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Gear Reviews

Hunting Guide Reviews

Bushnell Compact 800

April 06, 2004

Features:

Model Number: 20-0880.
Accuracy: +/- 1 (yards), Note, distance reading in even digits only.
Max. Range for Highly Reflective Targets: 999 yards.
Max. Range for Non Reflective Targets: 800 yards.
Minimum distance for target: 18 yards approximately.
Size: 2.0" h x 4.75" w x 3.75 d", 51 mm h x 121 mm w x 95 mm d.
Weight:: 11.5 oz, 326g.
Optics: multicoated eight power (8X) optics.
Objective Diameter (mm): 28 mm.
Exit Pupil (mm:) 3.5 mm.
Eye Relief (mm): 3 mm, this eye relief makes it tough for people who wear eyeglasses to view the display. Lots of complaints about the difficulty to get a clear view from eyeglass wearers.
Target Quality Indicator: Yes, on the see through display.
Distance Readout: Yards and meters.
Low Battery Indicator: Yes, visual battery gauge on the see through display.
Laser Type: Class 1 active laser.
Targeting Modes: "Rain" (Permits distance measurement in inclement weather like rain or snow). ">150"(Allows distance measurement to a target through foreground clutter like brush). "Scan" (Provides continuous distance measurements of targets as you pan
Color: Black.
Waterproof: No, water resistant.
Power source: 4 AA alkaline batteries.
Inaudible Operation: No, audible buzzing out to 10 feet.
Automatic Shutoff, battery saver: Yes, after 20 seconds.
Display: Through-the-Lens liquid crystal display, LCD, fully coated. No backlite for low light operation.
Warranty: 1 year.
Comes with: Padded carry case, operation manual and neck strap.
Shock Resistant: Yes.
Field of View (FOV): 236 feet at 1000 yards Angular.
Angular FOV (Real): 28 degrees.
FOV (Apparent): 4.5 degrees.
Laser Beam Divergence: Unknown at this time, if you have this info please email us at .
Tripod Mount: No.

Other Information

The Bushnell Yardage Pro 800 compact was released in March 1999. The buzzing when ranging with this unit can be annoying. Buttons are easy to reach with index and middle fingers. Small and light helps on long hikes or all day use. This unit is the same unit as the Nikon Buckmasters 800, they just have different labeling.

Comments from Tim Carpenter, Project Manager of Laser Products,. Bushnell Sports Optics Worldwide

The simple answer to your question is that the Compact 800 is manufactured by a different supplier than our other Yardage Pro units. We are normally very much involved in the design of laser range finders, but the Compact 800 was actually brought to us after the product was completed. It was a take it or leave it deal, so we took it (for better or worse). You are correctly in surmising the accuracy also. The accuracy of the unit is actually between 2-3 yards and is not the unit of choice for the bow hunter. It is also a loud unit as the switching of the power supply is quite audible and the construction walls are thinner. As a bow hunter myself, I would not consider this unit.

In addition, if you were to use this unit for long distance ranging, you would find it ranges great to trees but not so good to animals. In fact, the Compact 600 ranges as well to animals.

I only recommend the Compact 800 to those consumers to whom size is the overwhelming consideration. It is just every so slightly smaller than the Compact 600. I really need to update my FAQ pages with this information. Hope this helps.

User Comments

Done some comparing this Saturday. The new Bushnell 1000, compact 800, older 800, and Nikon 800. First off the Bushnell compact 800 and Nikon are the same looking with the names being different. The 1000 and older 800 didn't even come close to the compact 800 models. The first store that I stopped at and compared the Nikon to the Bushnell compact 800. I found the Bushnell to be far better, the Nikon was dark looking through it and everything was out of focus. Yes we looked to see if the lens were clean and they were. The second and last store, the Nikon was much clearer and sharper, there was something wrong with the first one. Both the compacts beat out the 1000 and older 800 models. Both compacts were the same. Each one would range the same objects with 1 yard different. The Nikon would show 1 yard more every time. Ranged an utility pole at 468 yards with the compacts and the 1000 yard model wouldn't do it. I didn't really like the display of the compacts to much. I wear glasses and its hard to see the target window for aiming and the display of the range at the same time. Otherwise they worked great. Being in a large city, it was hard to find anything small at long distances.

