Binoculars

This is a very common question, and it isn’t as complicated as you might think. If you take an 8×32 pair of binoculars for example the 8x part of the number is how much what you see is magnified by. This means that everything is 8x larger or closer than with the naked eye. The second part of the number, 32, is the size of the objective lens in mm (the large end that you point towards objects). The size of this lens will determine how much light can be captured, affecting your image brightness. The larger the lens the brighter the image although it is worth remembering that the larger the lens the larger and heavier the glass will be.

You will probably see ED and wonder what this is and why are these binoculars more expensive. ED is the common abbreviation for Extra-low Dispersion glass. These are specially treated lenses with multiple layers of coating that reduce colour fringing by limiting the amount of white light that splits into constituent colours as it passes through the glass. This results in a far crisper, clear image with minimal chromatic aberration (strange colours) around the image. It can be most easily understood by thinking about HD TV compared to standard.

With most things in life, there is an element of you get what you pay for, and optics is no exception. The general rule of thumb with all optics is as you pay more you are paying for higher quality glass and coatings which result in a sharper, crisper image. Ultimately you don’t have to spend the top price to get a decent optic. What you must consider is how much you are going to use your binoculars and what are you going to use them for.  If you are going to use them a handful of times a year it may not be necessary to spend hundreds or thousands of pounds on some binoculars when a decent entry-level pair would work best for you. If you are a keen birder or someone who is going to use them almost daily, it may be beneficial to go for more premium binoculars as you would benefit from the extra performance that this offers you.

You may be thinking, do I want an 8x or a 10x binocular? They are both great but there are some things to consider before making your choice. 8x are generally considered the best all-rounder. This is because they offer a great balance between magnification, field of view, brightness of the image and ease of holding steady. These are best suited to people who use field glasses in lower light conditions such as woodland or if you want a wider field of view as it is easier to spot and track objects. 10x will get you closer to the object giving you greater detail but this is at the expense of the field of view and brightness of the image. As you increase magnification, you narrow your field of view. You can think about this as taking a picture on your phone and zooming in. As you zoom in, the object you want to view becomes larger and in greater detail, however, the image as a whole becomes smaller and you lose the outside edge. Also, as you increase magnification, the image becomes darker. Higher magnifications are also harder to hold steady as your movements are also more magnified. The higher magnifications are best suited to viewing over a greater distance or for someone who needs the extra fine detail.

This is a very good question and to answer what is best for you need to think about what you will be using it for, your budget and how much weight you are willing to carry.  In simple terms, the best pair of binoculars are the ones that you will take out. What we mean by this is that you may think you need the best, brightest image that an 8×56 will give you but in reality, it’s far too heavy, so you end up leaving at home or in the car. You may need a far more pocket-friendly and lightweight compact (8×25 or 10×25). Compact binoculars are great for somebody who doesn’t want a heavy or bulky pair but still wants a decent view of objects in the distance. Strictly speaking, the image isn’t as bright using compact binoculars due to the smaller objective lens, although this can be improved by choosing an option that has high-quality lenses or ED lenses.  Full-size binoculars are best for somebody who wants the best possible image and isn’t worried too much about size and weight. 42mm and above are great for woodland use as they can make the most of the reduced light levels as most light is blocked out by the trees. These also work well when using the binoculars at dawn and dusk.  The 32mm binoculars are a great middle option, as these are a little bigger than the compacts offering a brighter image but not as large as the 42mm models.