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From humble beginnings, Bushnell is now one of the most recognized and reputable sports optics brand in the world.
It all all started back in 1948 when Bushnell first began life as a small mail-order binocular company. Since then the company has grow to become what we now know as Bushnell Outdoor Products that not only produce binoculars, but 15 other product lines with 11 brands that include a very diverse range of products. For example their Golf Range Finders.
One feature that remains at the core of the Bushnell brand is the focus on the outdoors with almost all of their products are related to this sector.
They offer binoculars, scopes, night vision devices and other products for most outdoor pursuits including: spectator sports, nature study (wildlife viewing), hunting, fishing birding and stargazing.
Located in Kansas, the Bushnell brand is one of the most popular in the binoculars and optics industry and I would say certainly one of the leaders in mid to high-performance sports optics.
They have a leading market share in all of the sports optics categories, and their products have consistently won design and performance awards from prestigious organizations.
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Not resting on past successes, Bushnell® are constantly exploring emerging technologies in optics as well as other outdoor products with the aim of combining leading edge design with performance innovation.
The Bushnell Mission Statement
"To develop and market superior optical products that enhance the experience of outdoor and sports enthusiasts"
With now well over 50 years in the optics industry and being one of the largest players in the industry, Bushnell have a massive range to select from and each year many of them get updated an changed. So it is sometimes hard to keep track and keep up!
However if you exclude all their very cheapest pairs, Bushnell in general offer what I think is good value for money in most cases. There are of course exceptions, which I aim to point out for you.
A new series, the Engage is aimed at the higher end of the market, but at the same time for those who are also place good value highly on their list of priorities:
Main Highlights
Standout highlights include the use of the same ED lens elements that Bushnell use in the flagship series as well as protective exterior coatings on the lenses.
The chassis is made from Magnesium and I like that it has small details like a lockable diopter, which is a minor fact, but always a good sign of quality.
As with their other top models, Bushnell has a limited lifetime warranty on their Engage binoculars.
Models Available:
Bushnell Engage Reviews & Articles
Price Range
The Bushnell Engage Binoculars have an MSRP between $349.99 and $409.99 in the US, to check current retail prices in your country take a look at the link below:
One of Bushnell's most popular series is the Legend Ultra HD and with a modern stylish finish, impressive features, great stats and relatively low cost, it is easy to see why:
Main Highlights
The use of ED Prime glass elements in their lenses helps to minimize color fringing which leads to improved color resolution and contrast in the image you see. The optics on the Legend Ultra HD are also fully multi-coated with Bushnell's Ultra Wide Band coating which dramatically improves light transmission compared to uncoated or only partly coated bins. Phase Correction coatings are also applied to the BaK-4 roof prism models.
The larger models are tripod adaptable and have a lightweight Magnesium body that is both water and fogproof.
Small touches and extra signs of their quality include a locking diopter and a water repellent coating on the exterior lenses that not only mean you get a better view in wet weather, but ensure dirt, grime and oil is less likely to stick on the glass keeping them clean for longer and when you do have to clean them, you can be less vigorous which in turn ensures you don't scratch them.
Bushnell also offers a limited lifetime warranty on their Legend Ultra HD binoculars.
Models Available:
Bushnell Legend Reviews & Articles
Price Range
The Ultra HD's currently range in price from about $130 to $250 / £120 - £250, depending on where you get them and which model you choose. For current prices and to compare take a look at the link below:
Sitting under the Legend Ultra HD series within Bushnell's lineup is their "standard" Legend range. Although it gets a little more complicated in that this range is then further sub-divided into three separate sub-series: the E, L & M.
The idea here is that Bushnell wanted to provide the best possible value for money binocular withing three distinct price points.
So all binoculars have a number of shared features:
Legend E Series
At the base are the Legend E series binoculars, which basically focus on keeping costs down, but still offering a good level of performance.
All Legend Series binoculars include a water and fogproof magnesium housing, phase corrected Bak-4 roof prisms, fully multi-coated optics using lead-free glass.
Legend L Series
Next comes the L Series which take a more balanced view cost and performance. Here is where I think you get the best bang for your buck. For more on this, be sure to read my in-depth Bushnell Legend L Series Binoculars Review that takes you through all their features, specifications and applications.
Improvements to the L Series over the E Series include the use of ED Glass in the lenses and a lockable diopter.
Legend M Series
Then finally you get the Bushnell Legend M series binoculars that focus more on performance and less on price. Here you get just about all the same features and components as that of the Legend Ultra HD, indeed apart from their design (and price), it is difficult to split them apart.
Here the improvements over the L Series include Dielectric coatings on the prisms and an open bridge body design (see the main image above).
