How often have you been studying a distant feature or animal and wished you were a bit closer to see more detail? If you think about it, I’ll bet it’s more often than you previously thought.

Even with 20/20 vision, it’s still difficult to see fine detail at long range. This is where a good pair of binoculars come in to their own. By ‘good’, I refer to ‘high-quality optics’ designed for specific purposes, which in my case is mainly hunting where I use binoculars with a built-in rangefinder.

There is no substitute for quality binoculars and optics in general for use in the outdoors. They add another dimension by enabling us to see the fine detail of distant things, as if we were up close and personal.

In recent years we have been showered with a veritable smorgasbord of excellent binoculars to choose from for our various pursuits. Those that will do a good job, can differ in price from the hundreds of dollars to well into the thousands for top-end models. The rule of thumb is to do your research and buy the best pair that you can afford. The same goes for any optical equipment, as there is no substitute for quality. If you follow that bit of advice, you will rarely be disappointed.

Any quality binoculars in the 7×35 to 10×42 bracket will suit most conditions. However, for close-range viewing, in thicker cover, even 6x may work best, but the same 6x binoculars would be left wanting in more open country at extended ranges.

Binoculars over 10x fall into the ‘special usage’ category and are not generally suited to casual handling, as they are difficult to hold steady. Remember the old adage of horses for courses.

A hunter will need binoculars from between 7 to 10 power with an objective lens large enough to gather sufficient light for viewing game at the peak hunting times of dawn and dusk. The average traveller or sightseer on the other hand will likely not require such a large objective lens. Provided that the instrument is of high quality, waterproof and has sufficient multi-coated lenses, an objective lens of at least ‘30mm’ in diameter will suffice, such as 7×30, 8×30 and 10×30.

There is another bonus here as well ‑ binoculars with smaller objectives are usually less expensive, smaller overall and lighter than their larger brethren. In the high-quality optics category, most makers have many models with both smaller and larger objective lenses.

A pair of 10x42mm binoculars for instance, means they appear to bring things 10 times closer and the objective lens is 42mm in diameter. Accordingly, they are large and heavy. A pair of 8x30mm binoculars are much smaller and lighter, just the ticket for travelling. It doesn’t matter how good your binoculars are, if you leave them at home or in the car, they are of absolutely no use to you at all. So, a pair that is more easily carried around will inevitably see more use.

With binoculars, bigger is not necessarily better. This goes for physical size and weight as well as optical power. Any 10 power binoculars are about as much as the average person can hold steady to look at anything. My 10x are usually held firm against 1.8m long shooting sticks, to help see detail without wobble. As you can imagine, this problem is aggravated when puffing and wheezing after climbing a hill or mountain, as every movement through the binoculars is magnified 10 times.

Accordingly, a pair in the 8×30 range is just about perfect for the occasional user, traveller and sightseer. They give plenty of magnification at 8x and a sufficiently large objective lens at 30mm for most lighting situations, combined in a relatively compact unit. Bearing in mind, if too heavy or bulky, you will be inclined to leave them behind.

Without exception, hunting and wildlife guides around the world use high-quality 10x binoculars. Remembering that their success as guides is measured by their ability to locate and assess animals and ultimately, by the success of their clients.

With the improved quality of binoculars manufacture and lens coating technology, finding a suitable item in any appropriate price range has never been easier than it is today. In the median $500 to $1000 bracket, there are many suitable options but if you can afford to spend the extra money – you won’t be disappointed.

Do your homework and research on the internet, then ensure your chosen binoculars are in a suitable size for your intended purpose. Make sure of these three major attributes:

• Rubber armoured, as you will inadvertently bump them against many things during the average day sightseeing. If they don’t have rubber armour, they may become damaged.
• Waterproof, for protection against a heavy downpour and in case they are dropped in water.
• ‘Fully multi-coated lenses’, both internally and externally. The better the quality of the lenses and the coatings, the higher degree of light transmission through the binoculars to your eyes, guaranteeing the brightest possible image in poor conditions.

Binoculars can add a whole new dimension to our travelling and sightseeing, so if you don’t already have any, buying a good quality pair is worth considering.