Ultimate Guide To Picking Binoculars – 12 Most Important Things To Consider

When it comes to picking binoculars for your favorite activity, be it hunting, birding, or general use, the choices and price ranges can seem endless. What do all these things mean such as FOV, edge-to-edge clarity, eye box forgiveness, chromatic aberration, etc? How do image stabilized binoculars come into play, and what magnifications are best for various activities? In this article, we’ll attempt to simplify the process of choosing the right binoculars for your specific needs by walking through a systematic process of elimination to end up selecting a pair of binoculars that you will be happy with for a long time.

I look at picking binoculars as somewhat of a waterfall, and there is an absolute downstream affect if you change one thing in the selection process. For instance, if you decide to go the stabilized binoculars route, that will send you down an entirely different path of options with different deciding factors than traditional binoculars.

Love optics? We certainly do here at Backwoods Pursuit, so make sure to check out our MONSTER 26 BINOCULAR REVIEW, as well as our massive 19 SPOTTING SCOPE REVIEW. For both of those reviews, we lined up the optics and tested them side by side!

First Order Of Business – Establish Your Budget

Before we dive into the process of selecting the right binoculars for your needs, this whole process is predicated on first setting your budget. This might sound elementary, and it really is, but it’s important to decide up front how much you are willing and/or able to spend on binoculars. Trust me when I say, the temptation to go over budget will be real and hard to shake.

Once you’ve established your budget constraints, we can then start a systematic process of picking the right binoculars. When it comes to optics, you typically get what you pay for, so it’s usually best to save a little extra rather than settling for a pair that you’ll soon be wanting to replace. With your budget in mind, let’s start narrowing down your options.

#1 – Stabilized vs Non-Stabilized – Picking Binoculars

IS THERE A REAL DIFFERENCE?

Prior to recent years, stabilized binoculars hadn’t gained much traction, but they were intriguing given the stability they offered without a tripod. In recent years, though, new offerings have hit the market offering improved optical performance and better image stabilization, making image stabilized binoculars a worthwhile consideration, depending on your use and needs. While this topic deserves its own entire article, and we’ve dedicated two lengthy videos going over their pros and cons, the short and simple answer is this:

1. If you hunt on the move a lot and don’t sit to glass much, stabilized are the way to go.
2. If you require the best possible low light performance, optical performance, and resolution, and don’t mind sitting down and attaching binoculars to a tripod, I’d go with standard non-stabilized binoculars as you get a better bang for your buck as far as optical performance.

WHAT ARE THE COMPROMISES IN STABILIZED BINOCULARS?

The most important thing to understand with image stabilized binoculars vs non-stabilized binoculars is what compromises you are making. After lengthy testing of many stabilized binoculars, as well as decades of experience with non-stabilized binoculars, here are things to consider:

Determining what features are most important to you will send you down one path or another. Ultimately though, I find myself using both, depending on the trip. If I’m going to be on the move a lot and might not have time to sit and glass for long periods of time, stabilized binoculars are a game changer. However, if I’m going to be sitting and glassing for hours on end, traditional binoculars on a tripod is my preference.

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#2 – Magnification – Picking The Right Binoculars

WHAT IS MAGNIFICATION

One of the first things you’ll want to consider when picking binoculars after you’ve decided on stabilized vs non-stabilized is what magnification you need. The magnification in binoculars is simply designed to bring an image closer to you. If hunting or birding, you are likely wanting to see more detail of that deer, elk, bear, or bird. But how much is too much magnification, and when would you want lesser magnification?

HOW TO PICK THE RIGHT BINOCULAR MAGNIFICATION

As a general rule, if you are hunting wide open spaces where you can see a long ways away, you’ll want a 10x binocular at a minimum. However, if I’m hunting these same wide open spaces for mule deer, I’ll likely grab a pair of 12x or even 15x binoculars. For general use though, staying at 12x or lower gives you an idea field of view. Once you get into 15x, 18x, and 20x binoculars you will need to plan to mount them on a tripod (save for your stabilized binoculars). If you plan to hand hold non-stabilized binoculars, anything over 12x gets very difficult to use.

