Binocular Reviews Home > Buyer & User Guides > Fixed & Individual Focussing Binoculars
Manufacturers using terms like Self Focusing binoculars, or as they also sometimes use: Auto Focus Binoculars is very misleading and leads to a lot of confusion. In this article, I hope to clear this all up.
This is because these devices don't actually auto or self focus at all and there is no mechanism that automatically does this for you. This is just marketing companies hyping them up and in the process they have contributed to confusing everyone!
More accurate marketing terms are fixed focus, focus free binoculars, or always in focus binoculars (but even then, you usually have a way of making minor adjustments to the focus as most of these instruments have a diopter adjustment on each of the eyepieces).
These fixed focus or permanent focus binoculars that have no focusing mechanism in them at all and have been designed to have a fixed but really long depth of view (usually from around 40ft to infinity) and thus they are said to have a large hyperfocal distance.
What this means is that everything from usually around 40 feet to infinity will remain in focus.
Individual Focus Binoculars with Diopter Adjusters on both eyepieces
However whilst you do get some permanently fixed focus binoculars with no focus mechanism at all, these completely no focus binoculars cannot allow for any sort of differences in the strength of vision between your eyes.
So what are far more common and indeed far better are Individual Focus Binoculars.
These don't have a single focus wheel and mechanism that simultaneously adjusts the focus on both sides of the binocular as you get on normal instruments and which most of you will be familiar with. Instead they have two diopter adjusters - one on each of the eyepieces that enable you to alter the focus of each side of the binocular independently.
However this must not be looked at in the same way as the main focus wheel on a standard binocular. These dioptric correction rings are there to calibrate the binocular to your particular vision and thus allow for any differences in your left and right eyes.
So whilst it is possible by using both the diopters to make small focal adjustments and thus change the minimal focal distance, they still don't have the same close range as you get on most cental focusing binoculars.
In order to make a binocular that needs no main focus adjustment, they are designed to focus on distant objects with a very long depth of view.
Thus their optics are designed so that they use your eyes natural ability to focus and so I suppose you can see where the marketing terms of auto focus or focus free came from.
To set the fixed focus binocular to your particular eyesight, you adjust the diopter of each eyepiece to your vision (which is why they are also referred to as individual focus bins). Once you have completed this step, they require no further adjustments. That is unless someone with a different strength of eyesight wants to use them, your vision changes or your setting is moved by accident.
Why all the confusion with the names?
The confusion in the name and the tag of self focusing binoculars has probably been brought about by clever marketing strategies from the major manufacturers of this type of binocular trying to make them sound more sophisticated than they actually are.
What ever you wish to call them, Fixed focus, or always in focus binoculars have been around for over a few decades now they have their uses and there are some excellent quality binoculars of this type out there.
Always in Focus Binoculars sound great, but are considered to be a compromise in design, suited for convenience, but not well suited for work that falls outside their designed range or uses.
I recently received a question from a reader wanting to know "Does it make any difference if the binocular you want has individual eye adjusters or not, and which are better central focus knob, or individual eye focusers?"
I think it is more a case of horses for courses in that both have their advantages over each other and thus which is better will largly depend on what situation you are in or what you are using them for.
For uses like astronomy, marine, some sporting event or just about any long distance observation uses where you don't need a close focus and most of what you look at is far away, you do not need to constantly change focus and thus, once you have set up the binocular using the diopters on each eyepiece, you then never have to make any further changes. So here an individual eye focus binocular is certainly a viable option.
For most other general uses and activities such as birding, wildlife observation etc, where you need the flexibility of being able to quickly take the focus from viewing something like a bird in a nearby bush to then viewing distant objects like a deer in a field or even the stars, then I would suggest a binocular with a central focus mechanism would be a far better option.
Automatic Focusing Binoculars were initially made popular by the brand "Jason" which was established in 1947 in Kansas City. The Jason brand made a group of self-focusing binoculars that became very popular in the 1970's and early 80's. The Jason brand of binoculars was then bought by Bushnell who have now re-branded them as their PermaFocus line of auto focus binoculars. As far as I know, Jason Binoculars are no longer in production.
