On buying binoculars for BIOL 4142

You must have binoculars for Ornithology field trips. Furthermore, they must meet a minimum standard of suitability in terms of quality. Without acceptable binoculars, you will get virtually nothing out of the field trips and will be unable to complete the various bonus-point field exercises during the semester.

Minimum requirements:

Magnification: at least 6X, preferably 7X. No higher than 10X. This eliminates many compact, pocket-size models.

Field of view: the diameter of the lens determines your field of view and how much light enters. The usual rule is that the lens diameter must be at least 5X the magnification, e.g., 7X binoculars should have an aperture of at least 7 x 5 = 35 mm. Such binos are typically referred to as "7 X 35s".

Close-focus distance: they must be able to focus within 25 ft. (preferably 18 ft. or less) -- otherwise, you can't see birds at close range. Beware that many "football" and "deer stand" binoculars do not focus anywhere near that close.

General clarity: this is difficult to judge without comparisons, but many cheap binoculars sold at discount retail outlets and sporting goods stores have poor optics they are slightly out of alignment, are fuzzy at the edges, or do not let in enough light. If you buy from the suggested outlets below, chances of this are near zero. In general, you cannot go wrong with major brand names, e.g., Bushnell, Bausch & Lomb, or Pentax for low-cost binoculars.

Recommendations:

Much depends on your budget. You can get a bottom-of-line model that meets the above standards for about $50 (see below), less than the cost of many textbooks. However, if you are a future field biologist or outdoors person, investing at least $100 to $200 is a worthy long-term investment. Binoculars should last forever if not abused.

Because there are literally thousands of brands of binoculars, what I recommend is to visit the on-line store of the American Birding Association, which only sells brands and models that have proven themselves as worthy for birding. Then, determine your budget and go shopping.

http://www.americanbirding.org/abasales/

Be sure to read the ABA's tips on buying binoculars. The rock-bottom model @ $50 is the Bushnell 8x40 Birder Binocular.

Also, check: http://meckbirds.org/FAQs/faqbinocs.htm for good overview of selecting binoculars, and check: http://betterviewdesired.com/
for lots of great information.

The best prices can often be found at Eagle Optics:
http://www.eagleoptics.com/; they also have some excellent on-line tips on picking binoculars.

J. V. Remsen