# Simmons® 8x42mm CaptureView™ Binoculars / Digital Camera



## Slug-Gunner (Sep 19, 2006)

Does anyone have or know someone who has this "Simmons® 8x42mm CaptureViewâ„¢ Binoculars / Digital Camera"?  Sportsman's Guide has it on "Clearance Sale" for $59.97 and I was wondering if it was worth it?

-----------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?p=WBCA&i=101904

Vivid-view Binoculars and a Digital Camera in one... so crisp close-up views can become digital photos!

* 42 mm objective lenses. High-quality optical glass and fully-coated optics deliver bright, sharp images 

* 2.0 megapixel Camera captures images perfect for e-mailing, and yields high-quality prints

* Big color LCD lets you review your images instantly 

* Can take video clips, and exclusive FlashBackâ„¢ lets you save the last 5-20 seconds of any video recording

* 3 image resolution settings  (2.0 Mpx std; optional to 1.0 Mpx, &VGA; & 3.0 Mpx synthesized)

* Built-in 16MB Flash memory stores minimum of 40 images... you can add memory (SD) to card port, up to 256MB 

* Camera has fixed focus from 66' to infinity

* F.O.V. is 367' @ 1,000 yds. Close focus from 16' 

* 5 3/4" l., 26 ozs.

* Plug-and-play permits easy downloads to computer 

* System requirements: IBM compatible; Windows® 98SE/2000/ME/XP; 64MB RAM or higher; Pentium II 266MHz or faster; 200MB hard drive space; CD-ROM drive.


----------



## GeauxLSU (Sep 19, 2006)

I think that' the one (or one very similar) I had.  It was TERRIBLE.   I made a post about it.  Let me see if I can find it....


----------



## GeauxLSU (Sep 19, 2006)

Ah... it was apparently pre crash.  Perhaps the electronics are better but the $59 price pretty much tells me it's the same junk it was when I bought mine.  Very blurry pics, impossible to use without a tripod and then only 'slightly' better pic quality.  No question a good digital cam with large optical zoom is money much better spent.


----------



## formula1 (Sep 20, 2006)

*RE: It's not bad!!*

I have them and use them to get pictures of deer I see on the stand without having to carry bino's and a camera separately.  For what I use it for, it's takes good pics.  I'll try to download some pics from it for you and post them for your benefit.

They are good, but not great!!!  $59 is not too bad for the price!


----------



## Slug-Gunner (Sep 20, 2006)

*Mainly for "Combined-Use"....*



formula1 said:


> I have them and use them to get pictures of deer I see on the stand without having to carry bino's and a camera separately.  For what I use it for, it's takes good pics.  I'll try to download some pics from it for you and post them for your benefit.
> 
> They are good, but not great!!!  $59 is not too bad for the price!



The "combine-use" feature is what made me think about getting them for that price.... along with the fact that the binoculars are 8x42mm, which are a little "brighter" than my 8x25mm or 10x25mm 'compact' binoculars I'm currently using on the stand. I've got a good Olympus C-740 10x zoom digital camera, but by the time you see what you might want to take a picture of.... and then dig out the camera, the photo op is usually gone by then. 

I have one question on these Simmons® 8x42mm CaptureView™ Binoculars / Digital Camera. Does the camera portion take the picture thru the binocular view or is it a "stand-alone" separate lens feature fixed at 8x?

A friend had gotten a set of an earlier "off-brand" model that was only 1.3 mpx and you had to download them to look at the pictures.... not very convenient. I like the feature of the "flip-up" view screen so you can review your pictures immediately. The capability of adding the 256mb card also seems like a nice feature. What type of memory card type does it take? 

I would appreciate seeing the types of pictures it takes.
Thanks,


----------



## GeauxLSU (Sep 20, 2006)

FOUND 'EM!


Here you go...  http://www.forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=11554 and...
http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=29027


----------



## Slug-Gunner (Sep 20, 2006)

*A Little More Research....*



GeauxLSU said:


> FOUND 'EM!
> 
> 
> Here you go...  http://www.forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=11554 and...
> http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=29027



Thanks for the input. It prompted me to do a little more "research" after reading my response to one of the "links". I checked out the Simmons web site and came up with:

http://www.simmonsoptics.com/CaptureView.htm

 Model:  822218-1

 Finish:  Black

 Description:   8 x 42 2.0 MP

 Field of View:  376 
 (ft. @ 1000 yds)

 Eye Relief:  19
(Millimeters)

 Exit Pupil:  5.25  (Bushnell ImageView= 3.75) 
(Millimeters)

 Weight:  26
(Ounces)

 Short Focus:  16
 (Feet)

 Height:  3.25
(Inches)

 Prism Type:   BK7 

NOTE:
With the larger Exit Pupil of 5.25 these should have better "low-light" capability. I think I might give them a try for that $60 price.... if they don't work out in a "quick trial" run, I'll do like you did - box them back up and return them.

I compared them with the specs on the Bushnell ImageView and InstantReplay models too:

http://www.bushnell.com/products/binoculars/specs/11-0832.cfm

http://www.bushnell.com/products/binoculars/instantreplay.cfm


----------



## Slug-Gunner (Oct 6, 2006)

*Finally Got Pictures Loaded on Computer.....*

I took some pictures with mine on National Hunting & Fishing Day that came out pretty good, especially for being only handheld. I've been unable to upload them since the 'new' forum upgrade though. I'll try to transfer them to my Webshots account folder and try again later this week. Even "blown-up" to FULL-SCREEN size they are still clean and sharp, without the "out-of-focus" or "grainy" appearance most others have complained about with these digital camera/binocular combos. Maybe, I've got a "keeper" here? I've got some pictures taken at almost 200 yards away where you can read the license plates on the vehicles in the picture VERY CLEARLY! Again, all these pictures were taken while being HAND-HELD only.  

          ​


----------



## GeauxLSU (Oct 6, 2006)

Slug-Gunner said:


> I've got some pictures taken at almost 200 yards away where you can read the license plates on the vehicles in the picture VERY CLEARLY! Again, all these pictures were taken while being HAND-HELD only. [/CENTER]


Wow.  Hard to complain about that.  Good deal.  Glad you got a keeper!


----------

