If you’ve been struggling to find the perfect pair of binoculars for bird watching, then we may have found the solution for you! In this blog post we outline what we believe to be some of the best size binoculars currently on the market. We also provide an in-depth overview of all 11 models and explain why they were selected.
So without further ado, let’s jump straight in and take a look at our top 11 picks for size binoculars.
We put a lot of effort into creating this list. After brainstorming various options, we have come up with a comprehensive list to assist you in finding the perfect pair of binoculars for bird watching. Whether you’re buying for yourself or a loved one, consider the following criteria when making your selection:
The 11 Best Size Binoculars for Bird Watching
Swarovski EL 12×50 Binocular
The Swarovski EL 12×50 Binocular is an excellent pair of binoculars. First of all, they are large, which make them powerful enough to see up close, but not too large to carry for hours at a time.
They also have a great coating, which means that you get a nice, clear view. They are 12x, when bird watching, that’s often enough power to see details from a long distance away. The outer eyepieces are convex, which makes it easy to look through the top of the binoculars, and their field of view is excellent.
Their brightness and color rendering are also very good. Even in low light situations, the view with this pair of Swarovski EL 12×50 Binoculars is crisp, clear, and bright. They are hand-made in Austria, and the craftsmanship is outstanding.
Exceptional quality of optics Second-to-none build, high-silicon content glass Good contrast Excellent light transmission and brightness Hand-made in Austria great for bird watching includes a strap to keep them safe with lens cleaning cloth.
Specifications:-
- Magnification: 12x
- Lens Diameter: 50mm
- Eye Relief: 19mm
- Field of View: 63 degrees
- Weight: 35.0 oz
Zeiss Terra ED 10×42 Binocular
The Zeiss Terra ED 10×42 Binocular is an excellent pair of binoculars for bird watching, especially because of the extra-low dispersion (ED) glass lenses. They are high-quality binoculars with excellent color rendering, brightness, contrast and depth perception.
These binoculars are incredibly sharp.
Their excellent anti-reflex coatings mean that you get clear, bright images with this pair of Zeiss Terra ED 10×42 Binoculars.
They are also waterproof, which makes them extremely durable. Their excellent light transmission means that you can use them in low-light situations without a problem.
Their field of view is very good, and the focus wheel adjusts quickly. They are easy to operate even with one hand, and they work well for a wide range of viewing conditions.
Specifications:
- Magnification: 12x
- Lens Diameter: 42mm
- Exit Pupil Diameter – 4.2mm
- Eye Relief: 18mm
- Field of View: 330 feet
- Weight: 24.5 oz
Hawke Frontier ED X Binocular
The Hawke Frontier ED X Binocular is an excellent pair of binoculars, with extras such as a sunshade and a strap to keep them safe when they’re not in use.
They are made by Hawke, one of the most respected China optics manufacturers. The field of view with these binoculars is excellent, thanks to their 1-inch exit pupil, which means that you get a very high amount of light entering the binoculars. This makes it easier to see distant birds at a range.
One unique feature of these binoculars is Hawke’s Frontier ED X SkyView. This feature allows you to identify stars and planets when you are out bird watching. It works in daylight too, however, letting you identify clouds and birds in the sky.
The optics on these binoculars are great. They have a new generation of phase-corrected BaK-4 roof prisms, as well as a multi-coatings system that works to reduce lens flare, and keep the lenses clear and sharp.
Specifications are:-
- Magnification: 10x
- Lens Diameter: 42mm
- Eye Relief: 18mm
- Field of View: 426 feet
- Weight: 24.4 oz
Steiner BluHorizons Binocular
The Steiner BluHorizons Binocular is an excellent pair of binoculars. First of all, their extras are quite impressive.
First, there is the hinged eyecup that closes over the front of the eye to help you hold them steady.
Next, they come with a soft case designed to keep them safe. The case can be used to protect them when they are not in use, or used as a carry strap for easy transport.
They are also very durable. They are waterproof, and the eyepieces can be easily removed for cleaning.
The high-strength carbon-steel armoring makes them hard to break. They also come with a strap to keep the binoculars safe when they’re not in use.
