Unlike most gadgets, the accessories made for binoculars are more of a necessity rather than serving as fancy add ons.

When it comes to binoculars, there is an adage that holds true: “Take care of the tool and the tool will take care of you”. It is not only important to invest in a good pair but also in the purchase of the accessories that will prolong its life.

Lens Caps
The functions of the lenses are not only to allow you to see through them but also to receive light reflected off and also magnifying the observed subject. It is therefore important to protect the lenses.

A quality pair of lens caps will protect the lenses from scratches and other irreversible damages. So find a pair that will fit nicely over the lens of the binoculars.
If you also loosing things, find a tethered pair of lens caps so that you will not forget or misplace them. Plus, having it dangling around will also serve as a reminder for you to replace them back on the lenses.

Service Kit
Having a good service kit is useful when you want to clean and maintain your binoculars. By keeping your supplies in one place, you are sure to have them whenever you need them. Other than the main kit, make one that you can carry around with you so that you can keep your lenses clean when you’re out in the field.

The kit should contain lens cleaning solution and a lint-free or anti-static cloth. Do not substitute the specialized cleaning solution with any other commercial products (like laundry detergent or hand soap) as they can be harsh for the lenses. The lint-free or anti-static cloth should also be soft enough to prevent scratching the lenses when cleaning it.

When using your binoculars, you may occasionally set them down on the ground. This may cause dirt and sand to accumulate on the lens area. Never shake them off as this will mess with the alignment of the lenses.

Have a set of plastic tweezers in your kit so that you can pick off a large chunk of dirt and sand without damaging and misaligning the lenses.

Related Posts:

• Best Binoculars – Main
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• Nikon Action 7×35 EX Extreme ATB Binoculars Review – Best Value Binocular
• Olympus Tracker 8×25 Porro Prism Compact and Lightweight Binoculars Review – Best Compact Binoculars
• Canon 12×36 Image Stabilization II Binocular Review – Big Brother Stabilizer.
• Canon 10×30 Image Stabilization Binocular Review – Little Brother Stabilizer.

If you want to get the best use and longest life out of your binoculars, keep good care and maintenance for them. Always check its manual for any specific care and maintenance instructions. If there aren’t any special needs for your binoculars, here are some tips to care for your binoculars.

Do remember not to clean your binoculars while you are out in the field. Clean them in a clean environment where there is minimal exposure to dirt and dust. Also, make sure there are enough white or natural light.

Follow the steps below to clean your binoculars:

1. Before attempting to clean the lenses, remove any dust, dirt or sand off the lenses with a soft lens brush or a can of compressed air. If there is residue, use a soft lens cleaning tissue, lint free cloth or cotton swab.

2. To clean grease, use a lens cleaning solution and a lens cloth. With a soft touch, remove any foreign substance with light pressured circular motions to avoid any damages onto the lenses’ coating.

3. Once the surfaces of the lenses are clean, breathe on the lenses to create a vapor coating on each lens. Before it evaporates, polish the lenses with a lens cleaning cloth.

4. For a more thorough cleaning, clean the entire body of the binoculars. With a soft bristle toothbrush, scrub the crevices of the casing. Top it off by wiping it down with a damp cloth.

Remember, don’t pour the cleaning solution directly on the lenses’ surfaces as it may seep into the barrel of the binocular. Also avoid harsh cleaners and cloths as it may scratch the surface of the lenses.

And here are some tips to prolong the use of your binoculars:

• Keep the lenses free from dirt and moisture.
• When unused for a long while, make sure that they are not exposed to direct sunlight (such as on your car’s dashboard).
• Remember to handle them with care. To avoid misalignment of the lenses, try not to drop, shake and bump your binoculars. This will make your binoculars unusable until repaired. Collimation problems are not covered by warranties and need to be rectified by a trained technician.
• Keep your binoculars in their cases. Make sure that the rubber eyecups are on the top. Make sure they are stored in a cool, dry place.

Go to my Best Binoculars main page or blog for more tips and recommendations on binoculars.

