Monday, 14 March 2011

The Lowdown On Big Binoculars

By Jayne Bertram

If you have been looking at high end optical equipment, you may have seen big binoculars listed. It may be difficult to see how the average pair of big binoculars can differ from regular binoculars, but there are a few notable differences.

Big binoculars have two things which make them very different than other binoculars. They are able to view objects much farther away than standard binoculars. They do this by altering two key components: field of view and the level of magnification. There are very good reasons why this is the case.

Field of view is important because the wider the field of view, the larger image you can see through them. If you are viewing the night sky and want to chart stars in relation to others nearby, you need to be able to get enough of a look that you can make measurements and observations. Most binoculars will have a narrower field of view, so they are much less suitable for astronomical uses.

You also need to pay attention to the magnification factor of the binoculars you are hoping to purchase. A proper pair of big binoculars should have a magnification of 12x or lower. This is because if you choose a pair of binoculars with a higher magnification factor, you will not be able to get a clear view of the sky. Keep in mind however that even if you choose a set with a very low magnification factor, you still will see the constellations and stars in a very small size.

Some big binoculars may promise you a large objective. This sounds good, since a larger objective allows the collection of more light so that you get a clear picture. The problem is that this can make the binoculars very heavy and this can be a problem, especially if you want your set to be as portable as possible.

You need to decide where you want to purchase your big binoculars. You may find that the Internet is actually your best source since you will be able to find a better selection at extremely good prices rather than in a store which may have a relatively small selection of pairs to choose from. The choice is up to you.

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