Prices & Where to Buy
Bushnell Legend Series binoculars cover a wide range of price points. The least expensive is the Legend E series binocular which start at around $120, then you get the L series that can cost as little as $160, but usually, around $200 and finally the M series which depending on the model will cost around $250 in the US.
For the latest prices on the exact model you are interested in and in your country, please check the link below:
An updated version of the very well respected standard Bushnell Elite binoculars, the Bushnell Elite ED Binoculars now feature ED Glass (Extra low dispersion glass) for even brighter and clearer, high definition viewing.
Basically extra low dispersion glass prevents chromatic aberration because it concentrates and directs the wavelength of light more effectively onto your eyes. It does this because the lenses are made from high-quality, high-precision ED Glass that has less air bubbles and glass deformities in them that are more likely to cause image distortion.
The quality continues as they also feature fully multi-coated optical elements with their XTR technology and BaK-4 phase corrected high-reflection prism that give a sharp and high-contrast image over the full field of view.
XTR Technology: Uses 60 layers of coatings on each prism, to harnesses and optimizes light, boosting Elite binoculars to class leading 99.73% light transmission per lens. It's exclusive to Bushnell, and is said to be one of the most efficient means for transporting light through an optical system. The result is unmatched edge-to-edge clarity, contrast and true color imagery.
An interesting coating on the lenses is their RainGuard HD coating that according to Bushnell eliminates lens fogging, boosts brightness and scatters moisture even faster than original RainGuard. Elite binoculars are also 100% waterproof, fog-proof and built around a tough, lightweight magnesium chassis for reliability in the most extreme conditions.
Sizes Available:
Bushnell Elite Reviews & Articles
Price Range
Depending on the model, they range in price from about $400 - $600 / £400 - £500
Bushnell Outdoor products have recently completely revamped the entire range of their very popular NatureView binoculars.
This series now consists of seven different models, with both porro and roof prism designs in both mid and full sized options.
Almost all models come with fully multi-coated optics and BaK-4 prism glass. Some models are fog and waterproof, but not all. For more details, read my guide to the New Bushnell NatureView Binoculars that contains a full specification and feature comparison table of all the models in this series.
Sizes Available:
Related Articles
Price Range
Depending on the model, suggested retail prices range from $99 to $149 in the US with most models costing less then £150 in the UK:
By Bushnell's standards, this is a small series as it contains only two models, an 8x42 and a 10x42.
Whilst small, the Excursion HD series is an interesting one and in particular the 8x42 model is well worth taking a very close look at if you are interested in a binocular that has a very wide field of view (see stats below), yet is still what I would call relatively inexpensive.
The open bridge body shape and their particular design on the rubber armor gives this series a fairly modern and aggressive look, but also serves a function as it provides a great shape to hold onto when carrying your instrument about in one hand.
Lockable Focus Wheel
Probably one of the most interesting features on these Bushnell Excursion HD binoculars is their lockable central focus wheels. They work in a similar way as binoculars that have a diopter adjustment located on the central focus dial.
So to change focus, you pull the wheel back and it unlocks, you can then focus on different objects at different distances as normal. To lock your focus in place you click it back inwards.
Personally I have never really had a need to do this, but I am sure that there are users out there who would like the focus to remain fixed at a certain distance without any change of it being changed by accident.
As you would expect, these are o-ring sealed and thus watertight and filled with nitrogen gas, the optics inside are resistant to fogging.
Both models are tripod adaptable and have a right eye diopter adjustment wheel, as well as twist-up eye-cups.
Optics
The optical system is fully multi-coated, which ensures as much light as possible passes through each element within the whole pathway.
The roof prisms used are fashioned from high grade BaK-4 glass and they are phase corrected. Bushnell unfortunately do not specify what mirror coating is used on them. My suspicion is at this price they will probably be silver coated which is fine.
Models & Specifications
| Model | FOV | Eye Relief | Min Focus | Weight | Exit Pupil |
| 8x42 (242408) | 426ft | 17.2mm | 6.5ft | 24.3oz | 5.3mm |
| 10x42 (242410) | 341ft | 15.5mm | 6.5ft | 23.5oz | 4.2mm |
Field of View
As you can see, both models have a really wide field of view and in particular the Bushnell Excursion HD 8x42 Binoculars really is massive.
Eye-relief is good on the 8x42 and just acceptable for eyeglass wearers on the 10x42.
Prices & Where to Buy
Priced in the region of $300 in the US and approximately £230 in the UK, these Excursion HD's look to me to offer a really good price to quality ratio and are well worth keeping in mind if a good all-round binocular with a wide view is what you are after in this price range.
For the latest prices on the exact model you are interested in and in your country, please check the link below:
With the 10x and 12x models featuring large 50mm lenses and the 8x version boasting very large 56mm objectives, there is no doubt that this small sub series of binoculars from Bushnell is squarely aimed at users demanding a good to exceptional performance even in bad light conditions.