HOW MAGNIFICATION APPLIES IN THE FIELD

In the most simple terms, the lower the magnification, the better low light and resolution you will typically have, as well as a larger field of view. This is due to the larger exit pupil (more on that in a moment) which allows for more light to enter the optic and provide a better viewing experience in low light situations. When it comes to magnification, just like in cameras or anything else that magnifies an image, the more magnification you have, the more difficult (and expensive) it is to produce a high quality image. More magnification reveals flaws.

Lower magnification also provides you with a larger field of view (more on that in moment) which can be useful in some situations. However, lower magnifications can be a detriment in big country when glassing a long ways away.

HOW IMPORTANT IS MAGNIFICATION?

Magnification is important, but for me personally, it’s not the MOST important thing when selecting the right binoculars. As with everything, the different aspects have an affect on other features such as resolution and field of view, but magnification is somewhat of a personal preference.

#3 – Objective Size – Selecting the Right Binoculars

WHAT IS OBJECTIVE SIZE

The objective lens on optics refers the to size, typically measured in millimeters, of the lens furthest from your face (not the lens you put your eyes up to).

HOW TO PICK THE RIGHT OBJECTIVE SIZE

Picking binoculars with right objective size for your needs will depend on what you need in a binocular. There many things to consider when selecting what objective size you might need, but a “standard” out west is the 42mm class binocular. They are a great balance of weight and performance overall. Some prefer to go smaller and sacrifice low light performance, while others are willing to carry the extra weight and gain the extra performance. Outside of performance, which is its own article entirely, it comes down to bulk and weight.

HOW OBJECTIVE SIZE APPLIES IN THE FIELD

The objective lens gathers light for the binoculars, so the larger the objective the more light gathering ability and the better the binoculars will typically perform in low light. Now, this is only one of the variables in the equation concerning low light performance, and we’ll cover that more below, but a larger objective generally improves low light performance but increases the overall weight and bulk of the binoculars.

HOW IMPORTANT IS OBJECTIVE SIZE?

For me, objective size is secondary, as I’m more concerned with overall performance, keeping the weight within reason, and getting the best optical performance. Some binoculars may have a huge 56mm objective but still not be that great in low light due to other factors, so objective size is one of those fluid pieces to the puzzle. For hunting out west, I’ll generally start with a 42mm and adjust from there.

#4 – Image Resolution- Selecting the Right Binoculars

WHAT IS IMAGE RESOULTION

Image resolution refers to how clear you can get the image you are looking at, or how well you can “resolve” the image. Image resolution is often referred to as “clarity”.

HOW IT APPLIES IN THE FIELD

It’s fairly simple, but generally the higher quality optics will allow you to resolve the image more clearly at longer distances. I’ve seen this first hand when a stump looked like a deer at roughly 1500 yards with an entry level pair of Vortex Diamondbacks a buddy was using, but once I threw up my Swarovski NL Pure, it was instantly obvious that it was a stump.

Also of importance to note is that image resolution will decrease when light fades. This is the case no matter how much you spend on your optics, but higher end optics like the Swarovski NL Pure, Zeiss Victory SF will allow you to resolve the image much better in low light.

HOW IMPORTANT IS IMAGE RESOLUTION?

When I am picking binoculars, image resolution is what I consider to be THE MOST IMPORTANT THING when considering optics. After all, that’s why we take binoculars in the field. Now, other factors can create a tiebreaker and make me select an optic with slightly worse image resolution if it excels in another area, but generally speaking, my baseline priority is to get the best resolution I can afford.

Also important to note is that an image stabilized binocular with lesser image resolution can provide better results than the most expensive pair of binoculars money can buy if those expensive binoculars aren’t sitting atop a tripod. I’ve personally experienced this, having both the Kite Optics ED Stabilized Binoculars and the Swarovski NL Pure in hand on the same hunt. Bottom line, the stabilized binoculars out-performed my Swarovski NL Pure when we were running and gunning, not taking the time to sit and glass. However, once we sat to glass and I was able to put the NL Pure on a tripod, the decision was easy- the NL Pure was far and away better.

Which one to take on any given trip is still a struggle for me to this day as I hate giving up the optical performance of the NL Pure, but can’t deny the benefits of image stabilization.

#5 – Edge-To-Edge Clarity – Picking Binoculars

WHAT IS EDGE-T0-EDGE CLARITY?

