THE COMPLETE OUTDOORSMANS HANDBOOK.pdf - Doczine

inoculars are well finished. See that the focusing mechanism and the hinges work smoothly. Look atthe external covering on the barrels to ascertain that it is attached well. If you can afford only low-pricedbinoculars, shake them to see if any screws or prisms are loose inside. Look at the external parts to seehow well they are cemented together. Give the objective lens a tap with your knuckle to make sure thatit is mounted solidly. Read the manufacturer's guarantee and compare it with the guarantees ofcompetitive brands.SELECTING BINOCULARSBuying binoculars can be a baffling business. There are a great many models to choose from and inmany price ranges. Binoculars with seemingly similar features can vary as much as two hundred dollarsin price. And then there is the question of magnification and the diameter of the objective lens. Almosteveryone knows that binoculars designated as 7X35 or 10X50 means that the binoculars rated as 7X willmagnify seven times, while those rated at 10X will magnify ten times. The figures thirty-five and fiftyare the diameters of the objective lenses in millimeters.The best all-around binoculars for the outdoors are 7X35. Such a glass is easy to hold without unduehand tremor. It has good light-gathering abilities for forest use on dark days. It is an excellent choice forbird watching, hunting, and even for spectator sports.Another good choice is 8X30. It offers a bit more magnification. but less light-gathering ability. It issuitable for big-game hunting and bird watching. Another popular glass is 9X35. This is a binocular foropen country mountains and plains. It is not as easy to hold steady as a 7X35 and is best used when theviewer can sit down and brace his elbows against his upright knees to steady his hands.Binoculars such as 10X50 are for long-range viewing, but they are too bulky and heavy if you haveother gear to carry as well. For night use and for navigation, 7X50 are the best bet. These binoculars arealso bulky and heavy, but they have tremendous light-gathering ability.On the other hand, binoculars such as 6X25 are a little too small for general use. However, because oftheir small size and lightness they can be shoved into the pocket of a jacket and taken along whenbulkier and heavier binoculars would be left behind. This is why I own such a pair.Most high quality binoculars today are made in the United States, West Germany, and Japan. The onlyAmerican manufacturer is Bausch and Lomb. Their binoculars are expensive, but of outstanding quality.The 9X35 Bausch and Lomb binoculars are the choice of many knowledgeable mountain hunters. Onecan hardly go wrong in choosing binoculars by Bausch and Lomb.Three outstanding German makes are Zeiss, Leitz, and Hensoldt. Zeiss lenses are world renowned andtheir binoculars are excellent. Zeiss makes a very fine 8X30 binocular crated entirely in rubber formaximum water resistance and protection against non-alignment if the binoculars are accidentallydropped. The rubber absorbs most of the shock.