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

Happy Binocular New Year! My hope for the new year with such a tacky salutation and wish is actually genuine in its intent. If your new year gets you out and using a binocular for any one of the many things you can use a binocular to do, it can't be a bad thing. Most binocular applications take you outdoors and we can all use as much of that as we can get. So, get out there in 2009 and use that binocular! Okay, Happy New Year even if you don't have a binocular.

I love compact binoculars, even though I am well aware of what you sacrifice in terms of performance with a compact binocular. I am also aware that many binocular users do not like compact binoculars for this very reason. Compact binoculars may be light and handy, but looking through a compact binocular is not as comfortable as looking though a full-size binocular. Compacts produce tiny exit pupils - the beam of light exiting the eyepieces - meaning the placement of your eyes behind the binocular is much more critical than for a full size binocular. The smaller objective (front) lenses of a compact binocular also mean less resolution and less image brightness. On the other hand, I have always loved things "mini" and let's face it- a binocular in the hand is always better than the biggest binocular left behind because you didn't want to carry it.

I've always been a fan of 7x binoculars. Nothing easier to steady, big picture window wide fields of view and just general easy on the eyes binocular viewing. Unfortunately, the more is always better mentality has made itself felt in the binocular world and today's 7x binocular sales lag far, far behind the 8x binocular. Can't blame the binocular manufacturers too much, though. There just isn't enough interest in 7x binoculars to justify making a lot of 7x binoculars. I do remember a day, long ago, however, when the 7x35 binocular was the most common binocular on the market. No longer.

I hope you were lucky enough to get a new binocular for the holidays. The good news is that a binocular requires only a little in the way of maintenance. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to keep a binocular in good working order. In the field, always, always, always use the strap and nearly every binocular made comes with a binocular strap. The number one reason binoculars are damaged is from being dropped or banged against a hard object by people not using a binocular strap. When you are done with a binocular, put in its case and take it with you. Leaving a binocular in a car where temperatures fluctuate greatly is very hard on binocular seals which in turn leads to leaking and fogging of the optics, even for a waterproof binocular.

The word snowbird can means several things, some social, some natural, but to me it means those beautiful bird species that keep me company in the winter. The cardinal, of course, is one of the best known and popular snowbirds and nearly any binocular will produce a "Wow!" with a cardinal. I first saw a cardinal in an inexpensive Bushnell binocular, similar to the Nikon 7x35 Action and I was hooked for life. Now that I use premium binoculars, the view is even better. The view of a cardinal framed against the backdrop of fresh snow with a Swarovski EL binocular or the Nikon 7x42 EDG binocular is all I need for Christmas. Definitely the best show in town.

I've had a long relationship with Leupold binoculars, all the way back to the days when I bought my first Leupold, a 9x36 IF binocular. Also loved those old Leupold compact binoculars in the IF model in green, made in Portugal for Leupold. That was a great value and, I'm happy to say, all Leupold Wind River binoculars are still a great value. Leupold and Wind River pretty much has the market covered - there is a Leupold binocular in nearly every price range. Some of my favorites include the ultra handy Leupold Katmia and the excellent Japanese made Leupold Pinnacles - a top choice in its price range. For the very best in a Leupold binocular, step up to a Leupold Gold Ring in the super durable Leupold Gold Ring HD 8x42 - about as good as it gets in a rugged hunting binocular..

It's hard to believe, but there was a day when common binocular features, such as fully multi-coated, phase-corrected (PC), locking diopter adjustments, aspherical lenses and more more could only be had on the very most expensive binoculars. Today, thanks to technology and mass production, you can get all of these better binocular features under $200 and some of these features even under $100. A great example under $200 in a fully multi-coated binocular with phase-correction is the Bushnell Excursion. Want a compact binocular that is multi-coated and uses aspheric lens technology, but don't want to send $100? Try the Nikon Travelite V 8x25. Truly amazing optics for the price.

