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How to buy Safari Binoculars

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How to buy safari binoculars: Introduction

The object of this article is to help the novice on his way to decide which binoculars to buy, in particular for using them on safari: How to buy safari binoculars.

I have discussed a few basic decisions which you have to make before considering which one to buy for your safari trip. I've included a section on jargon and technical stuff associated with binoculars, in case you're not so familiar with some technical aspects concerning binoculars.

I've also included a list of links to other lenses of mine on binoculars. Please check them out.

If you need to familiarize yourself with the technical aspects of a binocular first, I suggest you read the section "Jargon and technical stuff" down below first. However, if you need more information on these matters, you could consult my articles Understanding binoculars 1 , Understanding binoculars 2 and Understanding binoculars 3.

TEN decisions to make before buying a safari binoculars

It's time to consider the ten decision you have to make before buying a pair of safari binoculars.
If you are not that familiar with the tehnical aspects of binoculars, please consult the section "Jargon and technical stuff" below.
  1. Decision 1: Usage: Consider what you intend using the binoculars for. This is very important, since it has a direct bearing on what you eventually will buy. Since this article has been compiled with the novice in mind and in particular for people interested in using the binoculars on safari, i.e. for game and bird viewing, I will focus on binoculars best suited for this purpose. I'm visualizing people watching game and birds in nature from a car or a safari truck, or from a game viewing point. At the end of this article I have included links to all my features lenses on binoculars. I have tried to cover as many specialized usages as possible, so I suggest you have a look at it.
  2. Decision 2: Personal budget: Make a decision on what you're willing to pay. Even though we've narrowed down the options, you'll still have choices ranging from less than $50-00 to more than $1000-00. I strongly recommend that you do not buy one for less than $200-00. Price does make a huge difference in the case of binoculars. If you do intend using your binoculars for many hours per day (on a safari trip), you will have to be willing to pay much more. One problem with less expensive binoculars is that eye fatigue eventually sets in after a while, which never happens with expensive ones. Check out what Amazon has to offer in the range of $200+.

    In any case, if you're not willing to pay more than $100-00 for a pair of binoculars, I suggest you read my article on best cheap binoculars. I believe it will help you a lot in making your final decision.
  3. Decision 3: Type of prism design: Porro or roof prism design binoculars? The traditional bulky porro design, vs sleek roof design binoculars, which could be very compact indeed, fitting into hand luggage or even a pocket. If you do not intend spending that much, rather go for a porro design. You have a better chance of getting a reasonable quality porro design binoculars without spending that much, than a quality roof design binoculars for the same price.
    If size and weight are indeed important to you, you have to go for a roof prism binoculars, but will also have to pay more.
    That holds true in particular if you intend buying a compact travel binocular. In this case very high optical quality will compensate to a degree for the loss of light intake associated with compact binoculars. You can get more information on compact binoculars at my article on the subject, Best compact binoculars.
  4. Decision 4: Power: The distance you are from the objects you intend viewing determine the magnification/power you need. For viewing stars you need something totally different than for viewing game or birds. A magnification of 8x is an excellent choice. More powerful than this and you could end up struggling to get a good image. If you do prefer 10x or even more powerful, you will have to consider support in the form of a tripod (+tripod adapter) or a window mount) (For what's available at Amazon, read my Binocular accessories)

    Another option would be to go for a type of binocular known as an image stabilizing binocular. Just follow this link for a discussion of this category of binoculars.

    Finally, you do get binoculars with variable magnification, known as "zoom binoculars", like the Pentax 62217 UCF II 8-16x21 Zoom Binocular.
    . For a discussion of this category of binoculars, please consult my article, Zoom binoculars.
    In spite of certain problems associated with the zoom function, these binoculars are quite popular. You do get a few where the manufacturers seem to have sorted out the problems, but these are more expensive. An excellent example is the Alpen Apex 8-16 x 42 Zoom Waterproof Roof Prism Binocular.
  5. Decision 5: Objective lens size (also referred to as the "aperture"): One would be tempted to go for big objective lenses, since the bigger the objective lens, the more light is captured, resulting in a clearer and brighter image. Bigger lenses also means that the instrument will be heavier. On the other hand, binoculars with smaller apertures are not that heavy (like in compact binoculars) but will not let in as many light as the bigger ones. So, you have to look at the total picture: Aperture, magnification and size of the exit pupil.
  6. Decision 6: Exit pupil: The exit pupil should not be less than 5mm, but if you're still young, it should be at least 7mm - unless you realize that you will sacrifice clarity in fading light or focusing on animals in the shade.

