Anyone who has ever opted for binoculars has encountered a wealth of brands, models, a bunch of terminology and more features and functionality. This can be very confusing for both seasoned hunters and hikers alike. Therefore, in this article, we will describe the main features and features that you need to keep in mind to make the optimum binoculars you need.
To help you navigate your binoculars selection, it is a good idea to answer two basic questions first:
what are you going to use binoculars for - hunting, bird watching, wildlife or insects, or just for nature walks
what is the budget you are willing to spend - generally speaking, low-end binoculars are up to $ 100, up to $ 400 are middle-class, and above that amount - high.
After answering the above questions, it is a good idea to get into the details of the basic features that distinguish binoculars.
To help you navigate your binoculars selection, it is a good idea to answer two basic questions first:
what are you going to use binoculars for - hunting, bird watching, wildlife or insects, or just for nature walks
what is the budget you are willing to spend - generally speaking, low-end binoculars are up to $ 100, up to $ 400 are middle-class, and above that amount - high.
After answering the above questions, it is a good idea to get into the details of the basic features that distinguish binoculars.
Types of Binoculars
Generally speaking binoculars are divided into two types according to their prism. One is the so-called. pore prisms and the other with straight (or more roof) prisms. In other words, the difference comes from the different arrangement of the lenses.
Binoculars with a pore prism are more bulbous, while those with a cover prism are more straight. It is these latter that are becoming more and more popular because of their more compact shape, which makes them more comfortable to wear and use. Their technology is more expensive, which also determines their higher price, and their choice in low-end binoculars is much more limited. In other words, at the same price, the quality of binoculars with roof prisms is significantly lower than that of pore prisms.
If you plan to use binoculars under more severe conditions, exposed to more risks of mechanical injury or adverse weather, the right choice is roof binoculars again - they are much more durable, which can save you poison and ultimately money .
Generally speaking binoculars are divided into two types according to their prism. One is the so-called. pore prisms and the other with straight (or more roof) prisms. In other words, the difference comes from the different arrangement of the lenses.
Binoculars with a pore prism are more bulbous, while those with a cover prism are more straight. It is these latter that are becoming more and more popular because of their more compact shape, which makes them more comfortable to wear and use. Their technology is more expensive, which also determines their higher price, and their choice in low-end binoculars is much more limited. In other words, at the same price, the quality of binoculars with roof prisms is significantly lower than that of pore prisms.
If you plan to use binoculars under more severe conditions, exposed to more risks of mechanical injury or adverse weather, the right choice is roof binoculars again - they are much more durable, which can save you poison and ultimately money .
Increase and diameter
Increase is a basic feature of all binoculars. But do not rush to choose the highest magnification binoculars, as it may not be the best choice for you. Sometimes, too high magnification makes focusing very difficult, and the image often becomes blurry, blurry and flickering. Whether you are a hunter or just watching the animals, if your binoculars have too much magnification, every flick of the hand will give reflection and make it much harder to find the object you want. The most appropriate magnification when it comes to bird and animal monitoring is considered to be 8x or 10x, the difference between the two types being negligible.
The magnification of the binoculars (diameter in mm of the lens of the lens, which also determines how much light enters it) is usually indicated by the magnification. Ie if you see 10x50, 10 is the magnification and 50 is the diameter of the binoculars. A smaller magnification generally means a wider field of view. In addition, the more light enters the lens, the brighter the image will be, but the bigger and heavier the binoculars will be. In general, instruments with a lens diameter greater than 30 mm are classified as standard binoculars and less than 30 mm compact binoculars.
Here are some unwritten rules according to magnification and diameter:
10x50 binoculars are considered to be the most suitable for animal monitoring
For bird watching, the optimal choice would be 8x21
Compact binoculars - 10x50 or 20x50 are recommended for hikers
Medium-sized binoculars - 7x35 or 10x50, have an excellent weight / light ratio and are suitable for observing moving objects
Large binoculars - 8x42, 10x50, with their wider width and brightness are the best choice for hunting enthusiasts.
Be sure to also pay attention to the more general features of binoculars. Weight is important because binoculars often hang around your neck all day, ie. the lighter the better. Depending on the future use, it is a good idea to look at the degree of water resistance. If you are wearing glasses, select a binocular that will have a minimum distance between the lenses of your glasses and the binoculars to view the whole image. Some models also have the ability to adjust the diopter difference between the two eyepieces.
In Part 2, we will look more deeply at the other binoculars features - field width, light and image quality, output beam and focus.
Increase is a basic feature of all binoculars. But do not rush to choose the highest magnification binoculars, as it may not be the best choice for you. Sometimes, too high magnification makes focusing very difficult, and the image often becomes blurry, blurry and flickering. Whether you are a hunter or just watching the animals, if your binoculars have too much magnification, every flick of the hand will give reflection and make it much harder to find the object you want. The most appropriate magnification when it comes to bird and animal monitoring is considered to be 8x or 10x, the difference between the two types being negligible.
The magnification of the binoculars (diameter in mm of the lens of the lens, which also determines how much light enters it) is usually indicated by the magnification. Ie if you see 10x50, 10 is the magnification and 50 is the diameter of the binoculars. A smaller magnification generally means a wider field of view. In addition, the more light enters the lens, the brighter the image will be, but the bigger and heavier the binoculars will be. In general, instruments with a lens diameter greater than 30 mm are classified as standard binoculars and less than 30 mm compact binoculars.
Here are some unwritten rules according to magnification and diameter:
10x50 binoculars are considered to be the most suitable for animal monitoring
For bird watching, the optimal choice would be 8x21
Compact binoculars - 10x50 or 20x50 are recommended for hikers
Medium-sized binoculars - 7x35 or 10x50, have an excellent weight / light ratio and are suitable for observing moving objects
Large binoculars - 8x42, 10x50, with their wider width and brightness are the best choice for hunting enthusiasts.
Be sure to also pay attention to the more general features of binoculars. Weight is important because binoculars often hang around your neck all day, ie. the lighter the better. Depending on the future use, it is a good idea to look at the degree of water resistance. If you are wearing glasses, select a binocular that will have a minimum distance between the lenses of your glasses and the binoculars to view the whole image. Some models also have the ability to adjust the diopter difference between the two eyepieces.
In Part 2, we will look more deeply at the other binoculars features - field width, light and image quality, output beam and focus.
