Customer Reviews

Bushnell Xtra-Wide 4x 30mm Binocular

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

We own three pair of these great wide-field binoculars. Almost everyone sitting near us whom we lend these to, even for just a few moments during opera and ballet events, ask where they can buy a pair of their own. Enough said!

This product works great for stadium viewing of all types of events. I especially wanted it to view football games and the field of vision is so wide it allows me to see everything from sideline to sideline. The only way this product could be better is if they could make a higher power magnification with the same field of vision.

Theese wide angled binoculars let you see the whole stage not just a single spot. They are great. We own two of them.

I bought this binocular based on recommendation of earlier reviews and I have to admit that they were right. 4x30 seem kind of weak in term of magnification but for what it was designed for this binocular is excellent. You get to see more in a given area than standard 8x20 binocular and you don't have to worry about focusing.

Initially I thought this binocular was very bulky but I was quickly won over on how comfortable it was holding it. This is the binocular to carry when you are going to air show, concert, and sports viewing.

I bought these to bring to three Broadway shows. The 4x power is perfect for that, and the wide view is great because you can view the whole width of the stage without moving the binoculars around. The only problem during a Broadway show is that the binoculars are a bit bulky. For a Broadway show, a smaller, more compact, 4x opera glasses might be better. The focus is very sharp, which is better than expected with a focus-free binocular. The focus-free is nice because I could pass it around to others in my party, then they just put them up and viewed without having to fool around with focusing.

Once football season starts, I think these will be great. I go to several football games a year, and usually get the crappy noise-blead cheap seats. These will be great for those seats. I used to bring 8x binoculars to the games, but they are to high powered and only let you see a single player, not really see overall game play. So these should be perfect for that. Also, the somewhat bulky size of the binoculars won't be a problem at a football game, the way they are a Broadway show.

I also took these up to the top of the Empire State building, and everyone said they where much better than using the coin-operated binoculars on the observation deck. They gave a great overall view of the city.

Focus is very sharp in the center, and a little less sharp at the edges. But I am very happy with the focus-free binoculars. They also come with a nice case, and a small scratch-free cleaning cloth for the lenses.

Nice overall value. I would give 5 stars if they were a bit more compact. So, I'm knocking a star off due to them being a bit to bulky for theater use. But for stadium use, they would be 5 stars.

These binoculars are truly remarkable in their clear picture and wide range.
They do not need focusing for someone with normal vision, but I wish it were possible to focus so I could take my glasses off to enjoy the complete view.
They are a bit bulky in width, but their short length is nice.

It might help everyone better understand these reviews of optical devices if reviewers would mention whether they wear eyeglasses or contact lenses. Evaluation of optical devices depends on whether the reviewer is looking through another set of lenses. If you wear glasses, please share the strength in diopters, and whether there is an astigmatic or cylindrical correction. Please mention if you wear bifocals or trifocals, and the strength of the reading areas.

Overall, I found these Bushnell Xtra-Wide 4x30 Binoculars to be a good value. I use them to watch opera.

On a recent trip, these binoculars worked well. I saw six opera performances, in three different opera houses, sitting at various distances from the stage.

This was a 3,000 mile road trip, and these Bushnell binoculars seemed to be fairly durable. They survived the packing and unpacking, and the vibration and jostling of car travel. Of course, I did not do any deliberate drop or impact testing! They also survived the summer heat soak test, packed in the parked car.

The physical size and weight of these binoculars was not a problem for me, although some might find their size uncomfortable, since these Bushnells are significantly larger than traditional opera glasses. But they are light enough to carry easily, along with an umbrella and water bottle. (This was a long, HOT, summer road trip.) The 4X magnification is a bit stronger than the traditional 3X of opera glasses. However, the field of view IS significantly wider than the smaller, traditional opera glasses. The extra magnification did not make the image more unstable, that is, shaky or jittery. I prefer these Bushnells to the traditional opera glasses.

Because these "bins" are larger than average, I was concerned that the opera houses might suspect that these Bushnells were a pair of digital camera binoculars, and object to their use. But no one said anything. Ushers WERE asking people to put away any cameras. Photography IS prohibited. (Here are examples of camera binoculars and camcorder binoculars: BinoCatch 4x28 Digital Binoculars w/Built-In Digital Camera/Camcorder Bushnell ImageView 10x25 VGA Digital Camera Binocular Celestron VistaPix 8x32 3.1 Megapixel Binocular/Digital Camera w/LCD (Champagne Gold) )

There is only one drawback. These Bushnell "bins" have no focus adjustment. I wear "no-line" continuously variable bifocals, that vary from minus 2.5 diopters for distance to zero diopters for reading, with a tiny correction for astigmatism. I found that I can get perfect focus by sliding these Bushnell bins to the right spot in my eyeglass lenses. If you wear glasses that are single focus, lined bifocals, or trifocals, these Bushnell binoculars might not work for you. Your results might possibly be unsatisfactory, depending on the prescription strength and design of your eyeglass lens.

I use this mainly to watch football games from the upper view level of the stadium. I see the area of play very well and can easily see the action of the football. It's great that these are focus-free, so I am able to share it with someone without having to adjust the focus. It would be nice if the focus was stronger so I can see the players' expressions, but that is probably a lot to ask! Overall, these are great for sporting events.

I use these at Pro Football games I go to. They are nice because you can see more of the field. There is no focusing to deal with, if you dont have 20/20 vision you just have to have your contacts or glasses on. Overall I like them.

I do the public address for a semi-pro football team. I purchased these binoculars because the set in the pressbox had disappeared. I was so impressed with the wide-angle view and with the clarity. With the set I was using before, I would lose track of the the ball and miss the end of plays. With these, I can watch the entire play and clearly identify the players involved. The magnification is perfect for watching sports from the stands or from a pressbox. The price and the Busnell reputation made this an easy choice.