8x42 vs 8.5x45 Binoculars

The generally “accepted standard” and probably the most commonly made and sold configuration of all full sized binoculars is 8X42 – that is binoculars with an 8x magnification and with 42mm diameter objective lenses. There are many good reasons for this, but is this set-up right for everyone or would something a little different be […]


How to Choose Binoculars

Separating Real Features from Marketing Hype With such a huge amount and variety of brands, sizes, and prices it can get more than a little overwhelming when trying to make a shortlist, nevermind actually choose your binoculars and this is made even the more difficult with all the marketing jargon and the fact that each […]


How Different Configurations Affect a Binocular

10x42, 8x42, 8x32, 10x26… What is right for me? I often get asked questions in relation to the different configurations of a binocular and which one is the best for a particular use or uses. So I thought I would put this document together that goes through the major binocular configurations and explains each of […]


How to use Binoculars

Introduction Things that we do often or regularly become second nature and we do them without even thinking about it. It is because of this that I probably took it for granted that everyone would just know how to use binoculars and so I never really thought about writing an article for BBR about the […]


What do binocular numbers mean?

AboveThe BBR Video above answers the question: What do the numbers mean on a binocular and is part of my Binoculars 101 series on What To Look For When Buying Binoculars.  BelowThe article below was written by Derek Sergeant and takes the perspective of a newcomer learning about the importance and meaning of the numbers […]


Binoculars 101: Magnification, Stability, Field of View & Brightness

How a Binoculars Magnification affects your Viewing Experience In this article I’m going to discuss magnification and in particular how a binoculars power (magnification) impacts your experience whilst using it. Please note: For the purpose of this document, I’ll be using the terms power and magnification interchangeably. Size of the Binocular When considering a binoculars […]


How Binoculars are Made

Binoculars 101: How they are made I recently came across this really interesting video produced by the Discovery Channel on How Binoculars are Made from their “How It Is Made Series” and which gives us a fantastic insight into the main steps involved in manufacturing a pair of binoculars. The program makers obviously gained access […]


The Basics: Birding with Binoculars – Aiming

Using your Bird Watching Binoculars It was recently pointed out to me by a friend of mine that my main Guide to Birdwatching Binoculars was for her, a little too technical and did not help her enough with the practical aspects of actually using binoculars for birding. As a beginner, she just wanted to know […]