Choosing the best birdwatching binoculars …
Bird watching is a great past-time, and your pair of binoculars is going to be your main tool. Not all binoculars are suitable for birdwatching, however.
So, on this page, we’ll look at a few points you should consider when buying bird binoculars … followed by examples of birding binoculars in every price range, that have received excellent reviews.
Most of us are just pleased to see birds coming to feed at our bird-tables and feeding stations in our back gardens. We hear that such and such a bird is becoming close to extinct, as a result of our depredation of their natural habitat. With concern growing, in all quarters, about the effects of industrial, urban and agricultural development on native bird species, it is hardly surprising that we are increasingly becoming a nation of bird-watchers. So what are the best bird watching binoculars to view these increasingly rare visitors.
If you view your avian visitors from the comfort of your kitchen or living room window, at a range of up to 10 or 20 yards, then a relatively inexpensive pair of binoculars, with 6-8x magnification will suffice. Just make sure that the optics are multi-coated to ensure the brightest and most colorful image possible.
If you wish to take your observations beyond your back-yard gate, then a greater degree of selectivity needs to be employed. If you wish to do your bird-watching, whilst enjoying another past-time, like hiking, then a compact pair of binoculars, will probably serve you adequately, provided you don’t expect too much from them.
On the other hand, if your primary purpose is to observe the bird life along the route of your walk, then you may need to be a bit more selective in your choice of bird watching binoculars.
They may still need to be relatively compact, but provide a better image and color transmittance, than that supplied by the less expensive models.
There are guidelines laid down by experts in the subject, that state that the best combination of specifications for bird watching binoculars are 8x magnification, together with an objective lens diameter of 40 or 42mm and the best multi-coated optics that you can afford.
This ensures that you achieve the brightest image, with the best field of view, together with the best color resolution, contrast and depth of field, to make your bird watching a pleasurable pursuit.
Depending on your particular take on bird-watching, you should have a better grasp of which type of birdwatching binoculars may be suitable for your requirements.
Basically, you should be looking for:
a wide field of view to locate and follow the bird
a bright, sharp image
quick focus
a pair that’s not too heavy
Best Birdwatching Binoculars – Magnification
The first of the two numbers used to describe binoculars(eg 8×42,10×50) is the one which relates to magnification.
For example, if the first number is 8, your objective will appear eight times closer.
Most birders consider a magnification of 7 or 8 ideal for birding binoculars… possibly 10.
Why no higher?…
Because a higher magnification gives a smaller field of view and a dimmer image.
Also, a higher power would magnify your hand movement, and this would cause a shaky image.
So, on average, you’ll find a magnification of 8 the most popular choice for bird watching binoculars.
Best Birdwatching Binoculars –
Objective Lens
The second of the two numbers describing binoculars relates to the size of the objective lens – in other words, the front lens.
This is important for birding because the wider the lens, the more light will enter, making your image brighter.
However, too high an objective lens results in heavy binoculars – definitely not a plus for bird binoculars
Depending on the optics quality of your binoculars, you should plump for a lens size of around 30-50 mm.
Top choices for lens size in birding binoculars are 40 and 42, with 8×40 and 8×42 being the most popular.
But you’ll also find several smaller binoculars on the market, such as an 8×32, with excellent optics, that offer a good field of view and bright image.
Best Birdwatching Binoculars – Price
How much should you pay for your bird watching binoculars?
Obviously, as much as you can afford.
But you’ll discover sound birding binoculars in all price classes.
Check out the list of binoculars below … they’ve all received excellent reviews for birding, and are divided into price range …
Economy Price Range
Nikon Action EX 7×35
Eagle Optics Denali 7×32
Bushnell Nature View 10×42
Mid Price Range
Leupold Wind River Katmai 6×32
Nikon Monarch 8×42
Leupold Wind River Pinnacle8x42
Celestron Noble 8×42
High Price Range
Nikon Premier LX 8×32
Pentax DCF SP 8×43
Top Price Range
Zeiss FLT* 8×42
Swarovski EL WB 8×32
Leica Ultravid BR 7×42
Leica Trinovid BN 8×32
Perhaps you also wish to document and photograph the beautiful birds you see?
The distinction between birding and birdwatching is probably best described as one of ‘passion’.
The birder has an over-riding passion for their subject and as such, is likely to got to greater lengths, and expense, to ensure they have absolutely the best birding binoculars they are able to afford.
Birding enthusiasts often specialise in one type of bird, and know all their plumage variations, together with all the habitats they are likely to frequent. They will often travel large distances to view the object of their ‘passion’.
Birding takes place most frequently in temperate climates, when the birds are in migratory mode, during the spring and autumn. Birds are easiest to spot in the early morning when searching for food. Early mornings have low light levels.
The specification of birding binoculars therefore, needs to allow for this low level of light, by permitting the greatest transmission of light possible, through the optical path of the instrument.
Such are the advances in optical coating technology over the last five years that it is now possible to reduce the loss of transmission to less than 3%. In other words, a transmission percentage of 97% is possible, with the coating technology available today. This results in the brightest image possible under all lighting conditions, an absolute ‘must have’, for any serious birder.
Of equal and possibly even greater importance to the birder is the ability to identify the colors of the plumage of the bird they are observing and the variegations thereof. To this end, the binocular must transmit colors without aberration, a difficult proposition, in a light path that consists of two lenses and two prisms as a minimum.. Once again optical coatings come to the rescue and can reduce chromatic aberrations inherent in all lenses and prisms to levels, where natural colors and the contrasts between these colors, is clearly identifiable.
So what is the best specification for birding binoculars?
The commonly agreed criteria are an 8x magnification with a 40mm or 42mm diameter objective lens.( the big one at the front of the binocular.) This provides the best combination of magnification, field of view, depth of field and light transmittance. The optics all need to be multi-coated, to minimise reflections, and maximise color transmission and contrast.
This specification can often add up to a significant purchase price. To the serious birder, the cost of the best birding binoculars is considered money well spent.
You’ll also find Bushnell 7×35 PermaFocus Focus-Free Wide-Angle Binoculars highly suitable for birding … and remarkably cheap.
Best Birdwatching Binoculars –
What To Avoid
Is there anything you should avoid when choosing your birding binoculars?
The answer to that is “Yes”…
First of all, ‘though it’s tempting to buy Compact Binoculars, due to their light weight, they’re not ideal for birding.
Their image quality tends to be inferior, and their field of view rather narrow for following birds.
If you must buy them, use them as your secondary pair.
Also, seasoned birders declare zoom binoculars to be unsuitable for birding.
