BinocularsBlog – Advice on Digital, Waterproof, & Compact Binoculars for Bird Watching, Sports, Astronomy, Night Vision, & more!
Thursday, March 11, 2010Breeding birds
The birds are moving. Ah, words I love to hear, being the hardcore birdwatcher and birder I am. It is early spring and a birding binocular is my constant companion. Other equipment, such as digital cameras, spotting scopes and tripods, I will also carry as the mood dictates. Yesterday, I started with a binocular, but quickly returned home to add a camera (see my Optics Blog). That’s still a lot of equipment to carry when riding a bike, but it did pay off, both in birds seen and in pics.
Added some bird to my 2010 bird list with my Leica Ultravid 10x25BL binocular, to start the day. Saw my first Sandhill Cranes for the year and what wonderful memories these birds bring to me of my days in central Nebraska. By now, the fields in central Nebraska should be covered with many thousands of migrating Sandhill Cranes. Oh, how I wish I were there! The flock was small one, but they were flying low and I did get a nice look through my Lecia, but no pic. Also added a Great Egret to my year list, down on the river. He flew before I could get a pic, but I expect he will be back.
Spring is breeding season for birds and that is a great opportunity for pics. Got this pair of Canadas sitting on the ice in the pic, above. I’m not sure which is the male and which is the female, but I would have to guess that the bird on alert with one foot raised is the male. I know the look, since I have been chased by these protective males when I have inadvertently gotten too close.
Binocular pet peeves
If you use a binocular as much as I do, you get a little hypercritical about some specific binocular features, even to the point of returning or exchanging an otherwise excellent binocular when it does not meet your expectations on those one or two points. Okay, call me fussy, but I do expect a lot from binoculars, given that my taste in binoculars runs on the expensive binocular side.
One of my fussy points when it comes to binocular features is edge sharpness – how sharp and clean the image out at the edge of the field when I look through a binocular. An average binocular is sharp, say in the middle 70% of the field and fuzzy or distorted a bit at the outer 30% of the field. I can and have used such binoculars and this kind of edge sharpness will be enough for any binocular application. The problem is that I don’t want to use such a binocular; I’m spoiled from using binoculars that are sharp right to the edge of the field. It annoys me when I now use a binocular that is only average as to edge sharpness and I am willing to pay the price to get a model with better edge sharpness.
My other must have in a binocular is a binocular that focuses smoothly, evenly and with little effort. This is important to me, especially in a birding binocular, because I often use a binocular with only one hand and focus it with a single finger as I carry other equipment such as spotting scopes and digital cameras. Unlike edge sharpness, which is fairly consistent for a given binocular model, ease of focusing tends to vary widely for individual binoculars within a model. Again, I am spoiled and will reject an otherwise perfect binocular if it is a hassle to focus.
What’s your binocular pet peeve?
Waterproof binocular definition
The majority of binoculars, today, are waterproof and, make no mistake, the only word that counts is waterproof if you want a binocular that is not guaranteed to leak or fog, internally. Other words, such as weatherproof, water resistant, rainproof and so on don’t count; they simply mean that the manufacturer made some attempt to seal the binocular, but if the binocular leaks, you pay for the repair, not them. If you want to buy binoculars and are not sure if the model is waterproof, just read the description or specs; waterproof is an important feature and binocular manufacturers always advertise it when it is present.
Notice, too, that I said internally. As far as external moisture from rain, fog, mist and so on, even a waterproof binocular will collect moisture on the lenses – you still have to wipe the binocular down with a lens cloth, such as the Vortex lens cloth, from time to time. Technology has tried to offer special lens coating to minimize this problem for those binocular users who must be out in rough weather and these water-repelling lens coatings do help. However, there is no such thing, at least at this point, as a lens coating that is totally effective at keeping your lenses dry on the outside in wet weather. Bushnell has stepped forward with their Rainguard coating, for instance and they equip all their binoculars from the Legend series binoculars and up with this coating. I have used a Bushnell Elite E2 binocular equipped with the Rainguard coating and it does help, but I still need to use a lens cloth. On the other hand, when the rain really starts pouring, I pack up the binocular, anyway.
Astronomy binoculars or telescopes?
The difference between using astronomical binoculars and telescopes is measured in more than just numbers, such as magnification, field of view and so on; it is also measured by ease and convenience of use and, in this respect, nothing beats an astronomy binocular, assuming you are not using an astronomy binocular tripod. Going handheld is the strong suit for astronomy binoculars; it allows you to escape the anchor and hassles of astronomy mounts and tripods and the other controls that go with them. Once you put your telescope or even a high-powered astronomy binocular on a tripod, life gets much more complicated.
