by Richard Serra

Created on: November 07, 2011   Last Updated: November 08, 2011

Birds usually disappear when it starts getting dark, so a pair with better night vision would be a waste of money, although they still would be good. A good pair of "wide Vision" would be recommended for a couple of good reasons. They provide better light gathering as well as a much broader view for tracking the birds in flight.

A number of good binoculars comes to mind when bird watching, and what to choose is something of a personal preference, although if not knowledgeable, you can waste money on power, and special applications that do not lend any special advantage for bird watching. A few that I can recommend are the Bushnell NatureView, Swift Birding, Swift Birding binoculars Zeiss, all have great optics.

Each play a different role when choosing a pair. Some are water proof, some are better for night vision, etc., but regardless of the different types, you need to choose one that specifically meets your needs.

I recommend a pair that has good power such as 10 x 42, or 8 x 42. While the higher power gets you closer, its also a little more difficult to hold steady, and the less light enters the pupil. The lower power results in a little more steady viewing, as well as providing more light gathering, so as to be able to see better under low light conditions.

Another important decision in choosing is to make sure it has a "wide" view along with whatever power you choose. A 10 x 25 will give you less light and a much more narrow field of view, while a 10 x 42 will provide almost twice the amount of viewing area, and provide better light gathering in low light situations.

This is good for distinguishing what is a bird, or what is a shadow in the tree under low light conditions. The wide view also allows you to follow the birds in flight much easier as you take in more area so as to keep track of them instead of trying to keep focused in your field of view due to a narrower point of view.

There is always a trade off with everything, and binoculars are no exception. You would need a tripod for anything 15 x and over as the shaking is readily noticeable.

More power brings you closer, but is not practical as you need to be able to track as well as keep a steady hand when using them. The binoculars I recommended are all very good with the Zeiss and Bushnell and Swift a good buy for the quality they have.

Nikon is another that is excellent in the optics as well as waterproof.
Choose wisely as they can be costly, but when it comes to optics, buy the best you can afford. There is a huge difference. Good luck and happy bird watching.

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