On this page I review my 16x50 Bushnell binoculars. In the review I give the good and the bad, and it's been mostly good.

If you want to know more of my experience with Bushnell, read on.

A Christmas Present

Having used them for some time now, I can give the good and bad. The bad may be peculiar to the particular pair I have, as I've not had the opportunity to view through any other Bushnell binoculars.

The Good

The good is that the binoculars are a handy size. They are physically about the same dimensions as an old pair of 7x50s that I own. They have a conveniently placed adjustment on the center bar (red arrow) that can be operated quickly to achieve focus. It's a rocker that needs a finger from each hand to work, but it allows for very fast focusing.

Like most binoculars, the right ocular can be further focused by rotating it. This lets the user accommodate the fact that his two eyes may not require the same focus.

The unit has a small plug on the front of the center post that can be removed to accommodate a tripod bracket. The unit came with a soft plastic carrying pouch. The pouch seems padded well enough to be of some protection.

Individual lens caps for front and rear were provided to protect the lenses when not in use.

The unit was well aligned, and I've had no issue with alignment during use. That my seem to be a surprising statement, but I've had experiences with binoculars that suggest you can't take alignment for granted (see my Barska review).

The binocular housing has a kind of tough, rubbery covering that gives the binoculars a rugged look and feel. The covering has held up well to use.

On the bad side, I have one barrel -- the right-- that doesn't come to as crisp a focus as the left. Even though it's the right ocular that has a twist focus, the right barrel simply doesn't come to as good a focus as the left.

In practice I've found that the binoculars do augment the old 7x50s, and provide that additional magnification for smaller objects. But as I describe in my binocular tutorial, at 16 power the binoculars are difficult to hold steady.

As to recommendation, I have found the Bushnell binoculars to be well aligned and solid. That is, they stand up to use well. And as I originally envisioned, they do a good job of supplementing my 7x50s. I often take both pair out, because the are relatively compact, and use the 7x50s to peer around, and grab the 16x50s when I run across something of interest.

I would recommend them as an inexpensive set of optics with the caveat that you look through any pair you intend on purchasing before buying. If you find good focus on both barrels, you should have a good pair of binoculars for a long time.