This freedom and ease of use is what attracted me to astronomy binoculars, oh, so many years, ago and it is still my favorite way to view the night sky. Oh, sure, I love my telescopes and it’s fun to compare specs and talk shop about telescopes and telescope eyepieces and all those other telescope accessories, but, when I am pressed for time or just too darn lazy to deal with a lot of equipment, I just grab my Nikon 10x70 Astroluxe and head out under the sky. Now, the Nikon Astroluxe is specifically made for astronomy, but I could just as easily substitute a common as grass 10x50 binocular or even an 8x42binocular and do nearly as well, plus I get a lighter to carry and easier to lift binocular to boot. I know, because my first astronomy binocular was an old 10x40 that I bought for birding, but later put to work under the sky.
Chances are there is such a binocular sitting in your house. Why not grab that binocular and try some astronomy?
Binoculars ready?
You don’t need binoculars or spotting scopes to know spring is coming; just listen to all the birds. For most species, this is the beginning of breeding season and the bulk of what we hear, in terms of birds singing in spring, is advertising and competition for mates. Of course, we just enjoy the singing for its own sake and tend to overlook the fact that all this singing is very serious business, indeed, for the birds. Still, what would spring be for us if not for the singing of birds?
As an avid birder, songs or no songs, I do tend to carry a binocular, this time of year, whenever I am outdoors, not just when I am on a birding trip. Like most birders, I tend to keep an annual list of species I have seen for the year and, although that list starts January 1, each year, the list doesn’t grow too quickly until the advent of spring; then it explodes with numbers. New species literally arrive each day when the birds are moving. Yes, for a birder or birdwatcher, spring is an exciting time of year. So, if you’ve been thinking about getting serious as a birdwatcher or birder, now is definitely the time to buy a birding binocular, a bird field guide (or use the excellent All About Birds website) and team up with other birders, if you can, to learn the basics and get in on all the fun. Grab that binocular and let's go birding!
About the pic: For me, trying to pick my favorite bird song in the spring is like asking me to pick my favorite chocolate. The House Finch, in the pic, is certainly right up near the top of my list, though. It's spring song is rich and bubbly and a sure sign of warmer days, ahead.
Observation Binoculars
Anyone who lives near a large lake, the ocean or who has a home in the hills with a great view, really should consider setting up an observation binocular on the patio or even in the living room. There is nothing like using two eyes for viewing comfort, after all. Some folks opt for telescopes or spotting scopes for scenery work, but nothing beats long range observation binoculars for breathtaking, spectacular viewing. Using two eyes is always better than one, not only in terms of comfort, but also visual acuity. In other words, you can see a touch better when it comes to observing detail when using a binocular.
Observation binoculars or surveillance binoculars are typically too large and heavy to handhold and the magnifications are also too high to hold without some kind of support. This means a tripod, just as when using a spotting scope or telescope for the same work. Also, the bigger the binocular used, the bigger and the heavier the tripod needed.
When we think of observation binoculars, we typically think in terms of something like the very popular Oberwerk 25/40x100, which also does a great job as an astronomy binocular.
These Oberwerk observation binoculars, as well as many similar observation binoculars at the same price, are made in China, but optics are quite good for the price and more than adequate for this type of work. Highly recommended. Going to products made in Japan can get much, much more expensive, but if you are after the ultimate ion observation binocular the Kowa Highlander or a Fujinon Binocular Telescope, such as the Fujinon Binocular Telescope 25x150MT is the last word in this type of binocular and guaranteed to impress even the fussiest optics critic.
Nikon Ecobin - best buy compact binocular
Corporations tend to get bad press, as we all know, but, now and then, a corporation does something that deserves a pat on the back and should be mentioned, too. This is the case with Nikon’s Ecobins binocular. What makes the Ecobin binocular special is its environmentally friendly approach to manufacturing. To start, the Nikon Ecobin binoculars lenses are made with eco-friendly, lead-free glass – a trend that is becoming ever more common in the binocular world and thankfully so. The Ecobin binocular is also coated with non-chloride rubber and no harmful inks or dyes have been used anywhere in the production of the binocular. Even the binocular case is made from a biodegradable material. Now, if we could only get cars and many other products to use this same approach, the world would be a safer place.
Keep in mind that the Ecobin binocular is not a stand lone product, meaning that it has its more conventional counterpart in the still excellent Nikon 10x25 Prostaff binocular – one of the most popular compact binoculars on the market. In other words, the Nikon 10x25 Ecobin is a standard Nikon 10x25 Prostaff with additional environmental protection in its manufacturing. All other binocular features - waterproofing, eye relief, field of view and so on – are the same on both Nikon binoculars.
Did I forget something? Oh, yeah, the price. There was a time, couple years back when Nikon introduced the Ecobin, when the price on the Ecobin binocular was just a touch higher than its equivalent Nikon Prostaff binocular. No longer, thanks to a special purchase by OpticsPlanet. Take a look at those prices, again. OpticsPlanet is now offering the environmentally friendly Nikon Ecobin binocular for almost half the price of a standard Nikon Prostaff binocular, even though the two are identical in terms of standard binocular features. Wow! That makes the Nikon Ecobin 10x25 binocular easily the best buy in a compact binocular on the market in my book.
