BinocularsBlog – Advice on Digital, Waterproof, & Compact Binoculars for Bird Watching, Sports, Astronomy, Night Vision, & more!

I've had a long and happy acquaintance with Steiner porro prism binoculars. Steiner porros are almost a binocular breed unto themselves - very distinctive in appearance and always solid optically. Although individual eyepiece focus binoculars are not the preferred choice for an all around birding binocular, a Steiner Autofocus (Steiner's lingo for individual eyepiece focus) makes a great mid to long range birding binocular. I knew a fellow birder who would stubbornly stick with his Steiner 7x50 Military Marine, even for close in work. Wasn't pretty watching him scramble to focus both eyepieces before a bird moved, again, but no way would he part with that Steiner binocular. That Steiner porro prism bino was like his right arm. Who could argue with him? He was an excellent birder. Me, I'll stick with center focus for close in work, but I can also say that a high end 7x50, like the Steiner 7x50 Nighthunter, will knock your socks off, optically.

I guess we are all creatures of our own environment and past experiences, even when it comes to our preferences in our pursuits. Birding is a good example for me. Had I been raised in prime warbler country, rather than prime sparrow country, I might be a warbler addict, like so many local Chicago area birders I know. Had I been raised along the shores of Lake Michigan, rather than in the midst of wonderful prairie marshes, I might be more of a gull fan than a shorebird fan. To be sure, I am enjoying this area and the wonderful birding opportunities it provides, but my heart still is, and always will be, out on the prairie.

No hobby or past-time is immune or impervious to digital technology, even birding. You can buy digital bird song devices to take in the field or listen to at home. There are also several excellent websites on birds, the Cornell site being one of my favorites. Still, I like to think that birding will always be a binocular and a field guide, with maybe a spotting scope thrown in for some jobs. Hope I don't live to see it any differently. I am not opposed to technology by any means, it's just that going afield without it helps me to maintain a natural perspective in an ever more technical world. Birding, as always, is so much more than identifying birds.

One of my favorite little birds, and I do mean little, is the Golden-crowned Kinglet. I see these little ones every spring and fall and usually in groups, so when you see one, you see several. Found myself surrounded by these beauties, this last Saturday, in the autumn woods. What a treat! Really don't need a binocular to identify a Kinglet - size and behavior and that ultra-thin call will tell you that long before you raise the binocular - but you will usually need a binocular to tell the Golden-crowned from the Ruby-crowned. The difference is obvious in a binocular, though. Enjoy.

As a birder, not to mention a vegetarian, the saying, "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" is not exactly my favorite, but when it comes to binoculars, I will gladly amend that to "a binocular in hand is worth two in the bush … or your car or house and so on". Hey, if that birding binocular is too big to take along on a regular basis, maybe it's time to add a compact binocular to your birding kit. Save the bigger binocular for the heavy duty bird outing, but always carry a compact binocular. You'll be amazed at how many more birds you'll see and often in the most unlikely places and at the most unlikely times. That's what I do. For me, birding is always just a moment away, just the time it takes to pull a binocular out of my purse or backpack.

In these days of uncertainty, what with a troubled economy and the upcoming elections, I take refuge in the simple things that have always been my places of sanctuary. These pursuits include astronomy with binoculars and birding, not to mention bicycling. These simple pleasures do not have to be equipment intensive - you can spend and buy as much or as little as you want on a binocular. The important thing for me is that these pursuits keep me outdoors. Friends have told me that it would be a waste of money for me to buy a house and that I would be happier in a tent. Can't argue with that, but I would be a bit fussy about the tent. The ideal tent would be one with a hole in the top for my telescope. A tepee, perhaps?

I am always amazed to see how quickly the landscape changes in the fall. In the course of one week, it has been much easier to spot a bird in the trees, what with all the leaves falling. Of course, by now the majority of our warblers have headed south, so there are fewer species to see with my binoculars. Of course, there are still Yellow-rumped and other colder weather warblers, not to mention the daily arriving winter species. That means it is time to start throwing seed on the lawn to attract birds close to my window. Nothing like seeing a Junco or White-crowned at a distance of less than ten feet with a binocular. No need for a spotting scope, here.

I know everyone gets out the magnifier , at least in a mental way, to scrutinize each and every binocular feature when getting ready to spend the big dollars on a premium binocular. This is as it should be, of course. If you are spending a lot of money on a binocular, you want to know what your money buys. From time to time, though, I have to remind a customer that buying a premium binocular is also an emotional decision as to brand preference, loyalty and that last little bit of irrational impulse. Hey, we aren't robots or a computer, after all. The swing factor on some of my prestige binocular purchases has been some of the most unlikely things - things you will never see in the specs. I'm not about to embarrass myself by revealing all. Just want customers to know it is okay to make that final decision on instinct and intuition.

