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Brenda Belcher photo
Belgium, Brussels
1 Level
512 Review
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Review on πŸ” Bushnell Engage DX 10x42mm Binocular: Premium Black Optics for Immaculate Vision by Brenda Belcher

Revainrating 5 out of 5

Outstanding quality and ergonomics in the comparison test

I compared these binoculars to my old Leica BA and Zeiss BT using the standard resolution and a color chart found on the internet and posted the results below. I've used the Zeiss to watch a play or when I need a purse or bag, but I carry a Leica when I need precision and don't mind the anvil-like weight. As you will see, the Bushnells are a great compromise. BTW, if you are serious about binoculars I would suggest looking into astronomy or birding sites as well as Revain reviews. Image Quality: I thought the Leica had excellent brightness and clarity, as expected, with longer eye relief, more expensive glass and more light. - Gathering ability. Although the Bushnells were doing well. Zeiss aren't that good and seem to be looking at straws. Daylight and Dark Line and Color Resolution: The Bushnell was about as good as the Leica in daylight, but deteriorated noticeably at dusk (again you'd expect that given the quality of the glass and eye relief). Zeiss took third place. Motion Clutter: I placed a fan next to the charts and noticed how motion affects image quality. This is where I thought Bushnell was superior, but it was partly because the size of the image was close to the size of the charts. Close focus: The Bushnell won this by a wide margin - about two meters closer than the Leica. Weight and Handling: Again, the Bushnell clearly outperformed them. The Leicas were simply too heavy and the Zeiss too light, especially in direct comparison. I would like some "weight" to stabilize the instruments, but not as much weight as the Leica! Ease of use: Again, Bushnell was the winner. I just felt that they were more accessible to my hands and easier to get to my eyes. The diopter and focuser were easier to use than the Leica and much more accurate than the Zeiss. However, if I had to carry my instruments in dense bushes and keep them in a case, I would prefer the Leica. Field of view: As expected, the Leicas were better here with their lower magnification. That was noticeable, but of course the increase will be worse. Build Quality: As you'd expect, the Leica will probably stand up to abuse better with its weight and tube mount, but if you take good care of your tools, the Bushnells should be fine. In fact, I would be more cautious about the Leica than the other two due to its significantly higher price. about half of them (but be careful). Now for some trouble. Most annoying(?) is that while the front lens caps attach to the binoculars body, they never seem to stay in place. The diopter adjustment prevents the back cover from fully fitting, and you can adjust the diopter when you swap covers. While you can easily train your eyes to compensate, I did find some "cardioid grain" (dark fringes as you move your eyes around the lenses) and occasional ghosting from the lens, despite the ED coating. I also found more false colors than I would have liked on Jupiter, colored stars and the moon, although the image quality was good. I also had to "train" my eyes to center the subject in the lenses. Finally, after comparing the edge sharpness, you can see why Bushnell's price is low: image quality drops off quite a bit when you look at the periphery of the view, although it might not make much of a difference in 'normal' viewing. were an excellent compromise between the ultra-light but ultra-narrow field of view of Zeiss and the high quality but massive Leica. You'll feel some loss in edge sharpness, brightness and low-light performance, but this might only be noticeable in direct comparison. They will be in my purse for my next gig and in my backpack for my next outdoor adventure.

Pros
  • A dream come true
Cons
  • Secret