How to Choose Best Binoculars for Hunting. Assuming that binoculars are designed to clarify your outdoor experiences, it’s amazing how confusing items get when deciding which pair is good for you. The best way to evaluate the optical performance and ease of use for a pair of binoculars is to go to a store and look through several before you make a final selection. Here are a few key things we can help you comprehend when choosing the most suitable binoculars.
How to Buy Best Binoculars
What do the numbers (specs) on binoculars mean? Binocular Model numbers show their strength (magnification power) and size (objective lens diameter). In 8×42 binoculars, for example, “8” is the magnification power, and “42” is the diameter (in millimeters) of the objective lenses (the lenses closest to the object you’re viewing).
Objective lens size gives you an understanding of how physically big the binoculars are and how much sunlight they can gather. When you comprehend what these numbers represent and how they affect your viewing, you’ll know if you’re choosing binoculars that will be good for birding, stargazing, or using on a moving boat, for example. (Below, we’ll go into more detail about binocular specs.)
Why are binoculars with similar specs pricier than others? It’s what’s inside that counts, and refined optics are a big reason why the price of similar binoculars can differ by hundreds of dollars.
How Much Do Night Vision Binoculars Cost?
What additional features are important to consider when buying binoculars? Protective touches like rubber coating, as well as waterproof and fog-proof construction, factor into the price, and depending on your intended usage, the upgrade may be well worth the investment.
How do I choose binoculars for specific uses? If you want binoculars for a specific primary purpose, such as bird watching, whale watching, or astronomy, the basic guidelines below help narrow down your options. Magnification and size are the starting points, but optics and components should also factor into your decision.
Binoculars for backpacking and hiking: Because size and weight in a pack are key concerns, you’ll want compact binoculars with a magnification of 8 or 10 and an objective lens diameter less than about 28 (8×25, 10×25, 8×28, and 10×28 are all fine options). A pair with a rubber coating will be more stable, and water-resistant or waterproof models will help with exposure to the elements.
Binoculars for birding:
Assuming you’re less concerned about size and weight, you can look at midsize and full-size models (8×32 and 8×42 binoculars are popular with birders). While 10-power magnification might seem helpful in looking at a little animal, an otherwise identical pair of binoculars with a magnification of 8 will have a wider field of view, which is key to locating birds.
Good quality also includes water resistance and models that won’t fog up from a warm car to cooler temperatures outside.
Binoculars for whale monitoring, wildlife viewing, and safaris: Popular models include 8×32, 8×42, 10×32, and 10×42. Go with a higher magnification (10 rather than 8) when you’re likely far from the animals. Choose midsize (32mm objective lens) rather than full-size (42mm objective lens) if you want a more close. Water opposition is also good—go with fully waterproof models for whale watching from a boat rather than shore.
Binoculars for paddling: If you’re going to be out on the water on a canoe, kayak, SUP, or whale-watching boat, you may want to stick with a lower elaboration, such as eight or less, because a higher (10-power) magnification can make steady viewing challenging. Choosing a waterproof model is a good picture here, too, for certain reasons. 8×32 is a popular size.
Binoculars for stargazing: Here’s where you want to maximize magnification and the light-gathering ability of full-size binoculars. 10×42 or 10×50 are options; if you go with higher magnification, you’ll need a tripod to steady the binoculars.
Comprehending Binocular Specs
Size
For simplicity, binoculars are divided into compact, midsize, and full-size categories based on the size of their objective lenses (the two numbers in model names). Note that deviations in optics, design, and construction can still mean that measures with the same objective lens size will differ in size and weight.
- Compact Binoculars: Objective lens size is less than 30mm (8×25, 10×28, etc.)
- Midsize: Accurate lens size is from 30mm to 40mm (10×30, 8×32, etc.)
- Full-size: Objective lens size is over 40mm (8×42, 10×50, etc.)
If the binoculars are going inside your pack, then lightweight, compact models make sense. Midsize models can give you brighter images and be more comfortable to hold for long periods. That power changes with larger full-size binoculars, which some people find too heavy to hold for extended periods.
Magnification Control
Most of the time, you’ll choose between an elaboration of 8 or 10, though you can also find models with lower or higher magnifications.
- 8-power binoculars: A wider field of view
- 10-power binoculars: A closer, more detailed look
An 8×25, 8×32, and 8×42 pair of binoculars all provide the same magnification: An object will appear 8 times closer than it would to your unassisted eye.
A note regarding zoom binoculars: Though this sounds like the ultimate solution, image quality tradeoffs exist. If you’re considering a pair of zoom binoculars, compare them with a few single-magnification models before making a final choice.
While it might seem that more magnification is always more useful, that’s not always the case. Because magnification also amplifies the movement of your hands, binoculars with magnification powers that are more significant than 10 make for a steady viewing complex, so they would be a poor choice if you were on a boat or other moving platform.