Here’s a short summary for you to get a better idea what kind of binoculars you would need:-

General Purpose

• multi-coated and bigger objective lenses for good light
• individual focus
• waterproof
• lightweight
• My personal opinion is that if you don’t have a specific purpose to put your binoculars to, get one that is affordable to try out, such as the Bushnell Powerview 8×21 or the Olympus Tracker 8×25; but if you have several purposes, get the overall champion Nikon Monarch ATB 8×42

Bushnell Powerview 8x21

Olympus Tracker 8x25

Nikon Monarch ATB 8x42

Bird watching

• be sure to get lightweight birding binoculars which are comfortable on your neck and easier to hold for hours
• fully multi-coated or at least multi-coated for the great image quality (you don’t want to miss the colors and details)
• center focus for faster and up close focusing unless you’re always looking at distant birds
• reasonably wide exit pupil for working in dim light
• waterproof
• rubber housing to avoid making noises that will scare the birds away
• popular sizes are 8×40, 8×42, 10×40, 10×42
• My recommendation: Best Birding Binoculars
  Nikon Monarch ATB 8×42

Nikon Monarch ATB 8x42

Astronomy

• astronomy binoculars or night vision binoculars with wider exit pupil (about 7mm) and fully multi-coated
• if you’re going to use a tripod, heavier binoculars shouldn’t be a problem so might as well go for the porro prism binoculars with larger front lenses
• individual eyepiece focusing
• popular sizes are 7×50, 8×40, 8×42, 10×50 without a tripod; and 10×70, 20×80, 25×100 with tripod
• I prefer: Best Astronomy Binoculars
  Nikon Action 10×50

Nikon Action 10x50

Watching Sports or Concerts

• wider field of view
• waterproof binoculars in case it rains
• lightweight
• My favorite binoculars for sports and concerts: Olympus Tracker 8×25

Olympus Tracker 8x25

Hiking or Butterfly/Insect Watching

• lightweight and compact binoculars for easier transport
• waterproof
• popular sizes are 8×25, 10×25
• I strongly recommend: Pentax Papilio 6.5×21

Pentax Papilio 6.5x21

To get a pair of binoculars that can really perform to your standards, you’ll have to understand binoculars. I’ve compiled here all the technical stuff about binoculars, but don’t get fazed by all the terms! Go to my binoculars guide if you want recommendations for birding, astronomy, sports or concerts watching, etc.

Power and light

If you ever wondered what the numbers “7×25” or “8×40” mean: the first number represents the power of magnification, and the second number is the diameter of the front lens. The larger the first number is, the larger the object is magnified, but it would also mean the reducing of image brightness, field of view and image stability. You may find that the image is not so steady when holding binoculars with more than 10x magnification in your hands. For these kind of binoculars, you can use a tripod.

Want to see bright and clear images in the dim light? The second number will mainly affect the brightness and sharpness of the image. Whether you are going to enjoy a starlit night or to look out for the early birds at dawn, you will need a larger exit pupil for your binoculars.

Divide the second number with the first number and you will get the exit pupil, which is the beam of light exiting the binoculars. For example, a pair of “8×40” binoculars will have a 5mm exit pupil. For normal daylight viewing, 2.5 – 4mm is good enough, but a wider exit pupil is needed for astronomy or nightlife watching.

However, I will not recommend an exit pupil larger than 7mm because it is then larger than the human eye pupil and the excess will be gone to waste. Possibly binoculars with exit pupils larger than 7mm are for marine and viewing on unsteady grounds, where a bigger exit pupil will be easier to keep centered on the eye.

But of course, the exit pupil is not the ultimate factor of image brightness. Lens coating and optical quality should also be taken into consideration.

Field of view

Field of view means the area you see in the binoculars image. It is determined by the power of magnification and eyepiece angle. If you want to watch sports or events in a stadium, where action takes place over a larger area, then you’ll need a wider field of view.

But remember that the wider field of view you have, the less magnification, that means you choose whether you want to follow the ball or you want to see your favorite sport star in a bigger sized image.

Eye Relief

Eye relief is the maximum distance you may position your eyes from the lenses and still see the entire field of view.

This is something you want to check if you wear eyeglasses, because eyeglasses will prevent you from putting your eyes as close as possible to the lenses and you don’t want to end up seeing only the center part of the image.

