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BirdsInYourOwnBackyard :: Best Birding Binoculars Articles
How to Choose the Best Birding Binoculars
So you'd like to be able to identify and observe more closely the birds and other wildlife in your garden and elsewhere, but you are overwhelmed by the range of binoculars available and all the jargon. How do you decide which are the best binoculars for your birding and wildlife watching needs and budget? Well, it depends on a number of factors.
Magnification
Firstly,
think about the magnification you want. If a pair of binoculars is,
for example, 8x, it means that images are enlarged eight times. So, if
you are looking at a bird 40 feet away, it will appear to be 5 feet
away.
You might think that the higher the magnification the
better, but this isn't necessarily so. The higher it is, the narrower
the field of view. In practical terms, this means that it is harder to
focus on and track say, a small active bird at a distance flitting
around in the trees. The image also is less bright. Most birders
prefer 7x or 8x. They are powerful enough to identify most birds and
can be used in dimmer lighting conditions than 10x or stronger.
They're better for watching flocks of birds and you don't need such a
steady hand!
However, if you are birdwatching in wide open
spaces and birds that tend to stay stationary, for example, water fowl,
you may opt for 10x. You should be prepared to pay a lot more for
these, because lens flaws are exaggerated the higher the magnification.
Lens Diameter
Something
else to think about is the objective lens diameter (i.e. the lenses at the front of the binoculars). This is given as the second
number (after the magnification). So, 8x 42 means that the diameter is
42mm. The bigger the lens, the brighter the image and more vibrant the
colors, but the heavier and more expensive the binoculars. A
birdwatcher would probably need lenses between 30 and 50mm.
If
you're particularly keen on viewing creatures close up, perhaps birds
on a nearby feeder, or butterflies on flowers or a butterfly house, you
should should also consider at how close a distance your binoculars
should be able to focus. Again, the more powerful they are, the
further the minimum focusing distance. You should probably be looking
at a minimum distance of 10 feet or less.
Lens Coatings
When
light passes through a lens, some of it is reflected back contributing
to haziness and lowering the light level. Lens coatings help to reduce
the level of reflection (by as much as 80%) and so improve the
brightness and clarity of the image. You may find a single coating on
a single lens or multi-coatings on all lenses. The more coatings on
more lenses, the less the reflection, the better the images and the
higher the price. The choice is yours.
Waterproofing
Another feature that's nice to have is waterproofing. Rubber seals
keep out water, dust and other debris. Also, nitrogen purging means
that your lenses will not fog up internally - a bonus in humid
conditions.
Rubber Armoring
Finally, rubber armoring is an option well worth considering. The
binoculars are clad in rubber which acts as a protective cushion
against knocks and scrapes. It adds a little to the weight and does
not provide waterproofing, but it is very comfortable and certainly lets you keep a firm grip
in wet conditions.