The World's Best Binoculars, A Personal Choice

The question is which of the market leaders in the field of optics can lay claim to having produced the world's best binoculars?

It's not too hard to identify those that deserve a place in a directory for the world's best binoculars, optics are specialist bits of kit and there is a clear divide between the basically poor, the reasonable to good quality and the exceptional. However to single out one of the exceptional as the out and out best binoculars isn't so easy given that personal taste and binocular application both have a strong influence in the decision.

What can be said is that for any pair of binoculars to feature in a world's best binoculars list they must create a passion, excite you when you pick them up and make you never want to put them down. An exceptional pair of binoculars should not only have outstanding quality optics but be so well balanced that you don't even know they are in your hand allowing you to observe for extended periods of time in perfect comfort.

Unless you have experienced the difference between good and absolutely superb you won't ever understand how the world's best feels, so, if you really want to know just test a pair of Swarovski 8.5 x 42 EL's against perhaps a Pentax DCF SP 8 x 43. The Pentax is good, very good but the Swarovski is special. One word of warning, don't do this unless you can afford to upgrade as lesser priced binoculars will never seem the same again!!

As I said personal taste is important and there will often be disagreements with one user believing that Swarovski are the world's best binoculars while another will swear by Leica (for example) but what the top binoculars have in common is the manufacturers absolute attention to detail in regards to design, weight, size and balance and the exceptional quality of the optics and optical coatings.

Application is really important because the world's best binoculars for birding would be absolutely useless for astronomy or for the marine environment and binoculars that work well for sports, travel or theatre wouldn't be so good for observing nature or hunting.

For marine use the Steiner Commander binoculars are hard to beat. They are the only marine binoculars to come with Steiner's Nano protection against the environment, they are salt water resistant, waterproof to 10mtrs, have long life NBR rubber armouring, high performance optics, interchangeable eyecup system with a specific eyecup for spectacle wearers and a 30 year guarantee. These are truly professional marine binoculars which deliver an amazing performance in all light conditions, a strong contender for the world's best binoculars in a marine environment. Other options are the Nikon Stabileyes which are twice the price but offer image stabilizing technology or Canon IS binoculars although these are specifically designed for marine use.

If you are after image stabilizing binoculars take a look at the Canon 10x42 WP IS binoculars. Users absolutely rave about them. They are the first binoculars with lenses which carry the red L-series ring only previously found on Canon professional camera lenses, are fully waterproof and have unrivalled IS capabilities (in any moving environment).

For the world's best binoculars for birding you might want to try the Swarovski EL 8.5 x 42's, a truly outstanding bit of kit which delivers a user experience you will never forget. Another great bird binocular is the Leica Ultravid 42 series, absolutely stunning binos, compact (for their class) and yet exceptionally bright.

The best giant binoculars can deliver some stunning views of sky objects and the right ones make an excellent addition to the astronomer's toolbox. Fujinon produce top quality astronomy binoculars (up to 150mm objective diameter) although at a price which is beyond the reach of the average user. The Nikon 10 x 70 IF SP WP's are more affordable and make an excellent pair of astronomy binoculars.

Fujinon also make some of the world's best night vision binoculars but they come with a very high price tag!

For every application there is often a different short list for the 'world's best binoculars' in that class so as a starting point you need to decide exactly what you want to use your binoculars for. This will then enable you to narrow down your search in regard to magnification, size of objective lens etc. and manufacturers generally indicate suitable applications for their binoculars. Always check out the quality of the lenses and lens coatings, don't settle for anything less than fully multi-coated optics and Bak-4 prisms (unless price is an issue for you). Price isn't always an indication as to how good a pair of binoculars is so birding / astronomy forums etc are a good place to find those little gems that perform as well as the known top performers but for a lesser price tag.

Happy hunting for the world's best binoculars.

Binoculars Tips You Need to Know Before Purchase

Before you purchase a set of binoculars, it is important to fully understand their purpose, any special requirements or features you will need and have a price range in mind. Example: if you are an avid day hiker or back-packers in the outdoors you might think about compact, lightweight binoculars that are waterproof and shockproof. If you are purchasing your optics for sheep hunting you would want rugged, high power magnification, large objective high quality lenses for long distance viewing with critical eye relief (less straining on your eyes as you view).  

[b]Pentax [/b]

My experience has proven to me that when buying binoculars, all things being equal, you get what you pay for. If you are buying binoculars for your grandkids there are plenty of brands offering inexpensive, attractive and quite functional optics perfect for the beginner. However, if you are buying for yourself it is my recommendation to do some homework, look around and compare different brands, features and price ranges.

Then while making your decision on the right set of binoculars strongly consider the fact that this purchase is an investment that you will have for your lifetime. This is not the time to go economy and shave the budget. Believe me, a great set of binoculars are more money but very well worth it.

Now, let's discuss how to define what a good set of binoculars is and what features you should consider:

Warranty: this is a good place to start. A limited lifetime warranty is very important and something you want. If you narrow your search down to two pairs of binoculars sometimes the warranty can be the tie breaker.

