BushnellLegend 10x42 Ultra HD Monocular, Optical Performance for Hunting and Wildlife Observation

I am extremely impressed by this scope. About the size of a standard flashlight, it is a marvel. Solidly built with lens caps on either end, the unit has an ingenious one-handed focus wheel that works perfectly. It is also 100% water and fog-proof, with a rugged rubberized coating.In looking through it, I am even more impressed: a crystal-clear, super bright image that really opens up the world. The shape and size makes it easy to keep it steady in the hand, and the 10x is really just perfect for urban viewing and bird watching. I am impressed that the light-gathering is significantly better than the unassisted eye; that is to say, looking through here shows a brighter image than without it!I have another scope that I love, the Minox Macroscope 8x25 Waterproof Rubber Armored Mini Telescope, Black Edition 62207 that I compare this to. The Minox is a bit smaller and requires two hands to focus, though it does seem to allow focus on even closer objects than the Bushnell (for example, a butterfly just a few feet away). The Minox is also much easier to conceal/carry at nearly pocketable size, whereas the Bushnell is basically half of a medium-sized pair of binoculars. The tradeoff, however, is image quality. There is no doubt that this larger scope has greater magnification (10x vs. 8x of the Minox) and gathers significantly more light to create a brighter image, even in relatively dark conditions (that's what the second number means, how big the lens is, 42mm for the Bushnell vs. 25mm on the Minox).Overall, I am delighted with this purchase and feel that this is a state-of-the-art item. I read a number of reviews and professional comparisons, and was very pleased by the near-universal praise for these optics. Although I love my Minox scope, this will dethrone it for my "go to" scope... and that is saying something!

Background: I'm mostly blind and have started birding. My right eye doesn't really work, so why carry an extra heavy binocular tube? This is the best monocular I've been able to find, and believe me- I did a ton of research before choosing it. The Bushnell monocular is the only one that lists all it's specs and details. I've looked at the top competitors: Vortex, Wingspan, and Gosky have comparable monoculars, but I found them to be sketchy because of the lack of detail provided by both seller and company. They may well be very nice optics, but I like to Know what I'm getting into.Good stuff:I opted for a 10 power optic, not the standard 8 used in birding.One hand focus works quickly enough to aquire the target within seconds.The image quality is what I would expect from something like a Nikon Monarch 400 (I think that's what it's called). It's super clear, and easy to stabilize- not that it shakes that much at that power anyway.It's sturdy enough to be banged around in my pack, and has held up to a drop or two from it. I was ecstatic to find the Cooper's hawk before any in my group.Bad stuff:Well, considering the Bushnell legend hd roof prism binoculars of the same size run around the same price, I think this optic is pretty expensive. This is assuming that this optic is adapted from half of that set.The top lense cap is made of hard plastic, which can damage the coating and make annoying clanking sounds if it pops off.I don't think much of the case, which is bulky and poorly designed where utility is concerned.If shaken vigorously, this optic will rattle a bit. The source of the sound is a loosely fit tube housing around the screw that adjusts focus. It's not a main component, and isn't going to affect the actual Working mechanisms, which are all well fitted and tight.

Quality product. Much easier to focus than typical binoculars. Easy to store. Like to use to view Whitetail Deer.

It's not Leica quality. I'm not going to blow smoke up your rear end. However, for the money, it is a good optic. There are aberrations as you go toward the outer edge of the glass but they're mild. It's a good, clear, optic. The focus wheel is easy to use. It makes my Vortex 8x36 look like a cheap, plastic lense, BSA toy.

I first bought a pair of NOCS , and they just didn’t fit on right with my glasses and they weren’t powerful enough for me 10x32These are great 10x40 , easy focus with one hand , clear view , I will use them when I’m on a cruise to see some whales.In the hand.The caps are great but when they are on the product , but when they are off of the scope the straps get in the way, and you have to hold it to keep it from swinging. The cap at the end of the monocular only opens so far and kinda gets in the way.Overall great scope when you want something more compact and lighter than binoculars this is it.