Most avid birders I know keep a binocular handy at all times. I sure do. In my purse I always have a compact binocular or, at the very least, a monocular and, at home, a compact binocular is a permanent fixture on my coffee table. Another birding friend of mine keeps an inexpensive 8x40 hanging on a peg by his kitchen window, just to keep an eye on his backyard bird feeder. He saves his Swarovski EL for his serious birdwacthing trips. Why this habit of keeping a binocular at the ready? It's simply reflects the fact that birds have a marvelous tendency to appear at the most unexpected times and also in the most unexpected places. That explains the fact that I have added more birds to my list with compact binoculars than my full size, dedicated birding binoculars. The best birding binocular is always the one you have with you when a bird appears.

One of the things I like about astronomy binoculars in cold weather is that there is little focusing, needed. Even with a center-focus astronomy binocular, such as the Celestron 20x80 Skymaster, you will basically focus once and forget about it. This means you can wear the warmest mittens and leave them on, rather than constantly removing them as you do every time you change eyepieces on a telescope. With a handheld astronomy binocular, such as the Celestron Ultima DX 8x56 or Ultima DX9x63, make certain that you use the strap. With mittens on, too big a chance that astronomy binocular will slip out of your hands.

One of the many things I appreciate about Swarovski binoculars is the fact that all Swarovski binoculars are made completely in-house in Austria. In this day and age of globalization, a company that makes any product from top to bottom in their own optics facility is a true rarity. So many other binocular manufacturers have some binoculars produced in one country, other models in another company or they source parts from other countries and then assemble the parts in yet another location. Okay, call me a binocular traditionalist, but there is a certain amount of confidence that comes from knowing that a binocular - the entire binocular - is made in a single location. Of course, pick up a Swarovski EL 8.5x42 and you may not even care where it is made. You'll be too busy enjoying the great optics a smiling at the way this great Swarovski binocular feels in your hands.

You don't see too many 6x binoculars, these days, but there are a few. In this day and age of bigger and more is better, a 6x binocular may seem like a step back. But is it? Nothing easier to hold steady than a 6x binocular; a 6x binocular is more akin to looking out a picture window than a binocular. Want to stay up with all the action? A 6x binocular gets you a tremendous field of view. Lastly, do you really need more than 6x in a binocular? For many binocular applications, no. A good 6x binocular is the perfect choice for watching birds at a feeder or sideline action at a soccer or football game. I've even used a 6x binocular to give me more expansive views of fall color in the mountains. One of the nicest 6x binoculars is the very affordable Leupold Wind River Yosemite 6x30 and it even comes in dofferent colors - black, natural, red and dark earth. Want something a bit higher grade? try the Leupold 6x Katmai. it's a little gem of a binocular.

We have so many binoculars that need a good home for the holidays. Be a shame for any binocular to sit here on our shelf, all lonely and miserable, while other binoculars are being handled and enjoyed as gifts this holiday season. Mo matter what your price range, no matter what your preference, there is a binocular on the shelf, just waiting for you. In fact, I've had my eye on a Leica 10x25 BL for some time. As usual, my appetite in optics exceeds my current budget. My friend is a bit more practical, so she is looking at a Nikon 8x25 Prostaff and I can't argue with that choice in a solid compact binocular. I also plan to give some even less expensive compact binoculars as gifts, this year. Don't tell her, but one of my sisters may just find a Bushnell Legend 8x26 under the tree, this year.

Porro prism binoculars have lost much of their market share to the sleeker, sexier roof prism binocular over the years, at least in the mid and high priced portions of the binocular market, but one place porro prism binoculars continue to dominate is in the budget binocular market. Why? Two reasons. First, porro prism binoculars are less expensive to make to the same optical standards as a roof prism binocular. Second, porro prism binocular are more optically efficient than roof prism binoculars. The result? You get more for your binocular dollar when spending under $200 with a porro prism binocular. A porro prism binocular, such as the Nikon Action Extreme or Bushnell Legend may be a bit bulkier than a roof prism at the same price, but optics will be better.

