Important tips before you buy:

Weight:

To hold the binoculars properly it’s better to buy a lighter binocular. Easier to hold better the view.

Exit Pupil:

This is the size of the image at the focusing point of the binocular. It is computed by dividing the objective size by the magnification. The exit pupil of an 8×40 binocular is 5mm (40/8). A larger exit pupil means a brighter image. Binoculars over 3mm are considered good for daytime birding and anything over 7mm is a waste.

Eye relief:

Eye relief is the distance from the rear eyepiece lens to where the image is formed. Eyeglass wearers should look for binoculars with at least 15mm of eye-relief and have eye-cups that can be folded down. This will allow them to enjoy bird-watching.

Close Focus:

Good birding binoculars should have a close focus of 10 feet or less otherwise you may find yourself walking backwards to try and see something. How close a binocular focuses depends on how it is made rather than on its power.

Body Design:

There are two basic types. i) Porro prism Binoculars and, ii) Roof prism binoculars. Roof prisms are lighter, rugged, easier to maintain and usually waterproof. Porro prism binoculars are cheaper, Optical quality is not markedly different though roof prisms being more expensive usually have better coating.

Binoculars are what makes bird-watching pleasurable - so invest in the best that you can afford, they are sure to give you years of memorable moments.

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Brunton Eterna 7×50 Military Style Porro Prism Binoculars with Ranging Reticle
Price: $577.49

The quality of Brunton Products remains the same after century of innovations. Bruton still looks for new ways to explore and improve our own.

This prism is named after the Italian optician Ignazio Porro who first discovered the mechanism of this optical design in 1854. Porro-Prism- which is a combination of double prism arranged in a Z-like configuration. Production of binoculars has drastically improved after the usage of porro-prism with objective lenses that are well separated but offset from the eyepieces. Porro-prism designs also allow benefit of folding the optical path so that the physical length of the binoculars is less than the focal length of the objective and wider spacing of the objectives gives better sensation of depth.

Features

• BaK-4 prism glass
• Full multi-coating
• Individual eye-focus
• Waterproof/fogproof
• Nitrogen filled
• Aluminum frame w/ ergonomic body armor
• Ranging reticle in FOV
• Tripod/monopod compatible
• Limited lifetime warranty

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Wired online has reviewed 4 image-stabilized binoculars in an article March 26th, 2008.

The four binoculars reviewed are;

• Fujinon Techno-Stabi 14 x 40

• Bushnell Stableview

• Nikon StabilEyes VR 12 x 32

• Canon Image Stabilizer 10 x 42 L IS

The Fujinon Techno-Stabi got the highest rating. The Canon Image Stabilizer was trashed mainly for shoddy construction.

See the article: Rock Steady: Four Image-Stabilized Binoculars

Techno-Stabi High Power Image-Stabilized Binoculars - 14×40 - 14 x Magnification
Price: $999.99
Techno-Stabi High Power Image-Stabilized Binoculars - 14×40 - 14 x Magnification The Fuji Techno-Stabi high power binocular features 14×40 or 10×40 viewing in a waterproof, compact case. The Techno-Stabi virtually eliminates the jittery images caused by hand tremor and irregular motion found when using binoculars on boats. Utilizes two direct drive motors, each independently controlled by piezo vibration sensors, to provide instant image stabilization with minimum power consumption. For outstanding optical performance, the optics are fully coated for maximum light transmission and brightness. The roof prism is phase coated to deliver superb clarity and resolution. Includes a handstrap. A color changing (red to green) battery condition LED indicator keeps you up to date on power status. Operates on 4 AA batteries. 13mm eye relief. 4 degree actual field of view. 14×40 Sh. Wt. 5 lbs. 14 x Magnification

Brand: Fujinon

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How to Choose the Right Pair of Binoculars for You

There are several factors to consider in making a good choice of binoculars.

How important each binocular factor is to your selection will depend on how you plan to use them.

Important binocular properties;

• Magnification

Binoculars are almost always identified as number with X then a second number, such as ‘7X50′. Magnification in this example is 7X. Natural expectation for people is to want higher magnification but higher magnification comes at a price more than money. The higher the magnification the harder it is to hold what you are looking at steady. Since most uses of binoculars are hand held, having excessive magnification is not desirable.

• Brightness

The second number after magnification is the example above 7X50 is the diameter of the ‘objective’ lens in millimeters. The objective lens are the larger ones on the far side of the binoculars (see diagram courtesy of Nikon below). The size of the objective lens is important to brightness as the larger they are, the more light they are gathering for your eyes at the other end. If you think of photons as a quantity of ‘information’, the more photons the lens gathers and bring to your eyes, the more ‘information’ your brain will have to enjoy. However the trade off for larger objective lens are the binoculars will be more heavy and bulky.

