Bushnell PowerView 10x50 Wide Angle Binocular

bird watching binoculars / bird watching scopes / birding binoculars

What they say about the Bushnell PowerView 10x50 Wide Angle Binocular

Incredible value for birders, astronomers, etc.,
"I am an avid birder as well as a star-lover. These binoculars are incredible! I have them on my table at all times to watch birds with, and they go with me on any hike or camping trip I take.

The initial setup is super-easy, and once you do that, they are some of the best I've used for tracking down and focusing on a moving object. A quick finger-toggle slides the focus for you without losing track of what you're looking at. I've in fact bought many sets of these binoculars for friends and family as gifts because they were so useful for me, and now I have a wide following addicted to these binoculars.

The image of course is fantastic, well lit and good sized!

If you have any sort of interest in nature, astronomy, sports, or just about anything else which involves viewing objects at a distance, these are definitely the binoculars to try. You won't be disappointed."
-Lisa Shea "LisaShea.com"

This is what is meant by the term - User Friendly!,
"These binoculars are the easiest to use of any I have ever tried. The initial setting directions are simple to follow and then you can instantly change the focus from far to near with finger tip ease. We live on a lake and use them for bird watching. I can focus on a bird at our feeder and then watch it flying all the way to its nest. I just touch the instant focus feature with my finger and do not have to take my eyes off it. I can watch a bird across the lake with the same ease. You do not feel like you need an engineering degree to be able to use these binoculars to their fullest potential. What a concept! Something that is easy to use and does what it's supposed to do at an affordable price!"
-anonymous

Have used these just once and already I'm impressed!,
"My dad and I have both become amateur astronomers in the past couple of months. At first, all we would do is just identify various constellations through our cheap 7X35 Tasco binoculars. I had been thinking of getting a telescope for a month until I decided that maybe I should get more powerful binoculars since I didn't think I could afford a first rate telescope just yet.

Well I looked all over the place online and I couldn't find a good pair of affordable binoculars(I didn't want to pay anymore than $60 for at least a pair of 7X50 binoculars). I soon stumbled upon this pair of binoculars at amazon.com. All the reviews were glowing for this 10X50 Bushnell Powerview Binoculars. After reading all the reviews, my father and I decided that this was the best.

I just got my new binoculars today and already I could see a SIGNIFICANT improvement over my old pair of binoculars. I can now see stars that I had no idea were even there. The moon looks as clear as ever, and the bright star Vega couldn't look more beautiful. Keep in mind that I only took a look at the sky for about 15 minutes! It was EXTREMELY easy to focus and use, I really can't wait to use this more and more! Only problem I found with it was that it was a bit on the heavy side(a common, albeit small complaint from many of the reviewers here). Another problem is the cheap strap, however the case the binoculars come with is very nice. This really is the BEST pair of binoculars you could ever get(in terms of price and quality)."
-Archangel972

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Bushnell PowerView 20x50 Super High-Powered Surveillance Binoculars

bird watching binoculars / bird watching scopes / bushnell

What they say about the Bushnell PowerView 20x50 Super High-Powered Surveillance Binoculars

Very Pleased,
"Ok so the strap is kind of cheap. Other than that, I find the binoculars to work great. Of course I've been using a pair of Jason 7x35 for ten years so this is a big step up. The birds I've been watching from afar are suddenly practically in my living room. I find them very easy to focus and the images are crystal clear. I am very pleased."
-K. JEFFREYS

Great for the Money,
"This is the first Binoc purchase I have made and I will say I am quite pleased.

I have some outdoor friends that have those higher end models made from camera companies that are a few hundred dollars and in all honesty, I can't tell much of a difference. Just remember, this is coming from a beginner. Obviously experts will point out of the "niddy griddy" flaws, etc. for one reason or other. I do the same in other fields of my expertises. But unlike the typical expert, I throw away my pride and firmly believe in the most bang for your buck.

And these Binocs definitely pull through.

