BinocularsBlog – Advice on Digital, Waterproof, & Compact Binoculars for Bird Watching, Sports, Astronomy, Night Vision, & more!

If you were lucky enough to receive a new binocular, spotting scope, telescope or camera for the holidays, you might be wondering if it is safe to use a binocular, telescope and so on in cold weather. The answer is, yes, though cold weather can cause some complications.

The first issue you are likely to encounter is focusing. Cold weather gums up some lubricants, so you should definitely remove any excess lubricant before you go out in the cold. Stiff focusing is especially common with inexpensive telescopes, which are usually loaded up with cheap lubricants when they leave the factory. No, I don’t recommend heading to the store for a cold weather lubricant and applying it to any optic – the lubricant may end up where you least want it and lubricant attracts dirt, which causes premature wear and tear. Best and safest option is to remove any excess before you go out in the cold and call it good.

Next issue surfaces when you return indoors with your binocular, spotting scope, telescope, camera and so on. That cold optics hits the warm air and water condenses, immediately on your new toy. Best way to avoid the problem is to put your camera or binocular in a large zip lock bag and let it return to room temp before removing. The condensation forms on the outside of the bag, not the binocular, camera and so on. With telescopes, that is not an option, of course, but I have found that draping a large towel or tarp over the telescope, immediately, can help.

Last issue is battery life. Cold weather always puts more of a drain on batteries. With telescopes and cameras, or any other optic that uses batteries, always best to carry a spare and I keep mine inside my coat, next to my body to stay a bit warmer.

Happy New Year to all, (just in case I don’t get another blog done before Friday).

It’s been another busy year in the binocular world with two trends developing. The first binocular trend is to replace standard versions of long time favorite binoculars with an HD, ED or similar version of the same model. A good example is the long-time favorite, Bushnell Legend binocular. The Legend now carries on as the Bushnell Ultra Legend HD binocular, which, by the way, is a completely different binocular than the old Bushnell Legend, both in terms of optics and construction. (Nevertheless, if you can still get the old version of the Bushnell Legend, it is a great choice in its price range.) In a similar fashion, one of the world’s most famous binocular, the Swarovski EL, is getting an optics boost in the form of the new Swarovski EL HD (Swarovision model), which should be available in January. The new EL also gets a sleeker and more contoured body and flat field eyepieces.

Speaking of the Swarovski EL, the other trend has been to offer more and more Swarovski EL style open bridge body designs on lower-priced binoculars. The open bridge design on a binocular improves handling and balance, at least for most people, but the open bridge binocular design typically adds a bit more to the price tag than a conventional binocular. Bottom line, though: you can now buy an open bridge body design binocular at a much cheaper price than ever before. Good examples include Bushnell Excursion EX and the Nikon Monarch EX. In other words, there is now an EL style binocular in just about everyone’s price range. Is the open bridge binocular right for you? Get one in your hands and decide for yourself. The way a binocular handles and balances in your hands is personal call.

As a salesperson, one of the things I appreciate about binoculars when we come to the “after Christmas” sales season is the fact that there are so few returns. Let’s face it, a binocular is a simple tool, once you learn the basics of binocular construction, and, as far as using a binocular, there is not much to it. Most returns on binoculars are a matter of a defective product and not a matter of the user’s ability or lack of ability. On the other hand, the “after Christmas” sales period with telescopes is quite another story. Telescopes and astronomy require a long, but fascinating, learning period. Real proficiency with a telescope only comes from many hours of hands-on use. Newcomers to astronomy and telescopes learn this, quickly and, unfortunately, many telescopes are returned after Christmas and the holidays due to operator error and unrealistic expectations with what a backyard telescope can actually do.

That’s one of the reasons I often recommend a binocular as a first telescope - just point a binocular at the sky and start looking. You do not have to be a technical genius to use a binocular and, yes, there is plenty of astronomy to be done with an ordinary10x50 binocular, such as the Nikon Action Extreme 10x50. You do not need to buy a binocular labeled as an astronomy binocular. Then, too, should a beginner decide that astronomy is not their cup of tea, the beginner still has a binocular that can be used for many other applications. Too many telescopes end up collecting dust in the closet and that is a real shame.

