With an ever-increasing number of birding binoculars, telescopes

Products
STEVE YOUNG (WWW.BIRDSONFILM.COM)
ptics buyers’
guide 2013
With an ever-increasing
number of birding
binoculars, telescopes
and tripods on the
market, with prices
ranging from under £100
to more than £2,000,
choosing which one to
buy can be bewildering.
Mike Alibone offers
advice on how to get the
best kit for your needs.
30 BIRDWATCH • MARCH 2013
T
hinking of upgrading your
binoculars or scope? Or maybe
you’ve recently discovered the
delights of birding and you’re
considering a first-time purchase. In either
case there’s a vast array of equipment
out there which continues to push the
boundaries of optical performance, build
quality and ergonomic design.
Setting out to make a purchase can
appear daunting, but it need not be so.
While buying new has obvious
attractions, the trade in second-hand
equipment is booming, as launches of
new, high-end models encourage ‘musthave’ purchases. This results in the
offloading of good-quality optics onto
the second-hand market, thus widening
the range of available – and frequently
attractive – products.
Whether you are buying new or
second-hand, the following pages offer
guidelines on aspects to consider both
before and during the purchasing process.
This guide should ideally be used in
conjunction with the Birdwatch online optics
and equipment database. Visit http://
tinyurl.com/BWOpticsGuide, where you
will find a fully comprehensive list of
binocular, telescope and tripod models
suitable for the birding market, along with
their key specifications.
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price. A prime example, launched last
year, is Swarovski’s EL 8x32, considered
by some to be the brightest 32 mm
binocular on the market. The more
recently launched Zeiss Victory HT 42
mm models are, however, reputedly now
the brightest premium binoculars in the
world. Test and compare all models in
poor light conditions, under which a
poor quality image will be most evident.
In the current market, 42 mm still
accounts for more unit sales than 32 mm,
but sales of the latter continue to increase
significantly, with one national retailer
recently reporting sales in the ratio of 3:2
(32 mm against 42 mm) of models from
top-tier manufacturers.
Having decided on how much bulk
you are prepared to carry around your
neck, it’s essential that your chosen model
feels comfortable, well balanced and easy
to operate. Some binoculars feel instantly
right in this respect, while others can be
persistently uncomfortable, no matter
how hard you try to get used to them.
Magnification is the next decision point
after size, with 8x being by far the most
popular birding choice. It optimises
image brightness and
considerably opens up the
field of view compared
with, for example, 10x
magnification models of
the same range and
objective size.
Image quality is, of
course, paramount. Check for
consistent sharpness across the whole
field. Are the colours natural and is there
a good degree of contrast? Is the level of
Size and shape
Deciding which size binocular to buy is a
prime consideration, with the demand for
smaller, lightweight models continuing to
grow. Most popular birding binoculars fall
into one of two size categories based on
the diameter of the objective lens: either
32 mm or 42 mm. All other things being
equal, a larger objective will deliver a
brighter image for the same magnification.
It is rarely quite this straightforward,
however, as 32 mm binoculars from
top-tier manufacturers will usually
outperform 42 mm models from midrange ones as a result of superior glass
and coatings, so it is possible to have
small, compact binoculars which also
deliver extremely bright images – at a
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There is a huge range of birding optics
available, as can be seen from the many
different makes and models on show at
the Hartlepool Western Orphean
Warbler twitch in May 2012 (opposite
page). The range of binoculars
includes: Swarovski EL 32 8x32 (above
left); Viking ED Pro 8x42 (above centre);
Zeiss Victory HT 10x42 (above right);
and Celestron Nature 8x42 (below).
chromatic aberration (colour fringing)
low and acceptable and, if you’re
intending to view birds and insects at
close range, is the close-focus distance
also acceptable?
Don’t forget to check build quality and
durability. Will your binocular stand up
to receiving knocks in the field? Is it
waterproof as opposed to weatherproof?
And, most importantly, does it have a
long-term warranty?
Keeping abreast of what’s new and
MARCH 2013 • BIRDWATCH 31
▼
BINOCULARS
Undoubtedly the most significant change
in the binocular market over the past two
or three years has been the introduction
of models of increasingly high standards
at the lower end of the price range. The
use of ED glass is becoming more
common and many budget models
originating from the Far East are now
attractively designed and well engineered,
as well as being capable of delivering
images of a quality hitherto associated
with more costly binoculars.
The overwhelming majority of new
models being launched are roof-prism
binoculars. It appears that the more
traditional porro-prism shape has fallen
out of favour with buyers, many of whom
put compactness high on their list of
selection criteria and see porros as being
bulky and old fashioned.
Products
likely to be entering the market is a good
strategy if you’re in no immediate hurry
to buy. As optics technology and product
quality continue to improve, new lowercost models have recently been launched
by Celestron, Hawke, Leica, Viking and
Zeiss, among others. Look out for more
new models from Nikon, Hawke and
Vortex and innovative new products from
Pentax during 2013.
TELESCOPES
attached to a tripod is potentially the
heaviest piece of equipment you are likely
to be carrying around for any length of
time, so it’s worth taking the time to
choose wisely in this respect.
Straight up
Whether to buy an angled or straightbodied scope is the next decision. Most
manufacturers offer the same models in
both body styles – but for how much
longer? Optics retailers are unanimous in
reporting that angled-bodied scopes now
outsell straight ones by more than nine to
one. There are pros and cons with each.
The ultimate choice will be a matter of
personal preference.
A further consideration will be
eyepiece type – either fixed magnification
or zoom. Zoom eyepieces have now
caught up with fixed eyepieces in terms
of image quality and brightness,
MIKE ALIBONE
The number and range of low-cost
telescopes is slowly continuing to rise,
which is good news for birders. The
guidelines for selecting and purchasing a
telescope fall broadly in line with those
that apply to binoculars. Although there
are currently fewer to choose from, the
array of models on offer is considerably
more diverse.
