{"id":831,"date":"2012-09-11T09:47:41","date_gmt":"2012-09-11T13:47:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.massaudubon.org\/blogs\/yourgreatoutdoors\/?p=831"},"modified":"2012-09-11T09:47:41","modified_gmt":"2012-09-11T13:47:41","slug":"how-to-buy-binoculars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/how-to-buy-binoculars\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Buy Binoculars"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>You\u2019re ready to take the plunge and buy a pair of binoculars and you might think to yourself, \u201cHow complicated can it be?\u201d\u00a0That is, until you start to notice the dizzying array of available brands, features, and prices.\u00a0Before you get overwhelmed, check out this basic primer on what you need to know before buy (and learn how to save 15 percent!).<\/p>\n

Magnification<\/strong>
\nBinoculars are marked with a set of two numbers that indicate their power of magnification and the diameter of their objective lenses (we\u2019ll get to this in a minute). If a pair of binoculars is marked \u201c8×42,\u201d the first number indicates that they will magnify the object you’re looking at eight times larger than its actual size.<\/p>\n

A common mistake made by first-time buyers is thinking that bigger is better. While it\u2019s true that greater magnification provides a larger image, it can also make it difficult to maintain a steady view of what you\u2019re looking at. The average birder uses a magnification power of 8 to 10, which affords a good amount of detail without the shakiness experienced at higher magnification levels.<\/p>\n

Brightness<\/strong>
\nIf magnification determines how much detail you see, the diameter of the objective (aka front) lenses determines how well you see it. Think of it like this: the wider the objective lenses, the greater the light-gathering ability, which ultimately translates to greater detail and clarity.<\/p>\n

You can identify the size of the objective lenses on a pair of binoculars by looking at the second number in our 8×42 example, which refers to the diameter of each objective lens in millimeters.<\/p>\n

Field of View (FOV)<\/strong>
\nThis measurement tells you how wide the area is that you can see through your binoculars. Of course, the more you can see, the easier it is to follow a fast flying bird, or catch movement off to the side.<\/p>\n

Field of view is measured either in degrees or in feet per thousand yards and, like magnification and brightness, is usually marked right on the binoculars.<\/p>\n

Eye Relief<\/strong>
\nFor those who wear eyeglasses, this may be one of the most important features to consider when selecting binoculars.<\/p>\n

Eye relief refers to the distance (in millimeters) between your eyes and the part of the binoculars you look through at which you can still maintain a full field of view. Since eyeglasses necessitate a space between the eyes of the user and the binoculars, those with glasses will want to look binoculars with at least 15mm of eye relief. If it’s not on the box, ask the salesperson.<\/p>\n

Quality<\/strong>
\nNot all lenses are equal. High-quality lenses are made from superior glass and prisms and have better optical coatings that maximize the amount light directed to your eyes, making images appear brighter and clearer. The quality of the coating on binocular lenses is actually one of the things that distinguish top-of-the line optics brands from others.<\/p>\n

Comfort<\/strong>
\nAbove all, your binoculars should \u201cfeel right\u201d to you. Take a minute to focus on objects near and far. How easily are you able to make adjustments? Can you hold them up to your eyes for a minute or two without feeling overly fatigued? Can you carry them with ease? Binoculars are an investment that can be enjoyed for a lifetime, so take the time to choose what\u2019s right for you!<\/p>\n

