Digital Camera Binoculars: Reviews

Updated January 2009

It seems like a good idea: Spot a bird, butterfly or charging football player in your binoculars, and snap a photo all with one gadget. The reality, however, is far from ideal. Digital camera binoculars were an ambitious idea that never really reached full potential; you won't see many models on sale anymore. We've kept this older report posted for those who might be looking at a used model.

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Camera binoculars with instant replay

Bushnell Compact 8x30 Instant Replay 11-8325

*Est. $165 Compare Prices

The 5-megapixel camera on this model has 8x magnification that matches that of the binoculars, and can focus as close as 30 feet -- twice as close as some competing models. You can add 6x digital zoom for even more… expandmagnification, and take bursts of three still photos at a time. The 30 frames-per-second video is smoother than on most camera binoculars, and the "instant replay" feature lets you save just the bits of video you like. Bushnell camera binoculars rank higher in professional reviews than in owner-written reviews, but experts say you just can't expect very good photos from any camera binoculars. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

The New York Times: This rather outdated comparison review covers an earlier 3-megapixel version of the Bushnell Compact Instant Replay camera binoculars, ranking them highest of four models because of the best balance of features and price.

Consumers Digest: This binocular review recommends the now-discontinued 3.2-megapixel Bushnell 8x32 Instant Replay.

The Wall Street Journal: Walter Mossberg, technology expert for The Wall Street Journal, tests three earlier digital camera binoculars from Bushnell, Pentax and Meade, concluding that "all did a passable job" though image quality isn't as good as that from an average digital camera.

Forbes: This review of an earlier Bushnell Instant Replay digital camera binocular is based on personal field testing, reporting that even without a manual, "we were up and filming in ten minutes." The review focuses on features rather than on the quality of the digital images.

OpticsPlanet.net: The 5-megapixel Bushnell 8x30 11-8325 model isn't an Editor's Pick model here, but the sole owner-written review at Optics Planet gives it a perfect five-star rating.

Epinions.com: The three owner-written reviews here cover an earlier Bushnell Instant Replay model, offering very divergent opinions.

About.com: This brief review recommends an earlier version of the Bushnell Instant Replay camera binoculars but gives no evidence of testing or use.

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for $179.99

Budget camera binoculars

Bushnell 10x25 ImageView VGA 11-1026

*Est. $60 Compare Prices

Like the more expensive camera binoculars above, this model also has a tripod socket and a slot for an SD card. These are better features than most in this price range, all of which share the same low 0.3-megapixel camera… expandresolution -- only enough for posting to the web or e-mail. You can take video clips, but there's no instant replay feature. The 10mm eye relief is uncomfortable for eyeglass wearers, but some owners say this is a fun gadget as long as you don't expect too much from the photos. The warranty is for two years, but owners report some quality-control issues. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

Walmart.com: Nearly a dozen owners review the newer 11-1026 ImageView camera binoculars here.

BackpackGearTest.org: This detailed, well-illustrated review by an active hiker covers two years of use of the similar 10x25 Bushnell ImageView 11-1025 camera binoculars, with the same VGA (640-by-480) resolution but without a tripod adapter or SD card slot.

OpticsPlanet.net: Staffers at this big optics retail site pick the earlier 11-1025 Bushnell 10x25 ImageView camera binoculars as a "Best" model.

Amazon.com: More than 30 owners review an earlier model -- the 11-1025 Bushnell ImageView 10x25 digital camera binoculars -- with ratings covering the whole span from one to five stars on a five-star scale.

Epinions.com: The 18 owner-written reviews published here cover the earlier 11-1025 model, giving it mostly dismal ratings.

Cabelas.com: The four owner-written reviews here seem to cover more than one ImageView model, but they reinforce the point that turning on the camera makes a beeping noise that can scare off the animal you're trying to photograph.

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for $59.99

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