Edge-to-edge clarity refers to how much of the field of view (FOV) gives you optimal resolution. Perfect edge-to-edge clarity is nearly impossible to achieve, and the only binoculars I can say I’ve ever looked through without any noticeable loss of clarity on the outer edges of the FOV is the Swarovski NL Pure. It’s fairly common for binoculars to lose clarity/resolution on the outer 10-25% of the FOV. However, less than a 10% loss is what I would consider exceptional.

HOW IT APPLIES IN THE FIELD

For me, good edge-to-edge clarity is a luxury, not a necessity. However, having the entire field of view be nice and crisp enhances your viewing experience, reduces eye fatigue, and allows you to more easily spot an animal that might be lingering on the outer edge of your field of view.

HOW IMPORTANT IS EDGE-TO-EDGE CLARITY?

When picking binoculars, having excellent edge-to-edge clarity falls right below image resolution and low light performance for me, but above things like the size of the field of view. It has become increasingly important the more glass I get to test and something that is instantly noticeable to the trained eye. Is it absolutely critical? No. Is it something that will improve your optical experience greatly and potentially help you spot more animals? Absolutely.

#6 – Chromatic Aberration – Selecting the Right Binoculars

WHAT IS CHROMATIC ABERRATION?

Chromatic aberration refers to an optical phenomenon where the lens you are using cannot focus all wavelengths of color, making the edges of the obeject look fuzzy. It looks like color fringing, and it is most noticeable around the edges of an object in high contrast such as a black rock against the light blue sky on the horizon. Chromatic aberration makes it harder see detail on fine objects like the antler of a deer. Below is an example from Kowa Optics

That blueish tint around the edges of the seagulls is Chromatic aberration. To the untrained eye, it can be tougher to spot, especially when you start getting into higher end optics and there is less and less of it, but once you know what to look for it’ll jump out at you.

HOW IT APPLIES IN THE FIELD

Chromatic aberration is something that can be a hinderance to spotting animals in the field, particularly if you are picking apart a hillside looking for antler tips or bedded animals. Less chromatic aberration means less eye strain, better, sharper images with better color fidelity, and overall a better image. That being said, the difference can be subtle.

HOW IMPORTANT IS CHROMATIC ABERRATION?

I wouldn’t consider chromatic aberration to be the most important thing to consider when picking binoculars, as you can still have an excellent image with the presence of chromatic aberration, but it is something that will bother you and cause more eye strain during long glassing sessions. Higher end optics generally have very little, so buy as much as you can afford with optics.

#7 – Field of View – Picking Binoculars

WHAT IS FIELD OF VIEW?

The field of view (FOV) refers to how much you are seeing when you look through your optics, typically measured in how many feet at 1000 yards, but also measured in degrees. How that translates is that if you have a binocular with a field of view of 340ft @ 1000yds, when looking at a hillside 1000 yards away, the total sight picture you would see when looking through the optic is 340 feet in diameter.

I’ve found it frustrating that some manufacturers advertise in an angular FOV and some advertise in feet @ 1000 yards. If the FOV for an optic you are considering is advertised in an angular measurement (Let’s say 7°), but you wish to compare it to another optic that is advertised using the ft @ 1000 yards method, that simple conversion math is:

Angular FOV x 52.5 = FOV in feet at 1000 yards. So, in this example, a binocular with a FOV of 7°, the equation would look like: 7 x 52.5 = 367.5ft @ 1000 yards. This isn’t exact, but it gets you really, really close.

HOW IT APPLIES IN THE FIELD

Having a large field of view makes a big difference in how much you can see while glassing, and subsequently the larger field of view, the more opportunity you have to catch an animal move while glassing. While FOV isn’t necessarily a deal breaker one way or the other, I’ve had instances where the larger FOV of something like the Swarovski NL Pure allowed me to spot an animal that I wouldn’t have otherwise seen- at least not as quickly and not without continuing to scan an area. In short, the larger the FOV, the more opportunity you are giving yourself to spot game.

HOW IMPORTANT IS FIELD OF VIEW?

For me, a larger FOV is something I look for when picking binoculars. I’ve noticed a big enough difference over the years that I tend to shy away from binoculars with a small FOV. That doesn’t mean I’ll always pick the one with a larger FOV, particularly when talking about stabilized binoculars, but it plays a major roll in my decision.

