Birdwatching Binoculars Buying Guide

Having good bird watching binoculars is the most important thing if you want to become a professional birdwatcher. Good birding binoculars should cover a wide range, be light (so they can be carried on large distances) and have a bright and clear image.

Before buying birdwatching binoculars there are a few things that you should consider. First of all, where are you planning to use your birding binoculars? If you are planning on doing a lot of traveling with your equipment, it is  probably best to go with the more lighter and smaller designs. But if you will be keeping your binoculars at home, it is best to get the heavier, more sophisticated binoculars that are also attachable to a tripod.

If you will be doing a lot of hiking with your equipment, you should think if you need water-proof, fog-proof or impact-proof binoculars.

If you will be birdwatching in low light conditions, such as during dusk, larger objectives result in a better, clearer image.

Different Designs of Binoculars

Binoculars are made in two different shapes, roof-prism and porro-prism. There in not much difference between them but the roof-prism binoculars tend to be lighter and will cost more due to a more expensive production method.

Magnification:

Having binoculars with higher magnification may seem to be the better choice since you will be able to get a closer and more detailed look but there are a few drawbacks. For instance, the field of view will be reduced with increased magnification. You will be able to see more of the bird with magnification of 8 than with magnification of 10. With lower magnification it will be also much more easier to follow the bird as in hops on a tree. To keep it simple, here’s a small list of drawbacks than appear with increased magnification.

• Less lights (Colors won’t be as vivid)
• Smaller field of view
• Must have strong hands/be able to hold the  binoculars steady (Higher magnification exaggerates shaking)
• Heavier binoculars
• Takes more time to focus (Extra focus wheels rotations)
• More difficult to focus on close objects

Taking the previous disadvantages in consideration, it might still be better to use higher magnification lenses for distant birdwatching, watching birds that are not very active and for watching in wide-open situations.

Prices:

Binocular prices range anywhere from under 30$ all the way up to 1000$. Usually, the price of the binoculars is representative of their quality so beginners should start with binoculars ranging in the 100-200$ zone and advance to more expensive and sophisticated binoculars with more experience.