If you are in need of an impressive looking pair of binoculars, the Bushnell Perma Focus 8x 25mm Binoculars definitely meet that criterion. These are impressive to look at. But looks isn’t why most of us purchase binoculars. We want them to perform up to our expectations and look good while doing it. So the question to be answered is this: does the Bushnell Perma Focus 8x 25mm Binocular make the grade?
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What’s the difference between these and the Bushnell Powerview 8×25 Porro Binocular?
One of the best ways to gauge a product is to compare it to another. When you stack up the Perma Focus with the Bushnell Powerview 8×25 binocular, the Perma Focus wins in the overall looks department. Sleek and high-tech looking, the Perma Focus gives the impression that it means business.
As far as specifications on field of view and weight, the difference are miniscule. Both have high quality optics and are rugged in construction. Both are lightweight with rubber housing to absorb shock and make for a comfortable, non-slip grip.
There is, however, one major difference that stands out with the Perma Focus over the Powerview. There’s that little matter of the features the Perma Focus is named for: permanent focus.
What is Perma Focus?
Imagine you’re at the big game. You took a break to get something to eat, and now you’re ready to get back to the action. You raise your binoculars to your face, and you can’t see a thing! You have to get the kid to hold our hot dog while you adjust the focus on your binoculars.
By the time you get your focus right again, the kid has eaten the rest of your hot dog and you’ve missed the biggest play of the game. You don’t have that problem with the Bushnell Perma Focus 8x 25mm Binocular. These binoculars keep your focus dialed in, regardless of the distance you’re trying to see.
All of this with no adjustments necessary; raise them to your eyes and you can immediately see all of the action. You missed nothing and you still get to eat your hot dog. If high tech is your thing, you’ll be impressed with the Perma Focus feature.
The downside to the Perma Focus is that it is designed for viewing objects or action at a distance. The close-focus limit depends on your eyesight and doesn’t adjust automatically.
What are the other advantages of the Bushnell Perma Focus 8x 25mm Binocular?
All of the optics in these binoculars are fully coated to improve light transmission. The field of view is an impressive 341 feet at a distance of 1000 yards. Weighing in at a low 9.3 ounces, these binoculars are easy to carry. They are covered with a non-slip rubber armor that makes for a comfortable grip, even in cold weather if you’re wearing gloves.
The Perma Focus 8x has precision crafted Bk 7 prism lenses that give these binoculars the ability to provide crisp, clear images even in low light. And there is the limited lifetime warranty from Bushnell.
The compact size makes these ideal for travel and sporting events. They can easily be packed away in luggage or carried in a small carry-on. They also come with a cord for wearing around your neck if you want. There is a carrying case, should you need it. The eye cups are a nice feature, too, in that they can be rolled down to accommodate those who wear corrective eye glasses.
Now For The Downside
No product is ever perfect; that’s why companies continue to innovate and come out with new and better products. That’s what the Bushnell Perma Focus 8 x25mm Binocular is. It comes on the heels of the Bushnell PowerviewPorro, and compares closely to that model. But the Perma Focus does have a few features that its counterpart is missing. But that doesn’t make it a perfect pair of binoculars.
The carrying case is not the sturdiest in the world. Also, the Perma Focus is designed for distance viewing. That means that anything closer that about 25 years is probably not going to be in focus. When you’re looking to the 50 yards range or more, you get the full benefit of the Perma Focus feature. And if you are a fan of tripod mounted binoculars, you’re out of luck with the Perma Focus. There is no mounting for a tripod connection.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line on the Bushnell Perma Focus 8 x25mm Binocular comes down to price. It will be rather hard to beat the price on these binoculars, especially considering the features that come as standard on it. A solidly constructed product with a limited lifetime warranty for an economical price should be a big mark in the plus column in anyone’s view.
The whole concept of the Perma Focus capability sets them apart from any binoculars that must be manually focused. Whether you’re planning to use these for viewing the wonders of nature, or catching the wonders of your favorite team in the sports arena, the Perma Focus makes it simple to pass the binoculars around among friends and family.
If you have kids who will be using them, this is the perfect design feature because you don’t have to refocus the binoculars for them each time they look through them. That feature is a winner, hands down. The Perma Focus has a sleek, almost futuristic design that is both aesthetically appealing and functional. The rubber housing makes for an easy grip for young and old.
The eye cups that can be folded down to accommodate eye glass wearers is another nice feature. The fully coated lenses and the Porro prism system make for crisp, bright imagery even when not in the most favorable of conditions. The 8x magnification and the 25 millimeter objective lenses make the whole system lightweight and easily portable. Sleek, sporty, durable, nice features, limited lifetime warranty, affordable: hits all the keywords in my list of positives.