A little summary about Binoculars

[qiangf2]

This one is a little bit too long. Please jump to the end if you just want to know my recommendation for binoculars.

I have seen many questions with regard to whether to bring a pair of binoculars while doing a cruise vacation in Alaska. The short answer is: Yes. You should always bring a pair of good binoculars. I still remember this past September when we sailed into Tracy’s Arm. Many people on board could not see the black bear on shore, other than a tiny moving dot (it sort of giving you a perspective how grand the Tracy’s Arm is). I was really glad that I brought a pair of binoculars to enjoy the wild animals on both sides of Tracy’s Arm: black bears, mountain goats, bald eagles.

But, when it comes to Binoculars selection, there is much confusion. I am trying to share my understanding with the fellow cruisers so to make your selection easier.

A binocular consists of two optical systems that are joined by a hinge and (typically) share a common focusing mechanism. Binoculars are differentiated by their Prisms systems. Typically, there are two types of prisms: Roof prisms and Porro prisms.

In Roof prism binoculars, the prisms are closely joined together, allowing the objective lenses to line up directly with the eyepiece. The result is a slim, streamlined shape in which the lenses and prisms are in a straight line. Roof prism binoculars are less bulky and more rugged than an equivalent Porro model. Most of the roof prism binoculars are capable of internal focusing, eliminating the external moving parts, hence easier to make them waterproof.

In Porro prism binoculars, the objective or front lens is offset from the eyepiece. Because of the simplicity of this system, some of the best values can be with a Porro design. As mentioned earlier, Porro system tends to be heavier and bulkier than their Roof prism counterparts.

Now, let’s decipher the numbers of the binoculars: 10x42 for example. The first number is the magnification power of the binoculars. It indicates how much you can bring the object closer to you. The 2nd number is the diameter of the Objective lens in mm. The larger the objective lens, the more light that enters the binocular and the brighter the image.

Now, you have heard of Exit Pupil: It refers to the size of the circle of light visible at the eyepiece of a binocular. The larger the exit pupil, the brighter the image. To determine the size, divide the objective lens diameter by the power (an 8x32 model has an exit pupil of 4mm). To obtain a comfortable viewing experience, I would suggest a minimal exit pupil of 4mm. So don’t get excited if you find a pair of 16x32 binoculars for $30. Even though it has 16x magnification power, the objective lens diameter is only 32mm. So the exit pupil is only 2mm. It leads to a very dim and shaky image (remember 16x also magnify your hand shake as well).

Alaska rains a lot, and the weather is very unpredictable, I would suggest you buy a pair of waterproof binoculars to protect your investment. They are O-ring sealed and nitrogen-purged for total waterproof and fogproof protection. These models can withstand complete immersion in water and stay dry inside. The interior optical surfaces won't fog due to rapid temperature change or humidity. A typical industry test standard is to submerge the binoculars into 4.5 ft water for 1 hour and check its water hermetic. And No, you don't need to break your bank account to buy a Steiner's binocular, which costs more than $500. There are better values out there.

Then, there are a lot of talks about optical coating. Yeah, please buy the ones with optical coating, it reduces light loss by removing reflection at the surface of the lens and improves the viewing experience at low light situation. Here is what they typically mean for different coating techniques.

Types of Coatings:

Coated - A single layer on at least one lens surface.

Fully Coated - A single layer on all air-to-glass surfaces.

Multi-Coated - Multiple layers on at least one lens surface.

Fully Multi-Coated - Multiple layers on all air-to-glass surfaces.

Typically, an Emerald color coating has better light transmission than Ruby coating, which is, in turn, better than Sapphire coating.

How about Prism Glass, what is the buzz about the BAK4 optics? Most optical prisms are made from boroscillicate (BK-7) glass or barium crown (BAK-4) glass. BaK-4 is the higher quality glass yielding brighter images and high edge-to-edge sharpness. That’s why you always see the high end of binoculars use BAK4 only.

For people who wear glasses, you should also check the spec for eye relief. This is the measure between each eyepiece and your eyes while you view full images. With glasses, you’ll need 11mm or more of eye relief.

Personally, I would suggest buy waterproof roof-prism binoculars with exit pupil>4mm. 8 x magnifications is the minimal requirement to view the vast wilderness of Alaska. I like roof-prism because of their lightweight. So a good combination is 8x42, 10x42, or 10x42. Again, please check eye relief spec for glass wearers. It needs to be longer than 11mm. Depending on your budget, you can buy binoculars with different lens coatings. The more expensive ones do not necessarily mean they are better. Things from Nikon, Leupold charge a premium for their brand recognition. But they are decent products indeed. I also see some horrific products from a name brand (Minolta). Since I am a budget conscience person, I would try to explore some less premium brands. You will be surprised the quality of those products, comparing with the ones at upper $500 range. I will be doing a product review next time once I finish comparing them.