A 14-15mm eye relief is standard for eyeglasses wearers but if you wear thicker eyeglasses, you might want to consider binoculars with a longer 17-20mm eye relief.

Prisms

There are two kinds of prisms in binoculars – the porro prism and the roof prism. Porro prism binoculars are the older type which has offset eyepiece and lenses in zigzag shape, while roof prism binoculars are modern-looking with straight, sleeker housing.

The Porro prism is a simple and efficient technology for binoculars. It needs less cost to make than the roof prism binoculars which is complex and requires great optical precision. Nonetheless, roof prism binoculars are more popular now due to its appealing design.

Porro prism binoculars

Roof prism binoculars

Tips for those who are considering medium or low priced binoculars: porro prism binoculars will offer better performance in image quality for the money. But they’ll be bulkier and relatively less convenient to store or carry around though.

Lens coating

I’m sure that if you’re still reading this, you’re not looking for a pair of economy binoculars with plastic lenses. A pair of decent binoculars will have coating on its lenses which allow more light to go through instead of being reflected, giving you brighter images.

There are several levels of coating for binoculars:

Fully coated binoculars (FC) – all lenses of the binoculars are coated with a single layer of magnesium fluoride.

Multi-coated binoculars (MC) – some lenses of the binoculars are coated with multi layers of chemicals. This is better than single layer coating.

Fully multi-coated binoculars (FMC) – all lenses of the binoculars are multi-coated. This is the highest level of coating to give you the best and brightest images.

Fully multi-coated (FMC) binoculars are not cheap, of course, but you’ll never experience hazy images. For a less expensive but acceptable alternative, get at least multi-coated (MC) binoculars which will have some but not all lenses coated in multi-layered chemicals.

Focusing

Some people need their binoculars to focus on objects very close up, but some would like it to focus on distant things. So you might want to choose the type of focusing that suits you.

The most common type of focusing for binoculars is the center focus. Using a single wheel, it can focus on objects both very close and far away. I would recommend this for birdwatchers and insect lovers.

Another is the individual eyepiece focus, which allows you to focus each eyepiece separately, but once focused it will always stay focused from 40 yards to infinity. This is excellent for observing mid range to long range objects, but not at all suitable for seeing objects closer up. As you would guess, stargazers will prefer this.

Some binoculars also come with diopter adjustment for differences in strength between the right and left eye.

Other features

Waterproof - Waterproof binoculars prevent the inside of lenses from fogging up in the rain, and will be less susceptible to dust. You’d love this if you take your binoculars outdoors for nature trips. No more hiding them in the bag when it rains!

Rubber housing – Some binoculars are “armored” with rubber housing. They are better protected from scratches, make less noise when accidentally knocked on something, and also allow for a firmer grip. With this feature, you’ll never again scare the birds away.

Well, there might not be one single binoculars that suits your need perfectly, but I hope after reading this you’ll at least know what to look for. You can go to my Best Binoculars main page for recommendations and other binoculars guides.

Olympus Tracker 8×25 Porro Prism Compact and Lightweight Binoculars

Olympus Tracker 8x25

If you are buying your first pair of binoculars, not wanting to spend too much but would like to get a decent one for general use, the Olympus Tracker 8×25 is what I put on top of my recommendations list.

Great features of the Olympus Tracker 8×25:
1) Bak4 high quality optical glass prisms fully multi-coated for best clarity. Porro prisms offer better quality for the price yet combined with stylish smooth-edged design.

2) Being compact and lightweight, it gives you no problem for bringing it everywhere.

3) A wide 315-feet field of view at 1000 yards and 8x magnification – excellent for concerts and sporting events.

4) Comes with built-in photochromatic anti-glare lenses that protect you from sun rays.

5) Center focus for quick focus adjusting and diopter correction for individual eyesight.

Although the Olympus Tracker 8×25 is not waterproof, nor is it first-class binoculars in dim light conditions given its 25mm objective lens, it is delightful enough and reasonably priced for first timers. Click here to see the full review of Oylmpus Tracker 8 x 25.

Do you want to know what is the Best Birding Binoculars and the Best Astronomy Binoculars? I have more recommendations in my Best Binoculars main page.

