How to Focus and Align Binoculars

Aligning Binoculars

• 1

  Firmly but gently hold each side of the binoculars. Hold the left binocular in front of your left eye without looking through the eyepiece.

• 2

  Spread the binoculars apart until the right binocular is close to being over your right eye. The binoculars will be stiff while spreading; this is to prevent accidental movement during use.

• 3

  Place the left eyepiece over your left eye and look through the eyepiece. Use slight movements until the right eyepiece is resting against your right eye and look through the right eyepiece. When both eyes are comfortable, without having to make individual adjustments, the binoculars are aligned.

Focusing Binoculars

• 4

  Look at the eyepieces of your binoculars. One eyepiece will have an adjustment ring known as a diopter and will usually have +/- symbols or a short series of positive and negative numbers (1, 0, -1). Set the diopter to zero by moving it to the center of the scale.

• 5

  Hold the binoculars to your eyes and close the eye looking through the diopter. Between the binoculars is a large grooved ring that adjusts the focus. Look at an object and turn the focus ring until the object is clearly focused.

• 6

  Looking at the same object, open the eye over the diopter and close the other. Turn the diopter until the object is clear and in focus. Open the closed eye and look at the object. It should be clear and completely focused without putting strain on either eye.