Bushnell Legend Ultra HD Binoculars

Bushnell have recently introduced two new binoculars to their range, the very impressive Legend Ultra HD binoculars that come in 8x42 and 10x42 configurations and are priced under $300 on Amazon.comand currently unavailable in the UK. They are sure to make a splash with some impressive stats:

Light Transmission

According to their website, there have been some independent tests comparing these new binoculars with the very popular Nikon Monarch Binoculars with the results showing the Legend Ultra HD Binoculars to have superior light transmission across all the visible light spectrum, on average they are said to have an impressive sounding 77.25% more light transmission than Nikon Monarch across the entire visible light spectrum. Bushnell say this is achieved by using their new new Ultra Wide Custom Band anti-reflective lens coating that give you the most amount of brightness at peak shooting hours, when the warmer colors prevalent.

On top of this their ED Prime Glass provides sharp, color-true detail, for a the best HD image.

Ultra Wide Field of View

Another claim, which I will be looking into when I get my hands on a pair of Bushnell Legend Ultra HD Binoculars, is that they have a field of view that is 12% wider than other 10x binoculars in their class.

The Legend Ultra HD 10x42 has a field of view of 340ft at 1000 yards. If you compare this to other 10x binoculars that I have reviewed:

• Minox 10x42 BV Binoculars: 342 at 1000 yards
• Olympus 10x42 Magellan Binoculars: 314 at 1000 yards
• Bushnell 10x42 NatureView Binoculars: 315 at 1000 yards
• Leica 10x42 Ultravid HD Binoculars: 336 at 1000 yards
• Zeiss 10x42 Victory FL Binoculars: 330 at 1000 yards

Compare all 10x binoculars that I have reviewed here.



Main Features Include

• RainGuard® HD water-repellent lens coating
• Wide field-of-view
• ED Prime Glass
• Ultra Wide Band Coating
• Long eye-relief (15.2mm for the 10x and 17.2 for the 8x)
• Lightweight body made from magnesium
• Waterproof and fog proof
• Soft touch grips
• Locking diopter
• Comes with carry case, neckstrap, microfiber lens cloth and deluxe binocular harness.

Shoppers in the USA

Bushnell Legend Ultra HD Binoculars on Amazon.com

Shoppers in the UK

Not available yet!

Golf Monocular, Binocular, Scope and Range Finder

Since returning to the UK from South Africa where I was working as a Safari Guide, I have always looked for ways to get outdoors and into the countryside and the longer I have been here, the more I have come to appreciate Britain's wonderful wildlife and it's countryside.

I have also discovered golf, for me it is an excellent way to get outdoors and get a little competitive with some friends and have also seen plenty of wildlife on our local course, from the Great spotted woodpecker, to deer and even foxes and so always carry my pair of compact Steiner 10.5x28 Wildlife Pro Binoculars with me.

This along with this years exciting Golf Open Championship held this year at the Ailsa Course at Turnberry, got me thinking about Golf Binoculars.

Golf and Optics combine in so many ways, besides the way I use them to spot the local wildlife:

• Golf Spectator Binoculars
  Almost essential is a good pair of binoculars for golf when you go and watch a tournament and so any general use binocular that is good for watching outdoor sports will do, but a compact pair with a good magnification is ideal, something like my Steiner 10.5x28 Wildlife Pro Binoculars.
• Golf Scopes and Monoculars
  With an internal distance reticle, they are used to work out the distance to the flag. >> Bushnell Golf Scope.
  
• Golf Laser Range Finders
  More accurate than scopes (and more expensive), they are also used to work out the distance to a target on the course. Bushnell produce some of the finest Golf Rangefinders available, take a look at my guide to the Bushnell Golf Range Finder.
  

Long Eye Relief Binoculars for Bird Watching

Bird Watchers who have to wear eyeglasses, will know what a pain it can be to use binoculars, having to remove them every time you bring the binoculars up to your eyes is not only annoying, but can cost you those vital moments which make the difference between identifying the bird or not. This does not however have to be the case:

Long Eye Relief Binoculars

Binoculars eye relief is how far back from the eyepiece your eye can be and still see the whole field of view, wearing glasses means that your eyes will have to be further back and so you need a pair of binoculars with a Long Eye Relief (follow the link for a full overview of why eye relief is so important).