I had the opportunity to try out the Bushnell 400 quite awhile ago. IMHO it isn't with what they get for it. Tried the Bushnell 800 and Tasco 800 at the same time. The Bushnell would range things the Tasco wouldn't. Still not impressed with either one. The VHA Jamboree (1998) I had the chance to try the Bushnell 800, compact 600 and the Impulse2k. I liked the Impulse2k but $1500.. Then a couple of weeks I had the Bushnell 800, 1000, compact 800, and the Nikon 800. The Bushnell compact 800 and Nikon 800 looked and worked identical in every way except the name. Ranged the same objects although one ranged everything one more yard then the other, don't remember which it was. They haven't improved the ranging of the Bushnell 800 (regular) any. The Bushnell 1000 wasn't any better. I will have to say that the display (Bushnell) is much more user friendly. You can roll the eyepiece back if you wear glasses and get more view of the display. You can also see the aiming reticule and range display all at once pretty easy. You have a larger view of field area to. The Bushnell compact 800 and Nikon 800 you don't have the field of view. I wear glasses and it is harder to see the display. You have to range and then kind of move the range finder to read the range. I think if you didn't wear glasses you wouldn't have to move it. The ranging capabilities far exceeded those of the Tasco and other Bushnells. I would still get the Nikon or compact 800.

Steve R. overrev@rapidnet.com

I enjoyed finding the information on your page. Let me briefly tell you about my experience with the Bushnell Compact 800. I am an archer, using Olympic (read: slow) equipment. For field archery practice, I need to know the exact distance down to the meter (we shoot unmarked distances up to 55 meters and if you misjudge by 2 meters at that distance, you will barely catch the target face, which is WAY bigger than the kill zone on game animals). I have had a Yardage Pro 400 for a long time but wanted to replace it with something smaller, because my 10 x 42 Leica binoculars and the 400 make a big load. The 800 compact seemed perfect. I bought it, took it out to the field, and found that the unit ONLY READS IN EVEN NUMBERS ! Now think about this, the unit is advertised with a +/- 1 yard or meter tolerance, but if it only reads even numbers, WHICH yard are you looking at ?

So, I called someone I know at Bushnell, who told me the unit was originally to have had single-yard capability but when received from the supplier all of the units only read even numbers. That info is buried in the owner's manual. I was also told there's no way to step off and find the midpoint because the unit might round down or might round up. No way to tell. You can't tell if it is for example, 20, 21 or 22. That's possibly 3 meters, not 1. So I returned the compact 800 to the store and did a straight exchange for the 1000 model. This or any of the other Yardage Pro models will get you within a half meter by stepping back and forward and noting the transition of the last digit. Now, to be sure, a gun hunter or golfer won't need this kind of precision, but for archery you really need the exact distance within two meters. I certainly hate giving up the portability, however. I also found the 1000 to work better at longer distance and acquire faster than the 800 compact, contrary to what's stated in the field report on your page. I hope you find this information useful if a little long-winded, and thanks for the web page.

George T.

I recently tested the Nikon 800 (which is the same as Bushnell's Compact 800) against the Bushnell 1000. I bought the Nikon; my buddy bought the Bushnell. On trees they both ranged a long way - in excess of 800 yards. However, on animals it was a different story. The Bushnell 1000 would range about 500-600 yards on various animals. The Nikon unit would only range about 400 yards. I liked the size of the Nikon but you had to stick your eyeball into the unit to see the entire display. The Nikon also operates differently than the Bushnell. I sent my Nikon back to Cabela's and will order a Bushnell 1000 when I get my credit.
CoHunter

Pricing Information

Best price .... $269.95 at S.W.F.A., $269.00 at Bear Basin, Cabela's price is $269.99, $269.99 at Bass Pro Shop, Globe-Mart is $289.95. Note .... Please check current pricing and availability. Info current as of 8/7/03.

Manufacturer Information

http://www.bushnell.com/productinfo/rangefinders/hunting.html