The two major considerations at the
very beginning of the decision-making
process relate to size and weight and to
body style. As a general rule, the larger
the objective, the larger and heavier the
telescope – but there are exceptions.
Paralleling binoculars, a larger
objective will have a greater lightgathering capacity, as well as a higher
image resolution. The same rule applies,
however; smaller models with betterquality glass and superior coatings from
top-tier manufacturers will outperform
telescopes from the middle and entrylevel end of the market. For this reason,
high-end telescopes with 65 mm
objectives are currently selling very well,
as their generally low weight appeals to
many birders.
If you intend to use your scope for
digiscoping, then a large objective has
distinct advantages because of its lightgathering capacity. Remember, a telescope
32 BIRDWATCH • MARCH 2013
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frequently introduced.
Alongside recently launched models
from Hawke, Helios and others,
Swarovski created a viral buzz at last
year’s Birdfair with the launch of the
revolutionary modular ATX series – a
scope you can effectively break in half
and carry in your coat pockets (Birdwatch
247: 53). Will other manufacturers follow
suit? In 2013 look out for new products
from Nikon, Hawke, Sightron and Vortex,
among others, plus a new top-quality
eyepiece from Kowa.
TRIPODS
Fortunately, the range of tripods suitable
for use in birding is relatively narrow
when compared with the optics market. A
good tripod should be readily portable,
compact, sturdy and easy to operate, as
well as providing stability in all
environmental conditions.
If you are using your equipment for
digiscoping or videoscoping choose a
tripod which will support the extra
weight of the camera when added to
the telescope, and consider buying a
counterbalance head to compensate for
the change in the centre of gravity which
results in tilting of the telescope/camera
combination.
Head on
Other aspects of head design may also
influence your purchasing choice as some
telescope manufacturers (for example
Kite, Leica and Swarovski) have designed
their tripod-mounting ‘feet’ to lock
directly into Manfrotto tripod heads, thus
eliminating a point of weakness created
by using a tripod quick-release plate to
attach the scope to the head.
Leg material is a major consideration.
Carbon fibre is 30 per cent lighter than
While there are fewer birding spotting
scopes on the market than binoculars,
there is still a good number of models
to choose from, including (clockwise
from top left): Hawke Endurance ED
20-60x85; Acuter DS20-60x80A Dual
Speed 80mm spotting scope; Acuter
ST 20-60x80A Waterproof; Swarovski
ATX (from front) 95 mm, 85 mm and 65
mm; and Opticron HR 66 GA ED.
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MARCH 2013 • BIRDWATCH 33
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especially those from high-end
manufacturers, and for this reason they
are now becoming the standard purchase
with most telescopes.
Consider also the type of focusing
mechanism you are going to be most
comfortable with. A single focus knob
mounted above the scope’s barrel is the
one most commonly encountered, but
dual-focusing wheels (one for fast focus,
the other for final sharpening) are
becoming more popular, while some
models employ an integrated helical
focusing ring around the scope’s body.
Also remember to check you can still
focus your scope while wearing gloves.
If you’re in no hurry to buy, it’s wise
to keep one eye on the market to find out
what’s new, what’s popular and why, and
to look through as many different scopes
in the field as possible before making a
decision. New models and upgrades are
Products
aluminium, reducing the weight, but
tripods made from this material are more
expensive and they are more likely to be
blown over in a strong breeze – with
potentially disastrous consequences!
Some tripod manufacturers have
developed systems for connecting heads
directly to the collar at the apex of the
tripod to further lighten the load. This
system dispenses with the need for a centre
column which, if raised, reduces stability
and potentially increases ‘image shake’.
Check out the number of leg sections
and their locking method. The combination
of fewer sections plus lever locks renders
the legs quicker to extend and retract and
increases a tripod’s stability, but tripods
with more leg sections are more compact
when closed.
To further increase compactness,
new for 2013 is the Giottos Silk Road
Series (see review on page 52),
featuring an innovative new design
Once you’ve got your scope,
there are a couple more bits of
gear you’ll need. Gitzo’s
Safari Traveler birdwatching
kit (left) has everything you
need to support your
optics, while Manfrotto’s
290 Series foldable
three-way head (below
left) will fit several
scope models.
which, when folded, makes the tripod 30
per cent more compact in comparison to a
similarly sized conventional tripod.
ACCESSORIES
The popularity of digiscoping has given
rise to a plethora of accessories designed
to attach cameras to telescope eyepieces.
Some scope manufacturers supply modelspecific adapters along with own-branded
tripods, plus cameras, to sell as kits.
Initially these took the form of
cumbersome platforms and brackets for
compact digital cameras, but the trend is
now moving towards more tube-like
adapters for DSLR cameras, which can be
attached to the camera’s lens and slipped
over a telescope eyepiece, offering better
contact and greater stability. Adapters for
iPhone cameras have also recently
appeared on the market. Independent
suppliers (for example SRB-Griturn in
Dunstable) produce adapters for most
telescope-camera combinations and they
are also worth checking out for car
window mounts and other accessories. n
Acknowledgements
The author would like to thank Ace
Cameras and Optics, Cley Spy, Focalpoint
Optics, Focus Optics and Richard Caplan
for providing up-to-date information.
• For comprehensive, downloadable
data tables for birding binoculars,
telescopes and tripods, please visit
http://tinyurl.com/BWOpticsGuide.
If you want to use your scope for
digiscoping, a specially designed
adapter will connect your camera
more tightly to the scope eyepiece,
allowing for better images to be taken.
34 BIRDWATCH • MARCH 2013