| Optics workers will tell you they are often asked to | | | | also the smaller the field of view will be. For birding use, |
| recommend the best binocular for birders (bird | | | | an 8x binocular is the most commonly used though in |
| watchers) To match the binocular to the birder it helps | | | | some circumstances enthusiasts will use higher |
| to first look at the needs of the birding enthusiast. | | | | magnification. |
| What sort of optical demands must we consider? Well | | | | The second number in the specs tells us the diameter |
| for one thing the birder need to see details like the | | | | of the objective lens. This is important for two reasons, |
| patterns and color of feathers, often in dim light such | | | | firstly the larger the diameter the more light is captured |
| as under a tree canopy or in twilight. They need good | | | | by the binocular so the clearer and brighter the |
| magnification so that they can easily identify birds at a | | | | resulting image. Secondly, the larger diameter also |
| distance and sometimes they will want to observe | | | | gives a larger field of view. In the birding world, the |
| birds at very short distances so they want their | | | | most popular objectives are 40mm and 42mm. Getting |
| binoculars to work for close focus observing too, | | | | much higher than this makes the binocular a little too |
| maybe even down to just a few meters. | | | | heavy and large. |
| They need true color viewing so they can see | | | | Other important considerations are the quality of the |
| everything as it really is colored and not with any tint or | | | | lenses and prisms and the optical coatings used on |
| false color. They also need a reasonable field of view | | | | those elements. These coatings reduce loss of light |
| so they can observe birds in flight easily and be able to | | | | through reflection from the binocular and its internal |
| pick birds out from the surrounding trees. | | | | components and they help to preserve good clarity |
| They want the binoculars to be light enough to carry | | | | and true color throughput. As a rule of thumb look for |
| and hang on a neck-strap. Their binoculars should be | | | | Fully-Multi-Coated (FMC) coatings for bird watching |
| light enough to hold comfortably for viewing and easy | | | | use. The specification for eye relief refers to the |
| enough on the eyes to be able to use for long periods. | | | | distance between the eyepiece and the eye. Those |
| Birders usually want their binoculars to be compact | | | | who wear glasses will need a longer eye relief to |
| enough to pack in a rucksack. For observing from | | | | allow for the extra distance caused by the glasses |
| hides they often want to use their binoculars on a | | | | being between the binocular and their eye. |
| tripod or mono-pod so a fitting for these adapters is | | | | Roof and Porro Prism designs refer to the two body |
| advisable. If their bird watching is in the wilderness then | | | | styles of binoculars. This difference comes about |
| rugged construction and some element of | | | | through the placement of the internal prisms within the |
| waterproofing and fog-proofing is also advisable. | | | | binocular body. Roof prism types are the more |
| When looking at binocular specifications we usually | | | | compact and modern looking. Their objective lenses |
| pay most attention to the two numbers that define the | | | | are more or less in line with the eyepieces, while porro |
| basic specifications. The first number gives us the | | | | prism types are the traditional style with the lenses |
| magnification factor, so an 8x binocular magnifies an | | | | stepped out from the line of the eyepieces. More and |
| image (brings it closer) by 8 times. The higher the | | | | more birding enthusiasts are now opting for the roof |
| magnification the more difficult it becomes to use the | | | | prism type particularly as their quality has caught up |
| binoculars effectively due to the natural hand-shake | | | | with the porro types in recent years. |
| which makes it difficult to keep the bird in view and | | | | |