Would have been five stars, but I agree with everyone else; the strap is a piece of crap. Haven't even bothered putting in on.

P.S. remember that these magnify 20x. The average person will find it hard to keep the magnified image stable. Military uses 6-8x binocs for this reason."
-Andrew Toussaint

Decent optics but focuser is sloppy,
"Purchased the 16x50 version of these Bushnell binoculars (primarily for star gazing). While the optics seem fine (for the money) the rocker style focuser is easily jarred out of position, even simply by pressing the eyepieces to your eyes when gazing upward or by trying to adjust the diopter.

Probably good for terrestrial use but be prepared to wrestle with the focus when gazing skyward."
-D. Dawson

high power [if] that's what you want,
"I read the reviews on this product and was a little reluctant to buy it [because] people complained that they were too strong and difficult to hold when looking at a distance. If you want strong binoculars that's what will happen. These are fantastic at long distance and need a steady hand. If you want close distance you will need to get weaker ones."
-gobber

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Top 10 Tips When Choosing The Right Binoculars

best binoculars for bird watching / bird watching binoculars / bird watching equipment / bird watching gear / bird watching scopes / bird watching telescope / birding binoculars / bushnell

There are a few simple rules to consider and questions to ask when purchasing your first pair of binoculars.

1. Make sure the power (or magnification) is at least 7-power. The power is the first number given in the numerical notation that describes binoculars. For example, a "7 X 35" pair of "glasses" will make objects appear as if they are seven times as close as they actually are. Seven-power binoculars are about the minimum needed to see birds well. Binoculars 10-power or stronger can be difficult for some birders to hold steady. 

2. Make sure that the second number ("35" for a "7 X 35" pair of glasses) is at least five times as large as the power (e.g., "7 X 35," "8 X 40," etc.). This second number describes the diameter, in millimeters, of the large lens that faces the object of interest - the "objective" lens. The larger this lens is, the greater the amount of light the binoculars gather and thus the easier it will be to see characteristics in dim light or on a dull-colored bird.

3. Are the binoculars too heavy for you to carry and use for at least two hours straight? Don't end up with a hunchback because your binoculars act like a yoke.

4. Can you flex the barrels of the binoculars fairly easily? To test to see if they are too flexible, spread the barrels out as far as possible and then hold onto only one of the barrels. Does the free barrel slip or fall from the spread position? It shouldn't.

5. When held a foot away, do the large objective lenses reflect a bluish or purplish tinge? If they do, the lenses are color-coated. This coating reduces internal glare in the binoculars and increases the amount of light that actually comes to your eyes. Check lenses to make sure the coatings are free of any blotches or scrapes.

6. Can you bring the barrels of the binoculars close enough together so that the image you see merges into a single, clear image within a single, perfect circle? If the image isn't singular or clear, the binoculars may be out of alignment or the eyepieces may not come close enough together to accommodate your eyes. These two problems may lead to eye strain and severe headaches.

7. Do you wear prescription eyeglasses? If you do, your binoculars should have rubber eye cups that fold back. This allows you to put your eyeglasses up closer to the eyepieces of your binoculars and gives you a much larger field of view.

8. Do the binoculars produce a clear image of an object only 20 feet away? Some binoculars do not focus on objects this close, so you may miss the sparrow or warbler that skulks in a nearby bush.

9. Look at a sign with large lettering. Do the letters close to the edge of the field of view appear as precise and well-formed as the letters in the center of the field of view? Image distortion towards the edge of binoculars is common in bad binoculars - like looking through a fish-eye lens. Look for a pair that has minimal distortion

10. When you focus on a license plate or small sign two blocks away, are the letters and numbers clear?  If they're not, choose a different pair!

One thing about binoculars is that you don't always have to have the best specs for bird watching.  Any binoculars are better than none at all.  The thing to remember is that you need to have something to magnify the birds you will be looking for.  If you are serious about bird watching, take heed of the tips for buying binoculars given above.  They will be well worth the money!

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