Binoculars & Scopes
From all popular brands - hobbyist to professional-level. Several vendor and and buying options (new and used). Helpful customer reviews and comments.
Browse By Price:
Binocular Use or Type:
- Digital Binocular Cameras
- Astronomy / Starwatcher Telescope, Monoculars and Binoculars (The most popular brands!)
- Birding & Wildlife Binoculars
- General Purpose Binoculars, Monoculars & Telescopes
- Hiking, Nature Binoculars, Monoculars & Telescopes
- Hunting & Surveillance Binoculars, Monoculars & Telescopes (includes military style and night-vision binoculars / scopes)
- Watersports Binoculars
Browse By Brand:
- Nikon Binoculars ... Nikon Laser Rangefinders and Monoculars: Nikon is a precision optical company with worldwide manufacturing, research and marketing capabilities. The Nikon name is equated with extraordinary photographic performance, innovation, precision and optical quality. Their products are highly rated.
- Orion: Orion's Scenix binoculars offer the superior optical and mechanical quality you expect in more expensive binoculars but at prices nearer to those of lesser-quality department stores brands.
- Steiner: Steiner makes hunting, birding, marine, military, law enforcement and outdoor binoculars - also highly rated
- Others: Bushnell ... Carson ... Galileo
Tips for Choosing the Right Binocular or Scope for you ...
The most popular binocular sizes for bird watching are 8x40 and 8x42. Binoculars with these specs are compact enough to carry with you all day while large enough to gather plenty of light.
Other features to look for in birding binoculars are :
- a close focus for near observation of birds and insects
- a good low-light gathering capability is recommended, as birding is often done in relatively poor light conditions inside forests or early in the morning.
- a wide field of view, enabling you to track quick-flying birds and to see more individuals at a time when counting or observing large flocks or groups, such as kettles of hawks,
- and good depth of field so you don't need to keep adjusting the focus to keep a small bird in focus, and don't need to turn the focus adjustment too much to go from near to far.
Casual point-and-shoot photographers will do best with at least a 12x optical zoom lens.
Entry-level digital SLR photographers will do best with a 75 to 300 mm lens with image stabilization to help filter out camera shake when shooting from a vehicle.
More advanced photographers will want to bring the longest lens they own, plus mid-range and wide-angle zooms.
