A picture of the sunrise over the mountains

ImageView FAQ

No, if you already have other photo imaging software on your PC that you prefer (and is capable of accessing standard TWAIN devices-most imaging software is), you may use it instead, as long as the ImageView™ drivers are correctly installed first. The "import" or "load" menus in your software should be able to access the ImageView™ photo files, which are stored as .bmp (standard bitmap) format on the ImageView 11-1025, and standard JPEG (.jpg) files on other models.

As the ImageView™ gets power from the USB connection while downloading photos, it may not work correctly when plugged into a front panel or keyboard USB port on some computers. We recommend using a rear panel USB connection. Avoid using a USB hub, unless the hub has its own AC adapter to supply power to connected devices.

  1. Connect your ImageView using the supplied USB cable directly to the PC. (Windows 98 users should be sure to install the driver from their CD first). USB hubs without AC Adapters(unpowered or passive)may not work correctly. Launch PhotoSuite 5.
  2. Under the Home Page frame on the left, select “Edit & Create”, then the Edit icon. You will see “Open”
  3. In the “Open” window, select “My Computer” in the left frame and use the “Look in: “pull-down menu to select the ImageView, identified as Removable Disk ( ). (You may need to click “My Computer” or “Desktop” first)
  4. Your photos are the .jpg files inside Removable Disk>DCIM>100Image.
  5. Select a photo and click Open, then edit the photo as a desired-for example, “Overall Quality>Auto Fix”, then “Done” when you are through editing.
  6. To save your edited photo to the My Pictures folder or a PhotoSuite album, proceed as follows: “Done Editing Photo”, “Save Changes? =Yes”, “Replace Existing File=No” (unedited photo is still retained in your ImageView memory), then “Save In” the desired location on your local hard drive.
  7. You may now disconnect your ImageView (see instructions above), and do any future viewing, additional editing, printing, etc. with the photo files from the folder or album you chose. You may also delete the photos in your ImageView memory and take new ones.

The camera part of the ImageView™ is has its own optics, independent of the binocular. The ImageView™ camera lens has a preset focus which is optimized for distances of 40 feet and further away (as binoculars are normally used for viewing of distant subjects). If you try to take photos of objects closer than 40 feet, they will not be sharp. The binoculars, however, will allow you to focus as close as 15 feet.


Except for the 11-0830 and 11-8321 models, which use one lithium CR-123 type battery, alkaline AAA batteries are recommended, and should last for up to 400 pictures in most of the ImageViews. The 11-0830 and 11-0832 models (with a flip-up1.5” TFT LCD for reviewing photos) will use batteries faster, depending mainly on how heavily the display is used.

All ImageView™ cameras have 8-power magnification (objects in your photos will appear 8 times closer), and the binocular provides 7x, 8x or 10x magnification depending on the model. Because of the high camera lens magnification, it is important to hold the ImageView™ steady for the best photo results.

If you have Windows 98, a driver has not been installed properly and it will need to be uninstalled and reinstalled. If you still do not see the Removable Disk, you may need to restart your computer with the binoculars plugged in. Some older systems need to be rebooted for them to recognize USB devices. If you are running Windows ME, 2000, or XP, make sure you haven’t installed the driver from the CD as it will cause conflicts. As stated in your instruction manual, the drivers do not need to be installed unless you use Win98, and should be removed.

This is a shutter release cord that is mainly used by binoculars in conjunction with a tripod. The cord plugs into a small port left of the USB port and above the SD card slot.

The message of “NSD or PSU or N5D” refers to “No SD card inserted”. To resolve this message, turn the unit off and insert an appropriate capacity SD card into the SD slot. Power the unit back on and the error should go away.

Try laying the binoculars on a flat, steady, surface outdoors and snapping a couple of pictures. If the pictures come out clear, you are moving the binoculars too much. If the pictures still come out blurry, you may have a camera problem, in which case you should contact Customer Service. If the same area in all of your photos is blurry or soft (but appear sharp otherwise), try cleaning the camera's lens, using a small amount of lens cleaning fluid on the supplied cloth, or a dry microfiber cloth.

Tips for best quality of pictures: Be sure you have the camera set to its highest resolution and quality (file size)for the best results. You should always try to hold the ImageView™ as steady as possible, because the camera lens provides an 8x magnification (equivalent to about a 400mm lens on a 35mm film camera). As with any camera with a powerful zoom or telephoto lens, it is recommended for optimum results that you support the camera securely - keep elbows in, feet apart, brace your body against an object if possible-and slowly squeeze the shutter button (Snap) on the top right, rather than “punching” it abruptly. Try wrapping both hands around the ImageView™, and pressing the shutter release with your fourth finger. Use a tripod or monopod if possible on the models that provide a tripod socket, along with the self-timer or remote shutter button if your model has that feature.

