My Bushnell Forge 8x42 arrived today... (1 Viewer)

[mauriciolacruz]

My Bushnell Forge 8x42 arrived today...

I just love them! 😍... So much! 😍😍😍

(+): Great sharpness. Great brightness / clarity. Great contrast. Great transparency. Great flare / glare / stray light control. Very good CA control. Very good color rendition. Great FOV. Decent (but improvable) sweet spot. Very good focus knob action. Good eyepieces and diopter ring. Great ergonomics. Very good armoring. Very good build quality / fit & finish. Outstanding (leaves me speechless and makes me fall in love with) coatings color on both: oculars and objectives. Great (although a little bit cheap) accesories... Overall great value!!! 👍🏻

(-): Sweet spot could be better. Slightly darkened and blurred edges. A little bit cheap accesories. Made in China (nevertheless its quality is simply stunning!)

Summarizing: overall great binoculars regardless of its price, but much more especially considering its price point! 😳

I couldn't be happier with this purchase! 😊

They have certainly exceeded my expectations (I was expecting a lower quality on both: optics and build). I wouldn't be surprised if I end up buying a second pair... 😁

 

[mauriciolacruz]

Ok, I've finally ordered more units. I think this model is unbeatable for the price. 😁

 

[Binastro]

Sample variation?

If it as good as suggested, presumably this includes long term reliability.

For me, if I found a real cherry of a binocular, I would be thankful and move on.

I have bought multiple low price binoculars and use the best.
That is £7 to £30 or even £2 in charity shops.

I suppose a spare medium price binocular might serve a purpose if the original got lost or broken.

But we all have different priorities and ways of thinking.

Regards,
B.

 

[Canip]

They have certainly exceeded my expectations

Mine too.

 

[mauriciolacruz]

Sample variation?

If it as good as suggested, presumably this includes long term reliability.

For me, if I found a real cherry of a binocular, I would be thankful and move on.

I have bought multiple low price binoculars and use the best.
That is £7 to £30 or even £2 in charity shops.

I suppose a spare medium price binocular might serve a purpose if the original got lost or broken.

But we all have different priorities and ways of thinking.

Regards,
B.

I don't know about sample variation, as I just ordered the other units few hours ago.

I decided to buy more units because I've been really impressed and surprised by how good these mid-priced bins are and to be sure I keep some spare / back-ups in case Bushnell decides to increase the price (should they realize what an incredible gem these are.)

Mine too.

And I've very recently purchased the Kowa Genesis 44 Prominar XD in both mags: 8.5x44 and 10.5x44.

These Bushnell's are so great, that their little and small flaws in comparison to the Kowa's, well worth their 1/2 to 1/3 the price of the Japanese.

I mean, the Forge's for €400+ are much more worth considering than the Genesis' for €900+, simply because those flaws, optically are only barely discernible on the outer edge of the field (where on the other hand our eyes are not focusing).

Yet, should I keep only one model, I'd still keep the Genesis' of course. But the Forge's are just a better value without a doubt.

Keep in mind that the more the quality marginally increases in gradually smaller steps, the more the price increases exponentially.

Is that worthy? (Paying MUCH more for SMALL improvements when the image quality inside the sweet spot already is virtually identical?) To each their own, and I still prefer the Kowa's, but the answer to this question is a clear "NO".

Many could argue: "Well, between buying several units of a mid-range bino or buying one sub-Alpha or even an Alpha, I'd rather prefer the latter." But again, to each their own, and the overall quality of these Forge's is so high, so good, it impressed me that much, that I actually prefer having several units of these than just only one top Alpha, knowing that the marginal increment in quality (to my untrained eyes) of the Alphas simply does not justify their prices (IMO).

 

[tiankong]

I don't know about sample variation, as I just ordered the other units few hours ago.

I decided to buy more units because I've been really impressed and surprised by how good these mid-priced bins are and to be sure I keep some spare / back-ups in case Bushnell decides to increase the price (should they realize what an incredible gem these are.)


And I've very recently purchased the Kowa Genesis 44 Prominar XD in both mags: 8.5x44 and 10.5x44.

These Bushnell's are so great, that their little and small flaws in comparison to the Kowa's, well worth their 1/2 to 1/3 the price of the Japanese.

I mean, the Forge's for €400+ are much more worth considering than the Genesis' for €900+, simply because those flaws, optically are only barely discernible on the outer edge of the field (where on the other hand our eyes are not focusing).

Yet, should I keep only one model, I'd still keep the Genesis' of course. But the Forge's are just a better value without a doubt.

Keep in mind that the more the quality marginally increases in gradually smaller steps, the more the price increases exponentially.

Is that worthy? (Paying MUCH more for SMALL improvements when the image quality inside the sweet spot already is virtually identical?) To each their own, and I still prefer the Kowa's, but the answer to this question is a clear "NO".

Many could argue: "Well, between buying several units of a mid-range bino or buying one sub-Alpha or even an Alpha, I'd rather prefer the latter." But again, to each their own, and the overall quality of these Forge's is so high, so good, it impressed me that much, that I actually prefer having several units of these than just only one top Alpha, knowing that the marginal increment in quality (to my untrained eyes) of the Alphas simply does not justify their prices (IMO).

I agree with what you said, and so does my forge 10x30.

 

[Elpha8888]

I decided to buy more units because I've been really impressed and surprised by how good these mid-priced bins are and to be sure I keep some spare / back-ups in case Bushnell decides to increase the price (should they realize what an incredible gem these are.)

When I first started out with optics I remember getting my first bins some Carson 3d ed, I thought they were the dogs nuts and that they couldn't be topped, well I wasn't that naive but I sure wasn't expecting the rabbit hole that opened up that's for sure and neither was my bank balance!

 

[Elpha8888]

And I've very recently purchased the Kowa Genesis 44 Prominar XD in both mags: 8.5x44 and 10.5x44.

That is very high praise for these Bushnell's indeed. I've never had the Genesis but they are highly regarded.
I did however have the Bushnell Legend 10x42 and was very impressed optically.
I will take a look at the Forge line, I think there's a good astronomy pair in there somewhere.

These Bushnell's are so great, that their little and small flaws in comparison to the Kowa's, well worth their 1/2 to 1/3 the price of the Japanese.

 

[mauriciolacruz]

That is very high praise for these Bushnell's indeed. I've never had the Genesis but they are highly regarded.
I did however have the Bushnell Legend 10x42 and was very impressed optically.
I will take a look at the Forge line, I think there's a good astronomy pair in there somewhere.

Astronomy? = Bushnell Forge 15x56
DDoptics Pirschler Gen. 3 15x56

Apparently these two are the same.

 

[dries1]

The Legend M was the precursor to the Forge, still a nice glass today for the money if you have one.

 

[mauriciolacruz]

The Legend M was the precursor to the Forge, still a nice glass today for the money if you have one.

I know, but didn't try one. All I can say is that the Forge 8x42s are great.