#8 – Low Light Performance – Selecting the Right Binoculars

WHAT IS LOW LIGHT PERFORMANCE?

Low light performance is simply how well an optic produces an image that is bright enough to use, combined with how well it can resolve an image in low light conditions. Low light performance is pretty simple, but how binoculars produce good low light performance is more complex. A number of things contribute to low light performance such as lens coatings and glass quality, but the largest contributing factors are:

1. Exit pupil size
2. Objective lens size
3. Magnification

Each of these work together with one another as the exit pupil is calculated by dividing the objective size by the magnification.

Here are few examples:

• 10×32 binocular: Exit Pupil size – 3.20
• 10×42 binocular: Exit Pupil size – 4.20
• 10×50 binocular: Exit Pupil size – 5.00
• 12×50 binocular: Exit Pupil size – 4.16
• 15×56 binocular: Exit Pupil size – 3.73
• 20×50 binocular: Exit Pupil size – 2.50

As you can see, generally speaking, the more magnification you have, the smaller the exit pupil. A larger objective helps with that but doesn’t completely offset it. A quality 10×50 binocular will likely give you the best low light performance because it allows the most light into the binocular with the largest exit pupil. You can also see that a 12×50 binocular will perform similarly to a 10×42 in low light, all other things being equal.

The obvious downside to binoculars with a larger 50mm objective is that they are larger and heavier, but some are more than willing to pay that price to get the extra low light performance. A very popular compromise is the 42mm objective as they provide a good balance of size and weight. That said, depending on your activity, a larger or smaller objective may be the best fit.

Make sure to check out our other gear reviews and the Backwoods Pursuit YouTube Channel to help you decide what gear will help you stay out in the field longer!

While the above is generally the case, a recent release of the Zeiss SFL 50mm binocular completely turns this general statement on it’s head. The Zeiss SFL 50mm binocular is virtually the same size and weight as Swarovski NL Pure 42mm binocular, but offering a larger objective and the benefits that come with that. Not only that, but the optical performance is nearly at an alpha glass level, with a price point over 30% lower than alpha glass.

HOW IT APPLIES IN THE FIELD

Bottom line when picking binoculars. If you are someone who is regularly glassing until the last hint of light trying to spot that buck or bull moving out of the timber, or someone who likes to observe wildlife during the last lingering minutes of light after sunset, I personally wouldn’t go smaller than a 42mm objective in binoculars. If you need good low light performance, but want more magnification, a 50mm objective is going to be your friend.

HOW IMPORTANT IS LOW LIGHT PERFORMANCE?

Low light performance is something that may or may not be important to you depending on how you are using the binoculars. If those binoculars are in your pocket or chest harness as soon as the sun dips behind the horizon, low light performance isn’t all that important, and you can get away with a small, compact pair of binoculars.

However, if you are chasing mule deer bucks in the high country, elk in the dark timber, or frequently glassing big country well after sunset, low light performance is ABSOLUTLY CRITICAL and vaults to the #2 spot in importance, right after image resolution (in my humble opinion). It is THAT important, and yes, there can be that much difference.

I’ve spent hours and hours testing binoculars side by side in low light conditions, and it is remarkable how much longer a quality pair of binoculars will allow you to continue glassing compared to an entry level pair. I’ve hunted with people who were using smaller 32mm objective binoculars who wouldn’t even think of starting to glass when I was already spotting animals with the Swarovski NL Pure. There can be that much difference.

#9 – eye Box Forgiveness – Selecting the Right Binoculars

WHAT IS EYE BOX FORGIVENESS?

Eye box forgiveness refers to how perfect your eyes have to be aligned in the eye cups to get a full field of view. It is something that is regularly overlooked and rarely talked about in binoculars, but something that is still important to consider. A pair of binoculars that have a very forgiving eye box allows you to be imperfectly lined up behind the glass and still see the entire field of view, while binoculars that have a narrow or unforgiving eye box will give you black spots at the slightest movement off center of the required position. This can be very frustrating.

A good example of that is the Zeiss SFL. These binoculars have the most forgiving eye box I’ve personally ever tested, while the Swarovski NL Pure have a very narrow and unforgiving eye box. As good as the NL Pure are, you’ll have to deal with an unforgiving eye box in exchange for their insanely large field of view, incredible low light performance, and nearly perfect edge-to-edge clarity. There are always tradeoffs.

