Customer Reviews

Meade CaptureView 8X42 2MP Digital Camera Binocular with LCD Screen

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

At least this is the real thing! I purchase the previous Capture View compact from Mead for $$$$....I was so disappointed because its picture quality was little better than a toy. It could not handle low light and the resolution was that of a Barbie Camera (Mattel)! Still I fell in love with the concept of a marriage between the digital camera and the Binocular. I felt that I was taking a real chance here on buying this product, but I figured that with 2MP (Which ...by the way there is a setting for 3MP) it had to be better hten the first CaptureView. I was right (Thank God!) This Digital Binocular really works and with acceptable quality.
I also have a Coolpix 4500, so I figured I would compare how the coolpix 4500 at full digital zoom and the Meade binoculars compared. I focused on a subject of a construction site far on the horizon (Must be a few miles away). As far as Magnification, both the CoolPix 4500 and the Binoculars are about tied. ( So maybe a camera is more versitile in most cases.) But the coolpix pictures at full digital zoom could not stand up to the clarity of the Binoculars picture.
The Binoculars arrived with some smudges on the plastic body casing (Looks like grease, which I had to clean off), There was also a minor scratch on the plastic, but still not worth sending back and complaining since this is not a gift and all I care about is functionality. The body is kind of cheap in appearance but this one has a lot more functionality than the other binocular combos I have seen. One comment though....WHERE ARE THE LENS CAPS??? Geez, you make a quality lens for a binocular and don't include a $ .. lens cap for it....it just does not make sense.
I am satisfied with this product, although I believe that the Digital Binocular is still in its young days, and will improve greatly in the next few years.
I think ypur option to buy this product depends on what you wish to do with it....For taking pictures of objects within a 300ft range, stick with your camera. To get fair to good quality shots at a great distance, this is the ticket. I have not tried making a 90 second AVI movie yet...I'll do that when the weather clears, but I have tried shooting in low light. Since there is no shuttle control, you will not be able to do any astrophotography with this unit ( a bright moon appears washed out...) but it can do low light situations. I could not hold it steady enough to do Mars, although it did show up looking quiet like a bright star in the pic ( Just with a trail since my hand is unsteady..) HINT: The next version needs a tripod mounting screw....
In summary this is a little expensive at $$$$ I think I would like to pay about $$$$ for it. I also feel that the casing could be stronger and a camera is more versitle (Third-party vendors make a zoom lens for the coolpix...I could have gone for that...but I love new technologies so I gave this a try.)
I give this Capture View Binoculars four stars because it meets my expectations of what it should be able to do.

I did a lot of research before choosing the Meade CaptureView 8x42 2MP Digital Camera Binocular. This one offers the most for a reasonable price. Unfortunately, the one reason you're probably looking to buy it will be nothing at all like what you were expecting.

As binoculars go, the CaptureView 8x42 works fantastic. It's easy to tune to your own eyesight, it's got a sharp, clear field of view, and the zoom level is as good as more expensive pairs I've looked through.

As a plug-and-play device, it's also really good: any computer I've plugged it into responds quickly, and files are easily accessed. There is software you can also use, but generally I don't have to have it in order to download images.

Ah, but there's the rub: the images. Digital binoculars don't actually use the binocular lenses to take a picture. I imagine there's not a way to easily do this, so the camera in the binoculars uses its own lens. As a result, the camera is really poor. Daytime images at a variety of ranges have come out with a milky white haze. Photoshop doesn't really fix this problem because it permeates the image, as if you're gazing through watery eyes or seeing a corona of white. On images that do not produce a haze, you have pictures about as good as you would see on a typical cellphone camera. Except that in low-light conditions, cellphones take better pictures. After taking picures in low lighting, and looking from darkness into a spotlight, I was amazed at how little light actually came through in the final image: even at a short distance, things that I knew to be brightly lit were blurry, grainy, and sunken in murky darkness.

If you are looking for a great pair of binoculars that you can also use to snap simple pictures while you are on vacation, the Meade CaptureView 8x42 is a good choice. If you're looking for a way to grab telephoto-quality pictures of faraway scenes, this will not live up to your expectations--a decent point-and-shoot digital camera will probably do better, especially in multiple lighting conditions.

The digital camera looks and works cheap. Had to return product.
The battery compartment cover was not engineered properly, and the camera kept shutting down or not turning on at all.
2) There's no tripod screw!
3) The camera screen is not made well. In direct light you can hardly see the image. And it feels like it will fall off in the near future.
4) No lense covers!
5) The camera case is plastic!
6) Great Binoculars however.
The product is made in China. It shows with the digital camera.
Solid idea in integration of the products. However, engineering needs work for that price.

After reading some mixed reviews I was skeptical, but I wanted the product and no other had as many features. Besides, I figure you get what you pay for and this was the most expensive of the bino/cameras.

