Newer Buahnell FUSION LRF binos --> readout in sunlight

[Eric B.]

I have the original Bushnell Fusion 10X42 LRF binos and have had a bit of difficulty reading the LED data in bright sunlight.

Based on the online catalog photo of the newer FUSION ARC "1 Mile" version and a conversation with a service rep I understand the color of the LED readout has been changed to "a more orange" color for better visibility. The exterior is slightly changed as is the shape of the control buttons.


1.Does anyone have the newest version?
2.Is the newer version REALLY easier to read in bright sunlight?

 

[Phil1]

I have the original Bushnell Fusion 10X42 LRF binos and have had a bit of difficulty reading the LED data in bright sunlight.

Based on the online catalog photo of the newer FUSION ARC "1 Mile" version and a conversation with a service rep I understand the color of the LED readout has been changed to "a more orange" color for better visibility. The exterior is slightly changed as is the shape of the control buttons.


1.Does anyone have the newest version?
2.Is the newer version REALLY easier to read in bright sunlight?

http://www.snipershide.com/shooting/showthread.php?t=171066

Quote Originally Posted by Lowlight View Post

I can email them and ask about getting some out for a review as they had them at SHOT and I was really happy with the improvements they made. Bushnell always under promises and over performs when it comes to their lasers.
Thats a good idea. Have you heard anything on a test pair yet?

Last Week

03-04-2013 07:06 PM
Re: PLRF-05 vs New Bushnell Fusion 1 mile arcs thread in Equipment thread
Lowlight


I haven't heard back but will contact Bushnell

 

[Phil1]

Has anyone actually seen a Fusion Mile? They were supposed to start shipping Feb. 1

Have you heard anything Frank?

 

[mikeltee]

My 12x shipped today from euro optic. They are 6 weeks early! That's a first.

 

[Jon Lester]

Should have 12x in hand next week and I cant wait.

 

[Phil1]

Looks like we'll have two full reports next week!

 

[Fisky]

My 10x are on the way also...

 

[mikeltee]

Ill have mine in hand tomorrow. We should have some sun so ill attempt to put it through its paces.

 

[Wyfox]

My dad has had a pair for about a month, he said they are much easier to read then the older pair. I haven't played with them yet but if he said their nicer then his old fusions then they must be sweet. Last fall chasing antelope his fusions were out ranging my Leica 1600's like no other! He was getting 1800yd+ ranges with no difficulty and I was having a hard time getting read out past 1200 with the Leica.

I'm torn, I really don't want to trade my Swarovski binos for Bushnell and Swaro's new range finding bino doesn't compare to Bushnells lazer either. I used a pair of the new Swaro's sheep hunting last fall and they weren't much help past 1200 too. My hats off to Bushnell on a great product!

 

[Kiba]

I'm still considering upgrading my 1600 Fusions for a set of the new 1-miles. Glad to hear a few are out and working well. The display brightness is certainly an issue on the older models especially on bright days with light backgrounds. Hopefully that is fixed in the new 1 miles.

One thing I'm not happy about with my older 1600s and I see they still list it in the manual for the new 1-miles is that they limit the true horizontal distance display to bow-mode only and cap it at 99Y. Why the 99Y cap? True horizontal distance beyond 99Y is very useful for rifles too...

If anyone out there has the new one-miles, can you put them in bow-mode and see if they have a limit on the angle compensated range? My Fusion 1600s also state a 99Y limit but in reality they'll show angle compensated horizontal range out to about 200Y. Beyond that they simply show the line of sight range and then flash "Lo" for the angle compensated horizontal range.

Showing true angle compensated horizontal distance regardless of range isn't too much to ask for IMO; have the primary display indicator show line of sight distance and then on the bottom display show the angle and calculated horizontal distance. I don't want to use their built in "ballistics approximation tables" in rifle mode-- all I want and need is line of sight distance for a reference but more importantly angle compensated horizontal distance without the silly 99Y limit in "bow mode." Angle compensated/calculated true horizontal distance is what I really want to see to look up on my dope chart or plug into my ballistic calculator app; while I can easily plug in the line of sight distance and the angle from the display if the Fusions would output angle compensated horizontal distance at all ranges it saves having to perform an extra input on the ballistic calculator or apply an angle correction factor to a dope chart.

 

[mikeltee]

Not sure about the display brightness on the 1600s but today I had the 1 miles out in the sun. I thought that they had broke because I could not see a display. When I got home, they worked fine and I saw that the display setting was on 3 of 4. Ill take it out in the sun tomorrow, but I got a feeling 4 is gonna be dim. There isn't much difference between 3 and 4 indoors and since 3 wasn't visible in the sun....

The glass in this system is SPECTULAR!!!! I don't have anything to compare these to, but I don't see how it could get any better. No noticeable chromatic abbreviation and edge to edge was super sharp! I have 20k in Nikon glass so I know what good glass looks like.

Lets hope the display isn't a concern in the sun. Ill report back tomorrow. Ohh... Last night I ranged a comm tower at 1812y at dusk!

