by DJ Featherton
Because I find good binoculars (bins) are so individual, I’ll bring up some basics to consider. Lots of good sightings come as a surprise – without warning. This is why I hate complicated bins with difficult focusing options. By the time I mess with that, the bird is gone! Are your bins cumbersome and heavy? You’ll know at the end of a long birding day. In the early years I thought a more powerful lens was the best. Then I realized how steady I had to be to find and see my target. One day in the cranberry bogs of Necedah, Wisconsin, I was with my friend, Fred Lesher, a well-known and respected birder in the upper-midwest. Suddenly, Fred spotted a rare Golden Eagle up high with an unidentified hawk dive bombing the heck out of him. The bigger eagle didn’t seem to mind at all. I immediately grabbed my high-powered bins but was unable to focus because of an unsteady hand. I didn’t have the right field glasses for the high point of the day. Do you wear glasses, sunglasses? How close does the binocular lens come to your eyes. This will determine your field of vision. With glasses I prefer 8×42 or 10×50, otherwise 8×30 or 10×35. Is waterproof a good idea? I’ve found myself in many unplanned wet and sloppy conditions that fogged up my field glasses. Now, I’ve decided to always go with waterproof.
One recommendation for certain, most birders should arm themselves with at least several sets of binoculars for different and various conditions. Kinda like the right tool for the right job! So, now it’s time to shop today’s really great high-tech binocular market to find the right tool for you. When I look at bins, I’m like a kid in a candy store. I want them all! You can read about weight, prism types, focus types, magnification, eye cups, and, and, and ….. There are high powered minis for the car, or pocket, binoculars with built in cameras, hands-free that look like glasses, and really cool children’s binocs for minimal prices. Although the real avid birders may go for the $2000 pair, $39 – $199 will give most everything to most backyard birders and beyond.
For really thorough information on how to choose the right binoculars for YOU, go here and watch this educational video! Arm yourself with your bins, remember that everyone should have their own pair! It’s always a great day for birding! I’ll see ya out there!
More About Birding Binoculars
This company’s Telescopes & Binoculars carries an array of binoculars that meet the demands of casual and serious birdwatchers. Birders tend to prefer apertures in the 40mm to 42mm range, which provides good resolution for detection of subtle markings yet keeps the binoculars easily hand-holdable and portable. Magnifying power of 8x is ideal, though some birdwatchers prefer more or less. All of their birding binoculars boast exquisite optics with advanced phase coatings, a streamlined design, and very close focus capability. You won’t find better birding binoculars in any other brand!