Ok, have fun.. enjoy your Alaska Cruise next summer..

[sea_u_onboard]

I have to say you have taught me a lot.

 

I already bought a pair of binoculars. They are not top of the line by any stretch of the imagination.

 

After reading what you posted I was thinking maybe I should dump them and get something different - BUT - I went outside and did an assessment of them and "I think" they will be fine.

 

They are Vivitar 7x50 with Ruby coated UV optics. Not waterproof and not lightweight.

 

So - should I dump them and look for something different?

[Bella930]

Are you reading my mind? I am booked for Alaska in May and was just poking around the Internet for info on binoculars. Then I sign on and you have helped answer my questions. Thank you for your clear and concise (and unbiased) view on what to look for. I was wondering what "less premium" brands you would consider. Also, there seems to be a vast range of prices, what would you consider to be a "fair" price. I don't want to go too cheap but I also don't want to spend a fortune on binoculars that won't get a lot of use at home. Cindy

[cjnky]

I'm not going to even PRETEND I understood all that :p, but REALLY appreciate the information. I was excited when I discovered we already had on hand a pair of 10X50 binoculars - but they are so cumbersome that I had already decided that dh needs a more compact version for Christmas. I'll be anxiously awaiting your recommendations!

[qiangf2]

Cheryl,

 

Don't rush to dump your binoculars yet, depending on your situation. If you can still return it, yeah, go ahead do it. Or, if you think you may consider using binoculars for other uses, such as bird watch, hiking. Then, you may want to start looking for a light wighted ones. Otherwise, your Vivitar 7x50 may be just fine (although I am little worry about its magnification. 12x will be more efficient given your large objetive lens. But maybe the coating and lens material from Vivitar determine that 7x is maximal magnification without losing its low light performance).

 

Also, a sweet price spot for roof-prism waterproof binoculars is between $100 and $180. You may have seen some sub $100 binoculars out there too. The main difference is their optical design. More expensive ones normally have 6 groups/8 lens(prisms) design. They tend to much brighter image and make your eyes less tiring. Cheaper ones normally has 4 lens groups or less, which is more demanding on your eyes.

 

In the next 4-6 weeks, I am going to try out different binoculars at different price ranges. My main focus is to find out how those budget brands stack up against premium brands. I did notice one interesting thing during my recent trip to my local sports store. They have NIKON ATB 8x42 and LEUPOLD wild river 8x42 side by side. They look identical and feel identical except they bear different name tags. Few brands I have collected so far are: Hammers, Bushnell, ZenRay. Then, I will "borrow" premium brands from store to check them out (sorry, i cannot afford really fork out $800 for a pair of binoculars :) ). Once I am done, I will write up a summary and post it here.

 

I have to say you have taught me a lot.

 

 

So - should I dump them and look for something different?

[qiangf2]

Cindy, I will give you a couple of recommendation once I have done my study.. Don't want to just throw some names out there without convincing myself yet. Can you wait for few weeks?

 

The board is great! I got so many tips from Alaska Cruise veterans like BudgetQueen and Yukon when I planned my trip. Now it is my time to make a little contribution.

 

 

Are you reading my mind? I am booked for Alaska in May and was just poking around the Internet for info on binoculars. Then I sign on and you have helped answer my questions. Thank you for your clear and concise (and unbiased) view on what to look for. I was wondering what "less premium" brands you would consider. Also, there seems to be a vast range of prices, what would you consider to be a "fair" price. I don't want to go too cheap but I also don't want to spend a fortune on binoculars that won't get a lot of use at home. Cindy

[jspirit]

Thank you so much for your input! I was also just thinking about that very issue. Thought it would make a good anniversary present for my dh. It would be so great if you could help us all out and narrow it down to the best value for our money! We live in Canada, so hopefully one of your preferred stores will have a branch near us.

Is the type of place you shop for this like an " Outdoor World"?

Thanks again!

[NancyIL]

Thanks for the info! I liken viewing things through binoculars as only slightly less difficult than seeing more than an eyelash when looking through a microscope!

[Chat Noir]

Thanks for the info! I liken viewing things through binoculars as only slightly less difficult than seeing more than an eyelash when looking through a microscope!

 

And after spending much of my time at work over a microscope, I find viewing through binoculars to be quite dizzying! I've never learned the 'art of scanning' through binoculars without becoming motionsick... makes me turn green just thinking about it.:eek:

I'm simply thrilled zoom digital cameras with large display screens were invented!

