| Binoculars are wonderful pieces of equipment that can | | | | magnification that you can get for binoculars, but this is |
| enhance many of our daily activities including, birding, | | | | not true. At some point, hand holding the binoculars will |
| action sports, hunting, and even astronomy. Essentially | | | | affect the clarity of a highly magnified image and the |
| binoculars take a distant image, enlarge it through the | | | | resulting shake will render the magnification benefits |
| use of lenses for viewing, all while remaining small and | | | | useless. Generally speaking, anything above ten times |
| light enough to be mobile. | | | | magnification should be mounted on a tripod instead of |
| The actual makeup of most binoculars is fairly | | | | handheld. So if you are planning to use binoculars for |
| straightforward and simple. You have the lenses at the | | | | activities that do not allow you to be able to bring along |
| end of the barrel called the objective lens that gathers | | | | a sturdy tripod, you probably want to stay with a pair |
| the light from the distant image and focuses it on the | | | | of binoculars with 4 -7 times magnification. |
| lens closest to your eyes for viewing. Binoculars are | | | | As far as light gathering properties are concerned, if |
| really two small telescopes put side by side so that | | | | you plan on using your binoculars in any kind of low |
| you can view the desired image with both eyes | | | | light situation whether indoors, or at times of day when |
| instead of just one. This imparts some measure of | | | | there is low available light outdoors, then you need to |
| depth of field, much more so than with a single scope. | | | | have a large objective lens, usually 30 or above, to |
| When selecting a pair of binoculars you will | | | | make as much use of available light as possible. |
| immediately find that two numbers are used to | | | | Finally, consider the weight of the binoculars before |
| describe their capability. These numbers are often | | | | buying them. If weight will be a consideration for |
| expressed as "6 X 30" or something similar. Let's | | | | activities such as hiking, then perhaps plastic lenses will |
| break the code so you will know what these numbers | | | | be best that are specially coated to produce a high |
| mean. | | | | quality, sharp image. These can be more costly than |
| The first number refers to the magnification power of | | | | glass lenses, but they are considerably lighter. Glass |
| the binoculars, or in other words how many times the | | | | lenses usually make for much better optics and clearer |
| image is magnified. So if the number is 6, that means | | | | images at a lower overall cost, but they can also be |
| that the image that you view through the lens is | | | | more fragile. |
| magnified 6 times it's normal siZe. | | | | Generally speaking, more expensive pairs of binoculars |
| The second number has to do with the size of the | | | | have more atention paid to fit and finish and will stand |
| objective lens at the end of the binoculars.It's good to | | | | up to more vigorous use, but if you only plan to |
| know this number because the larger the diameter of | | | | occasionally use your binoculars, then a less expensive |
| the objective lens, usually the more light will be let in for | | | | pair will no doubt work fine. Also, remember that after |
| viewing the distant image. | | | | the purchase you should be sure to protect your |
| Now, let's put this information in use in the real world. | | | | investment with a suitable binoculars case. |
| You may think that it's best to just get the highest | | | | |