Specifications:-
- Magnification: 10x
- Lens Diameter: 42mm
- Eye Relief: 18mm
- Field of View: 321.5 feet
- Weight: 26.1 oz
- Item Dimensions: 6×4.9×2.4 inches
Athlon Optics Midas Roof Prism UHD Binocular
The Midas Roof Prism UHD Binocular is an excellent pair of binoculars for bird watching. First of all, they are designed to take advantage of this feature. The Midas features a prism roof prism that enhances the viewing experience.
The extra-low dispersion (ED) glass lenses are phase-corrected, which means that they are built to be very clear. Their optical qualities are excellent. The Field of View is very good.
Their brightness is good, and they come with a sunshade and a strap to keep the binoculars safe when they’re not in use.
And the Rubber Armor provides all-weather protection and is durable & secure.
4.8 out of 5 stars customer reviews on Amazon.com mean that this pair of binoculars is really worth a try.
Specifications are:
- Magnification: 12x
- Lens Diameter: 50mm
- Eye relief: 15.5 mm
- Weight: 1 Pound
- Prism Type: Roof Prism
- Dimensions: 17.8 x 12.7 x 5.1 centimetres
Vortex Optics Viper HD Roof Prism Binocular
The Vortex Optics Binocular is an excellent pair of binoculars. They are one of the best binoculars for bird watching, and they also offer a lot of features found only in high-end optics.
Argon purging and o-ring seals provide waterproofing, which means that you can use them in the rain or snow. The Phase-corrected optics focus light right through the prism roof, which boosts the brightness of images.
And, they have a prism roof prism. This means that the binoculars have extra-low dispersion (ED) glass lenses, which come from a high-quality American brand. These lenses give you a very clear view of the birds in flight.
The lens with a single anti-reflex coating goes the extra mile to keep the images clear. It’s tough enough to sit on without breaking, and it keeps dust and dirt from building up over time. Specifications are below:-
- Magnification: 12x
- Lens Diameter: 50mm
- Weight: 2.7 pounds
- Item Dimensions: 7.75 x 9.55 x 4.4 inches
Celestron Nature DX 8×42 Binocular
The Celestron Nature DX 8×42 Binocular is an excellent pair of binoculars. First of all, their extras are quite impressive.
The clarity of this pair of binoculars is excellent. This makes it easier to see distant objects, and the contrast is amazing. The brightness and color rendering is also great.
And, they focus light right through the prism roof, boosting the brightness of images even further. It Robust, waterproof mid-sized body with slip-free rubber armoring.
The field of view is very good with this pair of binoculars. The lens coating is also very good, with multi-layer coatings that give you great color rendering and excellent glare control. Well-known and top rated on amazon (also Amazon’s Choice) under $200 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. All you need is included to get started bird watching. Specifications:-
- Magnification: 8x
- Lens Diameter: 42mm
- Close focus: 6.5 foot
- Field of view: 388 feet
- Eye relief: 18mm
- Weight: 1.75 pounds
Leupold BX-4 HD 10x42mm Binocular
Leupold is also an American brand that makes some of the best binoculars on the market. The field of view with these 10x42mm Leupold Binocular is excellent, due to their 1-inch exit pupil, which lets more light into the eyepieces than any other model. The exit pupil is the size of the lens in the binocular that gathers light to pass into the eyepiece.
This means that it’s much easier to see distant objects when you’re bird watching. They also come with a tripod adapter and a soft case. The tripod adapter makes it possible to use them on a tripod, which can help you see more of what’s going on without moving your head.
Waterproof, fogproof, and built with Twilight Max HD Light Management System — The Twilight Max HD Light Management System helps reduce glare and reflections by adjusting the light transmission. So you can see more of what’s going on without moving your head if you’re bird watching as well as an excellent birdwatching tool. Specifications:-
- Magnification: 10x
- Lens Diameter: 42mm
- Field of view: 326 feet
- Eye relief: 16mm
- Weight: 24 oz
SkyGenius 10 x 50 Binocular
The SkyGenius 10 x 50 Binocular is an excellent pair of binoculars. And very cheap prices binocular within the optics quality. Its Porro Prism and rubber armored body provide ultimate flexibility, durability, and waterproofing.
This makes it possible to see distant objects and birds in flight very well, and their optical quality is excellent. And the advantages of this are that they can focus more light into the eyepiece, giving you an exit pupil of 0.2 inches.
