Flexible eyecups can be adjusted by folding the rubberized cups back and out of the way. Your eyeglasses can be set right onto the eyepieces of the binoculars if you like. Other eyecups that twist up or pop out might be preferred as they can be adjusted very quickly and require only one hand to do so.

If you wear glasses or sunglasses while using binoculars, you’ll want to see the eyecup design and get a feel for how they can be adjusted. After you handle them you’ll know which eyecup design you prefer.

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If it’s within your budget you might as well try out a pair, but keep in mind the added weight. If you’re willing to deal with the extra weight and expense, go for it!

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Stay away from fixed-focus or focus-free binoculars as they are somewhat limiting and typically have a large close focus. Focus-free binoculars will have their focus set to the middle ground. Not ideal.

Zoom binoculars sound really cool, but avoid this type as well. Mechanically, it is very difficult to coordinate both tubes of the binoculars to have exactly the same magnification and focus. What happens then is that your brain tries to compensate for the differences that your two eyes are seeing and you will experience eye fatigue. Zoom magnification is even more difficult with higher quality optics, so the zoom type of binoculars are generally of lower quality.

More commonly you will find binoculars that have a central focusing wheel typically set between the two tubes. A thumb or finger can easily move the wheel to change the focus from near to far objects. When you test binoculars make sure the focusing knob or wheel is to your liking. If you’re not comfortable with the mechanics of your binoculars, you’ll be less likely to use them often.

Look for an adjustable eyepiece. Usually the right eyepiece can be rotated right or left to allow the user to compensate for differences between their eyes. Even if you wear corrective lenses the focusing adjustment of the eyepiece can really bring your subject into sharp focus. All you do is look at an object and focus on it with the focusing wheel. Then, rotate the focusing eyepiece to the left or right until the image is sharp. Once you make the adjustment on the eyepiece for your eyes you can leave it alone. You might have to readjust it after sharing your binoculars with a friend, but you’ll know approximately where to set it for your eyes.

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Knowing the field of view of your binoculars can help you figure the size of objects that you view with them. Or maybe distances in a panorama.

Field of view refers to how much of the scene you can see while viewing through the binoculars. Field of view values range from 250 to 425 feet at 1,000 yards. This means that binoculars will show you approximately one quarter to one third of a scene that is 1,000 yards away.

Knowing the field of view of your binoculars will help you estimate the size of objects in the distance. Let’s say that your binoculars has a field of view of 285 feet. An object that takes up a third of the scene is 285 feet divided by 3, or about 95 feet across.

So, the numbers mean that the larger the field of view the more of the scene that you can see in the binoculars. If you are looking for active little birds among the trees, a wider field of view may help you locate your prey as you’ll be able to see more of the scene at a given time. Binoculars with higher magnification will have a smaller field of view. Maybe that’s why a lot of bird watchers have 7x or 8x binoculars instead of 10x magnification. With a smaller magnification they will enjoy a wider field of view.

If all other features were equal, I don’t think that the field of view would be a deciding factor in purchasing binoculars. Chances are that you won’t find two binoculars that have all the same specs anyway. Some other feature like the eye relief, close focus, or whether the binoculars are waterproof would probably be the deciding factor.

Check out the tags in the right column to see more features of compact binoculars.

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Wearing glasses isn’t a problem with these small binoculars either. The eye relief is 18 mm so there is plenty of room for those who use glasses to see the entire field of view.

When you want to see something up close, you can focus as close as 8.2 feet away. Many small binoculars will not be able to match that close focus. If you want to view butterflies, you can get within ten feet and be able to view them as if you’re holding them in your hand! On the opposite end of the spectrum the field of view at 1000 yards is 262 feet.

Although it’s not waterproof the Triumph Porro is a great little field binocular. The outer covering is a brushed metallic surface, so it’s not shiny or slippery.

So, how many features are there? Magnification, objective lens diameter, weight, eye relief, close focus, and field of view are important to compare when you’re looking at the specs of several binoculars. By looking at the numbers you’ll see that many of these parameters vary between brands and sizes of binoculars. That’s why it’s best to pick up a pair and look through them before you make your decision. Visit a camera shop or outdoors shop near you and ask to see the binoculars. Compare the feel and the view of several models to help you choose the best compact binoculars for you.

Technorati Tags: close focus, Eagle Optics, eye relief, field of view, magnification, objectives, porro, Triumph, waterproof, weight

Eye relief is a term that is used when describing binoculars. Eye relief is the maximum distance in millimeters (mm) that you can hold the binoculars away from your eyes and still see the whole view.

A rule of thumb is that a pair of compact binoculars should have a minimum eye relief of 13 mm for eyeglass wearers to use comfortably. Even if you don’t wear corrective lenses, you might want to consider the eye relief of binoculars if you regularly wear sunglasses in the field. An eye relief of 16 to 18 mm is even better for those wearing glasses.

