Bushnell Powerview 8x21 Compact Folding Roof Prism Binocular (Black)

Talk about a revelation: Why did nobody tell us how much a pair of good binoculars can enhance your enjoyement of concerts and shows? My wife and I warmly recommend these Bushnell 8x21s for such events. You can save money by buying cheap seats in the nosebleed section, because for approx. $20 these binocs give you an amazing close-up view. After carefully reading the online reviews of these and the Bushnell 12x25s, I couldn't decide which would be better for a recent trip to New York, and ended up buying both. My wife and I tried each and agreed these smaller, lighter ones were absolutely perfect for the back row of Carnegie Hall and a Broadway show. The 12x25s have better magnification, but your natural hand/arm shaking is also magnified. Since one can't easily take a tripod into Broadway theaters and such, the lightweight 8x21s are therefore ideal. The perfect compromise between weight and adequate magnification. We liked the handy carrying case and weren't concerned, as others were here, about the thinness of the cord. The overall quality is amazing for such a cheap pair of binocs. We will never go to another concert or play without them. Highly recommended.

I received these binoculars as a gift.

The size is really convenient for hiking.

Build quality is poor. Rubber armor came unstuck from the body or is only glued down in spots. The focus differs between the two sides and the focus mechanism is loose on one side due to a small plastic part being broken. The copious amounts of grease used ooze out and get on the optics.

Others have reported the same issue with the focus so I do not think my experience was unique.

When I bought them for this price, I thought they were going to be like kids' toy binoculars. However, when I took them out of their little box and felt them, they looked very professional and well-built. No kids' toy plastic, but professional look and feel (they smell like a well-built device. Yes, I smelled them, too.)

I tried them in the open and I could see several blocks away with a clear image.

These binoculars are a good deal for the price.

For the price, these binoculars are a fair purchase. Nice and compact as well, with a carrying case.

This product gives you a very good image and is an amazingly good value for the money. What it's lacking over more expensive models--good strap instead of string; lens covers; better case--does not really affect the functionality. The folding roof prism can be a bit cumbersome to adjust. Also be aware that 8 x 21 gives a small field of view so you can't see a whole field or stage at once. But if you want a very compact binocular for sports or theater viewing, consider this one.