Had a great time at the opera, this weekend. Saw "Manon" at the Chicago Lyric opera and I can honestly say it was the best evening I've hade since moving to Chicago. Natalie Dessay as Monon and Jonas Kaufmann as her lover, Chevalier des Grieux were incredible. Anyone still laboring under the stereotype of the 300 pound opera star, standing around and bellowing an aria should see these two. Both athletic opera stars not only sang to perfection, they moved with grace and beauty.

My friend and I watched it all with optics that were far superior to anything else I saw, even around the necks of celebrities unloading from their limos. I used my elegant Swarovski Crystal Pocket and Pete used a Zeiss Victory Compact binocular. Why anyone would use a cheap binocular or opera glass is beyond me, given the price of admission to such an event.

For us, though, the highlight of the evening was actually meeting these two stars at the stage door. Both were wonderfully gracious and open and happy to give us autographs.

Still get an old timer, now and then, who is looking for a hunting binocular made in the US. Always hurts a bit to tell them that a binocular truly made in the US from US made parts went extinct many years, ago. Like so many other products, this one has fallen victim to a global economy. There is one binocular, though, that is still at least assembled in the US and that is the Leupold Gold Ring HD binocular and it's a dandy. This is a solid, rugged hunting binocular with great optics for those "made in USA" fans and it is as close as you will ever get to an all-American binocular. Go Leupold.

Nothing like riding in the early morning darkness on a bicycle with the stars above. Had the pleasure of Canis Major and the Dog Star for company over my right shoulder, this morning, as I pedaled east. No, I don't normally carry an astronomy binocular when I commute on the bicycle, not just because of the weight, but also because I doubt I could resist the temptation to stop and do some binocular astronomy. This morning, for instance, I couldn't help but wonder if I could see M41 in my Nikon 10x70. Like my ex used to say, "You're the only person I know with stars in your head, not just stars in your eye." What can I say?

A good friend is treating me to an opera this coming weekend. My part of the deal is to supply the optics. He asked about opera glasses and I assured him that, no, we would not be using opera glasses, simply because no opera glass made measures up to my very fussy optical standards and, also, because our tickets are up in the nosebleed section. So what will we be using? I will outfit him with a Zeiss 8x20 Victory compact binocular. I will, as always, be wearing my Swarovski Crystal Pocket binocular and will be spending the rest of the week considering a wardrobe to match. To be sure, both the Zeiss and Swarovski name will be right at home at a class event like an opera.

The job of a compact binocular is to be there when you need and not be in the way when you don't. I know all the optical and performance negatives of compact binoculars, but, darn, my premium compacts do this job so well, I sometimes wonder if I really need a big binocular, other than for my astronomy. This is somewhat against the trend for birders, though many birders I know are dropping down in size to a 32mm binocular - a move I definitely recommend. Not many birders, though, are ready or willing to go all compact binocular and I understand this. Compact binoculars are not for everyone, but they do work great for an old gal who spends more time on a bicycle than some folks spend in a car.

Friday night, or I guess Saturday morning, since the clock said 2:00 AM, was up and peeked out the window. Clear skies, at last! Grabbed my bathrobe, my slippers and my Nikon 10x70 and settled in to do some binocular astronomy on the patio. The sky transparency did not look that good at first glance, but I was in for a surprise. The three great open clusters in Auriga, M37, M36 and M38 were my targets. In the past, M37 and M36 have posed no problems, but M38 has always been elusive. Just a bit too dim for my poor observing site to check it off as visible, even in my excellent astronomy binocular. Not so, this time. I could just make it out as a glow against the background, using averted vision. It was a long way from the good object I am used to seeing from a dark sky, but the important thing was actually confirming it. Finished the session by working my way toward Orion. Went back to bed and slept like a log.

Show me the birdlist of an area, but keep the location a secret and I can come fairly close to guessing it, at least as far as the state or even the part of the state, no binocular or spotting scope needed. This comes from moving around a lot and birding wherever the winds carry me. Guessing east to west part of the location will probably be a bit easier, since I have tended to wander along this axis more, but staying to the north for the most part. Haven't wandered and birded enough south, but then who knows where the wind will carry me, next?

Happens every year to even the most dedicated birder. You somehow manage to miss spotting a bird you expect to see and desperately want to see, even though you put in many miles and hours in the right habitat. Sometimes it's a matter of the bird not having a good year and sometimes just a case of the wrong place or time. This year the Indigo Bunting has escaped the binocular for me. Checked every bird I could see with the binocular at clearing edges, my usual Indigo hotspots. Still, no Indigo. Next year, I will make a longer trip if need be to see this bird.