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Reviews > Eye Protection and Binoculars > Binoculars > Bushnell NatureView binoculars > Test Report by Kurt PapkeBushnell NatureView Binoculars
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Name: | Kurt Papke |
Age: | 59 |
Gender: | Male |
Height: | 6' 4" (193 cm) |
Weight: | 230 lbs (104 kg) |
Email address: | kwpapke at gmail dot com |
City, State, Country: | Tucson, Arizona USA |
Manufacturer: | Bushnell |
Model: |
NatureView 6x30 mm |
Year of manufacture: | 2013 |
MSRP: |
US $139.95 |
Manufacturer website: |
http://www.bushnell.com/ |
Color tested: |
Tan
(the only color available) |
Lenses: |
Close
Focus: 9 ft (2.7 m) Lens Coating: Fully Multi-Coated Field of View: 419 ft @ 1000 yds (140 m @ 1000 m) Bak-4 Porro prisms |
Weight: | Listed: 17.3 oz (490 g) Measured: 16.9 oz (479 g) without case or straps With case and straps: 20.5 (582 g) |
I took them outside on the patio and used them to observe some
hummingbirds on a feeder in close proximity, close enough that my
standard binoculars cannot focus. I was happy to discover
that I could see the little birds quite clearly, with no
difficulty getting them in focus.
When I tried to attach the neck strap I really struggled:
The strap is just slightly too wide for the slot. I'm going
to wrestle with this later when I really need the straps in the
field.
In addition to the following backpacking trips I have used the
NatureView binoculars on many occasions around my house for
wildlife viewing, and on several day hikes and Jeep trips.
Date |
Location |
Trail |
Distance |
Terrain/ trail type |
Weather |
Altitude
range |
August 10-11, 2013 |
Santa Catalina Mtns, near Tucson, Arizona |
Romero Canyon |
12 mi (19 km) |
Sky island canyon |
Sunny, hot, 59-102 F (15-39 C) |
2600-5100 ft (790-1550 m) |
September 21-22, 2013 | Santa Catalina Mtns, near Tucson, Arizona | Romero Canyon |
10.5 mi (17 km) |
Sky island canyon | Overnight showers, 60-85 F (16-29 C) |
2600-4770 ft (790-1450 m) |
Often when we have guests at our home I
take them on a Jeep trip up into the Tortolita Mountains near my
house. The views are spectacular, but prior to testing the
NatureView binoculars I never took any optics along.
I took them with me recently and I really appreciated how much
they added to the enjoyment of the venue. I was able to scan
the ridgelines for the pack of wild horses that lives in the
range, and used them extensively to pick out the features of the
North side of Tucson that is visible from that vantage point, as
shown in the photo at right. It was great that the
binoculars were compact and sturdy - I just threw them in the Jeep
and off we went.
It had been a few weeks since I had used them, and it took me a
half-minute or so to make sure I had the eye strength adjustment
set properly to neutral. It also took me a few seconds to
remember to twist up the eye cups.
I have also used the binoculars on numerous occasions to view the
wildlife in our backyard. We feed birds, including many
hummingbird feeders, and we get everything from Thrashers to
Harris hawks coming to our area. It was really great to use
these binoculars at close range to view the hummingbirds on the
feeders, as I like to sit close and see the details of the
plumage. I am trying to learn to identify the various
varieties that visit us, and it is nearly impossible to
differentiate them with the naked eye, but with the NatureView
binoculars I could make out the details of their coloration.
We also have numerous small lizards that scurry across the
patio. The binoculars worked very well to zoom in on them to
see what they looked like up close and personal.
Myriad types of butterflies also visit our blooming flowers in
the Fall, and the binoculars were great to see the colors of their
wings. Many of the Arizona butterflies are quite small and
do not alight for very long, so the optics really helped to be
able to see them as more than just a flash of color.
I have been very happy with my experiences with the Bushnell
NatureView binoculars. They have been reliable, easy to
transport and carry, and provide great viewing. I have
really appreciated the short focal length when using them for
backyard viewing.
The only thing they are missing is a detent for the eye strength
calibration. I would think many people have them same
strength in their right and left eye, and would appreciate being
able to find this setting quickly and easily.
Please stop back in about two months to view my final long-term
report on the NatureView binoculars.
Date |
Location |
Trail |
Distance |
Terrain/ trail type |
Weather |
Altitude
range |
November 2, 2013 |
Saguaro National Park near Tucson, Arizona |
Signal
Hill Petroglyphs Trail |
1 mile (1.6 km) |
Mountain foothills |
Sunny, shirtsleeve weather |
2500 ft (760 m) |
November 16-17, 2013 |
Santa Catalina Mtns, near Tucson, Arizona |
Samaniego Ridge |
7.5 mi (12 km) |
Sky island ridgeline |
Sunny, cool, 33-46 F (1-8 C), very windy |
7400-9000 ft (2260-2740 m) |
Dec 14, 2013 |
Tortolita Mtns, near Tucson, Arizona |
Alamo Springs |
5 mi (8 km) |
Mountain ridgeline |
Sunny, 40-50 F (4-10 C) |
2800-3800 ft (850-1160 m) |
Dec 15, 2013 |
Santa Catalina Mtns, near Tucson, Arizona | Buster Mountain |
4.6 mi (7.4 km) |
Mountain slopes |
Sunny, 32-60 F (0-16 C) |
2700-4200 ft (820-1280 m) |
Dec 28-29, 2013 |
Santa Catalina Mtns, near Tucson, Arizona | Sycamore Canyon |
10 mi (16 km) |
Mountain canyons |
Sunny, 24-60 F (-4-15 C) |
3800-5000 ft (1160-1520 m) |
January 1, 2014 |
Santa Catalina Mtns, near Tucson, Arizona | Sutherland Trail |
5.4 miles (8.7 km) |
Mountain foothills |
Sunny, 55-65 F (13-18 C) |
2700-3400 ft (820-1040 m) |
Due to the cool Fall weather there wasn't much wildlife to see on this little backpacking trip, but I did use the NatureView binoculars to check out some of the spectacular geology views that this trail provides:
Morning sun on Samaniego Peak
It isn't often I discover a new trail close to my house, but
this one turned up on a local hiker's blog. I set out on a
crisp Sunday morning to do a little exploring. The
NatureView binoculars came in very handy for scouting the route
ahead, and also for getting a glimpse of some of the birds along
the route. I wish I had them out and at the ready when
some deer bolted from the brush, but unfortunately they were
stowed in my pack. These binoculars are just a little too
large and heavy to hike with them strapped around my neck.
I had never hiked the Sycamore Canyon section of the Arizona
National Scenic Trail, and I was looking for a trail with not
too much elevation gain/loss for a change, so I set out on a
Saturday afternoon for an overnight hike. There were a
number of birds along the trail, especially near my campsite
which was at Sycamore Reservoir where there was plenty of
water. The binoculars were great for checking out the
avian activities.
This was just a New Years Day ramble through the Catalina foothills. I used the binoculars to scan for the Desert Bighorn sheep which have been recently transplanted to the area as shown in the photo at left.
I didn't see any Bighorn, but the view was great, and I was able
to see the details of the Saguaro cacti and the local geography.
It has been a joy to carry the NatureView Binoculars with me on
hikes the last few months. They have encouraged me to look
at things and see details that otherwise would have escaped
me. My only real complaint is fumbling with the lens
covers, but I certainly know that nobody seems to have invented
yet a way to protect the lenses that are not a hassle. I
intend to continue to bring the binoculars with me on hikes that
hold promise of having views or objects that would like to see
in more detail than what is possible with the naked eye.