Luckily for those who enjoy birding and have to wear eyeglasses, there are some really fantastic binoculars that are specifically designed for bird watching and that come with really good eye relief.

Bushnell 8x42 NatureView Binoculars
These NatureView binoculars from Bushnell are specifically designed with the birder in mind and for those that have to wear glasses they have an excellent eye relief of 17mm, which should be more than enough for most people. Follow the link to read my full review of them, but the main highlights include excellent quality multi-coated optics, a tough non-slip rubber armor to absorb shock and they are fully waterproof and fog proof. Overall they are excellent value for money birding binoculars.

Minox 8x42 BV Binoculars
With 18mm of eye relief, these value for money birding binoculars from Minox are ideal for those eyeglass wearers (and those who don't) who are looking for the highest quality, but at a more affordable price in their bird watching binoculars. Like the Bushnell's above, they are fully fog proof and water proof and come with a tough exterior that not only protects them but provides a comfortable non slip grip. Where they also really excel is in their field of view, with an impressive 389 ft wide at 1000 yards, compared 330 of the Bushnell above and 342 of the Steiner's below.

Steiner 8x42 Merlin Binoculars
With 19mm of eye relief, these Steiner Merlin binoculars have the longest eye relief of the three birding binoculars featured here. What is more, they have soft, angled eye cups that keep distracting light out of your eyes on bright, sunny days that can fold back should you wish to reduce the length of the eye relief. One thing to point out is that unlike the other two which are fully waterproof, these are only water resistant, but this should be fine so long as you look after them when it begins to rain.

Further Reading:

• Long Eye Relief Binoculars
• Bushnell 8x42 NatureView Binoculars
• Minox 8x42 BV Binoculars
• Steiner 8x42 Merlin Binoculars

Bushnell Perma Focus 8x25 Binoculars 40% Off Sale!

Whilst doing some research into the Bushnell Perma Focus system (Self Focusing Binoculars) I noticed that this pair of Bushnell Perma Focus 8x25 Binoculars has been reduced in price by over 40% on Amazon.com and thought if you were looking for a deal on a decent pair of compact focus free binoculars or Auto Focus binoculars, you could do a lot worse than this set from Bushnell.

USA: Over 40% Off on Amazon.com:
Bushnell Perma Focus 8x25 Binoculars on Amazon.com
I am not sure how long this excellent deal will last, so grab it while you can.

I'm afraid that they are not on sale in the UK, but they are still available on Amazon.co.uk for a reasonable price:
Bushnell Perma Focus 8x25 Binoculars on Amazon.co.uk

Video Explaining the Bushnell Perma Focus 8x25 Binoculars




Features of the Bushnell Perma Focus 8x25 Binoculars

• Fully coated optics for superior light transmission and brightness
• Unique "Focus-Free" feature stays in focus at most viewing distances
• Non-slip rubber armour absorbs shock while providing a firm grip
• BK-7 Prism Glass
• Porro Prism System

The already very affordable Perma Focus binos (Fixed or Self Focusing Binoculars) allow simple, fixed-focus, long-distance viewing. They have a pretty good wide field of view which makes them ideal for a cheaper pair of binoculars for most spectator sports, distant wildlife observation. One of the biggest advantages of Fixed Focus binoculars is their lack of moving parts, this means that they should last, even if they take a few knocks and bumps along the way. So this combined with their compact size means that they are ideal to travel with.

Bushnell's quality fully coated optics make sure that your image is bright and crisp. The ergonomic rubber housing means you won't drop them, even with gloves on if you are using them outdoors in winter.


USA: Over 40% Off on Amazon.com:
Bushnell Perma Focus 8x25 Binoculars on Amazon.com
I am not sure how long this excellent deal will last, so grab it while you can.