Binoculars were invented since the birth of telescopes in the 17th century and were first used by hunters and famous discoverers in the 19th. They were made of simple glass and brought together with cheap material.
Since technology has never stopped evolving, the industry of binoculars, as well, has made an astonishing peak thanks to modern engineering.
Whether you are a Bird watcher, a wildlife observer, a Hunter, going on a safari trip or even an adventurer who loves discovering new hidden pearls of nature, this new range of binoculars is designed for you.
Such binoculars will help you collect all the tiny subjects of your view with a very wide field of view and you will never regret the experience of trying it if you are obsessed with details and don’t want to miss any tiny aspect of your image.
In this article, I will show you how wide angle binoculars are the best fit for your needs and what can you do with their miraculous features then I will compare the most attractive products in the market but first let me introduce you to one of the best binos ever made recommended by our experts.
Athlon Optics Midas 8×42
Before talking about the stunning optical performance on this product, we must say that Athlon Optics did a great job on this and perfectly manufactured it to satisfy nature lovers. In other terms, this binocular will meet all your requirements in the field; it has awesome features and absolutely deserves the name of “king of wide angle binos”.
This binocular has an 8X magnification power which will easily zoom in at anything near 100 yards. In addition to this great magnification power, the 42 mm wide objective lens gives you amazing brightness even in bad weather conditions which means that the view you will get on the exit pupil is totally mesmerizing with zero aberrations.
The focus on this bino is adjustable with a close-range focusing reaching 6.5 ft and the ED glass used for its construction allows the user to witness a very wide field of view going up to 426 ft at 1000 yards (8.1°).
PROS:
- Top quality ED glass for a sharp and crisp view
- Dielectric multilayer prism coating for 99% light transmission from the front lens to the exit pupil which means best contrast and colour reproduction.
- Argon purged for thermal stability and waterproofing.
- Includes a standard tripod adapter
- Comes with lens protectors, a neck strap and a carrying case
CONS:
- The eye relief is not comfortable for eyeglass wearers.
- The focus knob is not flexible
- This product is relatively heavy for a binocular (700 grams)
Why are wide angle binos very useful?
For professional users, field of views has always been a struggle, for the only reason that normal binoculars don’t produce a good enough field of view, I mean they can roughly reach 300 feet at 1000 yards which is not useful at all.
In order to satisfy clients, manufacturers improved their products and developed a new range of binoculars that can fulfil the need of a wide field of view.
Such binoculars are very useful into the wild, considering the fact that they provide a very wide area of view then more subjects in your exit pupil so it can be very helpful while bird watching or hunting.
What features to look for?
Field of view (FOV) / angle
The field of view – that means the width of the area you are zooming in with your binocular and can be expressed as an angle or as a linear width – produced by wide angle binoculars goes from 300 up to 1000 feet at 1000 yards. With such FOV, you can get the best quality view of a very wide area and all what’s left for you to do is to get the best focus, if it is adjustable, and wow! Experience the most outstanding view.
The field of view is affected by magnification, if you have a very powerful magnification, your field of view may be narrower. Besides, this feature is also influenced by the eyepiece design; a wide field of view means a short eyepiece therefore it makes the bino uncomfortable for eyeglass wearers.
Magnification power
Magnification is always an important concern when it comes to optical performance, everybody wants a great magnification without a quality decrease, I mean, who doesn’t want 50X magnification with a high definition image?
Anyway, magnification in binoculars ranges from 4X to 10X and it is highly recommended to get a fixed magnification binocular because adjustable magnification can badly affect the quality of your view and requires steadier focus therefore it is not recommended.
8X magnification binos are the best in the market since they provide you with wide field of view going up to 500 feet at 1000 yards and clear view.
Objective lens diameter
This parameter is also very important since it is responsible for the clarity of view; In other words, the quantity of light that goes inside the binocular matters as much as magnification or field of view because it has the key for a brighter and clearer image.