Exit PhotoSuite® and right-click on your Windows® desktop and select “Properties” to bring up the display properties window. Select “Settings” and use the slider to increase the screen area (set the monitor for higher resolution). You should now be able to more easily see all items on the PhotoSuite® screens when you start the program.

The ImageView™ drivers and PhotoSuite® software are PC-only, with the following requirements:

High (normal) resolution is .35 megapixels (640x480), and low resolution (display will indicate "LQ") is 320x240 megapixels. Use high resolution for best quality, and low resolution only if maximum photo storage capacity is more important. Note: if "LQ" does not show in the camera display, the ImageView™ is set for high resolution.

Models 11-8321, 11-0832, and 11-0831 use an SD (Secure Digital)card (not included). Model 18-0832(Instant Replay) uses a compact flash card(a 16MB card is included). Both types of cards can be found in most electronics stores and computer stores. The manufacturer and capacity of the card do not matter as long as you get the correct type of card (SD or CF) for your model of binoculars. Avoid the use of MMC cards (MultiMedia Card)in the models designed for SD cards, as the camera may not function properly and require resetting(remove the batteries, take the MMC card out, then reinsert the batteries).

The maximum size SD card that can be used in our Model#118321 8x30 2.1 MP Imageview, is a 512MB. Anything larger will cause the files to be corrupted.

Instructions for Downloading and Installing Drivers for ImageView models without an SD card slot, manufactured 2009 or earlier (original version of model #111025, 110718, 118200, etc.)

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: These drivers are only compatible with Windows XP or earlier Windows operating systems. Early ImageView models without SD card slots are not compatible with any Windows OS after XP (Vista or 7, etc), and no drivers are available for those Windows operating systems, or for Mac OSX (any version).

All later ImageView products, and all models with SD card slots, are compatible with Windows XP or later operating systems, as well as Mac OSX (w/Intel CPU). No drivers are necessary for these later models-simply connect a USB cable, or use an SD card reader.

  1. Go to cs.bushnell.com
  2. Click on “Drivers”.
  3. Click on “Imageview”.
  4. Open or remove the battery cover on your ImageView and look for the serial number which was printed on the cover, or a label placed on the cover. Note: be careful when you remove the battery cover. If the batteries fall out or lose contact, your photos stored in the internal memory may be lost.
  5. Select the driver closest to the serial number on the battery cover. For example, if the serial number inside your battery compartment is “AM303512”, you would select the “AM310766” driver file rather than “AM293452”.
  6. Click on the driver file name.
  7. Save the zip file to your desktop.
  8. Double click on the desktop icon (name of the zip file you downloaded). Note: If the opening the zip file does not produce a normal file folder with the same name, you may need to download “Winzip” or a similar zip file decompression application.
  9. View list of files – look for “driver.exe” “driver”, “Bushnell ImageView.exe” or “Bushnell ImageView Install Shield”-the file name varies depending on the specific driver that was used for the chip in your camera.
  10. Double click on “driver.exe” “driver”, or “Bushnell ImageView Install Shield”
  11. Extract and install the software.
  12. You should now see a “dual mode camera” or similar application window. Launch this application (double click the application icon or name).
  13. Plug in your ImageView camera and view photos.

The product is defective and will need to be returned or sent in for repair.

Your computer CD drive may not have an “autoplay” function (some CD burners do not), or this feature is turned off. Find the CD drive icon in your “My Computer” window, and double-click to open it. Then double-click on the “Install Drivers” folder. After installing the drivers, you may install PhotoSuite® by double-clicking the “Install MQI PhotoSuite® software 4SF” file on the CD.

The trouble is that you are not selecting the correct device when trying to download pictures. When downloading, select Transfer, Transfer from New Device, and then select Removable Disk.

If the batteries are removed from the ImageView™, any photos stored in the internal memory will be lost (except models #11-0830 and 11-0832, which have non-volatile “flash” memory). Some ImageView models include a slot for an external (SD) memory card, providing additional, non-battery-dependent storage. Be sure to download your photos to a computer before changing batteries. Keep an eye on the battery indicator, so you can plan to download before your batteries get too low.

Yes, the ImageView™ has always been XP compatible. When we began shipping the ImageView™, the hardware and software was fully XP compliant, but had not yet been tested and certified by Microsoft®, which can take some time. If you get the screen shown below during your installation, simply click "Continue Anyway" and proceed with the installation. (If you click continue, but are asked for "disc 1", you should obtain a replacement disc by calling customer service at 1-800-423-3537). Installing the ImageView™ software will not harm your computer. We have now received "official" XP compliant status from Microsoft®, as noted on their website: link (Note-Sonix Technology is the supplier for the chip used in the ImageView™ electronics which contains the internal software, therefore, their name is indicated under "Manufacturer". The product itself is identified as the Bushnell® ImageView™).