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How do you hold your binoculars? (1 Viewer)

L

Leif

Well-known member
I think the question speaks for itself. Is this obvious? Do all serious birders adopt a common approach, and are you all laughing at me for asking a dumb question?

As for me, well I support the eyepiece end with my thumbs, and then grip the objective by placing two fingers on top and two fingers underneath. I then brace my upper arms against my chest.

Am I alone in finding it easier to hold longer binoculars steady?
 
Sounds very uncomfortable, but I guess I'll give that a try to see if it is any more stable than normal holding (thumbs below, all fingers above). I doubt it will be though, as vibration originates more in the arms than the hands

Can you post a photo showing how you hold them?

Michael
 
I hold them like Michael (spreading the fingers along the length of the barrels aids control), and for extended viewing I butt the top of the eyepiece against the inner edge of the orbital ridge of my eye socket and angle my head slightly forward, viewing therefore with my eyes cast slightly upward. This steadies the instrument, and I find that my clearest view is slightly above the center of the field.

...And I can do this while standing on a medicine ball and juggling three oranges.
 
I used to use the 'normal method', but it was, for me, hard to hold them steadily. I now hold the right-hand side in that way, but the left side I rest on my fingertips with a bit of support also using the thumb and then I rest my left elbow into my side, allowing for a bit more support.

I can see that photos are going to be needed to describe all these techniques.
 
Right hand holding the bins (index finger on the focussing wheel. other three fingers spread out along the right hand barrel with the thumb underneath). Left hand supporting with just the fingertips in contact with the left hand barrell.
Sometimes. Depends on the wind really.....
 
I guess my method is similar to digi-birder and CJW.

However, if I am wearing a peaked cap (BF cap since acquiring mine from Steve last Friday) I sometimes hold the bins in the "normal" way and hook the middle fingers around the peak. This helps with stability.
 
I don't own any. At least I do, but they are cheap, nasty Gerbers and I never use them. Naked eye or scope, nothing in-between. But I'm thinking about buying a pair soon. No point in getting anything too big when I have the scope to fall back on, so maybe those 8X32 Swarovskis which seem to be getting good reports. Something light, anyway - and I'm damned if I'll waste another penny on cheap ones. The reality is that with the other gear to take care of, I'll need to be able to use them with one hand (because I have the tripod & scope over my shoulder), so they will need to be smallish. Is this a practical hope? Or is two hands an absolute necessity?
 
I've tried holding bins in one hand with the other holding the scope & pod - not easy. I usually hook the pod over my shoulder (with the pan&tilt handle) so I can use both hands. Still not easy, when the whole lot tries to slide off the corner of my shoulder. Trouble is, I'm not built like King Henry VIII, he could have done it easily.

Michael
 
CJW said:
Dear me Diane, that was gagging for a smutty reply......
Click to expand...

I know. I almost made a comment about the reference to the wind you made in your earlier post, but thought better of it. Then I just couldn't resist in the end.

:t:
 
digi-birder said:
I know. I almost made a comment about the reference to the wind you made in your earlier post, but thought better of it. Then I just couldn't resist in the end.

:t:
Click to expand...

It must just be me then. I wasn't referring to the wind comment.....
 
CJW and Diane. This was a perfectly decent thread about the different positions used by birders and you just had to lower the tone. ;)
 
Hi everyone,
I hold my bins either with fingers on top, thumbs underneath as already described or with fingertips supporting them on one side as already described BUT I find to get more steadiness with, one hand is nearer the objective lens and the other nearer the eyepiece so they are offset and this prevents up/down unsteady movement if you see what I mean.


Eddie
 
Fingers over, thumbs below. I'm more concerned about just being able to hold the binos -- my hands aren't that large -- with some models I couldn't reach the focusing wheel easily, and jogged things all about trying to reach it.

As it is, with my Swift Ultralite 8x42s, I still have to stretch with my second finger to move the wheel.

(I was going to say 'middle finger' but this thread has veered off into the ditch once already!)
 
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