Top 10 Tips When Choosing The Right Binoculars

best binoculars for bird watching / bird watching binoculars / bird watching equipment / bird watching gear / bird watching scopes / bird watching telescope / birding binoculars / bushnell

There are a few simple rules to consider and questions to ask when purchasing your first pair of binoculars.

1. Make sure the power (or magnification) is at least 7-power. The power is the first number given in the numerical notation that describes binoculars. For example, a "7 X 35" pair of "glasses" will make objects appear as if they are seven times as close as they actually are. Seven-power binoculars are about the minimum needed to see birds well. Binoculars 10-power or stronger can be difficult for some birders to hold steady. 

2. Make sure that the second number ("35" for a "7 X 35" pair of glasses) is at least five times as large as the power (e.g., "7 X 35," "8 X 40," etc.). This second number describes the diameter, in millimeters, of the large lens that faces the object of interest - the "objective" lens. The larger this lens is, the greater the amount of light the binoculars gather and thus the easier it will be to see characteristics in dim light or on a dull-colored bird.

3. Are the binoculars too heavy for you to carry and use for at least two hours straight? Don't end up with a hunchback because your binoculars act like a yoke.

4. Can you flex the barrels of the binoculars fairly easily? To test to see if they are too flexible, spread the barrels out as far as possible and then hold onto only one of the barrels. Does the free barrel slip or fall from the spread position? It shouldn't.

5. When held a foot away, do the large objective lenses reflect a bluish or purplish tinge? If they do, the lenses are color-coated. This coating reduces internal glare in the binoculars and increases the amount of light that actually comes to your eyes. Check lenses to make sure the coatings are free of any blotches or scrapes.

6. Can you bring the barrels of the binoculars close enough together so that the image you see merges into a single, clear image within a single, perfect circle? If the image isn't singular or clear, the binoculars may be out of alignment or the eyepieces may not come close enough together to accommodate your eyes. These two problems may lead to eye strain and severe headaches.

7. Do you wear prescription eyeglasses? If you do, your binoculars should have rubber eye cups that fold back. This allows you to put your eyeglasses up closer to the eyepieces of your binoculars and gives you a much larger field of view.

8. Do the binoculars produce a clear image of an object only 20 feet away? Some binoculars do not focus on objects this close, so you may miss the sparrow or warbler that skulks in a nearby bush.

9. Look at a sign with large lettering. Do the letters close to the edge of the field of view appear as precise and well-formed as the letters in the center of the field of view? Image distortion towards the edge of binoculars is common in bad binoculars - like looking through a fish-eye lens. Look for a pair that has minimal distortion

10. When you focus on a license plate or small sign two blocks away, are the letters and numbers clear?  If they're not, choose a different pair!

One thing about binoculars is that you don't always have to have the best specs for bird watching.  Any binoculars are better than none at all.  The thing to remember is that you need to have something to magnify the birds you will be looking for.  If you are serious about bird watching, take heed of the tips for buying binoculars given above.  They will be well worth the money!

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Bird Watching Binoculars

best binoculars for bird watching / bird watching binoculars / bird watching equipment / bird watching gear / bird watching telescope / birding binoculars

You need binoculars to better see the birds. You will soon discover an ironic fact. The best birders have the best binoculars -- even though they can identify a bird 100 yards away by its silhouette. Newcomers with a cheap binocular see a fuzzy ball of feathers and don't have a clue which bird it is. There is an unbelievable difference between a $59 binocular and a $900 binocular.

Binoculars are a birder's eyes on the world, and they can greatly affect the quality of a bird outing. Good binoculars make for good birding, while bad binoculars can lead to missed birds and severe headaches induced by blurred images, double vision, and eye strain.

Binoculars come in many different shapes and forms and carry such descriptions as "roof prism," "close focus," "armor coated," etc. At the outset, you don't need to spend too much time deciphering this arcane lexicon. If you really get hooked on bird watching, you can learn more about binoculars later and trade in for a better pair. A decent pair of binoculars will run you around $60 depending on where you live.

There are a few simple rules to consider and questions to ask when purchasing your first pair of binoculars.

Practice Using Your New Binoculars

Before using your binoculars, it is important to adjust them so they compensate for the differing strengths of your two eyes. Take a lens cap and cover up the right objective lens with it. Then look through the left lens and focus on an object 30 feet away using the main focusing knob located between the two barrels of your binoculars. 

Once you have focused on the object, move the lens cap from the right lens to the left lens. Look through the right lens at the same object (but don't touch the main focusing wheel!) If the image you see is not as clear as it looked through the left lens, adjust it using the focusing ring attached to the right eyepiece of your binoculars. Take note of where you have set the focus on the right eyepiece. Now your binoculars are adjusted to your eyes and ready for action. 

Next, spend some time developing the hand-eye coordination you'll need to spot birds quickly. Most bird watching is definitely not like watching football. With bird watching there's much more action - everything is happening at 1/100 the scale and moves 100 times as quickly over an unlimited expanse of space. It takes time for beginning birders to get the knack of spotting birds with their binoculars. The secret is to learn to spot a bird with the naked eye and then lift the binoculars up to your eyes without ever taking your eyes off the bird. 

Find a comfortable spot at a local park and spend time just practicing spotting objects with your binoculars. Initially, set the focus lever on the binoculars so that an object approximately 30 feet away is in clear view. This is a good average distance from which you can learn to focus the binoculars in and out.

Then begin to look for birds with your naked eyes and then find them with your binoculars. Simply follow the bird around for a while, lowering and lifting your binoculars every so often. Don't worry about identifying birds yet. Just watch what they are doing. Soon, you'll be able to spot and focus like a pro.

Photo credit:  www.sxc.hu/profile/Lekim_mg

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