Choosing Binoculars |Nature|Wildlife |Outdoors

Outdoor Professsor's Tips

Hello, I'm the OUTDOOR PROFESSOR from DiscoveringTheOutdoors.com/

Here's your outdoor tip on buying binoculars.

Binoculars are useful for a variety of outdoor activities, but to be honest, I have always found myself somewhat intimidated by knowing what to choose as the best pair of binoculars for me.

The list of options goes on and on:

First the types of Binoculars

• Full Size

• Compact

• Wide Angle

• Zoom

• Waterproof

• Focus Free

Binocular Performance

• Magnification-often called “power”

• Optical Coating

• Lens Diameter

• Prism Type / Grade

Types of Coating

Colored Coating References

• Ruby (Orange) Coated

• Blue Coated Optics

• Green Colored Optics

Lens Diameter

Light Transmission

Brightness

Relative Brightness Index (Rbi)

Twilight Factor

Field Of View

Exit Pupil

Eye Relief

Eyecups

Inter Pupillary Distance Ipd

Focusing

• Center Focus

• Individual Focus

• Auto Focus or Focus Free

Prism Types

Prism Quality

Tripod Adaptable

Intimidated by this list, I have to admit that I have always found myself choosing binoculars based on what’s on sale or their general size. I’m sure that these features of binoculars can be important to the expert user, but after reading several articles on selecting the correct binoculars for you, I’ve come to the conclusion that the average person will be satisfied with binoculars based on the basic magnification that fits their activities. If you know what those numbers such as 8x30 on the binoculars mean, you will be able to find a pair that will fit your use.

Let’s start with looking at a standard set of numbers you might see on some binoculars: 6x30. The number 6 refers to the number of times the binoculars will magnify an object. In other words, the object would appear 6 times closer to you. The number 30 tells you the diameter of the front of the binoculars or the objective lens. This gathers the light that reaches your eyes. Keep in mind that a large diameter means larger, heavier binoculars.

Although many people might not agree--for the purpose of our discussion, I am going to suggest that the average person needs to pay little attention to the second number. I’m not saying it’s not important for specific applications, but there are standard sizes that go with particular magnifications. Unless you are especially concerned about size, you will find normal objective lens sizes of:

On a 6 – 8 magnification 20-32 mm for the objective lens

On a 7 – 9 magnification 35 – 50mm

On a 10 – 36 magnification 50 – 70mm

Remember that the larger the objective lens, the more light that is captured, but without your personal experience using different sizes, I think you can go with what the average seller calls normal sizes.

Magnification is easy to understand and simply means that 6x means the size is increased 6 times, 8x-8times and so forth. There are two primary considerations to be made here. First, you may think that it is great to have the largest magnification available, but the higher the magnification, the smaller the field of vision will be. For example, if you want to use your binoculars to follow a deer running in the field or bird flying in the sky, high magnification will make it difficult for you to follow the animal because the field of vision is small. Secondly, the higher the magnification, the more important it is to hold the binocular still. Any magnification above 10x is going to mean the slightest amount of shaking, will make the image jump around and be difficult to view without a tripod.

The most popular binoculars tend to be the ones with moderate magnification (6x to 8x) with a wide field of vision and being easier to hold steady. When you go over 10 it is difficult to hold them steady and they have a narrow field of vision.

Some suggestions for binoculars:

Going to the opera or an indoor show: 6x30

Hiking: 7x25

Nature watching: 7x35

Long-distance watching: 8x40

My suggestion is that unless you are specializing and an expert in a particular activity, magnification should be your primary consideration. Consider your purpose and you can make your best choice in binoculars that will serve you needs for many years to come. I feel power can be the foundation for your choice. You can also look for features such as being waterproof and fogproof, but you may want to make price be your guide for many special features beyond magnification.

This is the OUTDOOR PROFESSOR from DiscoveringTheOutdoors.com/

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References-Additional Reading

How to Buy Binoculars
http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/info/index.jsp?categoryId=222810&infoPath=222985

A Guide to Buying Binoculars
http://animals.about.com/od/identifyinganimals/a/buybinos.htm

Things You Should Know Before Purchasing Your Next Binoculars
http://www.ebay.com/gds/THINGS-YOU-SHOULD-KNOW-BEFORE-YOU-BUY-BINOCULARS-/10000000007973565/g.html

Binoculars 101
http://www.binoculars101.com/bin-design-mag.html