The Audubon Guide to Binoculars

Whether you’re a novice looking for your first set of bins or an experienced birder looking for an upgrade, we cover excellent options for every budget.

Binoculars are an essential tool for birders, but with so many models on the market, it can be daunting to find the perfect pair. It’s been three years since we first published our binoculars guide, so this summer we once again turned to professional ornithologists and dedicated birders to put a wide array of optics to the test. In July, dozens of attendees at the 2019 Audubon Convention descended upon a Milwaukee park to review nearly 50 pairs of binoculars from 16 companies under a range of conditions over three days.

Our small army of volunteers rated the models on a 1 to 10 scale for a variety of factors, including clarity, brightness, color rendition, and eye relief. (For a fuller explanation of our methods, see the below story on how we made our rankings.) For the sake of consistency, we reviewed 8x42 or similarly sized optics. Most birders prefer 7- or 8-power binoculars because they’re bright and have a wide field of view, making it easier to find birds and to follow them in flight. Optics with objective lenses—the glass at the fat end of the tube—larger than 42 mm are heavier, and those smaller than 30 mm, while lightweight, aren’t bright enough to show detail in poor light.

One note about price: The amount listed is the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, but many of these models can be purchased for less in stores and online. While choosing a pair of binoculars ultimately comes down to personal preference, our top picks in each price category all deliver crisp, colorful images—allowing you to focus on the birds.