Call me traditional, but I still prefer a binocular that is made of basically metal and glass, with a minimum of plastic … oops … I mean polymer. Not that there is necessarily anything wrong with polymer – polymer can, in fact, be a better choice for some binocular types and some binocular uses – but there is just something about the heft and feel of a binocular made of metal and glass that inspires confidence, not to mention that the concentrated metal weight in the hands tends to help steady the binocular. Now, you might think this metal difference is something you encounter only with mid-size binoculars or full-size binoculars. Truth is, you can easily detect that kind of binocular construction in compact binoculars and that extra bit of heft provided by metal construction adds a bit of stability and stability is a precious commodity in a compact binocular. My favorite compacts with this metal construction feel include the excellent Swarovski Pocket compact binocular (mine is the Swarovski Crystal model, pictured) and the equally exquisite Leica Ultravid compact binocular. Both compact binos are superb examples of that beautiful feel and balance that comes from top-notch metal construction. Both binoculars just sit in the hand and seem to steady themselves; both binoculars are just hard to put down. Both binoculars are also incredibly expensive, of course, but you certainly don’t have to pay that much to get heft of metal construction. The Bushnell Elite 7x26 comes in at less than half the price and, although not a roof prism, you will detect that beautiful heft and feel of a well-made binocular. Optics are top notch, too.

Been so much activity at the bird feeders this week, that there is hardly enough time to put the birding binoculars down to eat. I suspect that may be one good way to lose weight, but it is also a good way for your oatmeal to go cold and who wants to eat cold oatmeal on a winter morning?

The latest arrivals, of all things, has been several Mourning Doves. It's not the first time I've had Morning Doves as my guests in the winter, but it still surprises me that this bird, with its reputation as being a bit sensitive to cold weather, has a few individuals that stay on through the winter this far north in Milwaukee. For sure, the doves are quite lovely in my Nikon Premier LX binocular, which I keep handy on my kitchen table. Okay, this is probably more binocular than I need for use as a bird feeder binocular, but that is one little luxury I enjoy.

This far north, White-throated Sparrows are a staple and it is a rare morning without these handsome sparrows picking up leftovers on the ground below the feeder or in the garden underbrush. Also reporting good numbers nuthatches, woodpeckers and chickadees galore and the usual spectacular Cardinals.

I will try to get some digiscoping pics of some of my feeder birds posted next week, once I get a better internet connection. The old dial up we are now using just makes it too darn slow to download.

As a binocular and birding expert, I get asked, on a regular basis, how much to spend to on a binocular for birding . Now, since I currently own and use only expensive Swarovski binoculars, Leica binoculars, Zeiss binoculars, Nikon binoculars and so on, you might expect me to give a cliche' answer, such as, "Spend as much as you can afford" or "Get only the best".

That would be misleading advice at best and downright bad advice at worst. The fact is, you do not have to spend a thousand plus dollars on a birding binocular - not if we define a good birding binocular as a binocular that is good enough, optically, to identify birds and good enough, mechanically, to offer reasonable length of service. Using this definition of a good birding binocular, there are many good birding binoculars for beginners under $200 and even a few under $100 that will get you started. The most important advice I can give, therefore, is just get out there a get started, even if you have to borrow a binocular. Becoming a good birder takes experience; it doesn't happen overnight. If you wait until your budget can handle that premium and very expensive birding binocular, you are passing up valuable opportunities to learn and, even worse, you may never go birding. That would be tragic.

So why do all those hot shot birders (like me) carry binoculars that cost as much as a used car? It's all about image quality and the overall experience. It's no longer simply a matter of identifying birds; it's now a matter of wanting to see those birds in all their glorious best and we are willing to pay for the optics that do just that. It's a truism that once you've used great optics, it is tough to go back and settle for less. We are image quality addicts.

