What are the considerations one should use in buying a pair of sports binoculars? There are many different manufactures of sports binoculars and they all have marketing departments that want you to purchase their brand of sport binocular. Let us look at some of the recommendations used by Consumer Reports for determining which pair of binoculars is right for you.
The first thing to know is that price is not a good determining point for purchasing a pair of binoculars. Higher priced binoculars do not translate into the highest quality of visual effects for the user. It may be true that the higher priced binoculars have better optical coatings than other lenses. However, tests showed that accuracy of vision is not necessarily found with the coated lenses that refract light better. Often time’s straight lines appear to be curved and color fringes may appear around the object due to the specialized coatings of the lenses. Therefore, price is not a good determiner of quality of binoculars.
Before purchasing a pair of sports binoculars one should consider how they are using the sports binoculars. If you are going to be using the binoculars in extreme weather settings then you need to consider the temperature range. Are the binoculars designed for extreme cold and extreme heat applications? Check the specifications of the binoculars to find the appropriate temperature range.
Another consideration is whether you want a compact size or a regular sized binocular. Compact binoculars are less cumbersome than regular binoculars. However some compact sport binoculars are harder to adjust than regular sized sport binoculars, the problem of quality viewing occurs. If you wear glasses, compact binocular may make alignment a problem. Choose the right size of binocular for your specific comfort and dexterity.
Another consideration is the power of the lenses needed. The power of the lenses is rated by the magnification number such as 12X. The power needed for your specific application will determine what power of lenses is required. Consumer report suggests that for viewing theater or sporting events such as baseball the power rating should be a 7X. If you are using the sports binocular for bird watching or hunting it is suggested the power to be 8X or 10X. If you are star gazing Consumer Report recommend 20X or higher power. Thus your application determines the power of sports binoculars. Purchase the sports binocular that meets your needs.
