With the growth of birding as a hobby of great interest, a new phenomenon in the standard equipment of the birder is changing. In the past birders had to depend on their heavy and often times bulky pair of binoculars to catch the fleeting visions of birds. However today there is a trend for birders to toss those heavy weight binoculars into the trash. Some smart birders are hanging up their heavy binoculars as keepsakes and collectibles that gather dust in an attempt to document the advances of modern age birding binoculars.
In 1999 a binocular maker designed and developed a lightweight, compact binocular that weighed only 27.5 ounces. These binoculars came as a God send to many birders who were wary of having heavy binoculars pulling on their necks during their day of birding. These new binoculars set of a trend for the other manufactures of binoculars.
Birders want a pair of binoculars that have the right power to capture a true vision of the birds with the flexibility and ease of adjustments that are light weight and easier to use than the traditional heavy weight binocular.
Today, the manufactures are competing with each other to produce the lightest weight binocular that has high quality visuals lenses. Traditionally manufactures used lead and arsenic in the production of their lenses. These highly toxic and dangerous chemicals are now being eliminated as the manufactures are seeking to produce lighter weight lenses to meet the needs of the modern day birder.
The newer lenses are lighter in weight but also are much safer for the user and the environment. The changes in the quality of the lenses and body style of the binocular have increased the cost of a pair of lightweight binoculars. It is a trade off that many birders are willing to make. The days of the heavy and clumsy binoculars are coming to an end. Birders in growing number are finding the advantage to quickly and easily capturing the visions of birds with their lightweight binoculars.
Before tossing your old binoculars for a set of lightweight binoculars, remember to properly research the binocular that you are interested in. The research will be a value to you when you purchase the right binocular for your particular application. Some lightweight binoculars use plastic elements in designing the lenses. Often times the plastic is effected by the heat of the day and distort the images that are being viewed. A true birder would never stand for that type of lens.
