The Weekend Nomad's Top 5 things to consider when choosing binoculars
A good pair of binoculars is an essential piece of gear for The Weekend Nomad. You should make sure you choose the correct binoculars for your needs. We have prepared an in depth buyer’s guide to help you choose the best binoculars for various outdoor activities.
There are many scenarios where binoculars might be useful. Having a pair handy opens up new possibilities for activities on your outdoor adventures, not to mention the added safety benefits it brings. Depending on your activity you will need to consider different features as their importance will vary.
Here are five applications and the corresponding feature to look out for.
- Game-viewing or hunting – bigger binoculars with a larger magnification will spot objects far away better than smaller binoculars with lower imagnification. See our Top Pick
- Sports – smaller binoculars with lower magnification will follow the action easier. See our Top Pick
- Low-light conditions – a bigger objective lens will admit more light. See our Top Pick
- Rainy conditions – waterproof binoculars are essential. See our Top Pick
- Rough conditions – a rubber-armoured construction will protect lens and prism. See our Top Pick
- Best overall value – best overall features at an attractive price point. See our Top Pick
What do the numbers on binoculars mean?
The first number is the magnification factor or power. The higher this number, the closer the object viewed will appear from a set distance. Higher magnification also reduces the field of view.
The second number indicates the objective lens size (aperture). The larger the objective lenses, the more light enters and thus the clearer the object appears.
Eye relief
Eye relief is the distance from the outer surface of the eyepiece (ocular) lens to the point where the Exit pupil is formed on the eye. Spectacle wearers will benefit from binoculars with larger eye relief since it allows for better performance without removing their glasses.
Exit pupil
The exit pupil is the size of focussed light as it exits the binocular and hits the eye and is determined by dividing the objective by the magnification.
For example: 10×50 binoculars will have an Exit pupil of 5mm which is pretty good
Considering that the average size of the human pupil varies between 1.5mm – 8mm, depending on light conditions, the larger a binocular’s exit pupil diameter, the better the viewing experience will be.
If the exit pupil is the same or larger that the eye’s pupil, it will result in a more immersive experience. If it’s too small, it will feel like looking through a tiny hole which is not ideal.
What are the different binocular prisms?
Porro prism
These provide greater depth perception and, generally, a wider field of view.
Roof prism
The prisms overlap closely, so the objective lenses line up directly with the eyepiece. The result is a slim, streamlined shape and, it is claimed, better clarity.
Why are lens coatings important?
Manufacturers often list lens coatings as a product feature, but what does it mean?
Anti-reflective coatings can help produce a brighter image by filtering different light rays.
The composition of these coatings and their effect on image quality differs from one manufacturer to the other.
The most common lens coating types are:
- Coated – at least one surface touching air has at least one coating.
- Fully coated – All surfaces touching air have at least one coating.
- Multi-coated – At least one surface has two or more different types of coatings.
- Fully multi-coated (FMC) – All surfaces have two or more different types of coatings.
How to focus a binocular for your own eyes
- Cover up the left tube and focus on a distant object with the right tube using the focus ring on the tube.
- To focus the left tube, cover up the right tube and focus on the same distant object using the center focus knob.
- That’s it. Now if you need to make small adjustments, only use the center focus knob.
Now that you know what to look for, here are our recommendations:
Bushnell Marine 7×50 Waterproof Binocular
Ready for the rigors of the sea, the Marine Series 7×50 Binoculars from Bushnell offer a corrosion resistant and 100 percent waterproof performance with optics optimized for the open water. Thanks to hermetic sealing, the Marine Binoculars will remain water and fog free even if completely submerged. The durable, non-slip, non-skid rubber armor helps to ensure the binoculars stay comfortably in your hands, but also adds buoyancy should you or the binoculars go overboard. The Coast Guard recommended 7x magnification, 50-millimeter objective lens configuration with the Porro prism system delivers a wide field of view, ideal for the open water. Meanwhile, the premium BaK-4 prism glass and fully multi-coated optics with UV protection offer the clarity and light transmission you are looking for. Built to last, the Marine 7×50 Binoculars carry a limited lifetime warranty from Bushnell to be free of manufacture or material defects.