The bad news first: The item feels somewhat flimsy despite its 11/2 pounds. It's made of plastic; you wouldn't want to drop it. The flip-up LCD screen appears vulnerable on its lightweight hinged base. This base rubs on an internal cable, which may wear, causing future problems. The battery cover fits so loosely I have to hold it in place with a rubber band or the camera turns off.

The good news: Most of the plastic (except the battery cover) is heavy duty. The LCD screen can be left down most of the time so it's out of harm's way. You can't see it in bright light anyway and it's only needed for the initial setup and to view pictures. Power is readily maintained with the application of a rubber band to hold the battery cover in place. The binoculars are great. The 2MP images are excellent to my non-professional eye and accurately duplicate the view seen through the binoculars. Resolution is even sufficient for further magnification with photo software. The menu and controls are user friendly. One of the best features is the internal
flash menory, which retains images even if the batteries fail, and the SD slot for expandability. Plug n' play means no potentially faulty external drivers. The device is recognized as a hard drive and images can be opened in any photo app..

I'm satisfied. It's a keeper!

I have only used these twice for a total of about 40 pictures. I am sure once I use them more the quality will improve. I was disappointed when I realized that what you see in the binocular is NOT what the picture will be. To frame the picture you must use the LCD screen, which is impossible to see in sunlight. I suggest getting either a good digital camera with high zoom or good binoculars not a combination, until this tecnology improves. The binoculars are very good by themselves.The camera is difficult to use.

I received my Amazon/Meade Binocular order the first time with an inoperative video screen. Amazon sent out a replacement the next day.

New order arrived, read manual, experimented with photo capabilities, video screen worked and looked great, excited.

Then...on/off toggle button stuck, and stays stuck that same day, after only a few hours of use, another serious designer flaw from the factory. Now I'm starting to feel cheated. The unit becomes inoperative, looping through boot-up commands, then turning off automatically. Item returned, I'm sitting out the next dance.

My discoveries...I liked the 3MP capabilities, still shots looked great, video quality is at a lower resolution than expected, camera is separate from binoculars, this is acceptable since the camera has auto-focus.

Critique: Eye to binocular contact not as comfortable as some standard binoculars I've had, manual focus knob on binoculars placed in a strange position, unit is a little bulky.

Overall, very user friendly with lots of potential, good luck.

I took some pictures the first day and they turned out great! 3.0 mp setting is best quality. Amazing how close up pictures turned out clear and crisp. The other reviewers statements about outdoor pictures being bad, HE'S WRONG they are better or as good as my nikon coolpix 775 2.0 mp. way to go meade!

I just got my meade binoculars/digital camera. I believe the binoculars are excellent. The camera part can use some work, but for a product in its infancy, its kind of fun. I am still testing the camera part, but I do believe the price is a little high. The casing is plastic, but it appears to be pretty sturdy. It is also a bit heavier than my celestron binocular/digital camera (with no LCD). Overall, for a little fun and something new it is okay. DEFINITELY, NEEDS TRIPOD CAPABILITY, WHICH THIS ITEM DOES NOT HAVE. IF YOU ARE VERY SERIOUS ABOUT GETTING AN ITEM SUCH AS THIS AND YOU REALLY NEED IT FOR SERIOUS PIX TAKING I WOULD NOT BUY THIS ITEM UNTIL THE TECHNOLOGY IMPROVES, BUT IF YOU WANT IT FOR FUN AND THE PRICE GOES DOWN A BIT, THEN GO FOR IT. I AM KEEPING MINE. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO ADVANCEMENT IN THIS FIELD.

The product is user friendly. I am able to use all features of the binocular without referring to the manual after less than an hour spent reading the manual and becoming familiar with the controls, menus and other features. I am very pleased with my binoculars. They are comfortable and easy to use while viewing a sporting event. I used them for every play while watching a football game and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The binoculars' field of view was perfect and I used an SD card to expand memory to allow recording of the entire game. The resulting pictures both still and movies were excellent quality. I am looking forward to using the binoculars at baseball games, for fishing trips and during other outdoor activities.

The binocs are really nice and sharp, but you can purchase just as good for less.
The eye pieces were difficult to get used to, but for viewing I really like them.
Camera is absolutely disappointing.

I have not taken the first clear image. The shutter is at the top and makes taking a photo quite awkward for someone with small hands.

I tried different cards, in case the write speed was blurring the image.
No difference in quality. I used a prop and snapped a photo, and image was still unclear. Played around with settings and still no good results.

I would not recommend this as a camera AT ALL.

To help with your decision, please view submitted photo. If your needs require better clarity than the submitted photo, think again. This was taken at noon on a cloudy day. 3 Megapixels. Please identify the bird inside the airbrushed red circle.

So, for example: if you're searching for an Ivory Billed Woodpecker, you'd better choose more wisely - cause there's no way anyone at Cornell is going to accept this as scientific proof.

Bird in photo is a Red Bellied Woodpecker, which is approx. 9". I am about 70 - 80 feet away. 66 ft is minimum focal distance.

Hope this helps.