By kaRaNtiNa [-'MHT'-]

Binocular Buying

Published June 18, 2010 | By Binnoculars

Binocular Buying

Buying binoculars give the user the advantages of being relatively inexpensive, highly portable and easy to use. The only disadvantage is that the magnification is generally fixed.

Binoculars come with two types of focusing mechanisms. Most people opt for the center-focus model, which uses a centrally mounted wheel to adjust both eyepieces at once. There is also a separate adjustment for the right eyepiece, which helps to correct for any difference in near or farsightedness between your eyes.

Because focusing requires only one quick adjustment, this model is the most popular, and best suited if you want to use your binoculars for all purposes. When you buy binoculars you should check their performance at the store, or if you buy them online, as soon as they arrive. Here are a few tests that will help you choose a quality binocular.

1. Look carefully at the objective lenses. Reject the binocular if you see signs of scratches or dirt.

2. Consider the weight and bulk of the instrument; lightweight binoculars are less tiring to hold than heavier ones.

3. Look through the binoculars, find a high-contrast object such as a tree against the daytime sky, and place it in the center of the field. If you see strong green or violet fringes of light along the edges of the object, the binoculars suffer form a defect known as chromatic aberration. In general, the higher the magnification, the bigger the chromatic aberration.

4. The ultimate test for your binoculars is to take them outside at night and look at a bright star. After you have the star centered in the field of view and bring the binoculars in good focus, take a close look at it. The star should be a sharp near-pointlike imagery, without any irregular spikes or rays shooting out of it. Small deviations from this ideal image are always present to some degree in most binoculars, and this is perfectly OK as long as the star remains a round disk, even when moved towards the edge of the field.

Remember that you always get what you pay for. In most cases the brand name tells a lot about the quality of the instrument, so avoid buying form companies with which you are unfamiliar. Brands like Nikon, Minolta, Leica, Leupold, Bausch and Lomb, Tasco, and Bushnell have a reputation for high quality standards, even for the inexpensive models.

Leica 8×42 HD Binocular