Bushnell Elite 1500 User Manual

Congratulations on your purchase of the Bushnell® ELITE® 1500 Laser Rangefinder, Essential Gear for Hunting.
The ELITE® 1500 is a precision Laser Rangefinding optical instrument designed to provide many years of enjoyment.
This booklet will help you achieve optimum performance by explaining its adjustments and features as well as how to
care for this precise laser rangefinding optical instrument. To ensure optimal performance and longevity, please read
these instructions before using your ELITE® 1500.

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INTRODUCTION

Your Bushnell® ELITE® 1500 is an advanced premium laser rangefinder comprised of Digital Technology allowing
range readings from 5-1500 yards / 5-1372 meters. Measuring 1.7 x 5.1 x 3.7 inches, the 10-ounce ELITE® 1500
delivers superb and accurate range performance to +/- one yard. The ELITE® 1500 features Selective Targeting™
Modes, Superb Optical Quality, 100% Waterproof Construction, and Bushnell’s RainGuard® coating.

HOW OUR DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY WORKS

The ELITE® 1500 emits invisible, eye safe, infrared energy pulses. The ELITE® 1500’s Advanced Digital
microprocessor and ASIC chip (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) results in instantaneous and accurate readings
every time. Sophisticated digital technology instantaneously calculates distances by measuring the time it takes for
each pulse to travel from the rangefinder, to the target, and back.

RANGING ACCURACY

The ranging accuracy of the ELITE® 1500 is plus or minus one yard / meter under most circumstances. The
maximum range of the instrument depends on the reflectivity of the target. The maximum distance for most
objects is 1000 yards / 914 meters while for highly reflective objects the maximum is 1500 yards / 1373 meters.
Note: You will get both longer and shorter maximum distances depending on the reflective properties of the particular
target and the environmental conditions at the time the distance of an object is being measured.

The color, surface finish, size and shape of the target all affect reflectivity and range. The brighter the color, the
longer the range. Red is highly reflective, for example, and allows longer ranges than the color black, which is the
least reflective color. A shiny finish provides more range than a dull one. A small target is more difficult to range than
a larger target. The angle to the target also has an effect. Shooting to a target at a 90 degree angle (where the target
surface is perpendicular to the flight path of the emitted energy pulses) provides good range while a steep angle on
the other hand, provides limited ranging. In addition, lighting conditions (e.g. the amount of sunlight) will affect

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+/-2 Diopter
Adjustment

In-View Display

Mode Button

Rubber Armored &
100% Waterproof
Construction

Built-in
Low-Light LED

Power

Tripod Mount

Twist-Up Eyepiece
with RainGuard

®

Objective and
Laser Transmit

Battery CompartmentLaser Receiver

Lens with
Rainguard® Coating

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the ranging capabilities of the unit. The less light (e.g. overcast skies) the farther the unit’s maximum range will be.
Conversely, very sunny days will decrease the unit’s maximum range.

GETTING STARTED

INSERTING THE BATTERY

Lift the flap near , then pull the flap to remove battery door.
Insert one 9-volt alkaline battery into the slot as indicated, then
close the battery cover.
Note: Use only high quality alkaline batteries. Do not use heavy
duty or lithium batteries. It is recommended that the battery be
replaced once every 12 months.

Low Battery Indicator: If the Y (Yards) or M (Meters) indicator
blinks continuously, the battery charge is getting low and the
9-volt alkaline battery should be replaced.

ADJUSTING THE EYEPIECE
Your ELITE® 1500 is constructed with a twist-up eyepiece
designed for comfort and to exclude extraneous light. For
users without eyeglasses, rotate the eyecup counter clockwise
while pulling up until it locks into the fully ”up” position. The
ELITE® 1500 provides extra long eye-relief of 19mm. If you
wear glasses, make sure the eyecup is in the down position as
this will bring your eye closer the eyepiece lens allowing you to
see a full field of view. To lower the eyecup from the full “up”

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position, rotate clockwise while pushing down slightly. It is also possible to set the eyecup to positions “in between”,
fully up and full down, which may suit some individuals better.

The ELITE® 1500 is also equipped with an adjustable eyepiece (+/- 2 Diopter Adjustment) that allows one to focus
the LCD display relative to the image. Simply rotate the diopter setting until the LCD is in focus.

OPERATIONAL SUMMARY

While looking through the 7x eyepiece, depress the power button once to activate the in-view Liquid Crystal
Display (LCD). Place the aiming circle (located in the center of the field of view) upon a target at least 5 yards away,
depress and hold the power button down until the range reading is displayed near the bottom of the in-view display.
Crosshairs surrounding the aiming circle indicate that the laser is being transmitted. Once a range has been acquired,
you can release the power button. The crosshairs surrounding the aiming circle will disappear once the power button
has been released (i.e. the laser is no longer being transmitted). Note: Once activated, the ELITE® 1500’s LCD will
remain active and display the last distance measurement for 30 seconds. You can depress the power button again at
any time to distance to a new target. As with any laser device, it is not recommended to directly view the emissions
for long periods of time with magnified lenses. The maximum time the laser is transmitted (fired) is 10 seconds.
To re-fire, press the button down again.

LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY (LCD) INDICATORS
Your ELITE® 1500’s LCD incorporates illuminated indicators that advise the user unit of measure, when the
laser is actively firing, when a target has been acquired, and targeting modes. A summary of these features is
presented below:

UNIT OF MEASURE OPTIONS
The ELITE® 1500 can be used to measure distances in yards or meters. The unit of measure indicators are located
in the lower right portion of the LCD. To select between yards and meters, quickly press and release the POWER
button to turn on the unit (on top of the unit), look through the eyepiece, depress the “MODE” button (left side of

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the eyepiece) and hold it down for approximately 5 seconds. If you are changing from yards to meters, a change in
unit of measure will be indicated by the illumination of the M for meter indicator while the Y for Yard indicator is
turned off. If you are changing from meters to yards, the opposite will occur. The ELITE® 1500 will return to the
last unit of measure setting used each time the unit is turned on.

ACTIVE LASER

Crosshairs surrounding the aiming circle indicate that the laser is being transmitted. Once a range has been acquired,
you can release the power button. The crosshairs surrounding the circle will disappear once the power button has been
released (i.e. the laser is no longer being transmitted).

SELECTIVE TARGETING MODES
The ELITE® 1500 was especially designed with hunters in mind. The selective targeting modes allow you to adjust
the performance parameters of the unit to suit your specific situation and environment. To move from one mode to
another, press the POWER button once to turn on the unit. While looking through the eyepiece, press the MODE
button and quickly release. The different targeting modes available and mode indicators are listed below:

Standard with Automatic SCAN (LCD Indicator – none) This setting allows most targets to be distanced up to 1500
yards. Used for moderately reflective targets that are typical of most distancing situations. The minimum distance in the
standard mode is 3 yards. To use the Automatic SCAN feature, simply hold down on the POWER button for approximately
3 seconds. Automatic SCAN will allow the range to be continuously updated as multiple objects are targeted.

BullsEye™ (LCD Indicator - ) This advanced mode allows easy acquisition of small targets
and game without inadvertently getting distances to background targets that have stronger
signal strength. When more than one object has been acquired, distance of the closer object
will be displayed and a crosshair will surround the BullsEye™ indicator informing the user that
distance to the closer object is being displayed in the LCD.

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Once in this mode, press the POWER button to turn the unit on. Next, align the aiming circle onto the object (i.e.
deer) that you want distance to. Next, press and hold the POWER button and move the laser slowly over the deer
until crosshairs surround the BullsEye indicator. If the laser beam recognized more than one object (i.e. deer and
background trees), distance of the closer object (i.e. deer) will be displayed and crosshairs will surround the BullsEye
indicator informing the user that distance to the closer object is being displayed in the LCD (as seen below). There
may be times when only the laser beam only sees one object in its path. In this case, the distance will be displayed, but
because more than one object was not acquired, crosshairs will not surround the BullsEye indicator.

TIP: While pressing the POWER button, you can move the device slowly from object to object and intentionally
force the laser to hit multiple objects to ensure that you are only displaying the closest of the objects recognized by
the laser.

Once the device has shut off, the unit will always default back to the Standard with Automatic SCAN mode.

Brush™ (LCD Indicator - ) This advanced mode allows objects such as brush and tree
branches to be ignored so that distance only to background objects are displayed. When more
than one object has been acquired, distance of the further object will be displayed and a circle
will surround the Brush™ indicator informing the user that distance of the farthest object is
being displayed in the LCD.

Once in this mode, press the POWER button to turn the unit on. Next, align the aiming circle
onto the object that you want distance to. Next, press and hold the POWER button and move
the laser slowly over the object until a circle surrounds the Brush indicator. If the laser beam recognized more than
one object (i.e. close-up tree branch and a deer in the background), distance of the further object (i.e. deer) will be
displayed and a circle will surround the brush indicator informing the user that distance to the farther object is being
displayed in the LCD (as seen below). There may be times when only the laser beam only sees one object in its path.
In this case, the distance will be displayed, but because more than one object was not acquired, the circle will not

surround the Brush indicator.

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TIP: While pressing the POWER button, you can move the device slowly from object to object and intentionally
force the laser to hit multiple objects to ensure that you are only displaying the furthest of the objects recognized by
the laser.

OPTICAL DESIGN

Magnification and Coatings

The ELITE® 1500 features a powerful 7x magnification monocular for viewing your target. Optics are Fully Multi­Coated allowing maximum light transmission for optimum brightness, superb resolution and contrast for a clear
vivid image even in low light conditions such as dusk or dawn. A liquid crystal display (LCD) is mounted within the
optical system and when activated, displays a reticle for targeting, yards / meters, and Mode indicators. Inherent in
the manufacturing process are small black spots that appear in the optical system. These are a natural characteristic of
the LCD and cannot be fully eliminated in the manufacturing process. They do not affect the distancing performance
of the unit.

