Choosing Binoculars - How to Buy Binoculars

Binoculars are available in various types and the type of binocular that you opt for should depend on the purpose you want to use them for. The binocular is the most portable optical instrument, which is widely used for observing distant objects. The binoculars are classified according to their applications as follows:

Types of Binoculars

Standard Binoculars
When you choose a binocular for the first time, the best option is to choose a standard binoculars. In the elementary stage of learning how to use binoculars, you can buy the standard binoculars. These binoculars have a very simple construction and can be used for a number of applications like birdwatching.

Compact Binoculars
These are the small-sized binoculars which are popular due to their size. Although the other features of the compact binoculars are not very impressive, they are preferred because they are the smallest binoculars available.

Giant Binoculars
The giant binoculars are ideal for observing race tracks where enough light is not available. They are very heavy and not suitable for hiking and trekking activities.

Digital camera binoculars
This is a two-in-one instrument that consists of a digital camera and binoculars. These binoculars are useful to in observing scenery or capturing beautiful pictures while trekking.

Marine Binoculars
Marine binoculars are waterproof and float on water. They are very handy and can be used in foggy or overcast situations.

Along with these, there are other types of binoculars like military binoculars, night vision binoculars, range-finder binoculars, telescope binoculars and zoom binoculars. The quality of the binoculars is an important issue to be considered when you choose a binocular. The quality of binoculars can be determined by various factors like design of eyepieces, lenses and prisms used, size and types of the prism, focusing mechanism and anti-reflection coating. The brand names sometimes can guide you to buy the best binoculars according to your needs.
The various factors that are to be considered can be explained as below:

Magnification
The binoculars are usually described using two numbers AxB, e.g., 8x40 and 7x35. The first number '8x' and '7x' decides the degree of magnification and provides eight times and seven times magnification respectively. The second number specifies the diameter of the objective lens. The more the objective diameter, the more focused view is obtained.

Prism types
Two types of prisms are available, viz., Porro prisms and roof prisms. In case of Porro prisms, the object lens is not in line with the ocular lens. The Porro prisms give a superior quality and are less costly than the roof prism. The roof prisms are aligned in a straight line and are compact. They are costly and the optical image is not as good as the Porro binoculars.

Anti-Reflection Coating
There are different types of binoculars based on the application of anti-reflection coating; single coating refers to the coating on a single element, usually the first or the last lens of the binoculars. Fully-coated means that all the lenses of the binoculars are coated; while multi-coated refer to the binoculars where some lenses are coated and not all of them, fully multi-coated means that all glass surfaces in contact with air are coated with multiple layers of anti-reflection coating.

Collimation
Collimation is the optical and mechanical alignment of the lenses in the binocular. The binoculars must be aligned properly so as to proffer comfort to the eyes. Cheap binoculars are usually not aligned properly.
The other factors that you should consider when you buy binoculars, include the weight of the binoculars, housing of the binoculars, tripod mounting (if required), comfort of your eyes and focusing power of the binoculars. These are the factors that change according to your requirements and use. These are some of the factors that are to be considered when you choose a pair of binoculars.