Let these three key points be your guide and keep you on track to help you find the best birdwatching binoculars to suit your needs:
Budget
When buying binoculars, it's important to set a realistic budget. It's possible to find a good pair of binoculars from around £50, but prices can go into the thousands, so think carefully about how much you're willing to spend.
RSPB Shop offers quality birdwatching binoculars for a range of budgets so you're bound to find a pair that will suit your needs for years to come.
Performance, and conditions you’ll be using them in
What will you be using your binoculars for, and in what kind of conditions (time of day, any weather etc.)? Tips in the performance section below should help.
Comfort / ease of use
Binoculars must be comfortable to hold and the focus wheel easy to reach and turn, otherwise you'll only use them once. Check you can look through them without straining your eyes - you want to enjoy using them!
£50 to £150
Starter level
Great introductory models - look for
waterproof, fogproof qualities with protective
rubber body armour. Quality can vary, but RSPB offers great value options for regular, long term use. Customer reviews for RSPB budget binoculars speak for themselves; birdwatchers rate them on average 4.5 out of 5.
Our best binoculars under £150
£150 to £350
Mid-level
A much wider choice where you can find fully multi-coated optics for better brightness and image clarity. Expect a decent warranty. Lightweight models and high-quality compact binoculars with well-known brand names can be found for around £300.
£350 and above
Advanced
Cost isn't the most important factor here. Expect premium features such as ED glass, water repellent coatings and more. You can be more fussy about what suits you, for instance the shape of the eyecups or the position of the focus wheel. Ideally test in the field to find what you prefer.
This depends on your budget and what you need your binoculars for. What's important to you? For example:
Distance
If you’re looking to spot birds and wildlife at great distances, magnification and field of view might take priority.
Garden watch
If you’d like binoculars at home to get a better view of birds in your garden, they don’t need to be waterproof. However, you might need good close focus, and decent low-light performance (for shady spots and darker skies).
Wear glasses?
If you wear glasses, make sure your binoculars have appropriate eye relief, often achieved by removable or twist-down eye cups (as with many RSPB binoculars).
Travel
If you travel a lot or go on birdwatching trips with light luggage, size and weight may be extra important factors. (Also important if you’re petite, or looking for a pair you can have on you most of the time.) Compact binoculars might deliver better here.
Low light conditions
Do you tend to watch wildlife at dawn and dusk or in generally low light conditions? If so consider larger objective lens sizes (that second number e.g. the '32' in '8x32mm') and look for lens coatings that give better brightness. Best to try before you buy too.
Close focus
If you’re looking to observe detail on insects/small mammals/reptiles/plants and not just birds, close focus distance will also be important.
About binocular body types
Porro-prisms
Porro-prisms have a 'traditional', stepped shape with an angled body.
Roof-prisms
Roof-prisms are recognised by a straight-through appearance. They tend to be more compact than porro-prism binoculars and many people find them more comfortable to use. Their internal focusing helps protect them from the elements.
Compact
Smaller 'compact' binoculars are also available, and useful if size and weight are important factors. Their main disadvantage can be reduced light-gathering power and field of view. They are easy to hold but you may prefer a more solid shape for steady viewing. Our favourite affordable yet high performance compact binoculars are the RSPB HD compacts, though if they stretch your budget you should also consider the newer and rather impressive RSPB Avocet compact binoculars.
All designs make for good binoculars and it can come down to personal preference. Today most high-quality binoculars tend to be roof-prism.
What do the figures and specifications mean?
Having thought about the kind of conditions you'll be using your birdwatching binoculars for, and important performance points for you, you may already have an idea of the 'specs' to look out for. When looking at binocular specifications though there are a lot of technical terms. If you'd like to understand them a bit more, we've written a glossary to help you. Check out our guide to binocular terms.
We hope this guide has been helpful. Here are some useful links to help you find some birdwatching binoculars!
