Choosing Binoculars:
Article One
Many people are put off birding by the difficulty of seeing birds well. It's usually due to two factors: lack of practice (which is easily put right) and poor binoculars (which is avoidable, if you know how). Here's how to spend your money wisely and well.
 
1. Work out the most you can afford to pay. Never buy cheap binoculars. They're not worth it and will soon irritate you. Always spend the most you can afford. If you get it right, your pair will last you a lifetime, so they won't be expensive in terms of later use.
 
2. Go to a reputable store or your local birding group. You must be able to handle binoculars to know if they will suit you. If there's no local dealer, or you want to get a better price by buying on-line, try to find friends who have the type you're interested in and ask if you can try theirs for a few minutes.
 
3. Check out the power and light-gathering strength. Binoculars are described by two numbers with an x between them, like 8x35 or 10 x 42. The first number is the amount of magnification (8 means 8times what you can see with the naked eye). The second number is a measure of their ability to gather light. The bigger that number is, the brighter the image will be, especially on dull days or in poor light (like in a forest). Try to find pairs where this second number is in the range 35 to 42. Bigger than this is not better, since the extra glass will make the binoculars heavy.
 
4. Look for no more than times magnification. 8 or 10 is best. Magnification magnifies everything, including how much your hands shake or how much the wind is blowing you about. Strong magnification will make it hard to see the bird clearly. It also reduces how much you can see when you look through them. Nothing is more irritating than being able to see the bird with your naked eye, but not being able to find it in the binoculars. This can be a problem anyway. Don't make it worse by using binoculars that only cover a very small area.
 
Article Two
How to compare binoculars: Binoculars differ in three major areas: power, close focus and field of view.
 
Power is the magnification capability of the binoculars. Eight, which means you will see an object eight times closer than you could with your eyes, is considered average for full-size binoculars. Power is the first number listed on binoculars. (The second number is the objective lens, which indicates how much light enters the binoculars - in general, the larger the number, the more light.)
 
Close focus is the shortest distance that you'll be able to see in focus. If you are interested in birding in forests or your backyard, you'll want binoculars that have a short close focus.
 
Field of view is the widest area you can see when you look through the binoculars. If you plan to use the binoculars to scan fields or over water, consider a model with a large field of view.
 
Other things to consider:
 • Will you wear glasses when you use your binoculars? If so, you'll want binoculars with at least 14 mm of eye relief. Eye relief is the distance between the eyepiece and your eye when you are seeing a clear and focused image.
• Do you want full-size or compact binoculars? Consider weight, but also think about how you will use the binoculars. Most compact binoculars have a narrow field of view and work best when weight is a serious consideration, like on hikes.
• How do the binoculars feel when you hold them? Test this by holding several types of binoculars. Comfort is important when you're using your binoculars for a long period of time.
• How durable are the binoculars, and what kind of warranty do they have? Compare warranties to make sure you're getting a warranty appropriate to your situation. Some binoculars are waterproof and fog-proof.