The Bottom Line: The Bushnell Powerview Variable Power 7 - 15x binoculars offer the sportsman, hiker, stargazer, or neighborhood snoop a good set of binoculars at a reasonable price.
George_Chabot's Full Review: Bushnell PowerView 13-7016 Binocular
Bushnell Powerview Zoom Binoculars
If you like the outdoors, attending sporting events, star gazing, or checking out the neighborhood, a good pair of binoculars is hard to beat. The trouble is, in the area of optics you can spend as much as you want; the sky is the limit. You can buy a lot of features that are expensive but essentially bring you nothing if you don't use them. Just how much binocular do you need? Those are questions you should answer before you go out to buy your first pair.
Binoculars are essentially a pair of telescopes, aligned to either eye that enable you to see better detail at a distance. Most binoculars are fixed power like 7, 8, or 10x. That number means an object will appear, for example, 7 times larger through the binocular than it would to the naked eye at the same distance. The higher the number, the larger the picture, however, the higher the power also means the apparent movement of the image is more also with your natural shakiness, heartbeat, and so on.
Using binoculars is a bit of an art where you learn to take a steady position and see as clearly as possible by minimizing the movement of the binoculars. It takes a little practice to get good at it. Lately, there have appeared Zoom binoculars with variable power that can double the power from 7 to 15x, for example.
In the description of binoculars, there is generally a second number, mainly 35 or 50, but it can be another. They come labeled 7x35, for example. That second number refers to the diameter of the objective lens, the large lens furthest from the eyepiece. The larger the objective lens, the more light gathering capacity the binocular has; also, the larger the number, the heavier it is. A higher number generally allows you to see later in the day, at dusk.
So, for every advantage, there is usually a tradeoff. You might think 10x50 binoculars sound good from the spec sheet. But when you carry them hanging around your neck it might seem unwieldy or heavy so it's good to examine the binoculars in person before you purchase them.
The Bushnell Powerview binoculars have a variable power that Zooms between 7 - 15x. Fifteen power is very strong and brings fine detail through the binoculars to the viewer. I can see a 1 /4" hole - about the size a paper punch makes - clearly at 100 yards through my 7 - 15X binoculars when set to full power. To see that fine a detail, you need to adopt a three point stance like on your two feet leaning your shoulder against a tree to give you stability. The clear view of such a small feature tells me the focus is excellent.
The binoculars focus with a center rocking adjustment that works easily with the fingertips of either hand as you look through the binoculars. There is also a diopter on one eyepiece to adjust to differences between your two eyes if you have one. The Zoom feature is a continuously variable switch on the right eyepiece. The lenses are fully coated for maximum light transmission in low light. Parts of the body of the binoculars are covered with rubber armor to add some shock resistance. Like all optics, however, you should be careful as they are delicate. The binoculars come with lens caps and a soft case with a carrying strap. The carrying strap is a bit short and could have been longer. For a moderately priced (~ $100) pair of binoculars, I find the Bushnell 7 - 15X variable power binoculars an outstanding buy with clear, excellent magnification.
7x to 15x magnification Special zoom capability Field of view ranges from 180 to 280 feet at 1,000 yards Insta-Focus 1-touch focusing system Includes ...More at Amazon Marketplace
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