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FAQ -
Types of binoculars ASTRONOMICAL:
Light gathering is the most important quality here (diameter of main lens). If
you want to hand-hold the binoculars, choose the largest aperture you can and
still allow you to hold them comfortably for at least five minutes. The most
common hand-holdable astronomical binocular is a 7 x 50 (7.14mm exit pupil...
excellent!), but some manufacturers have come up with an incredibly light
weight 8 x 56 (a great choice!). If you plan on putting your binoculars on a
tripod, consider a 10 x 70 (Fujinon's wonderful 10 x 70's are hand-holdable in
a pinch and are so bright!), a 12 x 80, or possibly a 20 x 80 (although
remember that while you will have higher magnification for the planets, your
fainter deep-sky objects will suffer because of the 4mm exit pupil and a more
narrow field of view). Go back and read the exit pupil information....it is of
extreme importance when choosing astronomical instruments of any kind. Make
sure that your binocular has a tripod socket, and pick up an L-Bracket for
attaching the binocular to a sturdy tripod. Celestron's astronomical binoculars
come with the L-Bracket built in. Also important is optical coatings, since the
highest degree of light transmission is imperative.
TOP  BIRDING OR
WILDLIFE: Birders or wildlife enthusiasts tend to have their binoculars up to
their eyes for long periods of time, so it is important to have something that
is easy for you to hand-hold, but that brings as much light to your eyes as
possible (exit pupil, diameter of main lens, optical coatings). 8 x 40mm
binoculars have become a favorite of birders because they have a good exit
pupil & medium magnification and light gathering. The ability for the
binocular to "close focus" is an important consideration. Better binoculars
tend to focus closer than do bargain binoculars. Since the manufacturer
pre-sets close focus, they go on the assumption that your vision is perfect.
Therefore, if you wear glasses (what if I wear glasses?) but decide to take
them off, the binoculars will not focus as closely for you compared to leaving
your glasses on. It is nice to have a wide field of view... this allows you to
scan for birds in the sky or animals in the bush, etc. and still maintain the
magnification you need. Lastly, keep in mind that the better the glass quality
of the binoculars you choose, the better contrast your image will
have....helping you to discern plumage, markings, and anything else that
distinguishes one bird from another, helps differentiate a whale or dolphin
from the water, or allows you to spy on a rabbit in the cover of a thorn bush.
TOP MARINE: Marine (or waterproof) binoculars are most commonly found in a 7 x 50 rubber-armoured design. The reasons make sense, low power is easiest to deal with on a moving boat, because they are easy to hand-hold and make you feel the least queasy! A large aperture (diameter of the main lens) is desired because so much of the time you may have a gray sky and gray ocean... and are possibly trying to see a gray boat! Light gathering translates to increased contrast... a smart choice. Some waterproof binoculars are compacts and are a good choice as a general-use binocular, especially if you tend to be rough on your equipment or participate in very active sports (rock climbing, etc.), since waterproof binos tend to be tougher than the average bear. Some marine binoculars come with compasses, and some are even illuminated and have distance scales built into them. Boaters are slowly discovering stabilizing binoculars. While a higher priced item, they allow greater magnification with a shake-free image. TOP 
COMPACTS, OPERA GLASSES, & MONOCULARS: Compact binoculars are a
wonderful addition to the family. They go anywhere... concerts, plays, ball
games, backpacking... anywhere a larger, bulkier binocular would be unwanted
because of weight or inconvenience. Roof prism compacts are so small they can
fit in most shirt pockets when folded up, and porro prism compacts can fit in a
jacket pocket or purse. You have to remember that you can't have your cake and
eat it, too... you sacrifice light-gathering and exit pupil size when you
choose a pair of compacts instead of a more standard-sized pair. Maybe a good
compact would be the perfect second pair of binoculars... the ones you carry
when you'd rather not take the larger optics?
Opera Glasses are ultra-small, fixed-focus binoculars that have a fancy finish so that they will look stylish at more sophisticated functions (like the opera). Their magnification is usually about 3x to 5x.....lower than most other binoculars on the market. The reason for this is because, under normal seating, one would like to be able to have enough power to bring the performance closer but still not so close that the whole stage cannot be seen in the field of view. Also, when binoculars are this small and lightweight, they are harder to hand-hold without creating a shaky image; when the magnification is kept to a minimum, so is the unwanted movement. Monoculars are basically half-binoculars, but some people don't find them as comfortable to use as binoculars due to the fact that you only use one eye. They are super compact, however, slipping into the smallest places. TOP SPORTING, ZOOM, & GENERAL PURPOSE BINOCULARS: The most common specifications for a general purpose binocular are either 7 x 35 or 8 x 40. They are large enough to do work during low light, light-weight enough to hand-hold, and come in a wide price range. If we were to ask you what you wanted to use your binoculars for, and you said "EVERYTHING!", we would steer you in this direction. This is also a good choice if you are looking for a gift for someone and have no idea what the application will be. You can't go too far wrong with a medium-sized pair of decent binoculars! Zoom binoculars have a lever that allows the user to vary the magnification to adjust to the distance of the object being viewed. The magnification range is generally from about 7x to 25x, depending on the specific manufacturer's specs. Zoom binoculars are very versatile, but there are a few things to keep in mind if you plan on acquiring a pair. First of all, remember that magnifications over 10x - 12x are very difficult to hand-hold. A sturdy tripod is therefore highly recommended for any magnification over those listed above. If a tripod is out of the question when using your binoculars, remember to keep them at the lower powers most of the time, only zooming to the max for short durations... otherwise, if you have a tendency towards motion sickness, watch out! It is also good to remember that it's much easier to make a high-quality pair of fixed binoculars. Optically, zoom binoculars will usually vary in optical performance as you move through their range of magnification. With this in mind, it is even more important to pick the best manufacturer you can if zooms sound like a good choice for you. TOP |
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