I go over this defining characteristic as well as all their other main features and uses in my complete guide to Bushnell Trophy Xtreme Binoculars, but to summarize, these are low cost, but what I would describe as mid performance Bushnell binoculars, especially adapt in low light.
Whilst they are marketed towards the hunting sector, I feel that they will also be perfectly suitable for a wide range of uses depending on your choice of magnification.
Other features include a water and fog proof chassis. BaK-4 roof prisms and fully multi-coated optics that further enhance the image brightness.
All models are tripod adaptable, which is especially important for the 12x model and they all have a large centrally positioned focus wheel, right eye diopter adjustment wheel, and twist-up eye-cups.
Models & Specifications
| Model | FOV | Eye Relief | Min Focus | Weight | Exit Pupil |
| 10x50 (335105) | 315ft | 17mm | 10ft | 31.2oz | 5mm |
| 12x50 (335012) | 273ft | 15mm | 10ft | 31.8oz | 4.1mm |
| 8x56 (335856) | 300ft | 17 | 10ft | 38.1oz | 6.9mm |
Prices & Where to Buy
Bushnell Trophy Xtreme binoculars range in price from around $100 up to $200 in the US and between £150 and £280 in the UK. For the latest prices on the exact model you are interested in and in your country, please check the link below:
Bushnell have two binoculars in their night vision range both are 1st Generation's:
Bushnell Night Vision GogglesThe Bushnell 1X20 Night Vision Gen 1 Goggle comes with Headgear (261020) and a built in infrared illuminator and has a viewing range of half a foot up to 100 feet. They are lightweight, compact and great for close range night vision uses where where you need both hands free.
Features
The Bushnell Night vision monocular range features built-in infrared illuminators and advanced light-gathering technology, perfect for surveillance, camping, nocturnal wildlife viewing.
Reflector telescopes have rugged, maintenance-free designs and use mirrors to focus and lenses to transfer light. Reflector telescopes produce high-quality images at an economical price, while catadioptric telescopes capture the best properties of refractor and reflector telescopes; dobsonian telescopes offer superior viewing without complicated operation.
Bushnell Range Finders These are available in monocular and binocular models and are perfect for outdoor sports like hunting and golfing.
Some models are waterproof, fogproof and shockproof. Large objective lenses are designed for hunting when weather is poor and light is low. Laser range finders use refracting beams to calculate distance.
For Mor information on Bushnell Rangefinders, including their range of Golf Laser and GPS rangefinders, follow the links below
Perfect for observing wildlife with magnifications from 20x to 60x. Some Bushnell spotting lenses are collapsible and completely portable.
Available in a variety of sizes, powers, and configurations, with range estimation, illuminated reticles, and long eye relief to effectively bring targets into close view. Red dot lasers reduce distortion and add depth perception. Night vision scopes use infrared thermal light technology, offering a clear view even on a cloudy night.
Bushnell Binoculars with Digital CameraAn obvious idea, but as yet not fully delivered. Most binoculars with a built in digital camera are not much more than a novelty item. Bushnell have been pioneers in this field and whilst I think they still have a long way to go before they produce a quality pair of binoculars with a combined digital camera that matches the stand alone versions, they continue to improve. Bushnell produce 2 models of Digital Camera Binoculars, the Instant Replay that can also capture video and the Image view series.
For more details read my articles on:
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Below are a few featured Bushnell Binoculars: View >> All Bushnell Binoculars
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The 12x50 Bushnell Permafocus is a low cost fixed focus porro prism binocular ideal for long distance observation where speed and ease of use is paramount. The high 12x power combined with large 50mm objective lenses ensure you get plenty of reach, but also maintain a bright image meaning they can still perform well in low light conditions... Price: (2/6) Low Cost Binoculars |
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In a few words, the best way to describe the 12x50 Bushnell Trobhy XLT is a High power, large aperture binocular that comes at reasonably affordable price and is ideal for those wanting more image detail but who also don't want to sacrifice too much brightness. Fully sealed, these have come with fully multi-coated optics, lead free glass, a wide field of view and a bunch of other desirable features.. Price: (3/6) Mid Priced Binoculars |
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Bushnell's high end, value for money series, the 10x42 Legend Ultra HD binoculars feature a fully water and fog proof magnesium chassis that is available in both black and camo options. Under the hood you find fully multi-coated optics, ED glass lenses with water repellent exterior coatings and phase corrected BaK-4 roof prisms. There is a lot to like about these.... Price: (3/6) Mid Priced Binoculars |
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These high end binoculars from Bushnell are fully multi-coated and feature prime ED glass lenses with extra protective coatings on the exterior surfaces. The chassis is made from magnesium and the have lockable diopter adjustment ring and host of other quality features. Price: (4/6) Mid-High Value Binoculars |
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The powerful 12x magnification is what initially makes these roof prism Bushnell binoculars stand out of the crowd but it is their low cost that really sells them. With a tough rubber armour they are fully waterproof and fogproof. The 12x magnification is not ideal for all uses, but out in the open they make great nature observation, sea bird and sports binoculars.