The Japanese brand Nikon is enough to tell you that this pair of binoculars is made of quality and, quality. The Travelite series of binoculars have always been popular among bird watchers, hikers and nature lovers. Now you can expect a newer, better and improved version, the Travelite V.

Nikon 7510 Travelite 10x25 V Binoculars

Nikon Travelite V 10×25 – Exterior

First of all you will notice the beautifully designed exterior, covered with compact rubber, made for an easy and firm grip. This durable rubber armor also shields your binoculars from impact. And of course its 5.7 x 5.2 x 2.7 inches body makes it a medium sized binocular. The Travelite is light too, weighing just a pound. While on your nature walks, the Travelite’s size and weight won’t bother you.

Nikon Travelite V 10×25 – What is inside

Inside the Travelite V are multi-coated lenses, giving you excellent light transmission, while the precision-ground optics and the BaK4 high index prisms offers you true colour rendition, as well as a sharp image.

With a magnification power of 10x, and objective lens diameter of 25mm, the Travelite V has maximum light gathering. The close focus distance feature of 14 feet is also retained in this model.

The aspherical eyepiece lenses installed in the Travelite V gives you a very flat viewing field, and superior edge-to-edge sharpness. Focusing the Travelite V is also easy, with the large focus knobs located right at the center, along with strategically placed diopter adjusters.

Summary of Nikon Travelite V

At this price, you couldn’t get anything better. You not only get a pair of medium sized, light weight binoculars with 10x power, but one with great clear images as well as being comfortable to use. At 11.1 mm the eye relief could be a little longer if you ask me. Very nice indeed.

Further information:

• Click here to read more reviews on Nikon Travelite V 10×25

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First off, don’t expect too much from Pentax Whitetails Unlimited 10×50, judging by what you are paying for. This is the basic type of binoculars that has a decent function without all the luxury. But then again, though this cheap pair of binoculars may not be the high end product, it is not all that bad either.

Pentax Whitetails Unlimited 10x50 Binoculars

Pentax Whitetails Unlimited 10×50 – Armored and Durable

As one reviewer pointed out, the packaging is terrible. Even the brand name, Pentax isn’t printed on the box. Well you don’t judge a book by its cover, do you? The first glance shows you a rubber armor around the model; touching you tells you that the rubber cover is able to give you a good grip on the unit as well as protect the binoculars from knocks.

Something you might not see is the polycarbonate shell of the binoculars, which is extremely durable and can take some beating. Inside the binoculars is where the 10x magnification power comes from. The BaK4 prisms give superior light transmission and present a bright image, under most conditions.

Not just that, the wide field of view allows you to see what is happening on stage during a concert, while harmful ultraviolet rays are filtered out by the multi-coated lens.

How comfortable is the Pentax Whitetails Unlimited 10×50?

Comfort of use is also considered. The center focusing design allows fast and easy adjustments. And on top of that, the long eye relief of 19mm allows those with glasses to use it comfortably. In fact, the eye pieces itself can be adjusted to suit your own preference.

The size of the Whitetails is small, just 4.3 x 1.4 x 4 inches, but it weighs 3.7 pounds. That’s a bit on the heavy side, judging by the size and the functions. One reviewer also stated that the neck strap is lousy.

Well again, for the money you have taken out, I think its well spend, on the Whitetails, its just all about expectations.

Further information:

• Click here to read more reviews on Pentax Whitetails Unlimited 10×50

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I think the only difference between the Powerview 8×21 and the Powerview 12×25 is, yup you guessed it, the power of magnification and the objective lens diameter. But of course there are some other minor details but the main thing between the two is probably the power.

Bushnell Powerview 8x21 Compact Folding Roof Prism Binoculars

First of all, the Powerview 8×21 houses a 21mm objective lens, and they are roof prism binoculars. The optics used are also multi-coated to ensure great light transmission as well as a bright image.

Just like the 12×25, this model is great for watching birds in your office, watching your favorite celebrity on stage or to bring to a sporting event. And with the user friendly center focusing system, keeping track of moving targets are much easier.

Being a product from Bushnell means it is a really tough nut to crack. On top of that the rubber armor around it also helps lessen the impact upon knocks, while keeping your grip strong at the same time. On the other hand, one user claimed that he found fault in his, with the rubber armor getting unstuck and bits and pieces broken off.