Still have questions? Contact us at the Audubon Shop<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Ready to start shopping? Be sure to swing by The Audubon Shop\u2019s Optics Fair<\/a> at Drumlin Farm in Lincoln this Saturday, September 15, where representatives from the top optics companies will be on hand. Plus, Mass Audubon members will receive 15 percent off all binoculars and scopes!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You\u2019re ready to take the plunge and buy a pair of binoculars and you might think to yourself, \u201cHow complicated can it be?\u201d\u00a0That is, until you start to notice the dizzying array of available brands, features, and prices.\u00a0Before you get overwhelmed, check out this basic primer on what you need to know before buy (and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[13],"tags":[26,77,91],"class_list":["post-831","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-stuff-we-love","tag-binoculars","tag-optics","tag-shop"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t87A-dp","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":17401,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/a-beginners-guide-to-binoculars\/","url_meta":{"origin":831,"position":0},"title":"A Beginner\u2019s Guide to Binoculars\u00a0","author":"Kaylin D.","date":"January 4, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Binoculars are simple, right? Look through one end, turn a nob at the top, and call it good? It\u2019s actually a little more complex than that. Among other things, wildlife watchers need to consider magnification, weight, and field of view. Lucky for you, the Mass Audubon Shop has the low-down\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Birds & Birding"","block_context":{"text":"Birds & Birding","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/birds-birding\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Woman sitting on a bench in the woods, looking through a pair of binoculars.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/01\/IMG_8759-750x500-9546bea7-50a0-47c8-88b5-beb210e0aea8.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/01\/IMG_8759-750x500-9546bea7-50a0-47c8-88b5-beb210e0aea8.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/01\/IMG_8759-750x500-9546bea7-50a0-47c8-88b5-beb210e0aea8.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/01\/IMG_8759-750x500-9546bea7-50a0-47c8-88b5-beb210e0aea8.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3433,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/save-on-binoculars-scopes-and-tripods\/","url_meta":{"origin":831,"position":1},"title":"Save on Binoculars, Scopes, and Tripods","author":"Hillary T.","date":"April 8, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Spring is here, and with it, spring migration! Don\u2019t want to miss spotting warblers, orioles, and hummingbirds? Consider buying or upgrading your bird-watching gear, including binoculars, scopes, tripods, straps, and more. And from April 5 to April 13, Mass Audubon members can save\u00a015%\u00a0off all birdwatching gear at the Audubon Shop\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Stuff We Love"","block_context":{"text":"Stuff We Love","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/stuff-we-love\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/04\/shop-front-w-butterfly-signs_small.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2745,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/binocular-sale\/","url_meta":{"origin":831,"position":2},"title":"Binocular Sale!","author":"Hillary T.","date":"September 5, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Buying binoculars (or any optics for that matter) can be a very personal decision. There is no one-size fits all. Different qualities will appeal to different people for different reasons. The team at the Audubon Shop\u00a0at Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary in Lincoln is always on hand to answer any optics\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Stuff We Love"","block_context":{"text":"Stuff We Love","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/stuff-we-love\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2013\/09\/victory-ht-inpage-300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":11006,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/some-heroes-wear-binoculars\/","url_meta":{"origin":831,"position":3},"title":"Some Heroes Wear Binoculars","author":"Mass Audubon","date":"May 14, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear heavy binoculars that they \u201cborrowed\u201d from their father 20 years ago\u2013or carry scopes around that are twice their size\u2013or proudly display a well-worn Bird-a-thon t-shirt. This past weekend,\u00a0Bird-a-thon teams fanned out across the state to focus their eyes, ears, and lenses on nature.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Get Involved"","block_context":{"text":"Get Involved","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/get-involved\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Bird-a-thon","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/05\/wayneandgary600.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/05\/wayneandgary600.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/05\/wayneandgary600.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7953,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/7-ways-to-zip-to-mass-audubon-wildlife-sanctuaries\/","url_meta":{"origin":831,"position":4},"title":"7 Ways to Zip to Mass Audubon Wildlife Sanctuaries","author":"Mass Audubon","date":"July 18, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Have you heard? 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The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Get Outdoors"","block_context":{"text":"Get Outdoors","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/get-outdoors\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/07\/Arcadia_PhilDoyle.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/07\/Arcadia_PhilDoyle.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/07\/Arcadia_PhilDoyle.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12731,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/just-graduated-college-give-terracorps-a-try\/","url_meta":{"origin":831,"position":5},"title":"Just Graduated College? Give TerraCorps a Try","author":"Mass Audubon","date":"May 30, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Nick Tepper on Nantucket as part of the Alternative Spring Break. It had been five minutes since we reached Nantucket\u2019s southern shores, and a beautiful sunset was fading to afterglow over the dunes. 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