Bushnell Elite 10x43
The sealed housing, made of ultra-light magnesium alloys, is nitrogen-filled water-resistant and dustproof.
| Magnification | Lens diameter | Angular field of view | Prisms | Eye relief | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 43 | 109/1000(6.2o) | BaK-4/roof | 17 mm | 661 g | 3849 PLN |
| Real front lens diameter |
Left: 42.8+/-
0.05 mm Right: 42.85+/- 0.05 mm |
7 / 8.0 pkt | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real magnification | 9.95+/- 0.15x | 3/3.0 | ||||
| Transmission | 90+/- 3% | 17.5/25.0 | ||||
| Chromatic aberration | Slight. | 6.5/10.0 | ||||
| Astigmatism | Very low. | 8.5/10.0 | ||||
| Distortion | The distance of the first curved line from the field centre compared to the field of view radius : 61% +\- 6% | 7/10.0 | ||||
| Coma | Slight. | 6.6/10.0 | ||||
| Blurring at the edge of the FOV | The blur occurs in the distance of 88% +\- 3% from the field of view centre. | 7.5/10.0 | ||||
| Darkening at the edge the FOV | Negligible. | 4.5/5.0 | ||||
| Whiteness of the image | Minimal cream. | 4.4/5.0 | ||||
| Collimation | Exemplary. | 5/5.0 | ||||
| Internal reflections |
|
3.2/5.0 | ||||
| Housing | The example of ergonomics and solidity- not big and very light! The click-stop eyecups can be accidentally collapsed at in-between positions. | 7.8/8.0 | ||||
| Focusing | Very big and comfortable central screw (639 degrees). Joystick with a blockade for individual focusing. Nothing moves outside. Very convenient. | 4.8/5.0 | ||||
| Tripod | Easily accessible but far from the centre of mass. | 2/3.0 | ||||
| Interpupilary distance | from 59.9 to 77.5mm | 4.5/6.0 | ||||
| Closest focusing distance | 2.0 m | 2/2.0 | ||||
| Eyepieces FOV | Apparent field of view of 61.7 deg (according to simple formula) and 56.6 deg (according to tangent formula). | 11.5/20.0 | ||||
| Field of view | Measured by us amounted to 6.2 +\- 0.03 degrees and was in accordance with the specifications. | 6.5/8.0 | ||||
| Quality of the interior of the barrels | Inner tubes and the bottom dark and matt. Copper screws near the prisms. Black glue. A tiny speck of dust on the left prism. | 4.8/5.0 | ||||
| Vignetting |
OL: 0.0%, OR: 0.0% |
8/8.0 | ||||
| Prisms quality | High class BaK-4. | 8/8.0 | ||||
| Antireflection coatings | Green on objectives and prisms. Green-purple on eyepieces. Low intensity. | 5/5.0 | ||||
| Warranty [years] | 30 years | 5/6.0 | ||||
| Final result |
79.3%
7th place in the overall ranking of the 10x42 binoculars test. |
150.6 / 190 pkt | ||||
| Econo result | 24 place in the econo ranking of the 10x42 binoculars test. | 2.9pkt. |
Summary
Pros:
- very solid housing - handy and physically light in the same time,
- high transmission,
- wide IPD range,
- very good blackening inside,
- high quality of coatings and prisms,
- slight distortion,
- very low astigmatism,
- coma and chromatic aberration quite well- corrected,
- low brightness loss at the edge of the field,
- good whiteness reproduction,
- good sharpness at the edge of the field,
- long warranty.
Cons:
- tripod exit put in the wrong place.
To speak bluntly the Bushnell Elite’s score can be deemed a very successful attack on the leading positions of the main powers like Leica, Swarovski or Zeiss. The Elite 10x43 is an optically excellent instrument put in a small housing, compact and light at the same time. Even a simple comparison between pros and cons lists can be the best recommendation here. We found just one flaw – the tripod exit is in a wrong position as it is far from the device’s centre of mass so such a system will be vibration-prone. In all other categories the Elite 10x43 had very good or good results. A standing ovation!
