnesium bodied under the rubber armor, but I can't tell by comparing my Elite Custom to my polycarbonate body B&L one. They look awfully similar just peering inside!  The 1993 and earlier Custom Compacts were metal & leatherette bodied, the final one being marked as Bausch & Lomb, model 61-7261, and this last metal one had green multi-coating (my 1993 one is as bright as my newest Elite one). The earlier metal ones had blue coatings and were marked as Bushnell, model 10-7261. There are several minor variations of the old metal ones as well. These are as sharp as the newest B&L metal ones, but they are not as bright. The later Bushnell 1980's thru the Bausch & Lomb 1993 metal ones had improved eyepieces and diopter adjustment, and can focus a bit closer than older original Bushnell 1960's thru 1970's vintage ones. These are the later ones with neck strap eyelets on the outer sides of the body rather than the inner sides of the body in the middle of the eyepieces. This version began as Bushnell marked but was changed in the last few years of production to the Bausch & Lomb with better coatings before the 1994 complete (and unfortunate) polycarbonate re-vamp.The latest Elite 42mm full size line with ED glass continues to be confused with the discontinued e2 line because they are similar in appearance, but the newest Elites are better quality than the e2 and can be distinguished at a glance by heavy metal neck strap loops on the side of the body and the ED glass marking on the left eye cup. The e2 bodies had QD flush strap mounts like the open bridge 43mm Elites and has e2 marked in the center of the focusing wheel.Mike V.</blockquote>

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