The Cornell Lab Bird Academy › Discussion Groups › Birding Tips › Best Binoculars

    • Frankie
      Participant
      Chirps: 99
      Hello all! I am wondering what the best binoculars (Brand and numbers) are based on the following requirements:
      • $300 budget
      • Good for looking at fast birds that hop around (like warblers), but also good for other birds
      • Not too heavy
      Thanks in advance for any help, and happy birding!
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    • Jessie
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      Hi Frankie! This is a great website that organizes the top rated birding binos by price. I used this website to get my new Vangard Endeavor ED II 8x42's. https://www.audubon.org/gear/binocular-guide Also, check ebay because I found those binos, commonly priced at $450, for $200 and free shipping.
      • Elle
        Participant
        Chirps: 1
        Great resource, thanks!
    • Sarah
      Participant
      Chirps: 50
      I use Barska 12x50 binoculars and the numbers are FOV 261 ft@1000 yd. They work great for looking at waterfowl at a distance, but they get blurry when looking at birds closer than about 7ft
    • Ronald
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      Hello, my name is Ronald. I am quite new to bird watching, and I also have a fairly limited budget, since I live in Cuba, where we are not known for having a lot of money. If not the opposite. Haha. That is why I would like to recommend (if you have that information) some quality binoculars for less than $ 40 in the United States. Thanks in advance. Happy bird watching
    • Alison
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      Hi I’m also looking for decent beginner binoculars wanted to know what the numbers are  ( 12, 42, etc ? Nikon ones  don’t know what the numbers are called now but it revered to I think the distance and clarity ?
      • Frankie
        Participant
        Chirps: 99
        The numbers on binoculars are fairly straightforward. For our sake, we will say the first number is x and the second number is y. X is the magnification, which is how far the binoculars zoom. Y is the objective lens diameter. The higher the diameter, the more light is let in. This results in higher resolution and a brighter image, but it will make the binoculars bulkier
    • RickO
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      I'm brand new at birding, but recently received the Nikon Monarch 5 and have enjoyed using them so far!  They're fairly light and have had success tracking birds and following them.  They're within the stated price range as well, I believe (they were a gift).
      • Frankie
        Participant
        Chirps: 99
        Thanks! I checked the price, and they are in the upper part of my price range, but I will look into them.
      • Annabeth
        Participant
        Chirps: 107

        @Frankie I have a Outland.X which I think is the brand and then mine also celesron 10x25 Binoculars  71341