Bushnell Instant Replay 8x30 Binocular with 5MP Camera

Due to the reviews ripping this product apart, my expectations were tempered. Having reviewed camera binoculars on and off for a year I knew most were toys or garbage. However, I really needed a pair this time and it was either these or go for the $1400 Sony. I had decided the $1200 difference would be better in my pocket. Though I really needed them, they would not be used frequently. Further the Sony looks more like a digital recorder than binoculars, and for my purpose (taking to a ballet) I needed them to look like binoculars so as not to attract attention.

So, bottom line, I snuck these in to the ballet at Lincoln Center and I was snapping away totally unnoticed. Taking pictures with the viewfinder closed works fine, you just don't have a good idea of when the picture is actually snapped and save completed. I just kept snapping away. I rattled off over 100 pictures in a 10 or 15 minute time span. Most came out good, some slightly blurred action photos in low light, but the vast majority were very acceptable and at max resolution.

Now, some pointers and notes:

1. Use good batteries. If you use standard alkalines, you may get 20 shots before the meter shows the batteries less than fully charged. I bought a 4 pack of extra good lithiums for $9 and they were still at full charge after 150 shots. Bushnell might try to fit AAs in there somehow in the next version. Obviously it's a heavy load for AAAs.

2. Depending how close you are to your subject, the lowest setting for zoom may be zoomed more than you like. This actually happened to us at the ballet. We had pretty decent seats, and with the lowest zoom, pictures were still closeups.

3. Understand the camera and binoculars are totally independent of each other. When you adjust the focus on the binoculars it isn't adjusting the camera. Camera zoom is adjusted with the menu buttons and LCD. LCD is very small, but the display is very crisp. About the size of thumbnails but the pictures at that size all look excellent.

4. Color quality in the pictures were very deep/rich in low light (theater stage) on whatever the setting was that I had (might have been the fluorescent). My daughter had taken a picture of their custumes with a point and shoot up close in a well lit room and the colors were washed out and faded. Mine from a distance with the binoculars had much more depth and looked great.

5. When snapping pictures with the LCD closed, you need to be sure the camera is on. Power on, close the LCD and then shoot away. Remember, if you're inactive for a while it will auto power off.

6. Above it says 2GB is the max SD card size. That is incorrect. Packaging and instructions indicate 32GB. I tried with 4GB and 16GB cards and they were both fine. For my pictures at the ballet I used the 4GB class 6 card and it was saving quickly enough to take relatively rapid multiple shooting. With the 4GB card at high resolution setting it indicated it could hold a bit over 2000 pictures.

Bottom line, for me, for my specific need, these performed as well as could be expected. I had numerous concerns why the pictures might not come out, or come out good every last one of those reasons proved unfounded. For the price, these are likely best in the category. You probably couldn't do better without stepping up to the $1400 Sony.

Unfortunately I had to return 2 different tries at this product. Could not get a working pair. Finally found new 8MP Barska's.

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We were very excited to get this binocular camera for our bird watching. What a disappointment and waste of money. It has terrible focus and the ability to locate the picture frame is almost random and not even close to what is viewed in the binoculars. Even with the high capacity batteries, it is a energy hog. Go elsewhere and try a different binocular camera so you won't be disappointed as we were.

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Camera distorted pictures and color .When I called for support from Bushnell it was ajoke !! Sent them back for a refund . Sometimes its best to buy in a store so you can get hands on help. I called seller to replace them and paid 8.00 shiping expecting to get another pair sent but got a refund instead !Just cant win.

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IT IS OK FOR UP CLOSE PICTURES AS LONG AS YOU ARE NOT GETTING OLDER LIKE MYSELF. I HAD SOME TROUBLE

HOLDING IN MY HAND AND TRYING TO TAKE A PICTURE. IF YOU SET THE CAMERA ON HIGH BE PREPARED TO USE

ALOT OF BATTERIES, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT ON HIGH YOU MIGHT NOT GET A VERY GOOD PICTURE. I GAVE THIS

CAMERA AWAY TO A FRIEND WHO IS YOUNGER THAN I AM AND HE TOOK SOME PRETTY GOOD PICTURES WITH IT, AND SAID HE WAS SATISFIED. GOOD FOR BIRD WATCHING AND TAKEING PICTURES LIKE THAT. I WISH THEY WOULD COME OUT WITH A CAMERA LIKE THIS AND HAVE STABALIZATION ON IT AND I WOULD BUY ONE.

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