It’s great to have a pair of quality binoculars for birdwatching. Yes, you can easily see a ton of birds while you’re out and about, or at a bird feeder. But having binoculars allows you to get a closer look at details, and a better chance at spotting birds from a distance.
I bought a pair of binoculars a few years back when I was getting started with this hobby and immediately crossed off three birds from my lifer list while going for a walk later in the day. (A Double-Crested Cormorant, Yellow-Rumped Warbler, and Hooded Merganser if you’re curious). Having binoculars is a game-changer for spotting new species and observing their behaviors. Outside of bird watching, I’ve also found binoculars to be a great tool for sight-seeing on vacation, stargazing, and at sporting events.
People often ask me for recommendations. So, I wanted to make a guide on some great bird watching binocular options that are for sale online. One of which I’m still using today.
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For this story, I scanned Amazon as my primary source, but also listed any alternative online stores for shopping comparison. Each product needed to have at least 50 reviews of 4 stars or more to be considered for this list. I’ve also scanned Reddit forums and this guide by bird experts at Audubon. However, I found a lot of lists chock full of expensive options. My goal here is to make a quick guide with options for birders of each level, leaning on the affordable and approachable side.
You’ll notice me referencing many of these binoculars with numbers. For example, 12×42. Don’t know what this means? The first number is the magnification power of the binoculars and the second number is the size of the lens.
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I will regularly scan this article and its links over time, but please bear with me and let me know in the comments below if any links are out-of-date, or if you know of any other shopping options.
1. For Bird Watching Beginners Who Want Phone Photos: Adasion 12×42 HD Binoculars with Phone Adapter and Tripod
About These Binoculars:
- A nice solid pair of 12×42 binoculars at an approachable price. Weighs in at 1.25 pounds. It’s easy to carry around.
- These binoculars also come with a phone adapter (for all phone sizes) and tripod. So, you can snap pictures with your phone.
- Well-rated on Amazon for ease-of-use, durability, and the nice phone adaptor phone photo system.
- These are the binoculars I use. They work well for me as I don’t need picture-perfect quality. They get the job done in helping me identify birds from afar. The phone adapter also takes decent photos. Here’s one I snapped below.
Shopping Options:
2. Budget Friendly Option: Hontry 10×25 Compact Binoculars
About These Binoculars:
- These are lightweight and small 10×25 binoculars. They’re easy to carry around and come with a case. These binoculars are just over half a pound.
- A great option for kids, or a birdwatching beginner looking to dip their toe into the hobby without spending a ton of money. These won’t provide the best views, but will get the job done.
- Subject to change, but at the time of writing this article, they are the cheapest binoculars on this list and are on sale at $22.25.
- Well-rated on Amazon due to its value and lightweight portability.
Shopping Options:
3. Highly-Rated Intermediate Option: Celestron – Nature DX Binoculars
About These Binoculars:
- The Celestron – Nature DX binoculars come in 8x or 10x magnification options on Amazon. It has multi-coated optics and BaK4 prisms to highlight details.
- These binoculars are waterproof and are built to compete with the views of higher-end brands.
- At the time of this article, they have a 4.7/5 rating on Amazon. Reviewers like the price, ease of focus, and comfort of these binoculars in their hands.
Shopping Options:
- Celestron
- Amazon
- Tractor Supply
- Target (with smartphone adaptor for photos)
4. A No Frills, Quality Option: POCZE 12×42 Waterproof Binoculars
About These Binoculars:
- These are great binoculars for beginners or intermediate bird watchers looking for an affordable option.
- Has multi-coated optics and BaK4 prisms for image quality.
- At the time of writing this, they have a 4.9/5 review score on Amazon. The highest on this list! Good reviews on its ease of use, quality and performance.
Shopping Options:
5. Fanciest and Highest-Quality: Swarovski EL Binoculars
About These Binoculars:
- Let’s talk price. These are among the highest-tier binoculars you can find and prices I found everywhere were near $2,000. These are binoculars if you’re truly dedicated to the hobby and are looking for a top-of-the line product you can use for life.
- These binoculars offer a wide-range of view and incredible clarity. They’re designed to be light, balanced, and easy to use. Has a lot of praise from Audubon and several Reddit threads I paged through.
- 8.5×42 and 10×42 options for sale on Amazon. There’s are 8×32, 8×42, 10×32, and 10×42 options on the Swarovski website.
Shopping Options:
Wrapping Up
If you end up using or buying any of these binoculars, let me know in the comments section below what you think of them. If you have questions or comments, I always welcome those: debaundan@gmail.com
Thanks for reading!
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