BushnellPowerview 16x50 Binocular

Rather light and handy -- thx to the focus lever which allows ultra-fast adaptation to distances in a split-second --, good and very useable magnification, no issue with adapting them ( eye-distance wasn't an issue at all ). Clear and steady view. Only minor trouble was the pair received had a slight Q.C. mistake : there was a small impact on one objective lense, I checked if it was a nuisance in different angles related to sunlight and decided to keep them. Planning on using them for mountain and brush terrain. Overall very nice binos ( also own a pair in 10x50 ).

When you're getting a pair of 16x50 binoculars at this price-point, it would probably be harsh of me to criticize them too hard, so long as I can see through them effectively :-)They're heavy - but that's what I expected, so no complaints there.The strap that comes with these is made of nasty thick plastic - a kind of strap that I haven't seen since I got a cheap SLR in the early 1980s. Completely pointless (unusable in my opinion), and the first thing I would advise is to go buy the strap/support system of your choice and don't relay on the nasty accessory that comes with.The binoculars come with lens caps on. I haven't figure out if they intend you to use them all the time to protect the lenses, or if they're just for show in the box. The large caps are fine, but the small ones do not stay attached, so don't rely on them to protect.In use, the quick focus mechanism is actually very effective but definitely requires two hands to operate as it's a little stiff (and as a lever, you have to be able to press down on either side). I guess few people would be operating something this heavy with one hand, but it does mean that both hands are under tension as you have to have fingers on the focus mechanism.Optically, these are absolutely built to the price. Definite chromatic aberration here giving a nice blue/yellow fringe, especially at longer distances. But for the price, I kind of expected that. Diopter correction works well.Overall, a great product for the price. I would possibly recommend looking at spending a little more to get some better optics, but really for this money it's a great way to get this much magnification.

These binoculars have good optical quality for a low price. The focus is a little tough to do because of the higher power. The focus lever is a little tight and it's easy to go past the focal point because you have to press so hard on the focus lever. The higher power makes it difficult holding these binoculars steady but that's not a fault of the binoculars but just the fact that this is probably the highest optical power you can use and still be hand held. Field of view is also pretty narrow but once again this is because of the higher power. On the plus side these binoculars have a big bright image. The optics is quite sharp and the price is very reasonable. I like them and use them for bird watching but I do realize the compromises I have to make to get high power at a low price.

The pair of 16x50 Bushnell Powerview binoculars I received were defective from the start, with serious double vision and unequal focus between eyes (despite diopter adjustment), so I can't comment on their optic quality. I did test each barrel separately and thought the 16x50 view was big, bright and clear. . .Although it seemed neither side focused real shapely, that may have been from the defect(s) my pair came with.Currently (3/2014) the listing for these 16x50 Porro-Prism binoculars says Roof Prism for some reason ??I tested my 16x50's on a sunny day. Tho they're high power (16) for the objective lens diameter (50), the exit pupil size gave me no trouble. . .It may have been in double vision but it was easy to get the full view, at least on a bright day.There are complaints in the reviews about the Lever focus mechanism, versus a focus wheel. The little that I used the binoculars, I didn't have a problem with the lever focus. In fact, focusing by rocking the lever with a finger on each side was kind of nice. The lever mechanism seems like a promising idea but apparently whether Bushnell executed it effectively is in question. And I suppose it's possible the lever mechanism had something to do with the unequal focus between barrels and apparent soft-focus but given my pair's other huge problems, it was impossible to tell.The reviews complaining of the too-wide interpupillary adjustment are SPOT-ON. I'm male of average height. My eyes aren't particularly close together but my binoculars at their narrowest interpupillary distance were barely narrow enough for me. I've never before had that trouble with binoculars. These binoculars would be useless for lots and lots of people.Otherwise the binoculars seemed solid and durable.My main problem wasn't with the binoculars but with Amazon Warehouse Deals, where I bought them. There's no reason binoculars this defective should have been relisted and sold to me...It's plain bad business and bad customer service. Anyone considering buying binoculars from Warehouse Deals should do it with eyes wide open for lemons. Luckily they're pretty easy about returns and letting you try again. A keeper arrives eventually.Of course I'll return them. I'm ambivalent about trying another pair of 16x50 Powerviews. The complaints about the focus lever and interpupillary adjustment had me on the fence to begin with. Then I get this pair that's so miserably out-of-whack. . .It might be a fluke or it might be the Powerview design ??If you're looking at Powerviews, consider Bushnell H2O; I have a pair of 8x42 H2O's. For about the same price the H2O's are waterproof & more solid and come with a wheel focus and better twist-up, rather than fold-up, eyecups. However, H2O's don't have the attractive selection of high powers and big objectives.

The binocular is good to our use. We mainly use it to spot wildlife at a nearby national wildlife refuge. We used to use two toy binoculars, but recently decided to have a higher-end one. This one definitely fits our needs. My 5-year-old is very excited with it. Although someone said it is a bit heavy, both my kid and I find it not a problem. The only minor imperfection is the protective bag seems to be in low quality.