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How to Choose Binoculars for Birding

For birdwatchers or naturalists the wrong binoculars might ruin an afternoon or complicate a field study. They might offer too little resolution or lighting–or the binoculars might feel uncomfortable. The right binoculars can make bird watching more enjoyable. They can also assist scientists and students in obtaining critical information about a local bird population. Choosing the correct pair of binoculars for birding involves following a few guidelines.

Instructions

- 1
  Match the magnification size to your bird-watching habits and choose a 7 or 8 power (x) for small distances and a 10x or 20x pair of binoculars for viewing at a quarter mile or more.
- 2
  Compare the quality of the prism construction and look for a Barium Crown Prism (BAK) 4 rating for an optimally shaped prism that optimizes light and provides an ultra-clear view. Avoid BAK7 ratings because they have a slightly different shape that creates blurring around the perimeter of the central focal area.
- 3
  Compare the magnification to lens-size ratio and look for a large variance between the two numbers to achieve a sharp, bright image. For instance, manufacturers identify binoculars magnification ability with ratios like 8x32, 10x32 or 8x40 that indicate power (8) and the size of lens in millemeters (32). Images look better with a large discrepancy between these numbers, so an 8x40 pair of binoculars will provide a better image than an 8x32 or 10x32.
- 4
  Explore features like anti-reflective coating, auto-focus and photo taking. An anti-reflective coating consists of a pink or green coating over the lens that helps reduce glares or reflections and makes the image clearer. Auto-focus binoculars allow you to focus on central objects in your view field, and photo-binoculars allow you to save images to a memory disc.
- 5
  Test the binoculars by getting a feel for the style and eye cups. "Roof-prism" style binoculars offer a narrow grip and lower stereoscopic depth perception, and "Porro" binoculars offer a standard wide grip and better stereoscopic depth perception. Make sure the binocular&'s eye cups provide a snug, comfortable fit around your eyes.
- 6
  Compare close-focus distances, and look for a distance of 5 to 15 feet.
- 7
  Compare prices–8x32 roof-prism or Porro binoculars cost $39 to $149. 8x40 binoculars cost $59 to $179, and 10x42 binoculars cost $99 to $299.

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