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Nikon Coolshot Pro Stabilized Rangefinder


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I was wondering if anyone tried out the new Nikon rangefinders. I like the idea of a stabilized rangefinder but wasn't too impressed with their previous version.

 

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I just picked it up last week and played one round with it so far. The stabilization works great, but coming from the Bushnell Pro X2 ( stolen in the spring, grr...) I do miss the X2's ability to lock the target down in a nano-second. The Nikon looks great but even with the stabilization it takes longer to lock down. Hoping I get used to it over time and don't miss the X2 so much.

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My understanding is that while the optics are stabilized, the laser is not. Leads me to believe that there isn't much of an advantage vs a standard range finder.

 

I have owned and used three different models of Bushnell (Medalist, Tour V3, Tour V4) and now have the Nikon 80VR.

 

There most certainly is a difference. To the extent I would not even remotely consider ever using a non-stabilized rangefinder again.

 

I can stand on the tee of a 480-yard hole and reliably laser a flag tucked behind a bunker, then laser the lip of the bunker and correctly distinguish every time between a front hole location 8-10 yards over the bunker and the back hole location 15-18 yards over the bunker. Not physically possible with a non-stabilized rangefinder.

 

Not that it's necessary from that extreme range but it works even there. I routinely determine the day's hole location plus or minus a couple yards by lasering the flagstick and the front edge of the green (if I'm within 120 yards or so) or a bunker lip (from almost any distance). The stabilization is darned near magic in its effectiveness.

 

P.S. Our flagsticks do have prisms so other rangefinders like a Tour V3 can get a flagstick lock from long range. Just can't distinguish flag from ground features or specific ground features from each other unless very close, i.e. inside 100 yards.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've played 3 rounds with mine, and I've decided to return it. Prices dropped on the Bushnell Pro X2 that I had previously, and I got one home last night. Took it out in the yard to test it to make sure I wasn't imagining things, and I wasn't. I could get a lock on a metal fence post with the Pro X2 immediately, the Nikon wouldn't lock on at all.

 

Maybe my experience isn't the norm or I got a bad one, but I felt weird standing for 10 seconds trying to get yardages while everyone waits for me to come up with the number. I'm the only one in my group with a laser so they're all waiting for me to give them yardages, and they were all noticing how much longer it was taking me than it did previously. Yeah, it looked great, the image was as stable as a rock, it just wouldn't give me a number.

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I wonder if your Nikon is defective somehow. Maybe misaligned optics or a malfunctioning VR servo.

 

No way it takes me 10 seconds to lock on a target. A second or two maybe. Faster than the ancient Bushnell Medalist I used for years, about the same as a Tour V3 or similar recent model.

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I tried the Nikon. Preferred the X2. I thought I would like the Nikon but after two rounds, I miss the jolt on the X2. Also, you have to be super careful your target. The Nikon focused on trees behind the pin, and I airmailed the green.

 

The jolt may be a battery suck, but it has value. Don’t recall ever having that happen with the Bushnell.

 

Also, the build quality of the Bushnell was better. Metal vs the plastic polycarbonate.

 

My two cents.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

I've used mine for two rounds and I don't like it. It takes me forever to line up to the target without seeing more of the inside of the device than target.... not sure if i'm saying that right, but it feels like you have to hold the thing in one specific way to get a screen filled with what you are trying to look at instead of seeing the inside of the range finder. It also sounds like something is loose inside it, which i assume to be the stabilizer.

On the plus side, once you do lock onto the flag and move your head while keeping the device locked in place, you can easily scan for bunker distances, front edge yardage, etc.

I had a Z6 which came off second best in a fight with a cart path and Bushnell couldn't fix it. They offered me a special deal on a Z4 as compensation, but that was the same price as the Patriot pack on Amazon! Weak customer service.

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My understanding is that while the optics are stabilized, the laser is not. Leads me to believe that there isn't much of an advantage vs a standard range finder.

 

This is true. We refer to these types of things as a feature without a benefit. The idea sounds great -- having a more stable image to scan -- but the clarity of the optics and the accuracy/width of the laser have to work in tandem to create an easy experience in acquiring the target.

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I just bought an 80VR. It works fine. Stabilization is cute and helps a little. However, there is a fairly substantial design flaw as far as I am concerned. The viewfinder has a polarized coating on one of the optics in the path. That is nice as long as you are not wearing polarized sunglasses. If you wear polarized sunglasses you see nothing through the viewer (black as a dark night). This is an incredibly stupid design choice. Annoying.