It's also about value. Not only are we rewarded with great images each and very time we look at a bird with our premium birding binoculars, we also know from personal experience that the expensive binoculars stand up to hard, continuous years of use better than the cheap binoculars. When you use a binocular that is designed to last a lifetime of use, it does indeed become an old friend over the years.

So, get out there and start watching birds. Go with a group, if you can, and get in on all the fun, no matter what binocular you have. Then you can decide for yourself how much you want to spend on a birding binocular and, trust me, you do not have to spend a fortune on a birding binocular to be come an expert birder, either. I know many top notch birders who use very average binoculars in terms of price. Not everyone can or chooses to spend a fortune on premium binoculars. The choice on how much to spend is yours. The important thing is to get out and go birding.

For the benefit of anyone who reads my blogs, I am no longer a regular employee of OpticsPlanet - I have gone into partial retirement to be with my new husband, here in Milwaukee. However, I will still be doing blogs and answering forum questions for OpticsPlanet, as I have done for these last five years. OpticsPlanet has been such a good home for me, it would just break my heart not to have some connection with all my friends and the staff, there.

In some respects I will have more material than ever for my blogging, since my backyard is a veritable Grand Central Station with all my bird feeders. I am going through about ten pounds of black oil sunflower a week, not to mention a ton of various bird mixes and suet for the woodpeckers. To be sure, the folks at my local bird store love us.

My new location is also a much better location than my previous Chicago address for general birding and astronomy. Hey, I live across the street from a forest reserve. Last, night, for instance, I looked out our front window and saw three deer walking up the street. It was a bit too dark for a good pic, but I did get a nice look with my Nikon Premier LX binocular. A couple of weeks, ago, we had Wild Turkeys, but no camera. I will know better next time.

Okay, what binocular feature becomes less and less important as you gain experience using a binocular? Is it binocular magnification? No. Is it binocular size? No. Is it binocular price? No, definitely not. For most people I've known for a long time and seen them go from a binocular beginner to binocular pro, the binocular feature that decreases in importance as time goes by, is field of view. Don't get me wrong - I love a big wide field of view for the Wow factor, but only if that big wide field of view in a binocular is sharp edge to edge. I am much fussier about edge sharpness and will gladly sacrifice a wide field of view to get it. Moreover, a smaller field of view is not a handicap for me, at this point, as I have no problem finding and picking up birds in any cover at any range with the narrower field of view you get with a 10x birding binocular, as opposed to a 7x binocular.

A binocular rule of thumb is that anything over 10x requires some kind of support for the sake of steadiness and for the vast majority of the human race this is true. Even stepping up to 12x binoculars creates a steadiness problem. That bino support, however, does not automatically have to be a tripod. I have successfully used many a 12x50 binocular and even a 14x binocular from a vehicle by simply resting the binocular on the door. I don't recommend anything more than 10x for field work, but if you find yourself out in the field with that 12x50 binocular, any tree or rock makes for a good support or, if the landscape allows, just sit down and brace the binocular on your knees. The problem, of course, is that that tree, rock and option to sit is not always available when you need it most and that little extra bit of movement can be spotted by wildlife.

I have been a binocular astronomer for over forty years, now, but I am still impressed with how much of a difference it makes to make a move to a site that has less light pollution and a darker sky. Beginners shopping for an astronomy binocular often sweat and lose sleep over the merits of one astronomy binocular versus another astronomy binocular, either in terms of quality or size, but the differences in performance that result from spending more money or juggling astronomy binocular size is actually tiny in comparison to moving to a darker sky. That's one of the big plusses, though, for using astronomy binoculars - you can take an astronomy binocular almost anywhere. This summer, we plan to do some camping out west and you can be sure one of my astronomy binoculars is going with us.