Video Demonstrating the Bushnell 8x25 PermaFocus Focus Free Compact Binoculars
Below are a few selected Auto Focus Binoculars (Fixed Focus)
Compare the main features of all Fixed Focus binoculars on BBR Side-By-Side
A compact binocular that the Transformers would be proud of! The Pentax VD 4x20 can be split in half and thus converted into two 4x monoculars, which in turn can be placed end-on-end, transforming it once again into a mini-sized, but powerful 16x Spotting Scope! Price: (3/6) Mid Priced Binoculars | |||||||||||||||
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Excellent quality mid-sized marine binoculars ideal for speed boating, sailing, yachting or indeed kayaking and canoeing, but can also be used for a number of dry-land activities. Highlights include a tough waterproof chassis and outer armor that is very comfortable in the hands, with high levels of grip. High-quality glass and coatings deliver a bright, vibrant view with extremely low levels of color fringing and almost no softening around the edges of the view. Price: (3/6) Mid Priced Binoculars | |||||||||||||||
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Designed to withstand the rigors of the professional marine and fishing industries, these 7x50 Fujinon Polaris binoculars also make excellent wide-field astronomy binoculars. Highlights include a fully nitrogen purged and water proof all-metal chassis with a rubber coated exterior, a built-in compass and range-finding reticle, extremely wide field of view, field flattener lenses and Fujinon's EBC multi-coatings on every optical surface for a light transmission of more than 95% Price: (5/6) High Value Binoculars | |||||||||||||||
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High powered binoculars specifically designed with astronomy in mind, but which can also very effectively be used for long range terrestrial observation. The large 70mm lenses in combination with a quality fully multi-coated optical system to a great job collecting and then transferring a high level of light to your eyes for bright, high quality views. Price: (3/6) Mid Priced Binoculars | |||||||||||||||
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Great quality optics and coatings in combination with very large 56mm objective lenses and a moderate 8x power results in a binocular that is able to deliver the brightest images in extremely adverse light conditions. These attributes as well as many others make this binocular not only suitable but excel in a wide range of uses and times where light is a limiting factor. This includes hunting, security, general wildlife, birding, marine and astronomy. Price: (4/6) Mid-High Value Binoculars | |||||||||||||||
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The 7x50 configuration, tough body designed to withstand the elements as well as it's bright image, wide field of view and of course the rangefinding reticle, digital GPS and compass mark these Celestron binoculars out as the ideal companion for boaters, security and military personnel as well as hunters and especially those involved in search and rescue operations.
Price: (3/6) Mid Priced Binoculars | |||||||||||||||
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High quality, high powered binoculars that are hand assembled in the USA using high specification Japanese optics, these are designed for long range terrestrial observation and astronomy. With their large 70mm objective lenses and high quality optical coatings, these Celestron Echelon binoculars outperform many of their direct competitors in low light. Tripod adaptable, their tough, yet lightweight aluminium body means you can also hand hold them in some situations for added flexibility. Price: (5/6) High Value Binoculars | |||||||||||||||
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The fixed focus compact roof prism binoculars, come with a very comfortable open bridge design and are fully waterproof and filled with nitrogen gas to prevent internal fogging. They have a very wide field of view and produce a high quality image that makes these ideal take anywhere binoculars.
Price: (3/6) Mid Priced Binoculars | |||||||||||||||
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The New Bushnell 7x50 Marine Binoculars (13-7507) are designed for boating, but can be used in any demanding environment or where rock-solid durability is required. Not only are they completely waterproof, but they actually float and come with a host of features that includes a digital compass for true heading and range finding scale that allows you to estimate the range to objects of a known size.
Price: (3/6) Mid Priced Binoculars | |
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Compare features of all Fixed Focus binoculars on BBR Side-By-Side