• Exit Pupil

The light that does get to your eyes has an effective area called the ‘exit pupil’. This can simply be calculated using the 7X50 specification if you divide the 50 (objective lens diameter in mm) by the magnification (7X), which in this case is slightly more than 7mm. The pupils of your eyes are less than 4mm wide in bright daylight so in this case there is ample efficiency. However in low light situations the pupil expands to 7mm when you are younger (not as much as you get older). So if you are older than 40 and using 7X50 binoculars in a low light situation you will likely see a darker view than with a pair of 7X35 binoculars with a 5mm exit pupil.

• Weight & Bulk of Binoculars

Weight is not an optical property but can be a crucial factor in how useful the binoculars you choose are. As mentioned above having high magnification won’t mean much if they are too heavy to lug and hold steadily up to your eyes. More expensive lighter lens materials can offset this if you can afford it. Also more expensive “roof prism” binoculars are more compact are an option again if you can afford it.

• Field of View

Field of view for binoculars is most often expressed as ‘X’ number of feet at 1000 yards. The higher the magnification the smaller the field of view will be. You can improve field of view for a given magnification with more expensive “wide angle” binoculars. For birdwatching or Astronomy 300 to 400 feet at 1000 yards will be acceptable. It is a challenge for 10X magnification binoculars to be above 300 feet at 1000 yards.

• Optics (lens, prisms, and coatings) Quality

• Ideally you want to avoid poor quality optics , start with good quality, and then decide later if you want to move to superb quality optics. There is no point to buying bargain basement binoculars or poorly maintained used binoculars as your experience will be disappointing. Preferably all optics are coated and better still multi-coated. Coated optics improve light transmission. Look for the phrase “multi-layer coated optics” and be wary of the phrase “fully coated optics” as this might mean that only external air to glass surfaces are fully coated but other internal lens and prisms may not be. Light transmission loss occurs at all surfaces without anti-reflective glass coatings. I will explain how to visually check for coatings in a later post.

• Resolution - High quality lens provide good color fidelity, are free of optical aberrations, and provide excellent detail.

• Stabilization

Expensive electronic ‘gee-whiz’ adjusting system that noticeably improves the view, especially in hand held use targeting moving objects. An interesting experiment is to take a ‘value priced’ pair of binoculars and look at the moon holding them as steady as you can. Then mount the same binoculars on a steady camera tripod and look at the moon again. You will be shocked at the extra detail that you can see due to stability.

• Rugged, Waterproof, Fogproof,

Having rubber overmold on the binocular body does not always mean they are rugged. Search for drop specifications if rugged is important for how the binoculars will be used. Waterproof is important for hunting and marine use as well as fogproof. Waterproof is specified usually in a JIS or IEC 529 rating (click on the link to understand more about waterproof ratings). An IEC rating of IP64 will suffice or look for IP67 if you want to take your binoculars swimming. Fogproof binoculars have the air inside replaced with a gas such as Argon or Nitrogen.

• Porro prism vs Roof prism

Binoculars you are most likely to be familiar with are porro prism with a prism system moving the two light paths from the objective lens closer together on the way to the two eyepieces you look into. “Roof” prism binoculars are “straight through” looking. This lens system is more expensive but has the advantage of allowing for smaller compact configuration and storage. They also look better as a fashion statement if that is important.

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How to Choose the Right Pair of Binoculars for You

There are several factors to consider in making a good choice of binoculars.

How important each binocular factor is to your selection will depend on how you plan to use them.Important binocular properties;

• Magnification

Binoculars are almost always identified as number with X then a second number, such as ‘7X50?. Magnification in this example is 7X. Natural expectation for people is to want higher magnification but higher magnification comes at a price more than money. The higher the magnification the harder it is to hold what you are looking at steady. Since most uses of binoculars are hand held, having excessive magnification is not desirable.

• Brightness

The second number after magnification is the example above 7X50 is the diameter of the ‘objective’ lens in millimeters. The objective lens are the larger ones on the far side of the binoculars (see diagram courtesy of Nikon below). The size of the objective lens is important to brightness as the larger they are, the more light they are gathering for your eyes at the other end. If you think of photons as a quantity of ‘information’, the more photons the lens gathers and bring to your eyes, the more ‘information’ your brain will have to enjoy. However the trade off for larger objective lens are the binoculars will be more heavy and bulky.

