Binoculars buying guide

Binoculars

Binoculars can be used for a variety of activities, from birdwatching, to sports, to opera, to hiking... and more. The size and specifications you will need for each particular activity will vary. For a fun and easy way to determine which binoculars are best for you, see Nikon's Web site . It has a great step-by-step questionnaire to help you choose the right binoculars. Binoculars can cost as little as $50 and as much as $3000. Of course you shouldn't expect the same quality from the two price extremes. Fortunately, not everyone needs to spend $1000 on a pair of binoculars. (Professionals, consider yourselves exempted.)

Contents [ Hide ]

1 Intended Use
2 Number Games
3 Video Review
4 Search By Magnification
5 Search by Price
6 Top Picks
7 Related Searches

Intended Use

Popular Binoculars

By Brand

Alpen

Barska Optics

Bushnell

Canon

Carson Optical

Celestron

Konica Minolta

Leica

Leupold

Meade

Night Owl Optics

Nikon

Olympus

Pentax

Steiner

Svarovski

Swift

Tasco

Vanguard International

Zeiss

By Model (About.com)

Less than $100

Sonoma

Atlantic

Travelite

Minizoom

Tracker

$100-$200

Waterproof

Ultima and Noble

Papillo

Activa 8x40

Capture View Generation

Sporter

Safari

EZ

$200-$500

Bushnell Legend

Wind River

NOFF

8x32A

Audobon

$500-$1000

IS II 12x36

Trinovid BN/Ultra

$1200-$2000

Victory T* FL

Optik

Try the linked searches. They come up with some excellent results:

General use (travel or hiking)

Get the most compact and lightweight models ( less than a pound ) available.
If you don't plan on travelling with your binoculars, get a full-size model -- they have better lenses.

Field work

Working outdoors requires something lightweight ( under 1.5lbs. ), compact, and waterproof. Carrying binoculars for several hours can get uncomfortable. However, if you plan to use your binoculars during twilight , you will need better lenses (see below), perhaps even night vision binoculars for use in the dark.

Sporting/Concert Events

Zoom binoculars can be useful for viewing objects that are very far away. However, if you are closer, you need to have a fuller range. The same goes for hunting where you need to keep the object in view without letting it escape your range.

Specifications and Other Considerations

Basic types include porro prism wide-set , narrow-set and i n-line (roof prisms) . In-lines tend to be more expensive, but also more compact. Usually wide-set binoculars are full-size, and narrow-set usually fall under the mini-size category.
Eyeglass wearers should consider whether the binoculars have a special eyepiece.
Diopter adjustable binoculars are also useful for people with vision problems. This finely tuned focus ring around the eyepiece can make for a more focused image when you see better out of one eye than the other.
Lens coating comes in various levels. The coatings clarify the image by attempting to preserve the light that might otherwise get lost while passing through the lens. Higher levels of coating are more desirable because they offer better clarity and, naturally, they are more expensive. A single coat is a coated layer on one lens surface, and a fully coated lenses mean that all the lenses in contact with air are coated. Then there is multi-coating, which means multiple coatings are given to at least one of the lens surfaces. The best is full multi-coating; all the lenses are coated with multiple layers.
Autofocus binoculars are a good start, but may make it difficult to resolve details at a great distance or at short distances.
Focus type varies from model to model. Most are center focus models with a tiny wheel between the lens barrels that you twist to focus. The simplest models use electronic focus and " focus free " technology, which means you don't have to bother with focusing at all because the optics takes care of it for you. Individual eye focusing is just as the name states: each lens is focused individually. Lever (instafocus) uses a little lever between the lenses for quick focusing, which is good for sports and hunting.
Fogproofing is a great feature if you plan to work outdoors or on a boat.
Eyepiece covers that are attached to the strap are a handy feature; covers are very easy to lose.
Tripod compatibility is a feature to look for if you plan on using your binoculars for long periods of time or if you need an extra steady view. Tripods are the best way to eliminate shaky images. If you don't want blur but aren't into carrying around a tripod, buy binoculars with image-stabilization technology, such as the Canon 10 X 30 IS Binocular or any model in the Nikon StabilEyes series.

Number Games

All binoculars will have a set of numbers on them that represent key technical specifications. For example, take these 16x32 binoculars :

Magnification power of 16x: This means that you will see objects 16 times bigger and/or closer than they actually are. For opera or bird watching the magnification doesn't have to be as high because the objects are usually closer than, let's say, stars.

Diameter or Objective Size of 32mm: This is the diameter of the lenses, which allow light into the binoculars. The bigger they are, the more light they let enter. The more light they let enter, the better you can see in dark environments. Another way of measuring nighttime performance is called "twilight performance" for hunting, bird watching, and stargazing.

In this case, 16x32 would give you a 512 twilight performance rating. A 7x35 gives you a 245 rating, which is not as good for seeing in dim light, but works quite well in sunlight.
Another number that you get from the magnification and the diameter is the exit pupil . Taking our first example, 16x32: the exit pupil number would be 2 (32/16=2). The larger the exit pupil, the more light your eye gets, and the easier it is to see through your binoculars in dim light.

Another measurement is field of view : This measures the width of the view you will get at 1000 yards from where you are standing. Opt for a wider field of view than high magnification if you will be hunting or watching sports, since it makes it easier to follow the fast-moving objects.

Field of view is represented either as an angle (6 degrees is good wide view) or as the width of the image when you're standing 1000 yards out (330 feet is the equivalent of 8 degrees, calculated easily by multiplying the angle by 52.5).