RainGuard®

The outer surfaces of the objective and eyepiece lenses are RainGuard® coated. RainGuard® is Bushnell’s permanent,
patented, hydrophobic (water repellant) lens coating that prevents fogging by causing condensation from rain, sleet,
snow or even your own breath to bead up into much smaller droplets than on standard coatings. Smaller uniform
droplets scatter less light which results in a clearer, brighter view.

Low-Light LED (Light Emitting Diode)

The ELITE® 1500 features an internal Low-Light Green LED (light emitting diode). This feature will automatically
power on once the POWER is on and allows an easy view of the LCD readout in low light conditions. The Low­Light Green LED illuminates the display and is helpful when trying to view the display readout when background

objects are dark.

TRIPOD MOUNT

Molded into the bottom of our ELITE® 1500 is a threaded tripod mount that will allow you to attach a tripod for a
more stable operation during long periods of use.

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SPECIFICATIONS

Dimensions: Measuring 1.7 x 5.1 x 3.7 inches
Weight: 10 oz.
Ranging Accuracy: +/- 1 yard
Range: 5-1500 Yards / 5-1372 Meters
Magnification: 7x
Objective Diameter: 26 mm
Optical Coatings: Fully Multi-Coated
Display: LCD
Power Source: 9-volt alkaline battery (user supplied)
Field Of View: 340 ft. @ 1000 yards
Extra Long Eye Relief: 19mm
Exit Pupil: 3.7 mm
100% Water Proof Construction
RainGuard Coating
Internal Low-Light LED for Dusk and Dawn conditions
Built-In Tripod Mount
Includes case and strap

CLEANING

Gently blow away any dust or debris on the lenses (or use a soft lens brush). To remove dirt or fingerprints, clean
with a soft cotton cloth, rubbing in a circular motion. Use of a coarse cloth or unnecessary rubbing may scratch the
lens surface and eventually cause permanent damage. For a more thorough cleaning, photographic lens tissue and
photographic-type lens cleaning fluid or isopropyl alcohol may be used. Always apply the fluid to the cleaning cloth

- never directly on the lens.

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TWO-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY

Your Bushnell product is warranted to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for two years after the date of purchase. In the event of a defect under
this warranty, we will, at our option, repair or replace the product, provided that you return the product postage prepaid. This warranty does not cover
damages caused by misuse, improper handling, installation, or maintenance provided by someone other than a Bushnell Authorized Service Department.
Any return made under this warranty must be accompanied by the items listed below:

1) A check/money order in the amount of $10.00 to cover the cost of postage and handling

2) Name and address for product return

3) An explanation of the defect

4) Proof of Date Purchased

5)

Product should be well packed in a sturdy outside shipping carton, to prevent damage in transit, with return postage prepaid to the address listed below:

IN U.S.A. Send To: IN CANADA Send To:
Bushnell Performance Optics Bushnell Performance Optics
Attn.: Repairs Attn.: Repairs
8500 Marshall Drive 25A East Pearce Street, Unit 1
Lenexa, Kansas 66214 Richmond Hill, Ontario L4B 2M9

For products purchased outside the United States or Canada please contact your local dealer for applicable warranty information. In Europe you may
also contact Bushnell at: BUSHNELL Performance Optics Gmbh
European Service Centre
MORSESTRASSE 4
D- 50769 KÖLN
GERMANY
Tél: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

This warranty gives you specific legal rights.

You may have other rights which vary from country to country.

©2004 Bushnell Performance Optics

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TROUBLE SHOOTING TABLE

If unit does not turn on - LCD does not illuminate:

• Depress power button.

• Check and if necessary, replace battery.

If unit does not respond to key presses –

• Replace the battery with a good quality 9 volt alkaline battery.

If unit powers down (display goes blank when attempting to power the laser):

• The battery is either weak or low quality. Replace the battery with a good quality 9 volt alkaline battery. Heavy
Duty alkaline batteries are NOT recommended.

There is no reset button to clear last range reading before ranging another target:

• The last range reading does not need to be cleared before ranging another target. Simply aim at the new target
using the LCD’s reticle, depress the power button and hold until new range reading is displayed.

If target range cannot be obtained:

• Make sure LCD is illuminated.

• Make sure that the power button is being depressed.

• Make sure that nothing, such as your hand or finger, is blocking the objective lenses (lenses closest to the target)
that emit and receive the laser pulses.

• Make sure unit is held steady while depressing power button.

NOTE: The last range reading does not need to be cleared before ranging another target. Simply aim at the new target
using the LCD’s reticle, depress the power button and hold until new range reading is displayed.

Specifications, instructions, and the operation of these products are subject to change without notice.

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