How to...Buy Binoculars

[StuartDH]

As part of the new 'How to...' series that we're currently developing for the new resources section of the website, we're building a guide to buying binoculars.

We'd like to hear all your suggestions, tips and tricks, so please feel free to post your ideas here and we'll add them to the completed guide.

To start you off, here's what we've got so far:


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Features

Above all else, comfort is probably the primary feature that you should look for in any pair of binoculars, and yet it is often very easily overlooked. Comfort (or the lack of it) usually becomes most apparent once you've lugged your new purchase around the local hills and valleys, tried to turn the focus wheel with a mitten-clad hand in the depths of winter or struggled to keep the binoculars held to your eyes as your arms begin to buckle from the strain of their colossal weight.

However, of greater importance than all of the factors put together is the ability for your binoculars to provide comfortable viewing. A poor quality pair of binoculars may be light, stylish and ergonomically well designed but if the lenses are low quality, your eyes will soon begin to suffer. Headaches, dizziness, eyestrain and nausea will soon let you know if you?ve made the wrong choice.

Weight

An essential consideration if you'll be carrying you binoculars everywhere you go, or you're likely to spend long periods viewing in a stationary position. If you've got a tripod for your camera then check to see if you can fit the binoculars on to it. Also, check the load capacity of the tripod as you may find that it was only built for relatively light SLR cameras rather than a monstrous pair binos.

Field of View

Field of view gives you an indication of just how much area you will be able to see at any given distance. Tunnel vision will obviously prevent you from seeing the bigger picture and it will also make it much harder to keep track of birds if they are darting around in an erratic pattern of flight.

Often specified on binoculars either in degrees, such as 8.5, or with an expression such as 160m at 1000m you can easily convert between the two given that 1 degree is roughly equal to about 17m at 1000m.

Diameter of Aperture - Objective Lens

All things being equal, a larger objective lens at the front of the binoculars will provide a greater amount of light to your eyes, and more light usually results in better images. However, all things are usually not equal and it is quite typical to find a high quality pair of binoculars with relatively small objective lens providing a far brighter view than a poor quality pair of binoculars that are twice the size.

Size

Large binoculars can be very cumbersome and difficult to operate effectively if you only have small hands. Conversely, whilst compact binoculars are certainly a useful tool for occasional viewing, they can also have a limited ability to gather light and a small field of view. They may also be quite fiddly to handle, difficult to grip and quite awkward to try and hold steady.

Magnification

Most binoculars usually fall within a range of between 7x and 10x magnification. However, you only have to look through shopping catalogues to find some manufacturers are even producing binoculars with a magnification of 150x. Don?t be fooled by the ?Big is Best? philosophy. If you?re considering high magnification binoculars, the word ?Bargepole? should come to mind. At most, you should really only be looking at 10x magnification given that with a lower your magnification you are more likely to receive:

A brighter the image
A wider angle of view
A lighter product and a more compact design
A closer minimum focal point
A greater depth of field
The ability to view objects steadily without the need for a tripod
Less frequent adjustment to focus on objects that moving closer or further from the binoculars
A steadier image


On the other hand, a higher magnification obviously has the advantage of being able to make distant objects appear closer?albeit darker, shaken and blurred.

Zoom binoculars appear to provide a convenient method of taking advantage of both low and high magnification binoculars. However, in reality, they rarely perform well across their entire range and you are only left with a very small magnification that is really of any use. Also, what?s left is rarely as good as an equivalent fixed magnification. Moreover, due to the complexity of their design and construction, the internal mechanisms of zoom binoculars are more prone to developing a fault.


Design

Essentially, there are two distinct designs for binoculars - porroprism and roof-prism.

Porroprisms are the traditional step-shape binoculars with an angled body.

Roof-prisms have a straight tube design with internal focusing that is usually better protected from the elements.

Whilst there are currently many examples of binoculars that provide excellent results from both types of design, many leading manufacturers have adopted the roof-prism as the current top-of-the-range fashion item.

Lens Coatings

Lens coatings provide an improvement in the light gathering abilities of the binocular with a far lower loss of light through the lens that ultimately gives an overall clearer image. Coatings also have the added advantage of minimising lens glare and ghosting to provide a more high contrast and sharp image.