    Binoculars in particular suited for low light conditions have been discussed in Best low light binoculars.
  7. Decision 7: Lens coating: Do not settle for "coated" lenses. They have to be at least "fully coated", but ideally "fully multi-coated". The impact of lenses, prisms and lens coatings is discussed in
    Understanding binoculars 3.
  8. Decision 8: Eye relief: Do you wear glasses? In that case the "eye relief" has to be at least 15mm. Binoculars ideal for wearers of eyeglasses are discussed in Eye relief: Binoculars for eyeglass wearers.
  9. Decision 9: Close focus: If you are into birding (or butterfies), you have to look for a pair of binoculars with close focus of not more than 4 meters. I have dedicated an article to binoculars with special close focus features, Super close focus binoculars which I suggest you consult.
  10. Decision 10: Field of view: The greater the magnification, the narrower the field of view. If you intend using your binoculars for moving objects like birds or a cheetah in hot pursuit, you should not go for more magnification than 8x.

    Binoculars with exceptional field of view are discussed in Best wide angle binoculars

    If you're looking for affordable binoculars with above average field of view like for children, I suggest you read my article on Binoculars for kids II.

NIKON 7294 Monarch ATB 8x42 Binocular: Amazon Spotlight

The most popular binocular on Amazon, the Nikon 7430 Monarch 8x42mm All-Terrain Binoculars, has been replaced by a new, slightly more expensive model, the NIKON 7294 Monarch ATB 8x42 Binocular, although the old one is still for sale. For a discussion of the differences between the two models, please go to Monarch binoculars.

Nikon 7294 Monarch ATB 8x42 Binocular

Nikon 7294 Monarch ATB 8x42 Binocular

Amazon Price: $249.95 (as of 06/04/2012)Buy Now
List Price: $420.95

Nikon must have a very good reason (or reasons) for replacing such a wonderful instrument as the Nikon 7430 Monarch 8x42mm All-Terrain Binoculars with this new one. The new Nikon Monarch features improved lens coating, resulting in even clearer, brighter images.

Search on Amazon right from here!

You can check out what Amazon has on offer right here. Try it out! Just click your keyword(s) in the little box next to "GO" and then select "GO".

Amazon: Porro design binoculars for safari

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Amazon: Roof prism binoculars for safari

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Best compact binoculars

Please consult my article, Best compact binoculars.

How to buy safari binoculars: Conclusion

I discussed the different decisions you have to make when you want to buy a pair of safari binoculars. Although a number of decisions, like budget, intended use and whether you wear glasses or not, are purely personal, all in all one would not go wrong buying one with a magnification of 7-8x and objective lens diameter of 42-50mm. However, if you're not willing to pay $200-00 or more, you might end up with a product not satisfying your needs.