- BaK-4 (barium crown) prism glass for bright, clear viewing with edge-to-edge sharpness
- Porro prism system for greater depth perception and a wider field of view
- Fully multi-coated optics: all optical surfaces are coated for superior light transmission and brightness
- Non-slip, non-skid rubber armor protects the binocular from bumps and scratches, provides a comfortable gripping surface, and is easy to clean
- 100 percent waterproof: O-ring sealed and nitrogen purged for a reliable, fog-free performance
- Fold-down eyecups for increased comfort
- Highly resistant to saltwater corrosion
- Hermetically sealed
- Coast Guard recommended 7×50 configuration
Leica 10×42 Noctivid Binoculars
With 10x magnification , the Leica Noctivid 10×42 offers the best detail rendition. The excellent stray light suppression and high contrasts guarantee the finest detail resolution even under the most difficult light conditions.
It has a short close focus range yet the generous field of view provides a wide overview at greater distances.
A non-slip rubber armouring covering a the robust magnesium housing, gives the binoculars a comfortable feel.
- Exit pupil: 4.2 mm
- Twilight factor: 20.5
- Light transmission: 91 %
- Field of view at 1,000 m: 112 m
- Field of view at 1,000 yds: 376 ft
- Objective angle of view: 6.4
- Eye-relief: 19 mm
- Close focusing distance: approx. 1.8 m / 6.2 ft
- Diopter compensation: ± 4 diopters
- Eyepieces for eyeglass wearers: yes, removable, with 5 click stops
- Adjustable interpupillary distance: 56 – 74 mm
- Focusing: Internal focusing via central focusing device
- Prism system: Roof prism with phase-correcting coating P40 and HighLux-System HLS
- Watertight to a depth of 5 m/16.5 ft
- Housing: Magnesium, nitrogen-filled
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 124 x 150 x 68 mm
Bushnell Falcon 10×50
The Falcon series offers powerful magnification at an economical price. Versatile, and ideal for stadium sports, bird-watching, hunting, and many other outdoor applications, the 10×50 model boasts a durable design and rubberized, abrasion-resistant finish. An InstaFocus lever provides smooth feedback, with just enough tension to fine-tune magnification, while a Porro prism and coated lenses provide sharp viewing. For those who wear eyeglasses, or sunglasses on bright days, clever fold-down eyecups protect your lenses from scratching.
- Porro prisms
- 10x magnification
- 50mm objective lenses
- fully coated optics
- 9mm eye relief
- 5mm exit pupil
- 100m field of view
- Insta focus system
Gosky 10×42 Binoculars
The Gosky 10X42 compact roof prism binocular, equipped with FMC(fully multi-coated) green film lens and clear prism, 10X power and solid construction, is a good gadget which enable you to observe target in distant world with more true-to-life details.
It brings the world closer and provides high-resolution images with extremely accurate colour reproduction. And bonus smartphone adapter allows you to capture and record beauty all around you!
- Magnification power: 10x
- Objective diameter: 42mm Eyepiece Diameater:
- 18mm Prism: BAK4
- Lenses coating: FMC
- Exit pupil diameter: 5mm
- Exit pupil distance.:12mm
- View of field: 307ft/1000yds
- Mini focus length: 5m/16.4ft
- Interpupillary distance: 56mm~74mm
- Eyecups system: Twist-up
- Product dimension: 8.8 x 8.2 x 3.0 inches
- Product weight: 1.55lb
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Big Agnes Blacktail Backpacking and Camping Tent
- Features two doors and two vestibules
- Storm flaps on vestibule zipper
- Quick stash on tent body door makes stowing unzipped door quick and easy
- Velcro tabs connect fly to pole structure providing perfect pitch and extra stability
- Media pockets located above sleeping area enable clean earbud cord routing from phones or other devices
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