Binoculars are for the birds

Identifying and observing birds requires, above all, patience, passion, and the ability to maintain a large mental catalog. Beyond that, it requires binoculars. Birding binoculars feature a full nest of features and specs, but they all pale in importance to light-gathering capacity. Magnification is important, yes, but light gathering, light transmittance, and close focus ability should be your primary equipment concerns. Some birders may be willing to sacrifice close focus, as it tends to increase the price substantially, but we find that capturing every fine detail enhances the overall bird watching experience.

As technology advances, more and more features become accessible to the average birder, and today’s binoculars reflect that. Our highest-rated birding binoculars feature dialectic prism coatings and multi-coated optics for the bird watcher who thrives on detail, or focus-free operation for the one who can’t stand to miss a wing. Bird watching binoculars come in all shapes and sizes – literally. Many birders carry multiple pairs and accessories on every trip – compact birding binoculars to catch a thrush flushed from the brush, or full-size birding binoculars to put an eye on an eyrie in the distance.

Brand matters

The most important thing when choosing a pair of bird watching binoculars is to start with a trusted brand. You’ll consider several factors as you scan the skies- objective lens size, comfort, magnification, and exit pupil size – but if you start with a list of reliable brands, it’ll help narrow things down.

The collections of well-known brands like Leica, Swarovski, Zeiss, Zhumell, Nikon, and Bushnell are all excellent places to start looking for bird watching binoculars. These brands use high-quality glass, advanced coatings, and the latest binocular designs to transmit a very high percentage of the light they gather to your eyes. But of course, if you don’t land on a brand you know, trust us – we know bird watching and we know binoculars. You’ll find something for every budget and experience level here.

Sizes, specs, and special equipment

 

As a bird watcher, you spend a lot of time tracking and walking, so it helps to be able to see where you’re going. For the best long-distance birding experience, look for larger binoculars or spotting scopes. These will help you scout birds, landscapes, and vantage points before you make the trek. Big binocs and spotting scopes are best used with a tripod, so consider your needs and gear capacity before taking them along.

We’ve talked about light gathering, but magnification is an important in consideration for bird watching binoculars. It’s not a telescope, though- bigger isn’t always better. We recommend around an 8x magnification with objective lenses around 42mm. The larger lens increases the field of view, in case the bird takes flight, and increases image brightness and clarity. Speaking of field of view, for best results, bird watching binoculars shouldn’t go below 300 feet at 1,000 yards.

Best Rated Birding Binoculars

Best Rated Birding Binoculars

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Water You Looking At?

Ahoy! Before taking your maiden voyage with a pair of marine binoculars, it’s important to be sure you’re getting the right pair. Combining optics and the open water creates a unique set of challenges – namely, the movement of the water makes a steady image difficult to maintain, and potential water damage is a major concern. And since distance is much more difficult to gauge on water, you’ll want to check out the unique range-finding features often found in marine binoculars.

As always, it’s important to give well-known binocular brands top-tier consideration. Marine binoculars from Bushnell,Steiner, and Canon are always a safe bet, though any listed on our marine binoculars page are well-suited for the water. Read on for details about what makes them special.

The Marine Scene

If your main, or only, pair of binoculars is going to be used on water, we suggest getting specially designed marine binoculars. This is especially true if your chosen body of water is large or has the potential for big waves. For example, many standard land binoculars advertise water resistance, but quality marine binoculars are nitrogen-purged and o-ring sealed, making them totally waterproof to prevent fogging and any water infiltration.

Marine binoculars are predominantly in the 7×50 range to allow an ample amount of light transmission through the exit pupil, a good field of view, and adequate magnification. Since the function is less geared toward sightseeing and more toward finding landmarks on the shore and horizon, a wider field of view is essential. Some choose binoculars with smaller objective lenses, but these will be much less useful if you find yourself on the water on a cloudy day when you need them the most. Many of our highest-rated marine binoculars fit all of these characteristics, and are right at home on your boat or dock.

Image-Stabilized Binoculars, Reticles, and More

Image-stabilized binoculars are indispensable on the water. As the rolling tide moves you up and down, the mechanics of these marine binoculars keep your image steady and your head from getting seasick. Of course, standard binoculars can still be suitable for marine use, but after choosing magnification and objective lens size, image stabilization is what will really make the difference. Note – a set of marine binoculars with an extra-wide enough field of view won’t necessarily need image stabilization.

Some marine binoculars go the extra nautical mile and provide a built-in rangefinder, compass, and/or reticle. These features can help you find magnetic north, and properly judge object size and distance. Using these features properly may take a bit of practice, but once you do, you can decrease the number of gadgets packed before each marine journey. Check out our wide selection of rangefinder marine binoculars and judge your distance to optical perfection.

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Whether you’re in the stands at a football game, bird watching, or stargazing, a good pair of binoculars always comes in handy. They are simply two small telescopes, one for each eye, mounted on a single frame, which magnify a single image in order for better viewing. Unlike a monocular (or telescope), binoculars allow a user to see with depth and perception by using both eyes simultaneously.

Field Glasses or Binoculars

There are two different types of binocs; field glasses and prismatic binoculars. Although the term field glass is often used interchangeably with binocular, there are differences.Field glasses are a type of binocular that uses both the objective lens, the large lens through which light first enters, and a second lens inside each tube, which inverts and reverses the image in order for the user to see a right-side-up picture.Field glasses can magnify an image up to five times. For greater magnification purposes, the simple field glasses would become too long and heavy, and users would instead want to consider the more-popular prismatic binoculars.

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