Ideal Binoculars

[Don Lafontaine]

Hi Jim et al.

An important aspect of binocular selection that many miss is to make sure that
the two barrels are properly aligned. My experience is that half in the $100-300
range are not aligned but most of the high end bino's ($600-1000) are - unless
they've been dropped!! If they're not aligned to the extreme you will see
different images through each eyepiece and you get a headache quickly; if they
are slightly out you won't notice it but you'll feel a pressure in your eyes
after an hour or two and then get a headache. Here's how to check (many store
clerks have never even seen this done): place the binoculars on the counter or
on top of a box where they can be looked though without moving them; focus one
eye on an object that you can place in the field of vision with precision like
the top of a post that just enters the bottom middle of the field; without
moving the binoculars look through the other eyepiece to see if the field is
exactly the same: IT SHOULD BE. Many times different sets of binoculars in the
same store of the same make and model will differ in their alignment.

Just something else to keep in mind!!

Don Lafontaine

James Hanlon wrote:

> Any preferences out there for either the Bausch and Lomb Elite 8X42 or 10X42
> binoculars for use in the jungle for butterfly observation?
>
> In theory, I would think that more light and less shake from the 8X42's
> would be preferred over the slightly higher magnification of the 10X42's.
>
> Any other good binocular recommendations would also be appreciated.
>
> Jim