Best Binoculars for Birdwatching

Birdwatching has become a popular hobby among people of various age groups of late, such that some birdwatching enthusiasts even go to the extent of traveling across the world just to get a glimpse of one of the most spectacular creations of nature. While your knowledge on the behavior of birds is a basic requirement when it comes to birdwatching, you also need to arm yourself with a good pair of binoculars - if you are to increases your chances of spotting, identifying and getting detailed information about a particular species of bird.

Determining the Best Binoculars for Birdwatching?

Binoculars for birdwatching, or birding binoculars as they are often referred to as, need to have certain features - such as decent magnification, design and focus, to make them ideal. While large animals can be easily seen in the wild, spotting birds which are a lot smaller, quick and boast of amazing camouflage skills, is a relatively tough task; and that is where a good pair of binoculars comes into the picture. But obviously, there has to be some difference between a pair of binoculars used for animal watching and one used to watch birds, with the latter demanding more precise, fine and detailed view. Before you move to the list of best birdwatching binoculars, you need to get well-versed with various attributes of these binoculars which play a crucial role when it comes to this activity.

Magnification
Binoculars meant for birdwatching should have a magnification of 7×, 8× or 10×, as higher magnification gives a closer view of the target object. That, however, doesn't mean you go for the binocular with the highest magnification, because higher magnification means narrow field of view - which is not quite ideal when birding. (Binoculars with lower magnification give you access to a wider field, and hence are considered ideal to watch a flock of birds.) Similarly, it will be a bit difficult for you to hold the binoculars with high magnification steady, unless you use a tripod or resort to electronically powered stabilization. Binoculars with a magnification of 8× are considered to be best bet for birdwatching, and are very popular among birdwatching enthusiasts.

Objective Lens Diameter
Another important feature of binoculars which are ideal for birdwatching is the diameter of the objective lens. This is the place from where light enters the binoculars. Bigger the lens, more amount of light will enter, and that will make the view brighter, colors vibrant and details finer. The only drawback of having a bigger objective lens is that it adds to the weight. Bigger the lens, heavier will be the binocular - and it is highly unlikely that you would want carry something heavy on your birdwatching outing. Binoculars with 50mm lens can give you a perfect view of the bird, but it becomes difficult to carry it when you travel into the woods to watch birds. So the most popular choices for birdwatching are 8× binoculars, equipped with a 40mm objective lens.

Prism Design
The capacity of the binoculars largely depends on its prism design. There are two types of prism systems used in binoculars - the porro system and the roof system. Binoculars with the porro prism have a z-shaped optical path, wherein the objective lenses are offset from the eyepieces. The user gets a wider field of view as the two offset prisms are mounted separately. A major drawback of porro prism system is its weak design, which makes the binoculars vulnerable to alignment issues if dropped. In binoculars with roof prism, the objective lenses are in line with the eye pieces and the prisms overlap each other. This gives the binoculars a slim shape, and hence they are easier to carry around. In this design, two separate prisms are bonded together, which makes the product stronger and more durable. Roof prism binoculars are costlier than their porro prism counterparts, as they have an expensive technology in place.

Focusing
Focusing enables one to get a sharp detailed image of a particular object. The term 'close focus' is used to refer to the shortest distance at which an object can be focused on by a particular pair of binoculars. The minimum close focal length increases with higher magnification. Focusing is an important attribute in birdwatching, especially when the bird is at a distance of 15 feet or less. The binoculars with minimum close focus are considered to be the best binoculars for birdwatching. As birds keep on moving, it is important that the binoculars you use for birdwatching are quick and sharp when it comes to focusing. Ideally, the binocular should have a central focus, which can be turned smoothly by the index finger without having to put in much efforts.

Best Binoculars Brands for Birdwatching

An important thing to remember is the quality of the product; a good quality 8× pair of binoculars would be much better than a low quality 10 × 50 pair. Brands like Nikon, Pentax, etc., which are quite popular for their imaging products, also market binoculars, and these are the brands that you need to watch out for. Some of the best binoculars for birdwatching include:

• Nikon Action Extreme 7 × 35 ATB Binoculars
• Nikon Monarch ATB 8 × 42 Binoculars
• PENTAX DCF CS 8 × 42 Binoculars
• Zeiss Victory FL 8 × 42 Binoculars
• Swift 8.5 × 44 Audubon ED Binoculars
• Nikon 10 × 42 EDG Binoculars
• Swift 8.5 × 44 Audubon Binoculars
• Swarovski 10 × 32 EL 32 Traveler Binoculars
• Bushnell 8 × 4 Birdwatching Binoculars
• Hammers Birdwatching 8 × 40 Binoculars

Depending on which of these brands you would opt for, a birdwatching binocular will cost you anywhere between US$50-US$200. If you are willing to shell out more money, you also have the option of buying technologically advanced binoculars which cost around US$500. (Before you buy a birdwatching binocular, you should ideally take into consideration all the factors that come into play - including basic questions like how you are going to carry it around.) If you want to experience the sheer delight of birding, go ahead and buy one of these and take your hobby to the next level.