On the other hand, the Zeiss SFL binocular gives you the best viewing experience I’ve found to date (in relation to eye box comfort) while having a lesser (but still above average) field of view. They don’t quite have the edge-to-edge clarity or as good of low light performance as the NL Pure (if we compare like sizes), but for about half the price, they are an incredible value. It’s all about tradeoffs.

HOW IT APPLIES IN THE FIELD

In the field, we are often glassing from awkward positions, so a forgiving eye box is sure nice to have when standing on a sidehill or glassing around the side of tree. It’s all about ease of use here, but it’s not overly critical other than an unforgiving eye box can be annoying at times.

HOW IMPORTANT IS EYE BOX FORGIVENESS?

A forgiving eye box will be something you LOVE having, but it’s also lower on my priority list. Give me excellent optical performance with an unforgiving eye box all day over a forgiving eye box and marginal optical performance. That said, when you have a killer combination like the Zeiss SFL, they give you the best of both worlds.

#10 – Size & Weight – Selecting the Right Binoculars

WHAT IS SIZE AND WEIGHT?

This one is pretty simple and entirely user preference. Some folks refuse to carry large, heavy binoculars because they simply don’t use them enough to warrant carrying them, while others would scoff at the thought of anything smaller than a 50mm objective because they need low light performance. There is no right or wrong answer here, just figure out what you need and want.

HOW IT APPLIES IN THE FIELD

Generally speaking, folks that do a lot of hiking want to keep the weight and bulk down while getting as much performance as possible. An excellent choice here is the 42mm objective. When choosing binoculars, if you want to be able to slide your binoculars in your pocket, you’ll want to look into a pair of 25mm or 32mm objective binoculars, but just know their limitations. If you glass big country off a tripod and don’t mind the weight compromise, go with a large objective and get as much light gathering capability as you can.

#11 – eye Cups and Eye Relief – Choosing the Right Binoculars

WHAT ARE EYE CUPS AND EYE RELIEF?

Eye cup design and eye relief are another often overlooked feature of binoculars that is critical to look at. Eye cups vary is size, thickness, and adjustment, so consider what will work best with your face structure if possible. Thicker eye cups generally are more problematic if your nose has a thicker bridge, and thick eye cups can also prevent you from being able to sink the eye cup into your eyes (if you like to do that). I’ve personally found that thinner eye cups tend to be more comfortable to a wider range of people and cause less fitment issues.

Eye relief is simply how far away from the lens your eyes can be and still achieve a full field of view. This isn’t terribly important other than for those with long eyelashes or those who wear glasses. More eye relief is generally more comfortable though, so get as much as you can.

HOW IMPORTANT IS FINDING THE RIGHT EYE CUPS?

While not a deal breaker, more eye relief will generally be more versatile and comfortable, so get a pair of binoculars with as much eye relief as possible, and you won’t be disappointed.

#12 – Tripod Adaptability – Selecting the Right Binoculars

WHAT IS TRIPOD ADAPABILITY?

Depending on what part of the world you live in, mounting binoculars on a tripod is either a game changer or not even something worth considering. This is obviously less important in stabilized binoculars, but still nice to have so they are more versatile.

HOW IT APPLIES IN THE FIELD

Folks in the western United States tend to love putting binoculars on a tripod for long glassing sessions, while folks in the eastern United States often times could care less about this feature. I personally put my binoculars on a tripod frequently, so this is a must have feature for me.

HOW IMPORTANT IS TRIPOD ADAPTABILITY?

This depends entirely on your personal use, but for me it’s critical. Thankfully, even if a pair of binoculars aren’t equipped with the ability to mount a stud like the Outdoorsmans or the Swarovski SLC TA Adapter, Aziak Equipment makes a great clamp that works with most binoculars. So at the end of the day, it’s not terribly important for binoculars to be threaded to accept a stud, but that’s my personal preference.

Conclusion – Picking Binoculars

Choosing a pair of binoculars can be a daunting task, and for good reason. While there are many important things to consider, if you go through each of these decision points, you’ll be well on your way to picking binoculars that are exactly what you need. Do your best to stay on task and not get side tracked even though that is nearly impossible to do. Trust me when I say, I’ve been there, and it’s not easy.

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