Binoculars Info

Going to a horserace? Perhaps you are going to trapse around the wild in search of our ornithological friends (birdwatching)? Then you will be needed a good pair of binoculars. After you have purchased them, you will not get much use from them if you do not take proper care of your binoculars. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and this adage holds true whether its changing the oil in your car at regular intervals or performing maintenance on your binoculars.

The first rule of proper binocular care is the same rule for doctors when they take the Hippocratic Oath which is first, Do No Harm. Your binoculars will not work very well for very long if you are constantly dropping them or mistreating them. Binoculars are a sensitive piece of ocular equipment and while they may seem sturdy, any repeated physical blow can cause the lenses to misalign and to blur the image.

So now that we are making sure that we are avoiding overt physical damage, we need to focus on proper cleaning. Maintaining the lenses is will be our main focus from now on. But in order to care for the lens properly one must make sure that it is free from dirt and debris. If the lens is dirty it will not focus properly and will issue a distorted image. So, to keep the lens clean we must clean it with the proper materials.

The materials needed to clean your binoculars are a proper cloth and the correct cleaning solution.

One should NEVER use ordinary cloth to clean the lenses of binoculars. Even if the cloth feels smooth to your skin, it has rough fibers that will damage the lenses by leaving scratches and other marks on the surface. The type of cloth you should use is a microfiber cloth. Microfiber cloth wins out because it is thinner than regular cloth, streaks less and is generally more gentle on the coating of the lens ( the coating on the lens is important as it prevents unfocused light from bouncing around inside the binoculars).

In order to protect the coating you must also use the correct cleaner when performing maintenance. Use an ordinary cleaner and you will damage the coating and permanently blur the lenses. This is because the coating on the lenses contains a chemical that can negatively react to an improper cleaning solvent.

One additionally factor to consider is that of moisture getting inside the binocular. Water is corrosive and can contain tiny bits of particulate which can accumulate inside the optic when water gets in and dries out. Therefore, if the binocular is to be used in an area which has high humidity, the best way to go is to buy a pair that is waterproof.

These are some of the things you need to consider when caring for our binoculars. If you maintain them properly, they will richly reward you for years to come.



By: Jerry Shepard

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amandac asked:


i live in london and would like bird watching. problem is- don’t have a good pair of binoculars. where can i get them from? and what are the suitable lens dimensions?
would a pair of binoculars meant to watch birds with, also be suitable for a bit of amateur star-gazing?

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Because of today’s active lifestyles, we feel that using binoculars is not a simple spectator sport. There are many outdoor activities that a quality set of binoculars are required to make the experience fulfilling. Living in Colorado, we have found this to be especially true. To the ardent hunter, it is an absolute must to be included with the rest of their hunting equipment. To the hikers and naturalists, a top quality pair of binoculars will enhance every outing. Here in Colorado, the mountainous scenery is so spectacular and the wildlife is so fascinating to observe. That is why today’s binoculars need to offer state-of-the-art features.

I believe that Alpen Apex is one of the finest lines of binoculars available. I feel that Alpen Apex binoculars provide the best in optics quality and the latest optics technology. Alpen Apex binoculars offer features including fully multi-coated BAK4 glass, PXA™ phase coating and HR™ metallic coating. Because of these features, you get clearer viewing in bright and dim light and even in the wettest of conditions. Alpen Apex binoculars are lightweight, waterproof, sealed and nitrogen filled.

Three models offer super close focus and two Mossy Oak ® models are available. Alpen Apex feature long eye relief binoculars and new pull up, twist lock eyecups to provide extra field of view. They have rubber armoring for comfort, protection and durability. They also offer soft rubber rain guards. Because of the features offered with this fine line of binoculars, they provide the maximum brightness for clear, high resolution images.

I have explored this country from Washington to Florida and from Wisconsin to Arizona. Not having binoculars during some of these adventures, I will never know what I missed. This is why I feel that having a great set of binoculars, especially Alpen Apex binoculars, is a necessity for every outdoors person.



By: William Martin

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Military may mean soldiers of a nation to some, the whole armed forces to some more. Military surplus is a term used for stuff which has been auctioned by military for general use by people as it is no longer useful for the military. This stuff often contains publicly useful items as clothing, jackets, and other tools and items including military surplus binoculars.

Binoculars are an important instrument the military uses in their warfare that helps them to plan, track and protect themselves from their enemies. Any qualitative error may lead to an extent of losing the nation to another or even their life.

As per the general understanding the military people survive on varied environmental conditions and their movements are also in rough areas so the instruments that they carry must also survive all these conditions.

They use binoculars very often during their movements. The binoculars that they use must certify all the legal norms and standards for which they pass across different levels of testing. The manufacturing of the military binoculars must pass through all the laws and standards, so, these military surplus binoculars are expected to deliver much more in terms of quality and durability as compared to consumer binoculars.

