Bird watching binoculars range widely in price, according to the features and specifications of different models. But as with any significant purchase, it’s important to find out as much as you can about what the various ratings and descriptions mean before you make your choice.

When you’re buying binoculars, you may be tempted to assume that the more you spend, the better the choice will be for you. But the various features and characteristics of different binocular types and models suit different uses. So the first question to ask yourself is: what you want them for?

How Do You Intend To Use Your Binoculars?

If you’re thinking of buying binoculars, you probably already know why you want them. This will be a useful guide in choosing which features will matter most to you and which will be relatively unimportant.

You may want to have binoculars just for bird watching – alternatively, you may have other aims in mind:

  • watch live concerts or sports
  • as an aid to sight seeing on holiday
  • for a camping expedition
  • for use when hunting
  • or even, perhaps, just because they’re a cool toy!

The reason you want the binoculars helps decide the features you need — for example:

  • for a live sports event you may not need a refocusing feature
  • if you’re birdwatching, focusing might be much more useful because you’ll be looking at objects that can change position quickly and suddenly — so avoid models with no focus mechanism
  • are you planning to do star watching? — if so, you’ll need binoculars that work well in low light conditions
  • if you’re camping or hiking, the weight of your equipment will be significant: a lightweight pair may be useful — or at least a comfortable strap!
  • going hunting? — then you may need a pair of rangefinder binoculars which measure the distance to the object being viewed. Hikers might like them as well

There are several other considerations to take into account, not least your own characteristics, for example whether you wear spectacles, whether your eyes are wider apart or closer together than average. So factor in these criteria when you’re looking at the ratings of the binoculars themselves.