What to look for in
binoculars for spotting and bird watching
Birding Binoculars come in many sizes, styles,
and brands. Technology has increased substantially over the
past few years in binocular design, offering powerful features
with light weight, composite materials. Whether you are a
beginner or an expert birder, there are many features you'll
want to look for in your set of binoculars.
What to look for:
Birding binoculars should be light enough to carry all day
long and sturdy enough to survive years of outdoor use including
moisture, shock, heat and cold. Your binoculars should accomodate
a full range of view if your wear eyeglasses. They should
be easy to focus quickly with little movement of your hands
or fingers. They should have a wide field of view for ease
of spotting birds without having to move the binoculars around.
Binocular magnification:
Binoculars are primarily identified and rated by two numbers,
e.g. 7x35. The first number (7 in this example) is the number
of times the image is enlarged from natural eyesight. The
second number represents the diameter of the objective lens
(35 in this example). The larger this second number, the brighter
images will appear. The combination of these numbers impacts
your field of view (the size of the area that can be seen).
This linear field of view refers to the area that can be observed
at 1,000 yards and is expressed in feet, i.e. 350 feet at
1,000 yards. The magnification of your set of binoculars will
depend on your specific needs and you may want multiple sets
of binoculars for different viewing environments.
For enthusiasts
For birdwatching, binoculars with a magnification of 8x
and a field of view of at least 350 feet are recommended.
For beginners
For general use, binoculars with a magnification of 7x
and a field of view of at least 300 feet are recommended.
Resources:
There are numerous Websites with binocular reviews by
both professionals and consumers. We suggest you do some research
before investing in your set of birding binoculars. Most importantly,
try the binoculars out in person before you buy.
A good Website to review and buy birding binoculars
with prices ranging from $20-$999 is http://www.onlinenaturemall.com/Binoculars.
They even carry the AudubonTM
8x40 Family Binocular set for $64.99.
AudubonTM
binoculars were designed to meet the needs of those who appreciate
and enjoy optimum performance and unparalled value in fine
optics. More information may be found at the Audubon
binoculars Website.
Author: David Messer
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