Jargon and technical stuff

In this module I will clarify the technical terminology and other terms associated with binoculars
  1. Magnification/power: A set of technical detail imprinted on any pair of binoculars could be something like this: 8x42, or 10x50 or 12x50.
    The first number (8, 10, 12) is the magnification number, the "power" of the binoculars. The object is magnified by 8, 10 or 12 times, which means that it appears to be 8,10 or 12 times closer than seen with the naked eye.
  2. Objective lens: The second number (42, 50, 50) is the diameter of the objective lens(in millimeters), i.e. the two big lenses at the front of the two barrels. The bigger the objective lens, the more light is captured, resulting in a clearer and brighter image, which is important when used in fading light or when focusing on something in the shade of a tree. Also known as the "aperture".
  3. Field of view (FOV): Another set of technical detail which is imprinted on the binoculars, could be something like this: 367 ft. at 1000 yds. This is the field of view, the width of the view at the particular distance. In this case 367 feet at 1000 yards. Could be designated in meters or in degree. Field-of-view is determined by magnification and eyepiece lenses. It is not true that binoculars with small objective lenses like pocket binoculars will inevitably have narrow FOV. This can be addressed by the way the optics inside the eyepieces have been designed. Example: The Swarovski Optiks Pocket Binocular is a very small pocket binocular (dimensions: 3.98 x 1.5 x 2.3 inches) and has an aperture of only 20 mm and power of 8, but an incredible FOV of 345 feet @ 1,000 yards. Compare this to the FOV of 330 feet of the full-size NIKON 7294 Monarch ATB 8x42 Binocular, with 8x42 specifications. But remember: FOV is handy, but not crucial, except in the case of young children, who still struggle to find and follow moving objects with a binocular.
  4. Coating of lenses: The lenses of all binoculars will be coated with ant-reflective coating, which is applied to enhance the quality of the image. "Coated" simply means a single layer anti-reflection coating on the two external elements (the ones you can see); "Fully coated" means that all air-to-glass surfaces are coated, whereas "fully multi-coated" means all air-to-glass surfaces have multiple layers of coats. Obviously, one would like your binoculars to be "fully multi-coated".
  5. The exit pupil: The exit pupil can be seen by holding the binoculars at arm's length and looking through the eyepieces. The pencil of light you see is the exit pupil. The diameter of the exit pupil determines how much light is transmitted to your eye. The actual diameter of the exit pupil is computed by dividing the diameter of the front objective lens (in millimeters) by the magnification of the binocular. So, in the case of a 7x50 binoculars, the diameter of the exit pupil is 7.1. The diameter of the exit pupil is important in fading light. If it's less than 7mm, your binoculars will not allow enough light through to your eyes (in fading light, that is), unless you're an elderly person, in which case 5mm. will be enough.
  6. The relative brightness index (RBI) is an indication of image brightness. It is computed by squaring the exit pupil. For example, 7x35 binoculars have a 5mm exit pupil (35/7=5). So their RBI is 25 (5x5=25). A RBI of 25 or greater is considered good for use in dim light.
  7. Eye relief: For every pair of binoculars, there is an optimal distance between your eye and the eyepiece, which is called eye relief. If your eyes are too close to or too far from the eyepieces, you can't see the whole picture: part of it is blacked out. So, if you happen to wear eyeglasses, you have to make sure the eye relief is at least 15 mm. Except in the case of very expensive binoculars, field of view and eye relief work against one another. If the manufacturer increases the one, it is at the cost of the other. If you do not wear glasses, you do not need good eye relief. If you do wear them, you have to be content with a compromise - unless you're willing to dig deep into your pockets.
  8. Eyepiece spacing: The two barrels of the binoculars have to be adjusted to fit the distances between the pupils of your eyes, called interpupillary distance (IPD). These have to be adjusted until you have one single circular field of view.
  9. Central focusing knob/wheel: The knob between the two optical barrels by means of which you change the focus when looking at an object. Some knobs turn easily and some not that easily. Generally speaking, this is a matter of personal taste, as long as it's easy to operate. Some binoculars have no central focusing knob/wheel; in their case the focus has been fixed at the factory. Please consult my article on Auto focus binoculars for a discussion of this category of binoculars.
  10. Diopter: One of the two eyepieces of a quality binocular is fixed and one is adjustable (usually the right one),called the diopter. By adjusting the diopter, the difference between your eyes can be accommodated. Some binoculars have locking mechanisms to prevent the diopter setting from being turned by accident once it had been set. Once the diopter is set for your eyes, you only have to set the focus with the central focusing knob/wheel.
    For a discussion of binoculars with diopters for each eye, please consult my article on Auto focus binoculars.
  11. Waterproofing: Make sure the binoculars are waterproof. A waterproof model will not only be less likely to fog up internally, it will also be better sealed against dust and dirt. Nowadays most binoculars are "nitrogen filled" as well, asuring no fogging up inside the barrels.
  12. Close focus: Focusing at a distance is no problem for any pair of binoculars; focusing at close range, however, is a totally different matter. This is important, since sometimes you will be in a situation where close focus is important, in particular if you start getting into birding or even watching butterflies and you would like to appreciate minute details. I have dedicated a separate lens on the matter of close focusing, Super close focus binoculars. Please follow this link for more information on the subject.
  13. Prism design: The first thing that strikes you about binoculars, is the apparent difference in two basic types of designs. All binoculars either use "porro prisms" or "roof prisms". The ones using porro prisms are the traditional design where the eye pieces are off center to the barrels, as can clearly be seen in the following photo:


    In the case of the ones using roof prisms the eye pieces are in line with the objective lenses and have a sleek design, as can be seen in the following photo:


    The advantages of porro prism binoculars are cost (less expensive) and the greater three-dimensional viewing effect, whereas roof prism binoculars are more compact and lighter, but are usually more expensive due to the more complicated manufacturing process. A PC (phase-corrected) roof prism will deliver sharper images than a non PC roof prism.
  14. Depth of field The "depth of field" of a safari binocular refers to its ability to keep objects further towards the background and closer towards the foreground in focus without you having to adjust the focus. Stated in another way: Once you've focused on an object in the distance, how far behind this object (in other words, further away into the background) and how far in front of the object (in other words, closer to you, the viewer) is still in focus, without you having to adjust the focus. A special category of binoculars with super depth of field features is the so-called "auto focus" binoculars. Please consult my article on Auto focus binoculars for a discussion of this category of binoculars.
  15. The focus speed: If you need the binoculars for watching wild animals, in particular birds, the speed of focus is important. While following a bird in flight, you need to change the focus all the time and if your binoculars do not allow for quick adjustment, you will struggle all the way.
  16. Armoring of binoculars: Some manufacturers cover their instruments as far as possible in protective rubber or synthetic housing. These binoculars are known as "armored binoculars". This protects the instrument from scratches and - very important - from bumps, which could harm the inner workings of the binocular.
  17. Collimation: By "collimation" is meant the alignment of the optical elements to the mechanical axis of your binocular. If this has not been not done properly, double images will be your fate, resulting in eyestrain and eventually headache.
  18. Type of glass the prisms are made of: Bak-4 is a high density glass, of better optical quality than BK-7 and by far the best for making binocular prisms. Fortunately nowadays even cheap binoculars have Bak-4 prisms, whereas that would not have been the case a decade or two ago.