Binoculars in the neighborhood
I firmly believe that most people are not inclined to gossip and will politely mind their own business if you do the same. Of course, there are the exceptions; a few folks will tend to think the worst and make sure everyone knows it.
I once had a neighbor, many years ago that was the gossip type. We had just arrived in this small town as the result of a job relocation and the neighborhood seemed nice enough. In fact, the neighborhood was above average for birding and birdwatching, so I tended to carry a birding binocular when out working in the garden.
I knew there was a little old lady, across the street from us and she seemed nice enough, though more than once I saw her staring at me though her kitchen window. Okay, so she was the curious type. I just shrugged it off. Indeed, everyone in our family was very careful to be polite and friendly as good neighbors should be.
About a month after we had moved to the neighborhood, one of my coworkers stopped by for and during the course of our chat, she told me there was a rumor about the small town that I was a female equivalent of a Peeping Tom! I started to laugh, but the look on my friend’s face was serious, so I asked why anyone would think such a thing. She just pointed to the binoculars on my kitchen table and raised her eyebrows.
The next day, I made a visit to my neighbor, wearing a binocular around my neck and explained to her that I was a birder and asked if she would be interested in doing some birdwatching with me, especially since she had such a lovely garden that both the birds and I both adored. Okay, it was a bit corny, but it did work. A few weeks, later, I had a reputation, around town, of being a bird expert and was also invited to speak at our local garden club. It does pay to talk to your neighbors, especially if you have a tendency to wear a binocular around your neck and it is an absolutely must do if you have a spotting scope setup in your backyard. (That is another story.)
Good 10x50 binocular
Today is the first day of meteorological spring, according to the weatherman, though astronomical spring (calendar spring) is still a few weeks, away. Yes, spring fever is spreading in this part of the world, though we still have enough snow on the ground for me to ski on a daily basis, and that is a good thing, as far as I am concerned. I, myself am in no hurry to give up all my cross-country skiing, though I won’t be too upset to see some green grass and spring flowers.
With spring in the air, though, Bill and I have been thinking, ahead, to our western states road trip in August and making a list of all the gear we will need. The list includes the usual assortment of camping gear, of course, since this will be a camping trip. The list definitely includes all our cameras, both digital cameras and film cameras, not to mention Bill’s camcorders. As for optics, I am still undecided as to whether to pack one of our spotting scopes and one of our tripods, given we do not have an excess of room in our Toyota Camry, though I suspect I will find a way to pack it along. Lastly, although I have plenty of compact binoculars, I have been considering a full size binocular to use from the vehicle when we spot some wildlife out in the distance and want a better look. Compact binoculars have a tendency to disappear in Bill’s big hands and are simply not as comfortable to use as full size binoculars and, since these binoculars will be used from a vehicle, weight will not be much of an issue. Then, too, even a full size binocular is more compact than a spotting scope and a tripod.
I have also decided to try some individual focus binoculars, since a good IF binocular makes for quick and easy views with no need to mess with a focusing knob. I am sure Bill will appreciate that. So, which IF binocular? My favorite, at this point, is a Fujinon Polaris F-SX 10x50. Optics are superb and, it is surprisingly compact for a 10x50 porro prism binocular. I am tempted to even consider a 12x binocular, but Bill and I are not exactly spring chickens and a 10x binocular is about all we can steady, well. Going to a 12x or higher magnification binocular would mean putting it on a tripod or window mount and that defeats the purpose of an easy to use, convenient binocular.
Spring birding
Can spring really be on the way or are we all dreaming? As a birder and birdwatcher all my life, spring is the peak time of year to be out in the field. Other seasons, of course, have their unique attractions for a birder, but spring is generally the time of year when we see the most variety of birds.
The peak month in spring, in terms of overall numbers of species that can be seen is usually May, but other spring months mark the peak for specific bird groups. For instance, March through early April is the window for seeing large numbers of Sandhill Cranes in central Nebraska, late March through early April is usually the time to see most shorebirds and if you want to see large numbers of waterfowl, get out as soon as the ice is off the marsh and that could be as early as February in some locations. In other words, don’t wait till May to go birding - the birds in your area may be moving even as you read this. Get that birding binocular out and be ready.
For those early spring birding months, I also carry both a birding binocular and a birding spotting scope. In fact, for checking on spring waterfowl, shore birds, raptors and other birds at a distance, I use a spotting scope as much or more than my binoculars. Only when the leaves pop out on the trees in May and it is time to hit the woods for warblers, do I leave the spotting scope, behind.
The Robin, as per the pic, above, is the bird we typically associate with spring, but a lot of people are surprised when I tell them I have seen Robins every month of the year, even this far north. Robins are hardier than you might think.