As much as I love high-end
binoculars (okay, I'm addicted to high-end binoculars), I hate to see beginning birders wait to go birding until they can afford an expensive
binocular. In the long run, sure, a quality binocular is the best value, but to stay home for lack of having a binocular when you could be out
birding is a mistake, especially when there are many inexpensive binoculars that will get a beginning birder started. This is especially important for parents with a child showing an interest in birding (I started with a $40 binocular and that was a lot of money for my family) or for folks on a tight budget (I've been there, too).
This is not to say that any old binocular will do for birding. You need a binocular with reasonably close focus, about 15 feet or less, a binocular with center focus and, if you wear eyeglasses, a binocular with at least 15mm of eye relief. I also prefer a "fully multi-coated" model for best image brightness, though a model labeled as "multi-coated" or just "fully-coated" will still work. Waterproofing is not essential, unless you are birding in a moist, humid climate, but waterproofing is still a nice feature to have, since a waterproof bino is also better sealed against dust and dirt. Lastly, since we are on a budget, here, I also recommend a porro prism, since a porro gives you the most for your optical dollar when you are on a tight budget. For more information, see my article,
Birding BinocularsHere's a handful that meet the requirements of a
birding binocular at some very reasonable prices. Try the
Audubon Intrepid 8x40, the
Bushnell Legacy 8x42, the
Bushnell Natureview 8x42 or the
Celestron Outland LX 8x40. There are others, of course, but any of these is better than my first birding binocular and all are under $100. For sure, they are good enough to teach a beginner the basics. Just get out there and see the birds. No excuse for staying home.