Environmental Sealing

Waterproof binoculars are widely available and provide an obvious advantage if you plan to be out in the elements. However, not all binoculars are waterproofed to the same degree. Whilst some manufacturers depth-test their binoculars in deep water, others will only provide a guarantee against short exposure to light rain.

Stabilisers

Stabilising binoculars - often provide good results but the required technology is usually expensive, bulky and adds significant weight to binoculars.


Getting Technical

This is the area where the marketing men get to run wild and most buyers hate to venture. It?s the techno-babble of modern technology that?s sometimes designed to throw you off the scent of making an informed buying choice. By adding a few numbers or letters to the end of a particular model they hope that you?ll no longer able to make like-for-like comparisons with other manufacturers? products?but then again, they didn?t know about this buying guide.

What do the numbers and letters mean?

You will often find binoculars with markings such as 7x35 or 8x40, often preceded by letters such as B, GA, RA, ED, HD etc.

For the first part, the numbers are very important as they relate to the size of the binoculars magnification and the diameter of the objective lens. 7x35 tells us that the binoculars have a 7x magnification and a 35mm front aperture.

Beyond this, the letters provide an abbreviated reference to specific features on the binoculars and may include:

B ? Binoculars fitted with eyecups to help bespectacled users

GA or RA ? Rubberised outer casing provides added protection against the odd knock, however, it usually does little to protect the all-important lenses.

DCF - an abbreviation for Dach Centre Focus, which describes the roof-like shape of the internal prism of roof-prism binoculars; Dach being the German word for roof.

ZCF ? an abbreviation for Zeiss Centre Focus, which employs the porro prism design, where the objective lenses are furher apart the eyepieces.

MCF ? an abbreviation for Mini Centre Focus, whereby the porro prism design is altered to produce objective lenses that are closer together than the eyepieces for a more compact binocular.

HDC, MC ? One or more lenses has been treated with multiple layers of a special coating that result in anything from improved light gathering to a scratch resistant surface.



How much should you pay?

Below £50 - Cheap and occasionally cheerful

Binoculars in this price band can range from fairly good binoculars suitable for keeping in your glovebox for very occasional use, down to absolutely awful contraptions that will serve you little better than a couple of old toilet roll tubes.

£50 to £150

This price bracket includes a wide variety of good quality binoculars from both popular and lesser-known brands. It is not uncommon to find some of the latter binoculars having an almost identical specification and appearance to more expensive branded models. Because roof-prisms cost more to produce, porro prism binoculars of a similar specification and price are generally better performers.

£150 to £300

Good quality binoculars for regular use by some of the leading brands on the market that should last for over a decade.

Over £300

Top of the range binoculars from leading manufactures using the latest technologies to provide a comfortable, robust and high-precision product.


Where to buy them?

If you're looking to invest in binoculars then you should really get the best advice possible and this is usually found in the specialist telescope, binocular and photography shops, rather than the nationwide department stores.

Look to buy from a different shop if :

· The staff tell you that magnification is a very important feature and that the bigger the magnification, the better the binoculars.

· They won't let you try the binoculars outside before you buy.

· They are unable to demonstrate a good knowledge of the technology and features etc.

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Feel free to add comments, suggestions and ideas, new sections, product reviews or any other relevant info.

Thanks

Stuart

[nightshade]

Bushnell, zeiss,etc. are excellent but most people want cheap and small so they are nt afraid to use them/lose them
Jacobi Jayne & Company are currently offering 8x21 rubber bodied binoculars (useful garden binos and glovebox.) for £5.95
Order on 0800-072-0130
www.livingwithbirds.com
www.Haiths.com also do a range of good sensibly priced binos.

[Helen]

Could I suggest that for anyone using binoculars for birdwatching, the 7x42, 8x42 and 10x42 are the sizes most people tend to use. Very large magnification means you need a very steady hand indeed, as the image will wobble all over the place.

I have a pair of 8x42 Zeiss FL's. Fantastic binoculars, especially when using them in low light conditions.

Regards