What is better about the Powerview 8×21

Well, one thing about the Powerview 8×21 is that it has a larger field of vision, but I mostly attribute it to the fact that it has lesser power than the Powerview 12×25. With 778 feet at 1000 yards you get 150 feet wider than the 12×25. Another thing is that this model has a shorter close focusing distance of 21 feet, as well as being 4 ounces lighter, which makes it 7 ounces. Last but not least, the Powerview 8×21 is cheaper than the 12×25. Well, not by a lot but its still money right?

Powerview 8×21 Summary

Personally its all about preferences: You want a higher powered with less field of vision or lower power with wider field of vision. I think that the field of vision for both isn’t good anyway, but still great for beginners and casual users.

Further information:

Click here to read more about the Powerview 8×21

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When I first checked the price for this pair of binoculars I couldn’t really believe it was a Bushnell, renown for its toughness and durability. The Powerview 12×25 Compact Folding Roof Prism Binoculars probably deserves the attention of those leisure bird watchers, sports and concert goers that doesn’t need a high end binocular.

Bushnell Powerview 12x25 Compact Folding Roof Prism Binoculars

With 12x magnification, the Powerview is certainly able to compete with other expensive models in terms of power. The lens are also multi coated, providing you with great light transmission and an image that is bright.

Users will also find that the Insta-Focus system makes adjusting so much easier, so you can quickly get a sharp view of what’s happening on stage or a on a tree branch. Not to mention its compact size, which you can practically keep anywhere! Your pocket, the glove compartment, the drawer in your office or just carry it around your neck, it only weighs 11.3 ounces anyway!

Besides that the 25-foot close focusing distance lets you view insects with its details. The rubber protection around the Powerview also prevents it from slipping from your fingers, as well as lightens the impact of knocks.

Bushnell Powerview 12×25 – Worth its Price

Well for the price you are paying, the Powerview is a great pair of binoculars, unless you can’t live without waterproof and fogproof features. The field of view isn’t really wide, 240 foot at 1000yards. And another annoying thing is that the 9mm eye relief. This means you might need to press your glasses on the lens, in fact those with thicker glasses might have a bit of a problem.

You get what you pay for. I personally think that the Bushnell Powerview 12×25 is excellent for beginners and non die hard fans of bird watching.

Further information:

• Click here to read more about the Bushnell Powerview 12×25

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Size does not matter. Or does it? Well measuring at 4.5 x 4.3 inches and 2.2 inches thick, this wallet-sized binoculars is all about compactness. The 10.2 ounce 2.2 Pentax Papilio 6.5×21 Porro Prism Binoculars is easy to carry about and packed in your bag.

Pentax Papiliio 6.5x21 Porro Prism Binoculars

This is perhaps the best choice for those museum and gallery lovers. Besides its small size for easy carrying, its high quality Bak4 prisms allow better viewing in dimly lit interiors, such as museums. Its compactness doesn’t seem to hamper its capabilities.

The CLOSE feature, which stands for Convergent Lens Optical System Engineering, enables this unit to focus down to 1.6 feet. Focusing the Papilio would not be a hassle with this feature.

Pentax Papilio 6.5×21 for Butterfly Lovers

Since it is named after a butterfly, the Papilio is great to work with on the field. Ultraviolet rays that are harmful are filtered out with its fully multi-coated optics, in the mean time improving light transmission. At 100 yard you can get a reasonable 393-foot field of vision. The 6x magnification shows that this little device is able to help you get up close and personal with a pretty butterfly without scaring it away.

Putting the tech stuff aside, the Papilio is also comfortable to use with the Hellicoid eyepiece rings. Wearing spectacles will not hinder your viewing too! The price of this pair of binoculars might be a bit steep, but the quality is assured, with a life time guaranty to back it up. Plus it comes it eyepiece lens caps, a case and a neck strap.

Well if size DOES matter to you, the Pentax Papilio 6.5×21 Porro Prism Binoculars is your choice.

It’s not expensive too, only about $100 right now at Amazon. To make it easy for you, here’s the link to go to Pentax Papilio 6.5×21 at Amazon.

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