Features to Consider When Purchasing Birding Binoculars and Spotting Scopes

Besides the image quality, there are several features to consider before purchasing your birding binoculars or spotting scope. These features are mostly dependent on how, where and how often you will be using your optical device.

o       Eyepieces: If you decide that a spotting scope is best for you, you will need to decide what type of eyepiece you want for your scope. The eyepiece design is important because it effects the magnification, field of view, exit pupil size and eye relief, as well as the amount of color or linear distortion of the image.

 

The first type of eyepiece is the straight-through design in which the eyepiece is on the same axis as the rest of the scope. The advantage of this design is that it makes it easier for the bird watcher to follow an object as it moves, and is also easier to use when mounted to a car window.

 

The second type of eyepiece is the angled eyepiece that sits angled from the body of the scope at a 45 degree angle. This design is nice if you will be sharing your scope with others, as people of varying heights can view the same object without having to move the scope. Also, angled scopes provide variable viewing angles because they can be rotated in their mounts. This also makes it easier to look up without bending your neck.

 

o       Telephoto Lens: Some spotting scopes can be used as both visual and photographic instruments. Some scopes come with adapters that fit onto your camera, and therefore double as a telephoto lens. Currently, this works on 35mm SLP cameras only. Scopes operate at higher magnification levels, and therefore the use of higher speed film is required.

 

o       Focusing: There are three different kinds of focusing mechanisms available on spotting scopes.

 

o       Helical: These focusers are rubberized collars around the scope barrel and allow the birdwatcher to focus quickly.

o       Rack and Pinion: This focusing device also allows for quick focusing, as well as smooth focusing. Rack and Pinion mechanisms are located on the outside of the spotting scope, which subject them to deterioration over time from dust and moisture.

o       Knob Focusers: This is probably the most precise way to focus a scope, but is also the slowest in action.

 

o       Eye Relief: Eye relief is available in both spotting scopes and birding binoculars, and is a very important consideration for those bird watchers who wear eyeglasses. With the eye relief feature, a watcher who wears eyeglasses that position them away from the eyepiece can still see the whole picture. There is a maximum distance your eye can be from the back of the eyepiece and still see the complete field of vision. A comfortable eye relief distance for those without eyeglasses is about 10mm, but eyeglass wearers need an eye relief of about 15mm.

 

o       Weight and Balance: If you plan on being in the field for more than an hour or so, you will know firsthand how important the weight of your binoculars or scope will be. This is tricky because the weight of the binoculars is in direct proportion of the amount of magnification. So, if you wish to have great magnification, and therefore are heavier, you will want to find optical devices that have good balance. Balance is the way in which the weight of the device is distributed and transferred to the supporting hands and arms. Also, binoculars with good balance are designed so that when they are supported firmly with hands and arms, the weight is spread evenly over the fingers and hands so that the weight is transferred to the bones of the arms, not the muscles.

 

o       Durability and Weatherproofing: If you plan to use your birding binoculars for long periods of time, you will want to focus on durability. However, the more durable the binoculars, the pricier they will be. Time can have certain consequences on binoculars that effect their usability such as barrels getting out of alignment, dust and dirt collecting inside the system, unbalanced elements and chipped or cracked glass. Also, weatherproofed binoculars can keep moisture out of the lenses that prevent them from fogging up.

 

o       Ease of Use and Handling: You are the one that has to carry you birding binoculars, find the bird through the lenses and be able to focus easily and quickly. Therefore, the most important rule to follow is to make sure the binoculars feel right and comfortable in your hands. Try them on for size before you make your purchase, or inquire about giving them a test-run before you invest.

 

 

Sources:

 

1.    “Birding Scopes – How to Choose the Right One for You”: www.birdwatching.com/optics/scopes_basics.html

2.    “Celestron Spotting Scopes”: www.celestron.com/prod_pgs/spot/index.htm

3.    “Scope Buying Guide”: www.birding.com/scopeGuide.asp

4.    “Birding Binoculars”: www.birdwatching.com/optics/binoculars1.html

5.    “Better View Desired: Bird Worthy Binoculars”: http://betterviewdesired.com/BirdW.html