Quality of Lenses: understand the type of lenses, materials used in the lenses and what benefits the lenses offer. Most lenses are made out of glass, crystal, plastic or high-tech composites and have some type of coatings offering various types of advantages. Better quality binoculars will have a higher level of clarity and resolution providing the greatest advantage over the inexpensive binoculars.

Waterproof: a good set of binoculars will be waterproof which is always a good idea since most are used outdoors where the elements can turn nasty. To have a nice set of binoculars ruined because they were not waterproof would be a disappointing event. Waterproof binoculars are usually filled with nitrogen which helps them to stay moisture free. Waterproofing is actually done with the construction of the binocular and if it is fully waterproof it will be printed on the binocular. Most of the waterproof binoculars are also available with individual eye focusing system.

Shockproof: having the benefit of shockproof binoculars is a good idea. We do not intent to be rough on our optics but events happened in or out of our control that could permanently damage binoculars. I dropped my favorite set of binoculars many years ago and they were permanently distorted. Nothing I could do but throw them away as I mourned.  

Rubber Armor: this is not a must but it sure is nice to have exterior rubber armor on your binoculars. It provides some shock resistance, helps tremendously with your grip and reduces the tendency of sliding while lying on table tops or similar.

Objective Lenses: generally, the larger the objective (the size of the front lenses) the more field of view you will have and the more light that will be collected in low light conditions such as dawn and dusk. If you have not experienced this it is very neat. It can be almost dark out and look through your binoculars with large objective lenses and you can mysteriously see like an owl.

Eye Relief: Eye relief is the distance from the eyepiece to the point where you can see the whole picture. Small compact binoculars have more challenges with eye relief than most others. People who wear glasses often have trouble using binoculars, because their glasses hold the eyepiece too far away from their eyes.  People wearing contact lenses or people who do not need prescription glasses should not experience difficult eye relief issues.

People who need glasses but do not have astigmatism can look through binoculars without their glasses, adjusting for their nearsightedness or farsightedness merely by adjusting the focusing device. Generally, in this situation you take your glasses off before raising the binoculars to your eyes.

Weight: hunting or hiking all day with a large heavy set of binoculars can get annoying and not to ignore the fact about chaffing the back of your neck from the carrying strap. Weight should certainly be considered when selecting the right pair of binoculars.

Carrying Case: you want to protect your investment in between uses. A good hard shell protective carrying case is recommended.

Purchasing a good set of binoculars is an investment you will enjoy for a lifetime. Do you homework, consider all your options, make your investment and then enjoy!

Binoculars Tips You Need to Know Before Purchase

Miniature Binoculars For Traveling The World

The miniature binoculars do not give you the same clarity of the larger binoculars. The miniature binoculars are great for the ability to be ready for anything at any time. Miniature binoculars are very easy to carry with you even when you are trying to reduce the amount that you have to carry with you. You can put it in you glove compartment or in your backpack and you will be able to see whatever it is that is far away. You will not be able to know if you are going to need one in the future.

These miniature binoculars are good for any events like sports or concerts. They are rally good for children to use also. They will be able to hold the binoculars better and with a steady hand. It will depend on the activity or event but, you will find that the binoculars are good for anything.

The Review Of the Miniature Binocular

The Miniature Binoculars that are made by the Eye Spy Company will give the one using it the ability to see eight times magnification of the original size. This binocular set comes with a cap that is made of rubber for covering the lenses to keep them dry and clean when you are not using them. They also fold up and go into a small case to keep them safe. They will run you about .

The Meade Travel View Folding binocular has an eight times magnification and also a roof prism that will fold down for easy storage. This set of miniature binoculars are great for those who are always on the move and are at some sort of activity outside. They will give you the best in optical technology and a design that is only available for the Meade Company. You can view up to a thousand yards and it weighs only about a half pound.

The Bushnell Powerview Version Lite miniature binoculars are the best thing you can find. They are easy to carry and will give you the best viewing power. You can put them in your purse or backpack and carry in anywhere for anything outside that you might find to use them for. These miniature binoculars are about eight ounces and are so light that you might forget that you have them. The viewing field is large and you can get your focus in to about twenty feet away. It will be your best pick for a lighter version of your binoculars so that you can keep the heavy set at home.

The Nikon Anniversary Edition of the 6x15 binoculars is close to the ones that they produced in the year 1922. The newest version of the binoculars was redone by adding the Nikon high tech lenses and the non reflective outer coating and is made of better materials. These miniature binoculars have a high silver finish and black design. It offers you a great optical range at 420 feet per thousand yards and a close in distance of about 7 feet. It does not even weigh one ounce. You can pay as little as 0 for this set.

Pentax was not to be left behind in the miniature binocular technology. It has created the UCF X II in a new look for today. These binoculars do not fold up but, they are very strong and long lasting. They also have a double axis system for adjusting them to get the perfect viewing alignment. The Pentax Company says that this particular binocular is an all purpose item for any use like nature watching, concerts, operas, and all for about