Whether you are a bird watcher, hunter, boating enthusiast or stargazer, binoculars are very useful. Their potential isn't limited to these activities but they are some of the most common. Binoculars are commonly used with these and other activities because sometimes, being able to really enjoy nature or spot the game you're hunting, binoculars can be a great help. In this review site, you’ll find side-by-side comparisons and detailed reviews of some of the best all-round use, standard Binoculars, along with a few tips to help you get the pair that will benefit you the most. Also, check out our articles on binoculars in our Learning Center to get additional information.
The first thing you need to take into consideration is the activity for which you'll be using them. This particular site reviews general purpose binoculars that aren’t specialized to any single activity. Activities like stargazing require binoculars with much higher magnification than ones for bird watching. In general, a few things make up a good set of binoculars. We've broken them down and defined these essential parts so you can find the one that works for you. They broke down into the following categories.
Optics/Viewing
The following factors are some of the most important in determining the quality of the viewing experience you can expect: objective lens diameter, magnification, the type and quality of the objective lens glass and the number/type of lens elements and their coatings. In general, large objective lenses, low magnification and fully multi-coated lenses are most desirable for nature watchers. For hunting binoculars, you typically want a little higher magnification, and for star gazing, much more. The all-purpose use binoculars that we reviewed here fall in between the low magnification and the medium magnification ranges. That means that they are not specifically for any one activity.
Features
Here we looked at the body, the casing that comes with the binoculars to protect them, and some included accessories. That includes what the body is made of, whether or not it is water proof, if it's adjustable to be eyeglass friendly, the armor coatings for protection and comfort, the lens caps for the eyepieces as well as the objective lenses, a case to hold the binoculars and if they can be attached to a tripod. These are all important factors that add to the quality of the binoculars, especially the protective aspects. Without these safeguards, the best lenses in the world would end up damaged and useless.
Portability
Nobody wants a pair of binoculars that is annoying or tiring to drag around. The optimal binoculars are powerful and functional. For that reason we took in to consideration the size and weight, as well as whether the binoculars come with a neck strap to help ease the burden of carrying them.
Help/Support
Finally, you want to get a set of binoculars about which you don’t have to worry. Extensive online information as well as included literature can help you familiarize yourself with your particular set. Support is very important should you have any questions or need repairs. Last but not least, and this applies to more than just binoculars, you want to go with a product that has an extensive and comprehensive warranty. If a manufacturer will back up their product with a good warranty, it usually means that they aren't worried about anything happening to it.
These things together give you a superior set of Binoculars such as the PENTAX DCF CS 8x42, the Leupold Northfork 8.5x45mm and the Bushnell Elite 8x42. Many times this superiority comes with a higher price tag, but can be well worth it for the enthusiasts. Our goal is to help you find the pair that meets your expectations and fits in your budget. Then, once you have the binoculars you want, you're ready to enjoy life a little closer up.
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PENTAX DCF CS 8x42 | Leupold Northfork 8.5x45mm | Bushnell Elite 8x42 | Bushnell Excursion EX 8x42 | Nikon Monarch ATB 8x42 | Leupold Acadia 8x42 | Steiner 8x42 Merlin | Nikon Trailblazer ATB 8x42 | ||
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| Ratings | 8.20 | 7.80 | 7.75 | 7.45 | 7.38 | 7.33 | 7.25 | 6.20 | ||
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| Optics/Viewing | ||||||||||
| Magnification | 8x | 8.5x | 8x | 8x | 8x | 8x | 8x | 8x | ||
| Objective Lens | 42mm | 45mm | 42mm | 42mm | 42mm | 42mm | 42mm | 42mm | ||
| Exit Pupil | 5.25mm | 5.3mm | 5.25mm | 5.25mm | 5.25mm | 5.25mm | 5.25mm | 5.25mm | ||
| Eye Relief | 21mm | 19.5mm | 19.5mm | 17.2mm | 19.6mm | 19mm | 19mm | 19.7mm | ||
| Linear FoV (m/1000m) | 131 | 115 | 110 | 138 | 100 | 131 | 114 | 122 | ||
| Real Angular FoV | 7.5 degrees | 6.6 degrees | 6.3 degrees | 7 degrees | ||||||
| Apparent Angular FoV | 60 degrees | 47.5 degrees | 52.1 degrees | |||||||
| Close Focusing Distance | 2.5m | 3.3m | 2.4m | 2m | 2.5m | 2.5m | 2m | 5m | ||
| Diopter Compensation | +/-3 | +/-5 | +/-3 | +/-3 | +/-4 | +/-5 | ||||
| Interpupillary Range | 54 - 76mm | 60 - 70mm | 56 - 72mm | 54 - 76mm | 57 - 73mm | 56 - 72mm | ||||
| Twilight Factor | 18.3 | 19.6 | 18.3 | 18.3 | 18.3 | 18.3 | 18.3 | 18.3 | ||
| Prism System | Roof | Roof | Roof | Roof | Roof | Roof | Roof | Roof | ||
| Prisms | BAK-4 | BAK-4 | BAK-4 | BAK-4 | BAK-4 | BAK-4 | BAK-4 | BAK-4 | ||
| No. of Lens Elements | 4 | |||||||||
| Lens Coating | Fully Multi-Coated | Fully Multi-Coated | Fully Multi-Coated | Fully Multi-Coated | Multi-Coated | Multi-Coated | Multi-Coated | Multi-Coated | ||
| Phase Correction Coating | ||||||||||
| Prism/Mirror Coating | Silver | SHR | XTR | Dielectric | ||||||
| Features | ||||||||||
| Tripod Adaptable | ||||||||||
| Waterproof | ||||||||||
| Watertight Depth | 1m | 1m | 1m | 1m | 1m | 1m | ||||
| Nitrogen-Filled | ||||||||||
| Housing | Polycarbonate | Magnesium | Magnesium | Polycarbonate | Polycarbonate | Aluminum | Polycarbonate | |||
| Armor | Rubber | Rubber | Rubber | Rubber | Rubber | Rubber | Rubber | Rubber | ||
| Eyepiece Lens Caps | ||||||||||
| Objective Lens Caps | ||||||||||
| Case | ||||||||||
| Eyeglass Wearer Friendly | ||||||||||
| Portability | ||||||||||
| Carrying Strap | ||||||||||
| Length | 148mm | 155mm | 145mm | 145mm | 147mm | 162mm | 155mm | |||
| Width | 134mm | 124mm | 127mm | 131mm | 132mm | |||||
| Height | 52mm | 58mm | 57mm | |||||||
| Weight | 640g | 765g | 728g | 688g | 610g | 645g | 730g | 669g | ||
| Help/Support | ||||||||||
| Warranty | 1 Year | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | 25 Year | Lifetime | 10 Year | 25 Year | ||
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