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Bushnell binoculars come from one of the best-known names in American optics, and this page brings together the Engage EDX range and the hunting-green R5 12x50. All five are waterproof roof prism binoculars with BaK-4 prisms, dielectric coatings and the EXO Barrier lens coating, and most cost between about £280 and £385. They suit birdwatchers, deer stalkers and hill walkers who want ED glass and a tough magnesium body without paying Swarovski money. Comparing sizes across every brand? See our 8x42 binoculars or binoculars for stalking.
The company started in 1948, when David P. Bushnell came home to California from his honeymoon in Japan with crates of binoculars and sold them by mail order. The idea was good optics at a price ordinary people could afford, and that is still the pitch more than 75 years on. The firm was sold to Bausch & Lomb in 1971, joined Vista Outdoor in 2015 and, since January 2025, sits within Revelyst, owned by Strategic Value Partners. It is based in Overland Park, Kansas, and also makes rifle scopes, golf rangefinders and trail cameras - there is a full company history on Wikipedia.
That shooting background shows in the design: these are binoculars built to be knocked about in wet fields at dawn. The better ranges share the same technology:
Bushnell sells more series than almost any brand, and the names change every few years, which is why so many forum threads ask "is this pair any good?". Here is the current UK line-up, cheapest first, with typical shop prices.
| Series | Best for | ED glass | Sizes | Price band |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PowerView 2.0 | First pairs, sport, stadiums | No | 8x21 to 20x50 | £40-£120 |
| H2O | Boats, festivals, wet walks | No | 10x25, 12x25, 8x42, 10x42 | £75-£130 |
| Prime | A first serious pair | No | 8x32, 8x42, 10x42, 12x50 | £125-£175 |
| Legend | All-round, low light | No | 8x42 to 12x50 | £140-£200 |
| R5 | Hunting and stalking | No | 8x42, 10x42, 12x50 | £230-£280 |
| Engage DX / EDX | Birding, walking, dusk | EDX only | 8x42 to 12x50 | £240-£385 |
| Nitro | Premium pocket and full size | Yes | 10x25 and up | £250+ |
| Forge | The flagship | Yes | 8x42, 10x42 and more | £500-£550 |
The Bushnell PowerView 2.0 is the budget range, from tiny 8x21 and 10x25 pocket pairs to full-size porro prism and roof prism models. Bushnell PowerView binoculars are fine for a day at the races, a sport match or a child's first pair. The Bushnell H2O adds full waterproofing for boating and rainy walks, and the 12x25 is a popular travel pair. The Marine 7x50 porro is aimed at sailors.
The Bushnell Prime brings fully multi-coated optics in a waterproof roof prism body, and is the range many people buy as a proper first pair for birdwatching. The Bushnell Legend sits just above it and adds 10x50 and 12x50 sizes for low light. Older names such as NatureView, Trophy and PermaFocus have been replaced by these ranges, though you will still see them second hand.
The R3, R5 and R7 are finished in Ranger Green to blend into cover. The R5 uses BaK-4 roof prisms with dielectric and phase coatings, EXO Barrier lenses and an IPX7 nitrogen-purged body, but no ED glass. The 12x50 here weighs 867g and is made for glassing a hillside for deer at first and last light; the R7 adds ED glass for more money.
This is where most UK buyers end up. The Engage DX has dielectric prisms and EXO Barrier but standard glass. The EDX adds ED glass, PC-3 phase coatings, a locking diopter and a black magnesium chassis, in 8x42, 10x42, 10x50 and 12x50 - all four are on this page. Bushnell's own EDX 8x42 spec sheet claims a class-leading field of view, and at 142m at 1,000m it is one of the widest views you can get for under £400.
The Bushnell Nitro uses ED glass in a slimmer, lighter body, and the 10x25 is the brand's premium pocket pair. The Bushnell Forge is the flagship, with ED glass, ultra-wide band coatings and EXO Barrier. Both compete with the mid-priced ED pairs from Hawke and Kowa rather than with Swarovski and Zeiss.
Figures from Bushnell's own spec sheets, with field of view converted to metres at 1,000m. Eye relief of 15mm or more works for most glasses wearers; a bigger exit pupil means a brighter view in poor light.
| Model | Glass | Field of view | Eye relief | Close focus | Exit pupil | Weight | Price band |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EDX 8x42 | ED | 142m | 17mm | 1.8m | 5.3mm | 726g | £320-£360 |
| EDX 10x42 | ED | 113m | 16mm | 2.1m | 4.2mm | 714g | £340-£370 |
| EDX 10x50 | ED | 113m | 16.9mm | 3m | 5mm | 828g | £340-£380 |
| EDX 12x50 | ED | 93m | 15mm | 3m | 4.1mm | 828g | £370-£400 |
| R5 12x50 | Standard | 92m | 15mm | 3.6m | 4.2mm | 867g | £260-£300 |
All five are IPX7 waterproof, fogproof and tripod adaptable, with twist-up eyecups and a lifetime warranty.
Not sure between 8x and 10x? Which? has a clear guide to buying binoculars, and the RSPB explains terms like exit pupil and field of view.
At £300 to £400 the EDX goes head to head with:
Bushnell's strengths are the EXO Barrier coating, a very wide 8x42 view and a long shooting pedigree. If you would like your money to help wildlife too, look at RSPB binoculars.
Every pair carries Bushnell's lifetime warranty, which covers faults in materials and workmanship with a repair or replacement. Keep your receipt and start any claim with the retailer. To keep them in good order:
Yes, for the money. The Bushnell PowerView range is basic, but from the mid-priced ranges upwards they are waterproof, fully multi-coated and well built, and the EDX gives ED glass, dielectric coatings and a magnesium body for well under £400.
The EDX adds ED glass, PC-3 phase coatings and a locking diopter to the DX's dielectric prisms. That means less colour fringing and a sharper view - worth the extra £100 or so if you watch birds against a bright sky.
The H2O, Prime, Legend, R5, Engage, Nitro and Forge ranges are waterproof and fogproof - the EDX and R5 are rated IPX7. The budget PowerView models are not all sealed, so check the spec before buying one for boats or heavy rain.
8x42 for birdwatching, woodland and less steady hands - it has the wider, brighter view. 10x42 binoculars suit open country, estuaries and the sea, where you want more detail at distance.
It is part of Revelyst, the outdoor brands group split from Vista Outdoor, which investment firm Strategic Value Partners bought in January 2025.
Yes. All the pairs on this page have twist-up eyecups and 15mm to 17mm of eye relief; the EDX 8x42 has the most.
