Bosch GLR825 Laser Distance Measurer, 825'., Blue

This is a limited review as I've only had this unit for a short while and haven't used the advanced functions. I'm only going to comment on the long-distance-finding capability of this unit, as this is what concerns me most and the other reviews don't seem to cover this.I was anxious about whether this unit would really measure long distances in bright sun conditions where I most often operate in my landscape design business.I have a Bosch DLR165 that I have used for a few years and I love it but it is only good for outdoor measuring in the sun to about 50', maybe to 80' or so if I really work at it (I must use red enhancing glasses and a tripod helps too). Over 50' and the experience is very nerve wracking and time-consuming as you struggle to find the red dot on your target. It's just very difficult to see the class 2 red dot over about 50' outdoors in sun. All the distance finders seem to use the same class 2 laser intensity and therefore all have this problem (so I've been told). The rated distance capability seems to be a function of the capability of the finder to read the laser reflection and seems to be a matter of the optics at the front of the finder. The 825 has a huge optic lens campared to the 165 and I guess this is why it can measure distance to 825'. The thing is that if you can't see the dot it doesn't matter how well the finder can measure it because you can't know what is being measured!So... here's the thing about the GRL825. The optical viewfinder really works! I was skeptical about it because it magnifies to only 1.6x and I couldn't see how that would help in locating the red laser dot on a target very well. I thought the red dot would still be washed out in the sun as it would be with my DLR165. I also thought it would be very difficult to hold the little laser steady in shooting long distance, even if you could see the dot. But....the viewfinder works wonderfully! You look into a small viewfinder on the side of the unit and in the little round view you see a small but distinctly bright red laser dot that you can quite easily place and hold on a target, yes even 800' in the distance, in bright sunlight! I don't know how this works but it does.I tried shooting several distances from about 200' to over 815' and was able to do it easily in every case. You can't easily hold the laser dot on a dinner plate at 800' without a tripod but you can keep in within a 2 or 3' circle fairly readily. With a tripod, I think it would be possible to hit the dinner plate (I haven't tried to be that precise yet). No red enhancing glasses needed when using the viewfinder either.I also considered several Leica models that use a digitized, magnified screen image to help with long-distance measuring. These magnify somewhat more than does the Bosch 825 but I was told by my local survey shop (that sells the Leicas) that these digital viewscreens worked very poorly with cartoonish images that don't allow precise laser dot placement. I don't know about this since I didn't get to try a Leica but the units were more expensive than the Bosch (much more for some models) and I liked my DLR165 so I went with the Bosch. Glad I did.Addendum:3 years later, still loving the GLR825...7 1/2 years from my review and GLR825 still working great. I now only use it infrequently-probably every month or two and I don’t handle it roughly.

I picked this up for some measuring projects - blueprinting existing buildings. I have a wheel tape, traditional 100' tape and this. Nothing is ideal for every situation, and I still use all three. For example, in some basements or industrial settings where there are a lot of contaminants in the air (really heavy dust, fog, etc.) the laser is next to useless. If the beam can't get through to the wall, it can't measure. If it's deflected or scattered, you'll also have problems. Same for very bright sunlight outdoors. However, for 90% of interior uses, the GLR825 is perfect. The built-in calculations/functions are handy, especially for the mathematically challenged (me.) Granted it took me a couple of times to "get" the manual, but after trying all the examples hands-on, it was easy. The other special functions (max distance, min distance, etc.) are also very handy. For outdoor use, you may need a reflector/target. The viewfinder/telescope thing is next to useless. Poor quality optics, small field of view. I think Bosch tossed it in as a "tipping point" feature. "Do I get the 825 or the 500? Well the 825 also has the telescope thing, plus more distance, so I'll go for the 825!"You can select the distance display format (feet/inches, feet/10ths, etc.) and start point: back, front, or center (over tripod mounting hole) of the GLR825.It also includes batteries and a decent quality holster. After you spend about 30 minutes using the measurer, you'll have the hang of it. It's a fantastic addition to any toolbox. Now, do you need over 800 feet of distance? Remember, that in many conditions, this can be reduced by as much as 50%. So if you purchased a device that measures 80 feet, you may find it maxing at 40 feet. So with over 800 feet of maximum distance, even in the worst case scenario, you'll still have over 400 feet!Other pluses are the bright backlight, tactile buttons, and pop-out brace on the bottom. That's used to make sure you're square to corners and more. The only extra feature I wish it had was Bluetooth, but that would probably add $50 to the price!

I bought this for long distances, wearing prescription glasses has given me a hard time finding the tiny red dot in the zoom lens. Did not matter how much sunlight is out, the main problem is getting my eye lined up with the lens thru my glasses. I am not the only person that wears glasses. I tried laser enhancement glasses and that was just worse. Can't blame the Bosch for that problem. In very bright sunlight I was able to get a distance out to 665 feet using my own self made target, 3 foot wide by 1.5 foot high cardboard covered with white paper. No surprise I was unable to get 835 the next day in the conditions I was in. I am very happy with this item other than how long it takes me to locate the red dot. That is all about body alignment to the lens. Cross hairs over the entire window would help.