Bushnell Digital Stealth View 5x42 w/ Super Charged Infrared Monocular
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Equipment information: Manufacturer: Bushnell Brand: Bushnell Model: 260542 Product features:
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Price List for Bushnell Digital Stealth View 5x42 w/ Super Charged Infrared Monocular
| New | New Usually ships in 24 hours | $332.99 | ||
| Used | Used Usually ships in 24 hours | $278.77 | ||
| Refurbished | Refurbished Usually ships in 6-10 business days | $371.36 |
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Sports reviews of Bushnell Digital Stealth View 5x42 w/ Super Charged Infrared Monocular
Customer Review: Impressive performance but not cheap
Sport shop rating: 4 Stars
Bushnell Digital Stealth View 5x42 w/ Super Charged Infrared Monocular
I purchased this scope in Canada; oddly enough when I went to order it from a US website they would not ship it here.
The image is very bright and can be a bit blinding in a dark location. When you remove your eye from the eyepiece it will take you a minute or so to regain your natural night vision in that eye; good job it's only a monocular, at least you'll have one working eye! One push button makes it brighter and another button dims it just as quickly; dimming it reduces the contrast. I got the impression that this is just a feature of infra-red viewing rather than a problem with the scope. After using the scope for a while I have learned to prefer a lower light level.
The only other two buttons are the on/off switch and the super IR switch, both of these are push buttons rather than slide switches. I would prefer a slide switch for the on/off function as it is too easy to turn the unit on simply by picking it up in its flexible case. A small and discrete green led indicates that the unit is on, it is not visible except to the user, and will flash to a indicate low battery. I haven't used it enough to say how long the 6 AA batteries last, but they claim 2 - 8 hours depending on how much you use the super IR.
I am used to using binoculars and found this unit surprisingly ergonomic for a monocular. You will have no problem operating it in darkness once you are familiar with the layout, the buttons are all on top where your fingers expect them to be. Make sure you adjust the dioptre focus properly or you will have a harder time adjusting the main focus tube. I found the main focus tube on mine too easy to turn and would have prefered a stiffer feel. A lens cap is supplied.
The super IR feature works very well. It is not adjustable and is focused at the factory for longer distance, so at short ranges the brightened target will be out of the field of view. But at short ranges the normal IR illuminator, which is always on, is more than adequate. There is no protective lens cap for the super IR lens.
The RCA output is a nice feature, and worked well with my camcorder. Actually what you get is a mini plugin jack attached via two inches of cable to a female RCA jack which is fine because it stores very easily in the case, and it is easily extendible with a regular RCA patch cable. The unit can be powered by an external 12 volt source, but they don't supply one.
Apart from an old TLR camera this is the only thing I own that is made in Russia. It is well finished and has a rubberized military look and feel to it, very solid. It is not waterproof. The warranty is 2 years. The manual covers everything you need to know but only briefly, OK these things are easy to use. There is no schematic or parts list.
Bottom line is I am impressed, which is why I bothered writing this review, something I don't normally do.