Field of View
Magnification might also directly affect your field of view (lower magnification expands it; higher magnification narrows it).
A narrower field of view can make locating small and/or moving objects (like birds) harder when you scan far away. That smaller field of view also lets in less light, making images slightly darker.
Because other factors, like eyepiece design, also recreate a role, the “field of view” spec is the one to check to get the true picture. This spec states the width of the site you can view at a glance, 1,000 yards from where you stand.
Be aware that binoculars with identical specs can have dramatically different fields of view (as much as 90 feet wider at 1,000 yards). So, always match that spec whenever you’re doing final comparisons.
Objective Lens Diameter
The diameter of the objective lenses plays a key role in how much light your binoculars can pick up. For two pairs of binoculars that otherwise have the same specifications, the pair with bigger objective lenses will capture more light, providing a more intelligent image. (Binoculars with higher-quality optics will also have brighter images.)
Exit Pupil
Simply put, a higher number indicates brighter images, better viewing in low-light situations, and easier maintenance of a full image of an object if your hands move or shake.
Exit pupil size is calculated by dividing the diameter of the objective lenses by the exaggeration number. For 8×42 binoculars, 42 divided by 8 equals an exit pupil diameter of 5.25mm. It indicates the size of the shaft of light that reaches your eyes, whose pupils vary from about 2mm in bright light to 7mm in total darkness.
- An exit pupil of 5mm or more is useful for low-light situations. A high exit pupil number can make viewing easier at dawn, dusk, or with dense tree cover.
- Exit pupil size is less significant for bright daylight viewing because almost all binoculars offer exit pupils that surpass 2mm.
Eye Relief
Eye relief is the space between an eyepiece and your eye while the whole field of view is visible. This is a key spec if you wear glasses.
If you wear glasses, examine for eye relief of 11mm or more.
Most binoculars have adjustable eyepieces that allow you to set them to their maximum eye relief value (the stated spec). That is usually done by rolling down rubber eyecups or twisting a collar to shorten the eyepieces.
Understanding the Optics of Binoculars
Lens Materials and Coatings
This is where advanced technologies (and a dizzying array of terms to describe them) come into play. The makeup of the glass and the coatings on the lenses that reduce reflection all add up to determine the clarity and brightness of your image. This is when test viewing is key. That will tell you what advancements your eyes can detect and, in turn, how much more you should consider paying for the image quality you want.
Prism Type
The prisms are the visual elements that direct the light from the image through the binoculars to your eyes. Older “porro prism” binoculars feature wide barrels in show that aren’t aligned with the eyepieces. Newer “roof prism” models have eyepieces and objective lenses aligned. The difference in appearance doesn’t tell you anything about the optical quality, but having roof prisms makes binoculars shorter and lighter.
Protection Features for Binoculars
Waterproof and Weather-Resistant Binoculars
If you use your binoculars in a kayak, aboard a boat, or on a trail in the rain, you’ll like to look at waterproof or weather-resistant binoculars. Be aware, too, that manufacturers sometimes describe any level of water resistance as “waterproof,” even though there is a distinction:
- Waterproof binoculars typically use O-rings to seal out moisture. They can survive a quick splashdown but not extended submersion. (Most binoculars do not float.) Binoculars with this level of protection typically include “waterproof” in the model name.
- Weather-resistant (or water-resistant) binoculars are not fully waterproof. They can handle light rain but not deluge or dunk in a creek.
Rubber coating
While it won’t provide full-scale crash protection, a rubber coating is still helpful for guarding against minor bumps and bruises. It’s a worthwhile feature for any binoculars in rugged outdoor environments.
Fog-proof binoculars
Binoculars can fog up when you move from a cold to a warm climate. Not only is that irritating, but it can also be potentially damaging if moisture gets trapped inside.
To counter fog, binocular makers purge the air inside and replace it with nitrogen, which won’t condense and has no moisture content. This protects against fogging up of the internal lens surfaces, not the exterior ones.
How to Focus Your Binoculars
Most binoculars have a central control that focuses both barrels simultaneously. They also include a “diopter” adjustment ring to focus one barrel independently, allowing you to compensate for differences in vision between your eyes.
If you’re wearing glasses, roll the eyecups down—or twist them down—before you begin.
To focus your binoculars, do the following:
- Cover the right* lens with a cap and sharply focus the center control on a distant object.
- Switch the cap to the left* lens and sharply focus the diopter control on that object.
- You’re done; leave the diopter as is and use the center control for all focusing.
*If your binoculars have the diopter on the left lens, reverse where you place the lens cap.
How to Test Out Binoculars
You need to visit a store to try out several models you’re considering to get a sense of focusing ease, how comfortable binoculars feel in your hands, and their optical clarity and brightness.
If the retailer doesn’t have a test chart to view, then focus on a detailed object across the store. Pay close attention to the overall sharpness and brightness of the image and the consistency of clarity and brightness from side to side in your field of view.
