Birding Binoculars – Which are Best?
With good binoculars you feel like you are looking with your own eyes only the view is closer, magnified and clear. How big do you want that image to be? Well, that will depend on many things. How heavy will the binoculars be with extra magnification? Can you hold the binoculars steady if they are magnified more than 10 times (10x)? I find it hard to hold 12x steady for any length of time without support. But I have small hands and that makes a difference too. Will the bird binoculars you choose work well with eyeglasses? Some are better than others for eye relief and eyeglasses.
So tell me, how much of the area can you see around the bird? That is your field of view. Field of view refers to how much you will see through the binoculars in relation to a fixed distance from the object you are observing. It will be helpful to have a wider field of view to be able to find small birds in the brush and across wide expanses of ocean or desert terrain. In addition to weight and magnification and comfort in the field, you want to keep in mind how much you can see. What is the field of view for those binoculars?
Adults would do well to heed in selecting binoculars for their own use, particularly if they have any number of eyesight problems, including uncorrected cataracts and macular degeneration that make using a higher magnification level binocular problematic. You really want steady hands while watching wildlife. It is easy to shake and lose focus with the larger binoculars .You are likely to need a tripod stand for using the heavier binoculars due to the weight of the larger objective lenses.
You will notice a set of numbers that describe the binoculars you are considering. The first number refers to the level of magnification, how much closer will the bird appear to be? 8x means 8 times closer. 10x means 10 times closer and so on. The second number is simply the size of the objective lens in millimeters. So if the lens is 25 mm in diameter, and 10 times closer than the naked eye, the label will read 10×25. The size of the objective lens is directly related to how much light can enter your binoculars to allow you to see clearly.
Waterproof binoculars are essential for me. Are these binoculars sturdy, durable and compact to fit my hands? Will they be able to withstand being dropped now and then? Of course, if you wear your strap around your neck all the time they are less likely to fall, but, just in case, are they sturdy? I have lost a lot of lens covers at overlooks.
Take your time and read some reviews. Every manufacturer has a website full of detailed information and there are plenty of reviews online for you to compare while you are still looking. The binoculars you buy are intended to enhance your field trips or birding expeditions, so don’t stress out over them. Buy the best binoculars that fit you that also fit your budget and you will be a happy birdwatcher and even have some cash in your pocket for lunch, maybe.
I have found Leupold binoculars 10×32 are a nice compromise size for me. They are a little larger than my compact Bushnell Binoculars at 8×25 that I carry with me wherever I go, just in case I see interesting birds, butterflies or flowers in the field. I know I have a fine pair of excellent quality binoculars that are waterproof, fog proof and guaranteed for life.
If your binoculars fit you, and you can see clearly with plenty of light and magnification and they are not too heavy to hold, you probably have found the ones you need to buy. That is what is most important. Remember to stay within your budget and check on the field of vision and depth of field while you are looking. That is what it takes when you get right down to the details.