Military surplus binoculars vary in sizes. They range from small to big. The small ones can be used by hands and the heavier ones require a tripod stand for mounting them. Recently, binoculars have been mounted on caps that do not require hands to hold them. The hand used ones are the commonly used pieces available at a military surplus store. These military surplus binoculars can focus images many times closer and brighter than normal ones available otherwise to the consumer, and when he gets these at a military surplus store, nothing beats the deal, since consumer binoculars of such caliber are either not just there or if available, are too costly.

These military surplus binoculars are made of durable materials that can withstand extreme environmental conditions and handling without breakage. They withstand rain, snow, fog and heat and are resistant to water and temperature. The lens does not break in extreme conditions, nor do the binoculars become unusable in fog or other conditions.

Military surplus binoculars are also made up of infrared components that enable clear view during night. Such features enable the military personnel to have a clear vision during any weather condition and also from any place ranging from forest to the hilltop. Obviously you too would be benefiting from this technology if you are able to lay your hands on such a piece at a military surplus store.

It is not necessary that only military needs to use such high caliber binoculars. Also we individuals can use them if you are for achieving the best results in combination with the above features. Your kid wants to view the stars in a foggy winter night? they can achieve that wit a pair of military surplus binoculars.

Military surplus binoculars though are made for the military, are light in weight and easy to use and operate, so can be bought at a military surplus store without second thought. As they are durable and weather-resistant, they can be given to children without worrying about damage to the binoculars or the lens using reasonable care. They would enjoy viewing distant objects that are not clearly visible with their ***** eyes and you would be surprised how you and your kids can get hooked.



By: Pat Burns

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The following is an article written to teach the customer basic terminology that is used when discussing the 21st century first binocular generation. This article covers the two most important groups of terms. The first group of terms or jargon involves the roof and porro prisms. The second of the two most important terms needed to learn to understand and to say are numbers rather than more words.  They are one small and one larger number separated by an “x”. An example is 8 x 32.  Read the article and both words and numbers will all be explained to your satisfaction.

 

 

When one speaks of a binocular “revolution”, the reference is to all the manufacturers involved in producing numerous different models of binoculars.  What happened and when?  18-24 months ago, several well-established and highly respected manufacturers involved in the use of optics decided to use current new technology and mix it with the basic binoculars of the time.  At that time, binoculars differed mainly by their manufacturer, the actual size of the pair of binoculars, and their price, which was manufacturer notoriety dependent.

 

Now prior to 2 years, the selection of a pair of binoculars was quick and easy.  Now, however, if a consumer decided to look for a pair of binoculars for their specific needs, their task can quickly and suddenly become an overwhelming one.  A consumer now has to have a background (such as given to them in this article) on the new generation of binoculars, so that their pick will fulfill their needs.

 

Customers are now faced with choices of manufacturers, models, and functional types with prices ranging from a low of $30 to highs in the hundreds and thousands of dollars.  The best way to handle all this information is to simplify it so that the pair you buy is the pair you need.  Once you set out to learn the new terminology or jargon used to describe these binoculars, you will realize how lucky you are to have this new generation available.

 

All current types of binoculars can be divided into two groups: the porro prisms and the roof prisms.

 

The models in the porro prism category tend to be the more traditional looking pairs of binoculars with their lenses offset, while appearing as wide as they are long.  These same models tend to be heavier and bulkier.  One very positive aspect of porro prism model design is that they tend to let in more light than their counter parts.  This extra light produces sharper and brighter images.

 

On the other hand, roof prism binoculars look like the connection of two straight tubes.  The designs are much newer allowing for production of more compact binoculars.  Their lenses can still be fairly large, similar to the porro type binoculars.  Due to their newer designs, even with large lenses, the physical weight and size of these binoculars can still be greatly reduced.  On the whole, roof prisms tend to be small and lighter weight binoculars as compared to the slightly older and heavier porro cohorts.  To repeat, porro binoculars tend to produce sharper and brighter images than the lighter in weight, and smaller in size roof binoculars.

 

The second important jargon used to describe a pair of binoculars involves numbers rather than words.  This descriptive language is written as one small number and one large number separated by an “x”.  The first number on the left side of the x represents the number of time the object is magnified when viewing it through the lens.  The number to the right of the x represents the diameter of the objective lens, expressed in millimeters.  Therefore, the combination of 8 x 32 means the object appears to be magnified eight times while seeing it through a lens that is 32mm in diameter.

 

Therefore, when setting out to pick the binoculars best for you or as a gift, it is important to learn about and understand the two types of prisms and the meaning of the two number, separated by an x.  The first number to the left of the x represents the number of magnifications one sees the object while looking through the two lenses. The second number or the one to the right of the x represents the number of mm of the diameter of the lens. The higher the number to the right, the larger the lens diameter and the more light that can get through.  The more light, the brighter and sharper the image appears.  Unfortunately, the larger the diameter of the lens, the heavier and bulkier is the pair of binoculars, the more cumbersome it is to carry.

 

In an upcoming article, I plan on delving even deeper into the specifications that are used to understand and help the customer in finding that pair that will fulfill their needs best.

 



By: Reed S. Oxman M.D.

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