Binoculars?

Okay. Everyone here has me interesting in birdwatching again. I'll need to get some binoculars to start.

Can anyone suggest what kind of binoculars to get? Figure it'll be for a novice birder. Something not too expensive.

I'm not the most experianced person to ask here, but a few of my thoughts.

Large (ie greater amount of light in) is better than small

Lighter weight is much better than heavier

Magnification is almost irrelevant 6x, 8x, 10x won't make much difference

Of course large lightweight are much more expensive than small and heavy.

Goto a shop with a good range and try several different styles. You want to be able to hold them still for several minutes at a time, without your arms tiring. Try looking at something in a dark corner to compare light levels.

Thanks. Any idea for which store to use that will give me fair (or the best) prices?

How about the Audubon Society itself...since I live not far from there?

Well we're on different continents so I've no idea about shops. Once you've tried some and found one you like, see if you can get it cheaper online.

Never heard of the society ditto continent coment, but a quick google suggests they are worth a look.

Is it safe to buy optical instruments such as binoculars by mail? Wouldn't shipping tend to damage them? I'd never buy a camera by mail (although I guess tcameras and binoculars are shipped to retail outlets, aren't they?).

This is The Audubon Society.

P.S. I'll never make a top birder because I like to sleep late, and almost all of the Audubon Society's birding trips start early in the morning! :D

I've not done so myself, but I can't see shipping binocs to be a problem - with suitable packaging. Just keep sending them back if they arrive damaged.

Will do. Thanks!

I've never bought camera lenses or binoculars by mail, but I'm sure they are packaged so as to protect the lenses.

I have two pairs of binoculars to my name, one small "compact" pair, and one fairly large pair, both by Nikon. Both are quite good, and I recommend Nikon lenses, although in general I'd recommend the larger ones for anything other than sporting games when you're in the nosebleed seats.

In general, you're going to want big lenses (lots of light is key if you're in a shady forest) and a pair that fits your hands where you can easily adjust the focus while you're looking through them.

But above all else, you're going to want a shoulder harness strap. Having the weight on your shoulders instead of around your neck makes a huge difference, and means you can get away with a heavier (and therefore cheaper) pair.

I have purchased both binoculars and a camera by mail and the optics have never been damaged in transit.

For picking a pair, only you know what the most important criteria to YOU are. Things to keep in mind are:

1. Magnification -- counter to what #2 says it really does make a difference

2. Light-gathering power. Bigger lenses (the second number) mean more light, producing brighter images which can be especially important early in the morning and late in the evening, or if you intend to use your binoculars for stargazing as well. Keep in mind that binoculars with more magnification need more light-gathering power as well to compensate -- 10x42 will not be as bright as 8x42.

3. Field of view.

4. Close-focus distance -- if you want to look at butterflies too, get something that has a small near-focus distance.

5. Optical quality.

6. Weight.

Plus other stuff like how they feel in your hands, eye relief, etc.

There is an excellent website at
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Publications/LivingBird/Winter2005/Age_Binos.html

that rates dozens of pairs based on these and other criteria, broken down by price range. I bought my pair -- Nikon Monarch 8x42 -- based on these ratings and I LOVE THEM. (The reviewers say they're clearly the best in their category, and compare favorably with binos costing 2-3x the price.)

Also, resist the temptation to cheap out. Figure out your budget, and then buy the best binoculars you can afford -- you'll save money in the long run by buying a $300 pair now than by buying a $100 pair now, getting frustrated, and buying a $300 (or a $500) pair a year from now.

Thanks everyone, for the information.

--> 10

That's funny. I looked at the epinion site yesterday and chose what I thought I'd like - a Nikon Monarch (!) at 8x36 for $234 to $250. So I guess the 8x42 would be better because it would have better light-gathering power.

I'll keep the pair you suggested in mind. My husband bought me a pair of binoculars many years ago and told me that he did spend $300 on them. Our family has been using them for at least 20 years - until one of my sons dropped them in the ocean while we were sea kayaking. He said he fell in the water while he had them on. :-(

I also own a pair of Monarch 8X42s. I can't say enough good about them. In my opinion, they are definitely one of the best value for the dollar bins out there.

My other (main) bins I use are the Pentax DCF 8X43s. This pair runs ~ $600 US, but I believe they compete very well against bins in the $1000 and higher price range. So, these are also one of the best value for the dollar bins you can buy.

Another company to look for for good quality at lower prices is Vortex.

These three companies show that you don't have to spend over a thousand dollars to get a really good pair of bins that will last you the rest of your life. Also, all three of these companies offer LIFETIME warranties. Not only on manufacturer defects, but if you damage them yourself (i.e. dropping them, scratching them, anything except theft) they will fix them for about a $20 charge plus shipping. So, you never have to buy another pair of bins unless you want to upgrade.

Another opinion. Stay away from Buschnell. I know they are usually 25% or more cheaper per model, but you will not be happy with the quality.

Thanks, Mustapha_Mond.

I'll see if my husband will agree to get the Monarch 8x42.

I use the Nikon Monarch 10x42 and am very happy with them. I chose them after looking through a similar pair owned by a colleague. He ordered them in the USA for me as they were cheaper there, had them shipped to his mother's address and picked them up for me the next time he was on leave in the USA. Can't remember the price now - it was very reasonable. One thing I like about them is that I can use them while still wearing my glasses.

>13 SqueakyChu: Heh! I got a good laugh from reading this thread. I don't know why this thread popped up now, but it's twelve years later, and the son who damaged my previous binoculars bought me new ones during these intervening years. They're Redfield 10X42 binoculars. They've been just fine. Now I'm watching baby bunnies in my yard in addition to birds. :D

>15 frahealee: You can use binoculars while wearing glasses. Now, however, I have to deal with cataracts, but that's a different can of worms. I know, the early bird... :D

I have 2 pairs of binoculars. One pair in the car and one pair in a kitchen drawer...always prepared for wildlife!

>17 Tess_W:

Me too. One big pair in the house, upstairs so I can quickly use them on the balcony, and one smaller pair in my trusty old Land Rover.

frahealee (#15):

Do they need to remove glasses to use binoculars, or do they put in contact lenses when they specifically go out on birding excursions, or can you use binoculars and glasses tandemly, if you're careful?

I've worn glasses since I was six, so I chafe a bit at your assumption that only old people wear glasses, but there's nothing to be "careful" about here. You may need to adjust the eye relief a bit (some pairs have cups, others have adjustments) but it's not like glasses are some rare and obscure thing that binocular manufacturers would be unaware of.

>15 frahealee: it depends on how far I'm looking. I wear no line bifocals--but for 90% of the time I keep them on, they are not a hindrance. If I'm not looking real far, I may remove them. When I go to a park or something of that nature, I put a chain on the glasses that hangs around my neck, but I hardly ever use it. I always have my glasses coated with a "scratch proof" material (although it really isn't) so there really aren't any problems putting binocular to glasses.

The Best Binoculars for Birdwatchers, Stargazers and Everyone Else (Wired)

Whether you’re a twitcher, stargazer, watching a show or sports, WIRED picks the best binoculars for every occasion...

Not buying any! I have a pair that were my grandfathers. They are old and clunky, but they get the job done and they are sentimental!