Trade-off between power, objective lens, field of view/vision and brightness of image.

Power and brightness of image: Apart from the impact of lens coatings, the brightness of an image is determined by the diameter of the exit pupil. As said above, the exit pupil is computed by dividing the objective lens diameter by the magnification. So, if your binoculars are 8x42, the exit pupil is 5.25. If you want a more powerful pair, like 10x42, your exit pupil will be 4.2. This will deliver less light to your eyes, which translates into less brightness. In bright daylight this will not be a problem, but in dim light as at dawn or dusk, or looking at an animal or bird in the shade of a tree, you will not get the same brightness as with a pair of binoculars with less power/magnification.

(One could argue in the same way by changing the diameter of the objective lens, keeping the magnification the same.)

Higher power not only impacts on brightness, but also on field of view: the higher the power, the narrower the field of vision. Field of view is important: The wider, the easier you can line up your binoculars on a bird in flight or an impala fleeing from a cheetah! However, a wide field of view comes at a price: Vividness. Too wide a field of view will often result in distortion at the edges of the image, whereas narrower field of view ensures sharpness of image. Sacrificing sharpness of image for a wider field of view is never a good choice.

Another problem associated with powerful binoculars is the fact that they are totally useless unless the binoculars are kept perfectly still, which is not easy at all. Several manufacturers, however, make binoculars with image stabilization that electronically reduces movement for steadier viewing, which is helpful when viewing from a moving vehicle or with powerful binoculars. Furthermore, there are tools available (like tripods and tripod adapters) to eliminate some movement.

Other useful links

Best compact binoculars
An article dedicated to compact binoculars, with a selection of the best compact binoculars in defined price ranges.
Super close focus binoculars
A discussion of binoculars capable of focusing as close as 2 meters (6-7 feet)and less.
Image stabilizing binoculars
A discussion of how manufacturers solved the problem of binocular viewing from an unstable environment.
Auto focus binoculars
A discussion of a special class of binoculars in which the focus has been set to the factory. They have no central focusing knob/wheel, but some have two diopters - one for each eye.
Best cheap binoculars
Price does count in binoculars, but if you're really not willing to pay more than $100.00, you could still buy a good instrument. Follow this link and get a carefully selected group of models below $100.00 for you to choose from.
How to buy night vision devices
A discussion of how these instruments work, with a recommendation of a few.

Let's vote on binoculars!

In the price range $200-00 to $250-00, these are my two favourites. Ad your own favourite and let's have some fun!

1

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Steiner 10x26 Predator Pro Binocular

Steiner 10x26 Predator Pro Binocular

Steiner Predator Pro Binoculars with high-contrast more...1 point

2

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Steiner 8x30 Safari Binocular

Steiner 8x30 Safari Binocular

The 8 x 30 is the perfect all purpose outdoor comp more...1 point

3

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Steiner 10.5x28 Wildlife Binocular

Steiner 10.5x28 Wildlife Binocular

Tough, waterproof, portable and manufactured from more...1 point

4

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Steiner 12x30 Wildlife Pro Binoculars

Steiner 12x30 Wildlife Pro Binoculars

Steiner 12x30 mm Wildlife Pro Binoculars... high-p more...1 point

view all 7 items

Did you find my article on safari binoculars of any use for buying a safari binoculars?

  • sadashiva May 10, 2012 @ 8:10 am | delete
    Check this binocular out. Cannon all weather binocular. It's tough has image stabilization and much more
  • David Cole Dec 15, 2011 @ 1:52 am | delete
    Clearly the Safari Binoculars have very different guidelines and options than the average binocular. This is because they are for a very specific purpose. They are to aide you in seeing wildlife while you are on Safari.
    night vision binoculars
  • Gary Nov 24, 2011 @ 8:27 am | delete
    Nice lens.Its very helpful for me because i am looking for buying new Binoculars.Thanks for sharing very important consideration for buying binoculars.
  • mplachenko Apr 2, 2010 @ 1:47 pm | delete
    Great article. I've had a couple Steiner binoculars over the years and have always been impressed with their durability and quality.
  • Feb 13, 2010 @ 8:30 am | delete
    cool lens. Check out mine.
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