Customer Reviews

Bushnell Elite 8x43 Waterproof/Fogproof PC3 Magnesium Binocular

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I've owned several Elite binoculars since 1990 and have used them a lot. Six months ago, I purchased the new 8x43 Elites and have found that Bushnell has done an excellent job with this completely redesigned binocular.

One great feature is that they are so lightweight that you hardly notice them around your neck. They are also remarkably compact and they have the look and feel of quality. The new open double-hinged design looks great and this binocular feels good in the hands. I normally don't care for thumb grooves, but the grooves on these Elites are symmetrical and shallow and feel fine to me (much better than some earlier Elites in this regard).

The focusing mechanism of a binocular is critical, and the Elite is very good in this regard. The focus wheel is large and it turns very smoothly and easily right out of the box. It does take approximately 1.75 rotations of the focus wheel to go from 8 feet to infinity. From 30 feet and beyond you'll barely notice this feature, but focusing on a bird (or anything else) that is in close requires a fair amount of wheel turning. I would prefer a quicker focus, but it's not a major drawback- especially considering how good this binocular is in all other respects.

How do they stack up optically? I think they are really very good. The image is sharp and bright and the field of view is adequate. In an informal side by side comparison with the Nikon Venturer (widely regarded as one of the best), I was hard pressed to detect any difference in image quality. I don't think anyone will be disappointed with the view through these Elites.

In summary, this is a really nice binocular. They are expensive, but they sell for significantly less than a number of other high end models. Considering the great ergonomics, 'weatherproofness', state of the art design and materials and excellent optics, this new Elite is a great offering at a very competitive price. I highly recommend them to anyone wanting a top of the line binocular for birding or any other use where top quality optics are desired.