• Exit Pupil

The light that does get to your eyes has an effective area called the ‘exit pupil’. This can simply be calculated using the 7X50 specification if you divide the 50 (objective lens diameter in mm) by the magnification (7X), which in this case is slightly more than 7mm. The pupils of your eyes are less than 4mm wide in bright daylight so in this case there is ample efficiency. However in low light situations the pupil expands to 7mm when you are younger (not as much as you get older). So if you are older than 40 and using 7X50 binoculars in a low light situation you will likely see a darker view than with a pair of 7X35 binoculars with a 5mm exit pupil.

• Weight & Bulk of Binoculars

Weight is not an optical property but can be a crucial factor in how useful the binoculars you choose are. As mentioned above having high magnification won’t mean much if they are too heavy to lug and hold steadily up to your eyes. More expensive lighter lens materials can offset this if you can afford it. Also more expensive “roof prism” binoculars are more compact are an option again if you can afford it.

• Field of View

Field of view for binoculars is most often expressed as ‘X’ number of feet at 1000 yards. The higher the magnification the smaller the field of view will be. You can improve field of view for a given magnification with more expensive “wide angle” binoculars. For birdwatching or Astronomy 300 to 400 feet at 1000 yards will be acceptable. It is a challenge for 10X magnification binoculars to be above 300 feet at 1000 yards.

• Optics (lens, prisms, and coatings) Quality

• Ideally you want to avoid poor quality optics , start with good quality, and then decide later if you want to move to superb quality optics. There is no point to buying bargain basement binoculars or poorly maintained used binoculars as your experience will be disappointing. Preferably all optics are coated and better still multi-coated. Coated optics improve light transmission. Look for the phrase “multi-layer coated optics” and be wary of the phrase “fully coated optics” as this might mean that only external air to glass surfaces are fully coated but other internal lens and prisms may not be. Light transmission loss occurs at all surfaces without anti-reflective glass coatings. I will explain how to visually check for coatings in a later post.

• Resolution - High quality lens provide good color fidelity, are free of optical aberrations, and provide excellent detail.

• Stabilization

Expensive electronic ‘gee-whiz’ adjusting system that noticeably improves the view, especially in hand held use targeting moving objects. An interesting experiment is to take a ‘value priced’ pair of binoculars and look at the moon holding them as steady as you can. Then mount the same binoculars on a steady camera tripod and look at the moon again. You will be shocked at the extra detail that you can see due to stability.

• Rugged, Waterproof, Fogproof,

Having rubber overmold on the binocular body does not always mean they are rugged. Search for drop specifications if rugged is important for how the binoculars will be used. Waterproof is important for hunting and marine use as well as fogproof. Waterproof is specified usually in a JIS or IEC 529 rating (click on the link to understand more about waterproof ratings). An IEC rating of IP64 will suffice or look for IP67 if you want to take your binoculars swimming. Fogproof binoculars have the air inside replaced with a gas such as Argon or Nitrogen.

• Porro prism vs Roof prism

Binoculars you are most likely to be familiar with are porro prism with a prism system moving the two light paths from the objective lens closer together on the way to the two eyepieces you look into. “Roof” prism binoculars are “straight through” looking. This lens system is more expensive but has the advantage of allowing for smaller compact configuration and storage. They also look better as a fashion statement if that is important.

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The Kowa TSN-883 Prominar was Living Bird magazine’s unanimous choice in a review of spotting scopes.

Information on the Kowa TSN 883 Prominar scope from Binoculars.com.

Features:

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Zeiss Announces the World’s First Premium Laser Rangefinder Binoculars with LED Display and Integrated BIS™ Ballistic Calculator

Chester, 02/02/2008. CHESTER, Va., February 2, 2008 – Zeiss introduces the Victory 8×45 and 10×45 T* RF laser rangefinder binoculars – the world’s first premium binocular with rangefinding capability, LED display and integrated BIS™ ballistic calculator. Hunters now have accurate distance to target and corrected ballistic holdover – programmable for 6 different common ballistic trajectories – at their fingertips in the field. In addition, hunters will experience crystal clear images thanks to the high-performance optical design and high-contrast LED display. No more grayish looking images when trying to estimate the condition and size of an animal – a visual disadvantage typically found in rangefinding optics that use the more common, low-contrast LCD displays.

**Editors Note I have found these Binoculars at Eagle Optics and Binoculars.com.

Price Range $2899 to $2999.

No other binocular offers hunters the advantages of the Victory T* RF series with integrated laser rangefinder.