How about an astronomy binocular that does not need a tripod? How about an astronomy binocular that is still small enough to be used for other binocular applications like birding, wildlife, scenery and so on? Is there such an astronomy binocular? Yes, there is. A 10x50 has pretty much replaced the older 7x50 as the classic handheld astronomy binocular for many people and the good news is that there are many value priced 10x50 binoculars that will do a good job. Some of the best bang for the buck astronomy/universal binoculars include the Nikon Action Extreme 10x50, the Celestron Outland LX 10x50, the Bushnell Legend 10x50 and the Leupold Wind River Meas 10x50 Astronomy can be an expensive hobby, but it does not have to be. Best of all, any of these astronomy binoculars are better than my first binocular I used forty years ago.

Everyone should own a binocular. I believe that with a passion. Anyone who does not own a binocular probably just doesn't know how useful a binocular can be and how many ways a binocular can be used. You can use a binocular for astronomy, boating, birding, hunting, the theatre, sports, long range observation ... you get the idea, but is there a binocular that would be good for just about any binocular application? Sure is. A waterproof 8x40 or 8x42 binocular can be used to some extent for just about any binocular application. In fact, a waterproof 8x42 roof prism is as close to the universal binocular as you can find. After this, it just becomes a matter of how much you want to spend to get the performance and durability you need. The good news is that you can get a waterproof 8x40 or 8x42 in just about any price range/quality level. Under $100, try the Bushnell Legacy WP 8x42. Under $200, I like the Bushnell Excursion 8x42 or the Nikon Action Extreme 8x40. Got $300 to spend. Can't even list all the good choices, but you can never make a mistake with the Nikon Monarch 8x42, the world's best selling $300 binocular.

I set aside Friday night or, should I say early AM Saturday, for astronomy, at least when the sky is clear. I go to bed at the usual time on Friday night to recharge after a day of work on Friday, then get up in the middle of the night to check the sky. If clear, I grab my astronomy binocular, put on some tea or cocoa and step outside to do some binocular astronomy. Last Saturday morning at 2:00 AM the sky was perfect for astronomy in general and product testing, in particular. I wanted to see how some budget astronomy binoculars would handle some of the brighter open star clusters. My control binocular was the superb Nikon 10x70 Astroluxe. No, the Nikon Action Extreme 10x50 and the Celestron OutLand LX 10x50 did not show open clusters M34, M35, M41 in as much detail or brightness as the Nikon, but these open clusters were plainly visible. Not bad, considering they are about a tenth the price of the Nikon. A Nikon Action Extreme 10x50 and the Celestron OutLand LX 10x50 are certainly great choices for someone on a budget wanting to get started in a cheap astronomy binocular.

One of my great pleasures in life has been helping people get started in birding and birdwatching. Nothing quite like sharing your passion and giving a gift that can last a lifetime. Although avid birders like me can be very fussy and demanding when it comes to birding binoculars it does not mean that everyone needs to spend a fortune like we do when it comes to choosing a birding binocular. Even a budget binocular will get that beginning birder started, nicely. There is a birding binocular in every price range. Under $100, for instance, you can't go wrong with the Bushnell 8x42 Natureview Plus or the Bushnell Legacy WP 8x 42mm These two binoculars may carry a cheap price, but they have all the essential features for birding.

Okay, you have a lot of stockings to fill, but not a lot of money to spend. A small binocular seems like a perfect gift for just about anyone, but is there anything out there in a useable small binocular under $50 that is not a joke? Yes, there is and it's called the Bushnell Hemisphere 8x32. No, at the cheap binocular price of $39.95, it is not a Swarovski binocular, but it really does work and rates as more than a toy. If you need a cheap binocular, this is the only binocular under $50 that I can recommend. The Bushnell Hemisphere 8x32 even has the better quality Bak4 prisms and twist-up eyecups, just like the expensive binoculars.