How to Choose Binoculars for Long Distance.
Long-distance binoculars come in handy for a wide range of uses, from hunting, safaris, wildlife viewing, birding, hiking, stargazing, and game and concert watching among others. Getting the best out of your binoculars needs you to get the best in terms of features and build. To help you choose the best long-distance binoculars read on!
How to Choose Binoculars for Long Distance
Magnification and Objective Lens
Binoculars for long-distance should have a high magnification for the best experience. The diameter of the objective lens determines how much light is gathered to make distant objects appear bright and clear. Therefore, the bigger the magnification and objective lens, the better the quality of the image.
Field of view
This is basically the visible area you can see through the binoculars without having to move around. It is measured in feet per 100 yards and gets smaller with higher magnification as the objective narrows down on the subject. Most people looking for a long-distance binoculars assume that because the binoculars are big with long lenses, they should have a wide field of view.
This is barely the case as binoculars with a capacity for a wide field of view are usually expensive whether big or small. This is due to the fact that getting a wide field of view at a high magnification level needs optic performance that is more powerful for any binocular type.
Comfort and Body Durability
Comfort starts with the grip for any binocular. You need a pair with decent rubber armor that offers a reliable grip that is anti-slip if you intend to move around with your gear. The rubber armor not only works to establish a strong grip but also provides a rugged feel that is shockproof which provides an additional layer of protection to your lenses.
It is also pertinent to get a pair of binoculars with water and fog resistance so as to deter fog or dew drops from getting into the binoculars to alter your viewing.
When it comes to durability, look at the material used to make the chassis.
Exit Pupil
The exit pupil is the size of the focused light hitting your pupil when you look into the binoculars. The size of the exit pupil should be bigger than the diameter of your pupil. This way, more light from the image hits your eye leading to a sharper and clearer view.
A small exit pupil on the other hand means that you end up with a view analogous to peeping through a hole. The exit pupil can be easily determined by dividing the magnification by the objective lens diameter.
Weight and Tripods
Long-distance lenses tend to be huge and heavy. Due to that, it can be fatiguing when you lack support and especially if you need to view your subject for prolonged periods. That is why most options come with a tripod adapter. A tripod adapter enables you get support for your tripod thus avoiding shaky images that are out of focus.
An alternative to the tripod is an image stabilization feature where binoculars with this feature are normally top dollar choices that use a battery for the active image stabilization mechanism. They are a good choice if you really need image steadiness with your binoculars.
Eye relief
This refers to the distance between your eye and the eyepiece. If you intend to use binoculars with eyeglasses this feature is very important to consider. This is due to the fact that it determines the comfort of your viewing.
Most options provide an eyecup that positions your eyes at the optimal viewing distance. There are also options with a dioptric adjustment knob that allows you to fine-tune the focus according to your eye prescriptions.
What Binocular Strength is the Best?
Binoculars with 7x to 10x magnification are great if you require binoculars for regular use, and not for a particular purpose. Such binoculars offer good magnification for the majority of uses and keep everything stable if your hand is shaky. Binoculars are indicated by two numbers such as 7×35 or 10×50.
What do the Numbers on Binoculars Mean?
A number such as 15×56 (15 is magnification,56 objective lens diameter) means that the object you look through the binoculars will be 15 times closer to you than it is with the naked eye. If you double the magnification of the lens, for instance, 20×60, that is double the magnification than the naked eye. The second one is the size of the lens measured in millimeters, which determines the amount of light to gather.
Final Thoughts
Having the right pair of long-distance binoculars will bring better and satisfying experiences. We have listed the most important features to help you make the right decision for long-distance binoculars.