This is also known as an Eyepiece Magnification of 200%, which means it’s perfect for bird watching. They are also very durable, and they are waterproof. The adjustable eyepiece can be twisted up and down for even greater light transmission.
The eyecups are also twistable, so you can adjust the distance between your eyes and the eyepices for a better view. Specifications are below:-
- Magnification: 10x
- Lens Diameter: 50mm
- Field of view: 367 feet
- Exit pupil diameter: 0.2 in/5mm
- Weight: 1.78 lbs
- Adaptable to tripod
USCAMEL 10X50 Binocular
It’s been more than a decade working in this field USCAMEL company. The USCAMEL 10X50 Binocular is an excellent pair of binoculars for marine life, boating, birdwatching, traveling, hiking, target shooting, and water sports. Their optical strength is good, and this makes it possible to see distant objects in much more detail.
The field of view for this pair of binoculars is fair enough. Dry nitrogen-purged and sealed to prevent fogging of the optics. High refractive BAK4 Prism eliminates the possibility of scattering light and ensures a clear high-resolution image.
The Multi-coated lens provides excellent light transmission, which makes it possible to see distant objects in much more detail.
You can also fold them down into a more compact form, which makes it possible to carry them around easier.
It has Rangefinder & Compass function, is suitable for outdoor use and Durable rubber armored coating is comfortable to handle and resistant to impact, humidity, and cold.
Specifications:-
- Magnification: 10x
- Lens Diameter: 50mm
- Field of view: 396 feet
- Weight: 2.69 pounds
- Tripod Adaptable
LTOOL 10×50 HD High Power Binocular
The LTOOL 10×50 HD Binocular is built with a comfortable waterproof Rubber Grip, so you can wear it all day long. It is durable and provides very good image quality.
It has a Multi-coated lens to improve light transmission, which makes it possible to see distant objects in much more detail. And that means that you can see more of what’s going on when you’re bird watching.
The innovative optics provide you with clear image quality, even when you want to clearly see far away. With BAK 4 prism, this binocular provides a clearer and brighter image than the binoculars and large Eyepiece produces a clear and bigger image, and comfortable view.
With a large 50mm lens, this binocular gives you a good field of view. The rubber armor is durable, and it gives you a comfortable, non-slip grip. Bring the world close to you with this high powered binocular. Specifications are:
- Magnification: 10x
- Lens Diameter: 50mm
- Field of view: 367 feet
- Weight: 2.64 lbs
- Adaptable to tripod
- Item Dimensions: 7.28×7.48×2.56 inches
Buyer’s Guide
Bird lovers can say that having a much bigger binocular does give us better bird viewing. So the 48-mm and 56-mm binoculars are much better than the 36-mm and 40-mm. However, the price is also high with the 48-mm, 56-mm, and more powerful binoculars. To get an idea of what size binoculars would be best for you, we recommend you take the following measurements:
The 35-mm are great for beginners because of their bright colors that allow everything to be visible.
The 42-mm are excellent for watching birds in flight, but they are also used by birders who are interested in terrestrial objects.
The 50-mm is good for everyone, and 40 mm is the most commonly used binoculars by birders.
You can get more powerful binoculars, but they will be expensive. But the power of the binocular does not determine how good you can see distant objects. So definitely do some research before deciding which binoculars to buy.
With any binocular, you can watch birds much more closely, and that will make the experience much more enjoyable.
It’s also good to look into the binoculars that are waterproof, fog proof, and sealed against dust. That way you won’t have to worry about how to take care of them. It also makes it easier to use them in all weather conditions.
For example, If you’re planning on viewing birds in motion, such as during a bird-watching tour around the USA or UK, 10 x 50 or 10 x 40 binoculars are the best size.
In the final words:
Birds are wonderful creatures, and it’s great to spend time watching them. It’s also fun to see how different birds are. With these tips, you’ll have a better experience of birding with your binoculars.
Bird watching is fun, so don’t be afraid of taking risks to observe them. And if you want to be the best binocular birdwatch, check out our post for buying birdwatching binoculars and learn what is the best binoculars for birdwatching.
Birdwatching is a very interesting and fun activity. Taking care of the creatures is your responsibility and you should be careful about it.
If you want to learn more about small binoculars for birdwatching or birding, read our article from here.
These tips we have provided will help you get closer to the birds and help you enjoy your time with them more. Have a nice bird watching journey with us!