 

[jolofree]

Not sure about the display brightness on the 1600s but today I had the 1 miles out in the sun. I thought that they had broke because I could not see a display. When I got home, they worked fine and I saw that the display setting was on 3 of 4. Ill take it out in the sun tomorrow, but I got a feeling 4 is gonna be dim. There isn't much difference between 3 and 4 indoors and since 3 wasn't visible in the sun....

The glass in this system is SPECTULAR!!!! I don't have anything to compare these to, but I don't see how it could get any better. No noticeable chromatic abbreviation and edge to edge was super sharp! I have 20k in Nikon glass so I know what good glass looks like.

Lets hope the display isn't a concern in the sun. Ill report back tomorrow. Ohh... Last night I ranged a comm tower at 1812y at dusk!

I've been waiting to get a set of these for months but that doesn't sound good at all, I'd hoped they got the display washout issues fixed, no display = no range = plain old binos,
I wonder if this is typical performance, shot show reviews indicated they had this fixed. I'd sure like to hear some better news, anybody?

 

[Fisky]

I got to spend very little time with the 10x42s today. When I got them it was overcast outside. I was ranging stuff in snow, white background. At first I thought the display was pretty hard to see, but the more I messed with focusing each objective the better it got. Still not great in snow conditions, but not horrible.

The sun came out later in the afternoon. I don't know how you explain this, but I thought the display was noticeably brighter WITH the sun out. It was a lot easier to see than before. No problems at all.

I sat on a hill right at sunset and played around with them for 10-15 minutes. I was ranging single evergreens at 1650, and the ground right around it. I was ranging shelterbelts out to 1820. This thing will range hills and houses 1200-1600 all day long, off hand. I was picking up snow covered hills off hand at 1200-1400 no problems.

This RF easily outperforms any others I've had or tested (Leica CRF 1200, Zeiss PRF, Elite ARC 1600).

The Elite ARC 1600 will washout really bad in lowlight. The whole display lights up. NOT the case at all with the new Fusions. I was very happy with that.

Glass is more than good enough. I noticed some CA right off the bat with the overcast sky against the snow. At low light, the glass was awesome. I rate it easily better than Monarch and Vortex Talon HD glass, probably on par with Viper glass, maybe better. But it's been awhile since I handled them.

I'm pretty satisfied so far. My only dislike at this point is having to hold the button down for a quick second to get a range. You don't just tap the button and get a quick range back. Not a big deal.

Again, I spent very little time with them. I'm sure more things will come up the more I use them.

 

[mikeltee]

Did you get a chance to use the bullseye feature? I was playing around with it and think its bad ass. I ranged a tree at 250, then while holding the button in, moved to a 16x24" sign in front of it and got the bullseye mark and a range of 186. These things are da shizzle! I am so happy I didn't get the geovids!!!

It was raining all day yesterday and will be today. I will follow up on the brightness level as soon as I can gentlemen.

 

[Fisky]

I haven't tested the bullseye yet...

The sun is big and bright this morning. I tested them out into the sun a few different times this morning and I have no issues reading the display. It's a little tougher to see with snow vs a dark background (as it is with EVERY LRF I've used), but still I don't have to squint or really try very hard to see the display. I also notice the angle at which you hold them to your eyes makes a little bit of difference too, for being able to see the bottom part of the display.

For me, there are no issues at all with display brightness. Very usable!! Glass is good. No blue tint whatsoever. I like them.

 

[jolofree]

Things are sounding better now, I'm in, Thanks

 

[GunMax]

Has anyone found them under MSRP price point?

 

[mikeltee]

I figure you would be lucky to find them in stock let alone a price break. They have been out a whole week.

 

[GunMax]

Has anyone else reviewed their new Fusion Mile's?

 

[Kiba]

I'd appreciate if one of you early adopters could put them in bow mode and range an object say 400+Y away and see if the lower display shows an angle corrected true horizontal range. I want to know if Bushnell set a maximum distance on the horizontal range display as they did with the earlier 1600s.

 

[Fisky]

99 yards is the max true horizontal distance in bow mode.

I got some more time in with them under field conditions. Sun was bright, heat waves abundant, and snow on the ground. Furthest I was able to get in those conditions, off hand, was 1200yds. I was able to pick up a deer at 1170 off hand, kneeling. Once back at the pickup with a solid rest I was able to range a building at 1816, and various other stuff I couldn't pick up off hand. By far the best performing RF I've used, compared to PRF, CRF 1200 and Elite ARC 1600.

Glass didn't look as good in those conditions. Heat waves played a part, but I also started picking up a slight blue tint when glassing snow. Glassjng bare ground, no blue tint. Glass for me is acceptable for my uses. If all you're doing is ranging stuff for shooting, and occasional hunting, they will work very well. If you glass for animals extended periods of time with binos (that's what I use my spotter for) you may appreciate better glass.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk 2

 

[GunMax]

Ordered mine today I will fill you all in when I get mine!

 

[Ring]

I have the 10x 1600 fusion arc binos... At 25y the beam measured .5wX2h inch...
So at 100 should be 2x8" that .55mills wide by 2.3 mills tall ish...

Just tested with NV now....