[cruisevacationsrock]

I agree with a few others, in that I don't want to spend too much on something that I won't use at home. But if I can find decent ones for $200, that won't be too bad! I will wait for more recommendations, before going out to purchase any!

thanks for the info.

C

[sea_u_onboard]

Cheryl, Don't rush to dump your binoculars yet, depending on your situation. If you can still return it, yeah, go ahead do it. Or, if you think you may consider using binoculars for other uses, such as bird watch, hiking. Then, you may want to start looking for a light wighted ones. Otherwise, your Vivitar 7x50 may be just fine (although I am little worry about its magnification. 12x will be more efficient given your large objetive lens. But maybe the coating and lens material from Vivitar determine that 7x is maximal magnification without losing its low light performance).

Well - This will probably be the only time I use them and I'm almost embarrassed to say that I bought them for $10 at Walgreens :eek: . To me it was a bargain. I guess I just need to take them out and see if they work for me.

[qiangf2]

exactly, you just have to figure out yourself whether it will work for you or not. For $10, I don't think that choice is bad at all. I will never be embarassed for getting something for cheap. You may want to check its neckstrap. I believe the Vivitar 7x50 uses Porro prism, which is rather heavy. If the neckstrap does not have enough padding or width, you may find it bothering your neck after couple of hours on the deck. BTW, I checked Vivitar's website, it says it has coated optics, which means at least one lens (in this case, Objective lens) is coated with ruby color. Well, just grab it and use it when you go out for hiking before the cruise and see if it works..

Well - This will probably be the only time I use them and I'm almost embarrassed to say that I bought them for $10 at Walgreens :eek: . To me it was a bargain. I guess I just need to take them out and see if they work for me.

[sea_u_onboard]

You can see the ruby coating on the larger outside lens.

 

Thanks for letting me know about the neck strap, they are heavy. I actually bought 4 pairs - one for each of us.

 

We own some property out in the middle of nowhere so I thought maybe I would take them next time we go out there and see how well I can see - distance wise. Now I just need to figure out HOW FAR is far enough :D

[qiangf2]

To give you a reference how much mag power you need, I will post a picture of black bear I took on board while sailing into tracy's arm later today. That canyon is about 1.5-2 miles wide. I took a picture using my Canon digital camera with 12x optical zoom (using a 400mm lens)... stay tuned...

 

You can see the ruby coating on the larger outside lens.

 

Thanks for letting me know about the neck strap, they are heavy. I actually bought 4 pairs - one for each of us.

 

We own some property out in the middle of nowhere so I thought maybe I would take them next time we go out there and see how well I can see - distance wise. Now I just need to figure out HOW FAR is far enough :D

[Bella930]

Giangf2, Since you are doing the legwork, I have no problem at all waiting until you can gather the information. The trouble I have is waiting the seven months before actually going on the cruise! Thank you for taking on this project. I only hope that somewhere down the line I can provide information that will prove helpful to another cruiser. Cindy

[bunduo]

I bought pair off of http://www.brunton.com . They have some of the best optics on the market. They sell refurbished, discontinued, and closeouts. I got the Brunton Eterna 10x42. They are so good, I swear I can see through solids.

 

My wife and I did a lot of research before we purchased. We went to Dicks, Cabellas, and Bass Pro and took quite a few for a test drive. You would think two pairs of 10x42 binocs would be about the same but there is a huge difference in quality. With binoculars, you really do get what you pay for. Print out what the original post of this thread and then start shopping. An old guy at Bass Pro turned us on to Brunton.

[NancyIL]

I bought pair off of http://www.brunton.com . They have some of the best optics on the market. They sell refurbished, discontinued, and closeouts. I got the Brunton Eterna 10x42. They are so good, I swear I can see through solids.

 

My wife and I did a lot of research before we purchased. We went to Dicks, Cabellas, and Bass Pro and took quite a few for a test drive. You would think two pairs of 10x42 binocs would be about the same but there is a huge difference in quality. With binoculars, you really do get what you pay for. Print out what the original post of this thread and then start shopping. An old guy at Bass Pro turned us on to Brunton.

 

I'm not seeing an Eterna 10 x 42 on that site. At those prices, I'm not enough of a bird/wildlife lover to care if I have good binoculars.

[qiangf2]

I bought pair off of www.brunton.com . They have some of the best optics on the market. They sell refurbished, discontinued, and closeouts. I got the Brunton Eterna 10x42. They are so good, I swear I can see through solids.

 

My wife and I did a lot of research before we purchased. We went to Dicks, Cabellas, and Bass Pro and took quite a few for a test drive. You would think two pairs of 10x42 binocs would be about the same but there is a huge difference in quality. With binoculars, you really do get what you pay for. Print out what the original post of this thread and then start shopping. An old guy at Bass Pro turned us on to Brunton.

