editorsteve

Brighter is better. Coatings and optics (roof or porro prisms, etc) matter. But binoculars meant for night use, like 7×50, aren't any brighter than 7x35 if you use them in daylight. The cone of light from eyepiece is wider at 7x50 than your pupil in daylight.

fishy

Become your own expert

Join www.birdforum.com and check the optics forums or read www.rokslide.com optics forums. I’m a long range hunter and bird tour leader and own many pair.

You MUST test and compare with your own eyes outside. Hard to do by reading.

Vortex Diamondback and Nikon Monarchs are great values.

I personally own Swarovski EL 10x42 that are 20 years old.

Save a ton and buy used.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Several years ago, I shopped for and purchased binoculars in anticipation of an Alaskan cruise. I learned two important things.

The first is that not all binoculars are color corrected. Turns out that color correction is very important both for best rendition of your images and for delivering the brightest image to you.

The second is that all binoculars have a parameter called "exit pupil." This is simply the objective lens diameter divided by the magnification. For 7x35 binoculars, exit pupil is 5. For 7x50 binoculars, exit pupil is slightly more than 7. You can calculate that for 8x42 bimoculars, exit pupil is 5.4. This parameter determines image brightness, but it also determines the diameter of the focused image (in mm) as focused on your retina, so it also determines the field of view. From an image perspective, a larger exit pupil number is always better. But between two pairs of binoculars with equal magnification, the ones with the larger exit pupil will always be larger.

I ended up buying Fujinon 7x50 binoculars. At the time, they provided the best balance of large exit pupil, bright, color corrected image, excellent build quality, and price. But they are quite large and a little heavy. One comment I would make is that binoculars with a large, wide image don't need stabilization in most cases. Movement in the smaller images from low exit pupil binoculars will be much more annoying, since the edges are much closer to the main subject.

Binoculars require holding, trying, and physical evaluation...even more than cameras. Try to find a place that you can shop in person for them.

jeryh Loc: Oxfordshire UK

You can't really beat a pair of Zeiss 8X42 bins- depending on how much you have available to spend;
Or something out of sight like a pair of Leica optics, but are they pricey !

rwm283main Loc: Terryville, CT

Leica or Swarovski

Terkat

Good morning - As stated by another Hog the Canon IS binos are absolutely as advertised - without question the finest image viewing available. I, as does LFingar, have the 12X x 36mm model. Everyone has some tremor in handholding cameras, binos, etc. These IS binos remove at least 85% - 90% of this motion. You really will emit a slight gasp the first time you switch IS on. Self induced vibrational motion simply ceases to exist. This model Canon would be the ideal choice.

Good luck with your search.

Terry

Bultaco Loc: Aiken, SC

I've used a Canon for years, at my age I need the IS.

Dossile

I bought Leupold. They are a USA made high quality mid price brand well known among hunters. I don’t birdwatch routinely, but do use them to spot animals in the National Parks and on Safaris. The mid and upper quality Leupolds are great in low light, coated, sealed, weatherproof and run around $450 to $850 for 10X42. The European brands are exceptional, you can’t go wrong, but come with a hefty price tag for similar features. Vortex are nice as well. Canon for image stabilizer binocs. Cabelas has a great assortment. I would stop by and look through the actual glass.

wingclui44 Loc: CT USA

In low light situation, you need a bigger optic as 50mm and above same as camera lens with larger aperture opening. Brand name doesn't matter! I have 12X50 and 20X60 (Nikon & Pentax) with out so called stabilizer. I don't need this feature that costs more, and I have steady hand. besides, both my two binoculars have tripod mount, that I can use them on tripod if I want! BY the way,

Strodav Loc: Houston, Tx

Best article I have found on binocs is from the Audubon society.
https://www.audubon.org/gear/binocular-guide

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

I'll put my 18 power stabilized Canon ($1200) against your 12 power Swarovski ($2900) binoculars any day. I'll be seeing the hairs in the feathers and you'll be seeing just the feathers.

18 power magnification that doesn't wiggle puts wildlife view adventures on a new level.

At Yellowstone, there will be cars and people lined up along the road anytime a critter decides to pose. One of my joys is handing my Canon binoculars to someone next to me. Most fun are the kids and foreign guests that have never seen wildlife "close up". Even the adults with their Nikons and Swifts will say "What are these? They are amazing."

Griff Loc: Warwick U.K.

Can I put in a word for Fujinon - I find mine very good, especially if I have been fighting through undergrowth!
https://www.opticsreviewer.com/fujinon-techno-stabi.htm

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

I made a small calculation error in my post. Exit pupil for 8x42 bimoculars is 5.25, not the value that I typed. The difference isn't very significant, but I'm aware that we have some nitpickers in the group, and also didn't want to leave wrong information for those who may want to do the calculations for themselves. Exit pupil becomes a much bigger deal in higher power binoculars, where the image circle can get really small really quickly.

Large exit pupil values are beneficial because the large image circles (7mm or more) fill almost the entire field of vision, allowing the viewer to become unaware that any means of visual assistance is being used at all.

pquiggle Loc: Monterey Bay California

I have a pair of Zeiss Conquest 8x42 binoculars that are excellent.

Stan Wieg Loc: Fair Oaks, CA

Good advice here.
-You'll do your neck a huge favor if you get a shoulder harness that holds the binos on your chest, and it protects them against a lot of swinging and banging too.
-If you want low light performance, you need bigger objectives. I carry 10x40s when I am afoot. There's a good reason why the nautical folks have 7x50s.
-I find it hard to hand-hold magnifications higher than 10x; some folks find 8x more comfortable.
-I have no experience with image stabilization (except in the camera), but it sounds pretty cool where weight and fragility are not a problem. I know a pilot that swears by it.
-A clamp-on window mount can be had for cheap and is a nice accessory in a vehicle (turn the engine off!).
- Finally, if you're not seeing what you want with 8x or 10x, a spotting scope might be a better option than bigger binos. I don't think you'll need it for game viewing in Africa. I use a 20-60x , but remember that at higher powers objective size and quality glass really matters. Good Trip!