How to Buy Binoculars for Birdwatching
Decide what you want your binoculars to do., Choose the features you would prefer.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Decide what you want your binoculars to do.
Buyers need to consider several variables when choosing the right pair of birdwatching binoculars:
How often will you use them? A casual birdwatcher likely won’t want to invest several hundred dollars in a top-of-the-line set of binoculars.
Conversely, someone planning to dive into the hobby will probably be better off making a bigger financial commitment in order to ensure quality and durability.
Where will you be using them? Watching from your window, front deck or patio is a low-impact exercise that makes heavier binoculars with the option of using a tripod a better choice.
If you plan to be more mobile while watching birds, you’ll want a pair of binoculars that are lighter and easier to carry.
What is the geography like in your area? Different landscapes demand different styles of binoculars.
If visibility is a concern—somewhere near the ocean, for example—you may want to invest in fog-proof binoculars.
Not everyone will need to worry about this variable, but those who do should look into minimizing visibility issues.
What time of day will you be most active? Binoculars that excel in daytime watching may not be suitable for nighttime viewing.
Determining when your typical birding time will be should make finding suitable binoculars easier. -
Step 2: Choose the features you would prefer.
Once you’ve decided on the basics, it’s time to personalize things.
Here are the factors to consider:
Shape:
Binoculars generally come in two shapes: roof prism and porro prism.
Roof-prism binoculars feature two straight sight barrels and are usually the smaller of the two types.
Porro-prism binoculars have dogleg-shaped barrels with offset eyepieces, and are usually more affordable because they aren’t as compact.
Magnification:
This determines the extent to which you can make faraway objects appear closer.
Experts suggest that most people find a happy medium—enough magnification to identify birds from a distance, but not so much that unsteady hands become more noticeable and the viewing area becomes too small.
Higher magnification is also less than ideal when you’re tracking a moving target, which will probably be the case when you’re birding.
Objective lens size:
This refers to the size of the front lens, which determines how much light gets in.
A larger objective lens will make it easier to see greater distances, as well as improve visibility at dawn or dusk.
They cost more, but most birders agree that larger objective lenses are a must. (Note:
Most binoculars are identified using magnification and objective lens size paired together, like 8x32 or 7x42.
As a general rule, the wider the ratio, the larger the image.
For instance, an 8x42 pair of binoculars produces a larger image than a 8x32 combination.) Prisms:
Most binoculars feature either BK7 or BAK4 prisms.
BAK4 prisms are higher quality, with finer grounded edges that improve clarity and focus.
BK7 prisms are also good, but aren’t as finely ground and therefore don’t provide the same quality image.
Coatings:
These are layers applied to lenses to reduce the glare that washes out images.
Coated lenses range in quality from "coated"
which has moderate glare reduction, to "multi-coated" with near complete glare reduction.
Zoom:
This option changes the effective magnification of the lens and allows the user to view a bird in a scene or close up, even from a great distance.
Zoom lenses are effective when viewing birds standing still, but may make it difficult to follow moving subjects.
They tend to be larger and heavier than fixed lens units.
Birders pay a premium for excellent zoom lens optics.
Less pricey models often have fuzzy or distorted images and a smaller field of view.
Detailed Guide
Buyers need to consider several variables when choosing the right pair of birdwatching binoculars:
How often will you use them? A casual birdwatcher likely won’t want to invest several hundred dollars in a top-of-the-line set of binoculars.
Conversely, someone planning to dive into the hobby will probably be better off making a bigger financial commitment in order to ensure quality and durability.
Where will you be using them? Watching from your window, front deck or patio is a low-impact exercise that makes heavier binoculars with the option of using a tripod a better choice.
If you plan to be more mobile while watching birds, you’ll want a pair of binoculars that are lighter and easier to carry.
What is the geography like in your area? Different landscapes demand different styles of binoculars.
If visibility is a concern—somewhere near the ocean, for example—you may want to invest in fog-proof binoculars.
Not everyone will need to worry about this variable, but those who do should look into minimizing visibility issues.
What time of day will you be most active? Binoculars that excel in daytime watching may not be suitable for nighttime viewing.
Determining when your typical birding time will be should make finding suitable binoculars easier.
Once you’ve decided on the basics, it’s time to personalize things.
Here are the factors to consider:
Shape:
Binoculars generally come in two shapes: roof prism and porro prism.
Roof-prism binoculars feature two straight sight barrels and are usually the smaller of the two types.
Porro-prism binoculars have dogleg-shaped barrels with offset eyepieces, and are usually more affordable because they aren’t as compact.
Magnification:
This determines the extent to which you can make faraway objects appear closer.
Experts suggest that most people find a happy medium—enough magnification to identify birds from a distance, but not so much that unsteady hands become more noticeable and the viewing area becomes too small.
Higher magnification is also less than ideal when you’re tracking a moving target, which will probably be the case when you’re birding.
Objective lens size:
This refers to the size of the front lens, which determines how much light gets in.
A larger objective lens will make it easier to see greater distances, as well as improve visibility at dawn or dusk.
They cost more, but most birders agree that larger objective lenses are a must. (Note:
Most binoculars are identified using magnification and objective lens size paired together, like 8x32 or 7x42.
As a general rule, the wider the ratio, the larger the image.
For instance, an 8x42 pair of binoculars produces a larger image than a 8x32 combination.) Prisms:
Most binoculars feature either BK7 or BAK4 prisms.
BAK4 prisms are higher quality, with finer grounded edges that improve clarity and focus.
BK7 prisms are also good, but aren’t as finely ground and therefore don’t provide the same quality image.
Coatings:
These are layers applied to lenses to reduce the glare that washes out images.
Coated lenses range in quality from "coated"
which has moderate glare reduction, to "multi-coated" with near complete glare reduction.
Zoom:
This option changes the effective magnification of the lens and allows the user to view a bird in a scene or close up, even from a great distance.
Zoom lenses are effective when viewing birds standing still, but may make it difficult to follow moving subjects.
They tend to be larger and heavier than fixed lens units.
Birders pay a premium for excellent zoom lens optics.
Less pricey models often have fuzzy or distorted images and a smaller field of view.
About the Author
Joan Bell
Enthusiastic about teaching home improvement techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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