 

Just like Nikon and Leupold, Brunton does make decent optics. I am actually quite impressed with its performance during my recent trip to REI store. Again, Eterna model starts from $400+, which is still quite expensive for the most of us. If one can afford it, go for it. But I won't recommend this to Cheryl to ditch her 4 $10 binos and then spend $1600+ for 4 of these.. :)

[NancyIL]

Just checked at Amazon, after reading your first post more carefully. They have the Bushnell H2O 10x42 Waterproof/Fogproof Binocular w/Roof Prism - retail $139.99 for $79.95. Think those ought to suffice for a novice wildlife watcher?

 

This is the one: http://www.bushnell.com/general/binoculars_h2o_15-1042.cfm?#CGI.QUERY_STRING

[qiangf2]

Just checked at Amazon, after reading your first post more carefully. They have the Bushnell H2O 10x42 Waterproof/Fogproof Binocular w/Roof Prism - retail $139.99 for $79.95. Think those ought to suffice for a novice wildlife watcher?

 

This is the one: http://www.bushnell.com/general/binoculars_h2o_15-1042.cfm?#CGI.QUERY_STRING

 

This one will do just fine for occasional wildlife watcher. Price seems pretty good if you pricegrabber it. I just want to point out that this line of product is saphire(blue) color coated. It has higher reflection than other coating. Also, in its description, it says multi-coated, which normally means only the objetive lens are multi-coated. Other lens/prisms are not coated. So, light will be attentuated every time it passes through an uncoated lens/air interface. If you don't mind these technical details, I will say,yeah, it is not a bad deal at all.

 

Back to the price sweet spot I mentioned earlier, for $100-$180 range, I am looking for the following features: (1) roof prisms, (2) 8x42 or above, (3) waterproof/fogproof; (4) fully broadband multi-coated; (5) emerald coated, just like Brunton Eterna's emerald fire; (6) BAK4 of course; (7) twisted-up eyecups with eye relief >12mm; (8) ergonomically designed.. I know it is a lot to ask for my budget.. Unless I am willing to spend $500+ for a pair, I won't go through the trouble to do this comparison.

 

BTW, I just heard the term "phase coating" between prisms. I am curious whether it is just a marketing gimmick or real improvement. Another item on my to do list

[NancyIL]

This one will do just fine for occasional wildlife watcher. Price seems pretty good if you pricegrabber it. I just want to point out that this line of product is saphire(blue) color coated. It has higher reflection than other coating. Also, in its description, it says multi-coated, which normally means only the objetive lens are multi-coated. Other lens/prisms are not coated. So, light will be attentuated every time it passes through an uncoated lens/air interface. If you don't mind these technical details, I will say,yeah, it is not a bad deal at all.

 

How do you know it is sapphire color coated? I saw nothing about color in the description.

[KnoxvilleSam]

Wife and I will be on Princess Cruisetour next June (Fairbanks to Denali - 2 nights - Princess McKinley Lodge and then Whittier southbound to Vancouver) and will have binoculars for sure. The question is 2 pair or one. Trading back and forth is a pain and might be easier (of course more expensive too) to have one each. Anyone have any experience with this?

 

Thanks,

 

Sam

[NancyIL]

Wife and I will be on Princess Cruisetour next June (Fairbanks to Denali - 2 nights - Princess McKinley Lodge and then Whittier southbound to Vancouver) and will have binoculars for sure. The question is 2 pair or one. Trading back and forth is a pain and might be easier (of course more expensive too) to have one each. Anyone have any experience with this?

 

Thanks,

 

Sam

 

My husband has binoculars...somewhere - but I'm pretty sure they aren't as good as the Bushnell I posted about above. Those will be MINE! :D

[irisheileen]

Wife and I will be on Princess Cruisetour next June (Fairbanks to Denali - 2 nights - Princess McKinley Lodge and then Whittier southbound to Vancouver) and will have binoculars for sure. The question is 2 pair or one. Trading back and forth is a pain and might be easier (of course more expensive too) to have one each. Anyone have any experience with this?

 

Thanks,

 

Sam

Sam, We each had a pair and were very glad we did! In Denali, for example, you may be moving around on the bus to spot the wildlife. I was sometimes up front ON the bus's step with the camera anfd MY binocular and DH was farther back, with everyone jogging for position to see. Sometimes I was on front of the ship and DH was on our balcony with friends.

 

We liked having two...but we also borrowed them! We had 12x50 and 7x50, I think.

Eileen

[moe81]

Can I assume that monoculars work the same way?? I have problems focusing my eyes with binocs and it was suggested to try a mono. Any suggestions??

Thanks in advance.