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.

The first shape is rather tubular, where the eyepieces sit practically in line with the objective lenses. The image below shows this shape of binoculars, which are known as roof prism binoculars.

The second kind of binoculars have more of a rounded look, where the objective lenses are set wider than the eyepieces. These binoculars are called porro prism binoculars. The drawing at the upper right of your screen is an example of porro prism binoculars.

Of course, each type of binocular has advantages and disadvantages.

When considering compact binoculars, the roof prism type is more common. That is because roof prism binoculars can be folded to a smaller size for compact carrying. Also, they can be made lighter and smaller than the porro prism types. Just perfect for a compact design!

So, what features are important in compact binoculars?

Obviously, size is important. We want to be able to carry them with us on the trail or to the game, so compact binoculars should be lightweight and easy to carry. If they’re not too heavy you can carry your binoculars around your neck or in a fanny pack or backpack.

Besides the obvious size and weight of binoculars the magnification of distant objects is important. At the bottom of the scale you will find 7X or 8X binoculars, which means the optics of those binoculars will magnify an image seven or eight times, respectively. This means that a distant object will appear to be 7 or 8 times closer when you view the object with 7X or 8X binoculars. The ‘X’ stands for magnification. The higher the number the greater the magnification.

A feature that many compact binoculars have is the ability to be folded up for carrying or storage. Larger binoculars won’t be able to be collapsed by folding.