What to look for

[ali travers]

hi all
I have finely saved up enough money to get high end binoculars so in the next few days
I am going to south west optics to get them. can any body give some tips on testing
bins and what to look for.
any advice gladly excepted
cheers

[AlanFrench]

One of the most important attributes of a binocular is the fit and feel in your hands and against your face. Since you are checking binoculars out in person, you'll be able to tell which "fit" you best.

Some things to check for "fit"....
Does it feel comfortable in your hands?
Is the focus knob easy to reach?
Does the focus knob move smoothly and easily?
Is the speed of focus change right for you (some folks like quick, some folks don't)?
Is the diopter convenient and easy to adjust?
If you wear glasses, can you see the entire field with your glasses on, and can the eyecups be adjusted to put your eyes at the proper distance?
Is the IPD easy to adjust but stiff enough to hold position?

If you haven't decided on a particular magnification, try 7x, 8x, and 10x, and find out where your comfort level lies. Some folks can benefit from the extra power at 10x, others do not realize any gain because they are not steady enough in their hands. You also have to weight magnification against field of view. For birding in dense woods, extra field of view can be nice.

Make sure they come to a nice sharp focus in the center of the field, and then look at the rest of the field. They should stay quite sharp across the field, but may show a little softness at the edge. You can compare resolution between binoculars using a target with find print or detail, but try not to look through any windows.

I leave the optics testing there. I am sure you'll get lots of other advice.

Clear skies, Alan

[imac]

Try not to just look thru them just in bright weather and take your time you don't want to make any mistakes, take along what you have been using this far. Even if you are travelling you don't have to buy in haste. Most decent bins will look ok in perfect conditions as will telescopes but when the light conditions change so will the performance of the bins. It's alright listening to advice about different models but nobody else has your eyes, so see what suits you. I prefer 7x or 8x but then again I don't do much sreawatching, GOOD LUCK

[Tero]

It is good to look at birds. If you can get outside the store, better. Lots of binoculars look very similar when you look through a glass window.

[ali travers]

thanks for all your help I am of in a couple of days so i will let you know which bins
I go for and why.