Bundled Functions:

• Premium image quality
• No separate laser emitter / third eye necessary
• Accurate “One-Touch” rangefinding for a steadier image
• Integrated BIS Ballistic Calculator
• LED display with automatic brightness control instead of standard LCD display
• LotuTec protective coating

Zeiss engineers and designers have succeeded in integrating a variety of high-tech functions into an elegant and highly durable magnesium housing resulting in a technical masterpiece that is robust, powerful, ergonomic and compact. The re-designed Zeiss optics guarantee maximum resolution, image definition, color fidelity and contrast to meet the needs of the most demanding hunters. The 45mm objective lens diameter provides 15 % higher low-light performance than 42 mm models thus providing enhanced visual performance at critical times such as dawn and dusk.

The Victory RF binoculars are the world’s first binoculars with a hinge bridge that do not require a separate laser emitter. The invisible, eye-safe laser beam used in the Victory RFs is particularly narrow, enabling the precise measurement of small targets even at long distances.

The One-Touch feature – a first for the civilian market – produces less shaking while ranging and therefore a clearer image. When the measurement button is pressed, the reticle used to target the object illuminates. When released, the range is immediately measured and displayed within 1 second. This generates considerably less shake and also saves time in comparison to other rangefinding binoculars on the market that require the user to press the button twice. The buttons for the measurement functions are positioned on the right-hand side of the binoculars so hunters can hold their bow or rifle with their left hand and glass, measure distance to the target and calculate trajectory with the Victory RF in their right hand if necessary.

With their state-of-the-art electronics, the Victory T* RF binoculars have a large measuring range from 10 yds to 1300 yds (depending on the size of the object, reflectivity, angle of impact and weather conditions), and high measuring accuracy of ± 1 yd at ranges up to 660 yds and ± 0.5% at ranges beyond 660 yds. The rangefinder can be set to meters or yards with the LED providing a clear numeric display with automatic brightness control to compensate for brighter or darker light conditions. It can also be operated in a Scan Mode for continuous measurements on small or moving targets.

The BIS™ (Ballistic Information System) calculator, working in unison with the laser rangefinder, provides accurate holdover correction for 6 different common ballistic trajectories based on the most popular hunting cartridges. The BIS™ calculator can also be programmed to work with 100 yard or 200 yard sight-in distances as well as provide measurements of holdover in either centimeters or inches.

The self-illuminating LED display (Light Emitting Diode) is easier to read than the more common LCD displays (Liquid Crystal Display) and also allows significantly more light to pass for observation.

Zeiss’ world-renowned T* multi-coatings applied to the lenses enhance the clarity and resolution by affording truer color and higher contrast. These coatings also offer a higher transmission in the blue range, assuring brighter images and better colors in low light situations. In addition, these binoculars will come with Zeiss’ exclusive, award-winning LotuTec™ water-repellent coating on the eye and objective lenses.

The Zeiss Victory T* RF binoculars feature a durable, waterproof, rubber-armored magnesium housing ensuring years of protection against rugged use. Other mechanical qualities of these binoculars include twist-out 4 position eyecups which easily accommodate eyeglass wearers as well as an easy to use diopter adjustment. Offered in 8x and 10x magnification with generous 45mm objective lenses, these binoculars will complement a wide variety of hunting applications.

In a unit that is easy to operate and ergonomically brilliant, the Zeiss Victory T* RF binoculars represent the finest and most comprehensive optics in observation, rangefinding and ballistic correction.

About ZEISS:

Optics for Science and Technology, Progress Focused on People
Carl Zeiss is a globally leading group of companies in the optical and opto-electronic industries. As an innovative provider of products and services in a future-oriented key industry, Carl Zeiss numbers among the most research-intensive high-tech companies. The Carl Zeiss Group is geared towards growth and consistent enhancement of its corporate value. Originally located in Jena, Germany, the company is now headquartered in Oberkochen, in the German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg. Carl Zeiss is a globally oriented company, generating more than 80 percent of its revenues outside Germany. The business groups offer their products on all the world’s relevant markets. Germany remains the company’s center of production. Carl Zeiss also owns production sites in Europe, North America, Central America and Asia.

Satisfied customers throughout the world
The ZEISS brand is represented in over 100 countries. The company’s own branches and subsidiaries are responsible for business in more than 30 countries. During fiscal year 2006/07 (ended Sept. 30) the global workforce of approximately 12,300 employees generated revenues of more than EUR 2.6 billion. In 2006/07 earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) totaled EUR 394 million. The company invested EUR 290 million, the equivalent of 11 percent of revenues, in research and development in order to expand the technologically leading positions of its business groups.

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