The more you explore the features of binoculars, you will find out that there are trade-offs to be made. For example, the Eagle Optics Energy Lava 8×21 Binoculars – – has a close focus of 8 feet, which is really good for viewing butterflies, bugs and other objects up close. These 8×21s are also pretty inexpensive at $50, but the eye relief is only 8 mm. Not good enough for eyeglass-wearers. Darn, I like that dayglow color.

Contrast that with the Travelite, model 7508, 8 X 25mm V Binoculars – – made by Nikon which have a close focus of 9.8 feet (pretty good!) and an eye relief of 14 mm. Although these binoculars are more expensive than the Eagle Optics pair, the extra cost is probably worth it for the eyeglass wearer. The Travelites are still under $100!

Compare all the features before you put down any money for a pair of binoculars. Remember to consider what you will use the binoculars for and your budget, too.

Technorati Tags: close focus, Eagle Optics, eye relief, Nikon

Close focus is simply how close you can get to the object you’re viewing before it goes out-of-focus. Larger binoculars have close focus on the order of 15-20 feet or more. This means that any object viewed with these binoculars must be 20 feet or so away from you in order to view the object with the binoculars and have it in focus. Any object closer than the close focus distance will be out-of-focus and appear quite blurry.

Smaller binoculars will have smaller close focus distances on the order of 15 feet or less.

If you want to be able to use your binoculars for viewing butterflies or other cool insects, you’ll want a pair of binoculars that have a small close focus. For example, if you see a butterfly that is about 10 feet away, the Canon Waterproof 8×32 binoculars – with a close focus of 19 feet – will make you take a few steps back to view the butterfly in focus.

A better choice, although not as powerful, might be this one – Eagle Optics Ranger SRT 8×32 Binoculars – with a close focus of just 3 feet!

A less expensive model, the Lite-Tech Compact 8×25 Binoculars made by Brunton, has similar power and size, but the close focus is a whopping 28 feet. Not exactly what we’re looking for to view that butterfly. These binoculars are inexpensive, less than $50, but by paying less there’s gonna be trade-offs.

If you’ll often find yourself viewing such small objects up close, then the close focus is a feature that you should consider when selecting your binoculars. Be aware that the close focus of compact binoculars ranges from 3 feet to 28 feet.

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The higher the quality of the glass used to make the lenses and prisms makes for a higher quality binoculars that produce a crisp, bright image. Poorer quality optics produce darker images with lower resolution.

High quality optics are always more expensive and it seems that one can pay as much as they want for their favorite binoculars. Just check out the Swarovski Optiks Pocket Binocular, 10×25 Roof Prism model with a close focus of 16 feet, a 13 mm eye relief, and fantastic optics for only $749.

If you want to pay full price for a full-size pair of binocs, the top of the line Zeiss 10 x 45 T* RF Victory, Water Proof Roof Prism Binocular will set you back $2,999!

Way too pricy for most of us – I guess you can spend as much as you want to on your binoculars.

Another feature that speaks to the quality of binoculars are the various lens coatings. One can buy binoculars with fully coated lenses, multicoated lenses, or fully multicoated lenses. It was found that special optical coatings produced better color accuracy and improved brightness and contrast. Manufacturers have gone from using a single coating of some of the optics to having multiple special coatings for each piece. This takes more time and care at the factory, and so the more coatings the better and probably the higher price.

Get the best quality optics that you can afford and you won’t regret it. Objects will appear bright with optimal contrast and color accuracy.

So, the old adage is true where you do get what you pay for. Save up a little dough and get yourself a nice pair. The more you like the binoculars you eventually buy, the more you’ll use them. You might find yourself taking them everywhere you go.

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Fogged lenses can be a problem for those of us who like to use their binoculars in cold weather. If you’re not going to use your binoculars in cold weather, then nitrogen-filled binocs aren’t important to you.

Nitrogen-filled binoculars resist getting fogged up inside because they are sealed off from the atmosphere outside. Nitrogen gas provides a constant atmosphere in the sealed tubes of the tandem telescopes that make up a pair of binoculars.

Because each tube is sealed, the nitrogen gas won’t escape and moisture won’t get in. Your lenses won’t get foggy.

It is easier for the manufacturer to produce straight-line roof prism binoculars that are nitrogen-filled than the Porro prism design. Over half of the roof prism binoculars are nitrogen-filled, while barely one-fifth of the Porro prism binoculars are.

Nitrogen-filled binoculars are a mark of quality. Always go for quality when you can afford it.

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You can get water-resistant type wet, but don’t drop them overboard or otherwise submerge them. This includes having them drop out of your pocket into a pail of water while washing the car! Trust me, I know!

You may have to pay a little extra for waterproof binoculars, so you’ll have to weigh the pros and cons for your situation.

How likely are you to dunk your binocs? If you said ‘very likely’ (like me!) go ahead and spend a little bit more. After all, how often do you buy binoculars?

If you’re comparing a few different models, take into consideration that being waterproof is a plus, and maybe a deciding factor for you if you’re into boating or being around water.

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