Here's a few questions you don't have to waste time asking when shopping for a binocular. Does this binocular come with case and strap? Yes, it is a very rare exception when any binocular does not include a case and strap. Is this binocular waterproof? That is a feature always listed in the description when present. If it does not say waterproof, it is not waterproof. What do the binocular numbers mean? The first number is always magnification, the last number is the size of the front lens in millimeters. See my article How to Choose Binoculars and how to Buy Binoculars to see what these numbers actually mean in terms of performance. Can I adjust the width of this binocular for my eyes? yes, all binoculars are adjustable for varying widths between the eyes, though there are a very few people with very small or very large faces that may experience problems finding a binocular that will fit. However, this is quite rare.

The holiday season is upon us and many customers are shopping for binoculars as a gift for someone special. How do you pick the right binocular out of literally a thousand plus binoculars on our OpticsPlanet website? What do all the numbers mean? You can get a good start by reading any one of a half dozen of my articles on binoculars, but the most basic is How to Understand Binoculars. Okay, I know, who has time to read? You have so much shopping to do, right? Is there just a basic binocular that will work for just about anything. Yes, there certainly is and it is an 8x42 (or 8x40) waterproof binocular. You can use a waterproof 8x42 binocular for nearly any binocular job - birding, hunting, sports, wildlife watching and even some marine and astronomy use. Then it just becomes a matter of price and, as with anything else, the more you pay for an 8x42 binocular, the better the 8x42 binocular in terms of performance and quality. The good news is that there are good choices in every price range. Under 4100, start with the Bushnell Legacy 8x40. Under $150, try the Nikon 8x40 Action Extreme. Under $200, try the Bushnell Excursion 8x42 EX. In other words, shopping for a binocular does not have to be a big project.

One of the most frequent questions I get from beginners looking for a binocular is, "How far can I see?" This is understandably the first question that pops into someone's head when their thoughts turn to a binocular, but when you begin to think about it in a serious way, you begin to understand that "How far can I see?" is an incomplete question and one with no definite answer. To answer that question, you must first specify the size of the object you want to see. For instance, an average 10x42 binocular can see a large ship on open water from a distance measured in miles, under good atmospheric conditions. However, seeing the numbers on the side of the ship reduces the "How far can I see?" to a much shorter distance, often less than a mile. Seeing people on deck of that ship reduces "How far can I see?" to a much, much, shorter distance, often several hundred yards. Actually identifying and recognizing people's faces on the deck of the ship reduces "How far can I see?" to a drastically shorter distance, yet, typically well under 100 yards. How far can I see with a binocular is always a matter, then, of the size of the object you want to see.

A binocular is the world's most useful optic and, as such, a binocular makes a great gift. Everyone should have a binocular. OpticsPlanet has many hundreds of binoculars in stock from nearly every manufacturer and nearly all are ready to ship. Not sure what to get? It's simple. A waterproof 8x42 or 10x42 roof prism binocular, such as the Nikon Monarch 8x42 or Nikon Monarch 10x42 is the universal binocular and can be used for nearly any binocular application. This price point also represents the best bang for the buck in terms of optical performance, but any 8x42 or 10x42 is a good place to start when shopping for a binocular as a gift and either of these two sizes would be an excellent choice for birding, safari, hunting, sports, wildlife watching or just about any binocular application. Not in your budget? There is no shortage of binoculars at half that price that will still do a great job. Try the Nikon 8x40 Action Extreme, for instance. If you need help with all those numbers and specs, be sure to read my article, How to Understand Binoculars

Compact binoculars are becoming evermore popular due to their great portability and also because there are some great compact binoculars available at some very attractive prices. Not sure if a compact binocular is right for you? Be sure to read my article, Buy Compact Binoculars (How To Guide). If you decide a compact binocular is in your future, start with the very affordable Nikon 8x25 Travelite. This compact Nikon binocular has been around in one edition or another for over twenty years and is one of the best values in the compact binocular market. If you prefer the roof prism design binocular, as many do, you can still get the full-featured Bushnell Excursion 8x28 under $100.