Seeing In The Almost Dark

Enlarge Image Image Gallery Most binoculars are either roof prism (right) or porro prism (left)

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

A nature-watcher's guide to low-light binoculars

IT'S AT LEAST A THOUSAND yards across the river valley to the grassy little park where I watch our local elk feed most every June evening. Tonight they emerge from the quaking aspens and scrub oak at exactly 7:30, following the lengthening tree-shadows out into the little clearing.

By 8:40, it has grown too dark to continue watching the animals through my little 7X2 minibinoculars. In fact, I can no longer see well enough through them even to focus. I put the minis aside and take up a newer, larger pair, size 7X50.

Optical magic.

Not only are the elk once again visible, but with the help of the big 7X50s, I can now make out subtle differences in size and coloration between individual animals and observe exactly what each is doing: A lone cow is lying near the bottom edge of the park chewing cud. A few yards above her, next to a clump of scrub oak, lies a second, somewhat larger cow, this one with a very small calf relaxing nearby. At the very back of the clearing, two pony-sized yearlings are playing tag in and out of the "quakies." A sixth animal is feeding in the deep shadows

With these magical binoculars, a full half-hour passes before I again lose clear sight of the little herd. That's half an hour of primetime nature observation I would not, could not, have enjoyed without them.

Since wildlife is most active (and thus most visible) at dawn and dusk, serious watchers need binoculars with the ability to magnify not just images but ambient light as wellfield optics that will provide rewarding viewing not just in good light but also in the deep forest shadows of midday and at the dim edges of early morning and late evening. Unfortunately, the minibinoculars so popular today, even the very best of them, actually reduce the amount of light reaching your eyes, while most popular-sized binoculars enhance image brightness only very slightly, if at all.

Over the past several months I've had the opportunity to use and compare low-light binoculars from two reputable manufacturers—Bushnell (a division of Bausch & Lomb) and Ranging (a Coleman company). While several other manufacturers offer binoculars in low-light configurations, by focusing on the dissimilar features and capabilities of the Bushnell and Ranging products with which I am familiar, I hope to present a good cross-sectional view of the features and capabilities of all low-light optics.

Bushnell's low-lights come in three basic grade-models: Ensigns, retailing for a suggested $81.95; Sportviews, at $115.95; and the fog-proof and waterproof Banner Marines, at $349.95. (The differences are due to ascending quality.) All three are full-sized binoculars available in the slightly unusual 7X50 size-which is, by and large, the optimum low-light configuration. (For reasons explained in the accompanying sidebar, 7X50s are not available in mini or compact versions.) I used all three models for quite some time and came out favoring the Sportviews, which weigh 26 ounces and offer a field of view of 394 feet at 1,000 yards. [Editor's Note. Bushnell recently announced their new Spectator line, to include a 7X50 "InstaFocus" at $142.95 and a 7X50 "Center Focus" at $327.95.]

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print