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Home > Blogs > Birds and Butterflies > Archives > 2009 > May > 12 > Entry
Getting that ‘Good Look’
Binoculars: They seem so easy to use. See a bird, put up your binoculars, and bingo, there’s the bird, right? It’s actually more difficult than it sounds. I don’t even try to teach children to use binoculars, they are just too difficult to master. So, if you’re having trouble, don’t worry; this is a skill that takes practice.
Here is a hint: Go outside and find something simple, like a distant road sign or mailbox. Look at your target, and without moving your eyes, bring up your binoculars. This is hard to do, because there will be a brief moment when you can’t see your target, and you’ll naturally want to look at your binoculars. But if you can refrain from moving your eyes, you’ll hit your target, dead on!
On your binoculars, you should have two numbers, like 8 X 45. The first number represents your magnification, and your second number represents your field of view (how much you see through your binoculars). The higher your field of view, the easier your binoculars will be to use, and typically, the more light transfers to your eyes (which is important to see vibrant color).
8 X 45 are good numbers to go by. Compact binoculars have about half the field of view of traditional binoculars, but are usually preferred by beginning birders because of their portability, weight, and cost. If you’re just getting into the hobby, I seriously recommend to keep those compacts in the car for spur-of-the-moment birding, but to get some larger binoculars for those birding trips. Check out metroparks.org for your next bird hike!
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