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I just bought an 80VR. It works fine. Stabilization is cute and helps a little. However, there is a fairly substantial design flaw as far as I am concerned. The viewfinder has a polarized coating on one of the optics in the path. That is nice as long as you are not wearing polarized sunglasses. If you wear polarized sunglasses you see nothing through the viewer (black as a dark night). This is an incredibly stupid design choice. Annoying.

At least with the coating in the viewfinder it wont end up with the Solar burns that are common on the V4...at least that is what I suspect the coating is for.
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This is the one I use and love it. The stabilized function is excellent, it barely moves.

 

I also like the fact is pretty small and can put it in my back pocket.

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I wonder if your Nikon is defective somehow. Maybe misaligned optics or a malfunctioning VR servo.

 

No way it takes me 10 seconds to lock on a target. A second or two maybe. Faster than the ancient Bushnell Medalist I used for years, about the same as a Tour V3 or similar recent model.

 

My same experience. This is the fastest rangefinder I have used, and I'm coming from a Leupold.

TM SIM2 Max Driver

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PXG 0311 XF Gen 1 4-W 

Titleist SM8 Black Wedges 48-54-58

Srixon Q-Star Tour 
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“Check your Ego at the Club House and Play the Correct Tees”

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I just bought an 80VR. It works fine. Stabilization is cute and helps a little. However, there is a fairly substantial design flaw as far as I am concerned. The viewfinder has a polarized coating on one of the optics in the path. That is nice as long as you are not wearing polarized sunglasses. If you wear polarized sunglasses you see nothing through the viewer (black as a dark night). This is an incredibly stupid design choice. Annoying.

At least with the coating in the viewfinder it wont end up with the Solar burns that are common on the V4...at least that is what I suspect the coating is for.

I am not sure what a "Solar burn" is. Typically a polarized coating on a viewfinder is just there to reduce glare (same as sunglasses).

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My understanding is that while the optics are stabilized, the laser is not. Leads me to believe that there isn't much of an advantage vs a standard range finder.

 

This is true. We refer to these types of things as a feature without a benefit. The idea sounds great -- having a more stable image to scan -- but the clarity of the optics and the accuracy/width of the laser have to work in tandem to create an easy experience in acquiring the target.

 

Are you sure on this? looking at Nikon’s website it does seem like the laser reflects off the same optics as viewfinder.

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I am not sure what a "Solar burn" is. Typically a polarized coating on a viewfinder is just there to reduce glare (same as sunglasses).

 

I would think there has to be some other purpose. If they were both designed to filter the same glare, the orientation of the polarization would be the same and you wouldn't get the full cancellation effect you're seeing (or not seeing :-).

 

Maybe a safety feature to filter out the laser emissions if you happen to shoot something at very close range?

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I am not sure what a "Solar burn" is. Typically a polarized coating on a viewfinder is just there to reduce glare (same as sunglasses).

 

I would think there has to be some other purpose. If they were both designed to filter the same glare, the orientation of the polarization would be the same and you wouldn't get the full cancellation effect you're seeing (or not seeing :-).

 

Maybe a safety feature to filter out the laser emissions if you happen to shoot something at very close range?

Depends on how the polarized coating was done. The laser is eyesafe so reflections would be as well so no safety issues. Back reflections can cause issues for the laser itself, but the wavelength (~1.5 micron) is very different than visible. The injection splitter should pass all visible and reflect all 1.5 micron light. It apparently also rotates polarization 90° at all wavelengths (they could have polarized the window instead of the splitter - same result). I think the polarized coating can be wavelength specific, but not sure. I used to have coating experts available at my fingertips. Retired now so not so much.

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Some of you must be improperly using the rangefinder. I wear my polarized sunglasses and have zero problems looking through or acquiring targets.

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TM SIM2 Max 3 & 5

PXG 0311 XF Gen 1 4-W 

Titleist SM8 Black Wedges 48-54-58

Srixon Q-Star Tour 
2009 Custom Scotty Cameron Welded Neck 009 35/330g (with a slap of lead tape for sauciness)
“Check your Ego at the Club House and Play the Correct Tees”

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Some of you must be improperly using the rangefinder. I wear my polarized sunglasses and have zero problems looking through or acquiring targets.

I doubt that I am using the rangefinder improperly. What brand of sunglasses do you wear?

 

I sometimes use my Costa or my Oakley’s with polarized Prizm lenses.

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TM SIM2 Max 3 & 5

PXG 0311 XF Gen 1 4-W 

Titleist SM8 Black Wedges 48-54-58

Srixon Q-Star Tour 
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“Check your Ego at the Club House and Play the Correct Tees”

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Depends on how the polarized coating was done. The laser is eyesafe so reflections would be as well so no safety issues.