Price: (2/6) Low Cost Binoculars | |
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This good value, lightweight and compact Bushnell 2.5 x42 Night Vision Monocular is a Gen 1 device with dual built-in infrared illuminators that offers excellent night vision, even in the darkest conditions. Perfect for camping, caving and nocturnal wildlife observation as well as security uses, for example: patrolling warehouses and similar surveillance operations where no detectable ambient light exists.
Price: (3/6) Mid Priced Monoculars |
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The New Bushnell 7x50 Marine Binoculars (13-7507) are designed for boating, but can be used in any demanding environment or where rock-solid durability is required. Not only are they completely waterproof, but they actually float and come with a host of features that includes a digital compass for true heading and range finding scale that allows you to estimate the range to objects of a known size.
Price: (3/6) Mid Priced Binoculars | |
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Designed for birdwatching and wildlife observation, the Bushnell Natureview 8x42 binoculars are fantastic value for money that also make good all-use binoculars. They come with a host of features that include a tough non-slip, fully water proof body, multi-coated optics and the BaK-4 roof prism design that aids light transmission for a bright, clear and crisp view.
Price: (2/6) Low Cost Binoculars | |
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The Bushnell Natureview 10x42 binoculars were designed with birders and nature lovers in mind, but these excellent value for money binoculars can be used for almost all uses and come with a host of features that include a tough non-slip, fully water proof body, multi-coated optics and the BaK-4 roof prism design that aids light transmission for a bright, clear and crisp view.
Price: (2/6) Low Cost Binoculars |
View >> All Bushnell Binoculars
On top of Bushnell binoculars they have many very well known brands in their portfolio these include:
USA Residents
Bushnell recommend that if you are having any problems with your Bushnell binocular or accessory and that you want to send it back for repair, the first thing to do is to fill out their repair form and then send it to them. I personally would first contact their Customer Service Dept. on 1-800-423-3537 be for sending your binoculars.
Once you have done this they will ask you to fill out a returns form and attach it to the product to be repaired. A dated Proof of Purchase must be included with electronic products that do not have lifetime warranties. This includes: Laser Rangefinders, Trail Cameras, GPS (inc. BackTrack), ImageView (binoculars and spotting scopes), Night Vision, Speed Radar, and Flashlights.
You will also need a check or money order for the return shipping and handling fee for all Bushnell products, this at the time of writing was $10.00 for everything except for telescopes that c have a $15.00 shipping and handling fee due to their larger size and weight. Please Note: There is return shipping/handling fee for warranty repairs of Bushnell Elite riflescopes and binoculars and California residents are excluded from paying shipping and handling fees for warranted items only.
Bushnell Binocular Repair USA
Bushnell
Attn: Repairs
8500 Marshall Dr.
Lenexa, KS 66214
Non US Residents
Because of US import and export laws, repairs that come form outside of the US cannot be returned. They advise that you contact the nearest subsidiary office that services your area for shipping information. or for Non USA Residents, they suggest that you contact their Customer Service Department on 1-800-423-3537
Canadian Residents
Are again advised to first contact their Customer Service Department on 1-800-423-3537, you will then send the binoculars to Bushnell by a insured trackable courier such as Canada Post, or UPS along with a short note explaining the reason you are sending the unit in to them and your email address and daytime telephone number.
Bushnell Binocular Repair Canada
Shipping Information
Bushnell Sports Optics Worldwide
Attention: Repair Department
25A East Pearce Street
Richmond Hill, ON L4B 2M9
For more information on repairing binoculars in general and where you can get your optics repaired, take a look at my section on Binocular Repairs.
North American Office
Bushnell Outdoor Products
9200 Cody Overland Park,
KS 66214-1734
Email: Customersupport[@]Bushnell.com
Kansas City area - (913) 752-3400
Consumers - (800) 423-3537
Dealers - (800) 221-9035
Fax - (913) 752-3550
Europe
Bushnell-Europe
4 rue Diderot
92150 Suresnes
Tel: 33141449480 Fax - 33141440609
International Department
Bushnell International Department
9200 Cody Overland Park,
KS 66214-3259 United Sates
Tel - (913) 752-3400 Fax - (913) 752-3572
Price & Where to Buy
Price & Where to Buy