 

I couldn't find a definition but was only guessing that "eye-safe" was based on non-magnified exposure. If that's the case, I wouldn't assume it's still "eye safe" when looking through the magnified optics. But not trying to defend that particular idea - it was just a guess. Reduction of glare didn't seem right based on the orientation - unless it's for a potential source of glare internal to the optics (instead of external) - not that I can think of one of those either. Dynamics I can handle, optics I'm a lot less familiar with other than the core principles.

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Some of you must be improperly using the rangefinder. I wear my polarized sunglasses and have zero problems looking through or acquiring targets.

I doubt that I am using the rangefinder improperly. What brand of sunglasses do you wear?

 

I sometimes use my Costa or my Oakley’s with polarized Prizm lenses.

Actually on second thought the sunglasses shouldn't make a difference since they are all trying to take out the same orientation of light I think (reflection from horizontal surfaces). I have the 80VR. If you are using the pro stabilized, that would be a difference. Nikon could have changed the design between the two models. Maybe folks complained about the polarization orientation. If the design is trying to mitigate back reflections into the laser then it won't care as long as it is opposite.

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Some of you must be improperly using the rangefinder. I wear my polarized sunglasses and have zero problems looking through or acquiring targets.

I doubt that I am using the rangefinder improperly. What brand of sunglasses do you wear?

 

I sometimes use my Costa or my Oakley’s with polarized Prizm lenses.

Actually on second thought the sunglasses shouldn't make a difference since they are all trying to take out the same orientation of light I think (reflection from horizontal surfaces). I have the 80VR. If you are using the pro stabilized, that would be a difference. Nikon could have changed the design between the two models. Maybe folks complained about the polarization orientation. If the design is trying to mitigate back reflections into the laser then it won't care as long as it is opposite.

 

I’m not familiar with the 80VR, but I know with the P.S. polarized sunglasses are not a problem. I agree with you in assuming that Nikon might have changed the design. For the price I would think so, lol....

 

It is a nice rangefinder, but when talking about optics alone, nothing beats a Leupold. I have a Leupold but I can’t use on my course because we don’t have prizm on the pins so the lock function doesn’t work. It is a pain to lock on the target with it, which is why I bought the Nikon P.S.

TM SIM2 Max Driver

TM SIM2 Max 3 & 5

PXG 0311 XF Gen 1 4-W 

Titleist SM8 Black Wedges 48-54-58

Srixon Q-Star Tour 
2009 Custom Scotty Cameron Welded Neck 009 35/330g (with a slap of lead tape for sauciness)
“Check your Ego at the Club House and Play the Correct Tees”

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Depends on how the polarized coating was done. The laser is eyesafe so reflections would be as well so no safety issues.

 

I couldn't find a definition but was only guessing that "eye-safe" was based on non-magnified exposure. If that's the case, I wouldn't assume it's still "eye safe" when looking through the magnified optics. But not trying to defend that particular idea - it was just a guess. Reduction of glare didn't seem right based on the orientation - unless it's for a potential source of glare internal to the optics (instead of external) - not that I can think of one of those either. Dynamics I can handle, optics I'm a lot less familiar with other than the core principles.

Magnified viewing is part of the eyesafe criteria. The lasers used in these little rangefinders are very, very eyesafe. They blow the beam up pretty large so that hitting the flagstick is easy. Even a retro-reflection won't send all that much light back compared to what was sent out. The biggest issue is probably back reflection into the laser cavity which can setup parasitic modes (basically the laser no longer operates per spec in that case).

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Some of you must be improperly using the rangefinder. I wear my polarized sunglasses and have zero problems looking through or acquiring targets.

I doubt that I am using the rangefinder improperly. What brand of sunglasses do you wear?

 

I sometimes use my Costa or my Oakley's with polarized Prizm lenses.

Actually on second thought the sunglasses shouldn't make a difference since they are all trying to take out the same orientation of light I think (reflection from horizontal surfaces). I have the 80VR. If you are using the pro stabilized, that would be a difference. Nikon could have changed the design between the two models. Maybe folks complained about the polarization orientation. If the design is trying to mitigate back reflections into the laser then it won't care as long as it is opposite.

 

I'm not familiar with the 80VR, but I know with the P.S. polarized sunglasses are not a problem. I agree with you in assuming that Nikon might have changed the design. For the price I would think so, lol....

 

It is a nice rangefinder, but when talking about optics alone, nothing beats a Leupold. I have a Leupold but I can't use on my course because we don't have prizm on the pins so the lock function doesn't work. It is a pain to lock on the target with it, which is why I bought the Nikon P.S.

That's weak sauce with the Leupold requiring a cooperative target to lock. Surprised.

 

As far as optics go it is all about cost. Quality is directly proportional to cost.

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