The most commonly used objective lens in the 42 mm wide so it is best recommended to choose a bino with a 42 mm wide front lens to guarantee a clear image and a good contrast.
Optics quality
When it comes to binoculars, optics must be of top quality to ensure that the view has no chromatic aberrations and that the contrast is good enough to percept details and distinguish colours.
The most common technology used nowadays is the BAK-4 prisms and the roof prisms which provide crisp clear images and outstanding optical performance with 99% light transmission thanks to the multi-layer coating.
Before buying any binocular, you should carefully pay attention to the quality of its glass because it will define the quality of your view.
How price affects quality
Price is mainly the definition of quality since the manufacturer will set a price so he can pay material expenses; therefore, price defines quality of the product you’re buying. For that matter, binoculars have a wide range of prices going from $20 to $2000+.
Budget binoculars are extremely cheap which reflects the quality of the material used for their construction while mid-range binos, are of better quality and the provide a very fair quality versus price ratio but high-end products are highly expensive which means, they have better features and they are more durable.
However, you can find a very good wide angle binocular for a very fair price such as the one mentioned above – Athlon Midas 8X42mm – which competes with high-end products.
Now, that you shaped a good enough idea about binoculars, is time to move forward to reviewing some of the best products and listing their pros and cons.
Bushnell Xtra-Wide 4x 30mm
Although it has a low magnification power (only 4X) and a relatively small objective lens (30mm wide), this product is considered as the best among wide angled binoculars, for the only reason that it provides the user with a marvellous field of view (900 ft at 1000 yards), isn’t it awesome? Of course it is! It allows you to watch a full football game while sitting in the rear seats.
PROS:
- Automatic focus suitable for quick-moving targeting
- BaK-4 prisms for contrast enhancement
- Multicoated glass for better light transmission
- Extremely tiny (weighs only 400 grams and measures around 3.58 x 5.59 x 4.02 in) which makes it easily portable in hands
- Neck strap and case included
CONS:
- Very short eye relief (only 10mm) which is not suitable for eyeglass wearers
- Not waterproof neither fog proof
- Not adaptable on tripods
- Very cheap material which makes it subject to corrosion and sensitive to shocks.
- Lenses get quickly out of alignment due to problems in sealing.
Wingspan Optics NatureHawk Ultra HD 8X42
This product is a great choice for bird watchers ad it was perfectly designed for them with amazing features guaranteed by the 8X42 configuration.
The Wingspan Optics NatureHawk Ultra HD 8X42 has a field of view measuring 425 ft at 1000 yards and provides the user with crystal clear images thanks to the ED glass used on it to reduce light dispersion and enhance its transmission.
PROS:
- Multi-coated lenses
- Very resistant material used on the exterior to make it ultra-durable
- Very sharp close-range focusing at only 6.5 feet
- Comfortably long eye reliefs with twist-up eye cups which makes it suitable for glass wearers
- Comes with a neck strap and a case
- Adaptable on a tripod
- Lifetime warranty by the manufacturing company.
- Compact size for better portability (weighs only 280 grams)
- Water and fog proof
CONS:
- Limited focusing range which can sometimes be a problem when you hold the bino near to your eye.
Celestron TrailSeeker 8x42
Another amazing product is the TrailSeeker 8X42 manufactured by the famous optics company “Celestron” adds to our list thanks to its quite perfect performance.
With the same 8X42 characteristic as the other great binos, it has exactly the same wide field of view (426 ft at 1000 yards).
PROS:
- Phase and dielectrics multi coated BaK-4 prisms for light transmission enhancement and contrast improvement.
- Comfortable and adjustable inter pupillary distance (ranging from 56 to 73 mm)
- Sharp close-range focusing at 6.5 ft
- Long and comfortable eye relief in addition to a twist-up eyecup for eyeglass wearers.
- Water and fog proof
- Tripod adaptable
- Multiple accessories included such as a case and a neck strap
Nikon 7548 Monarch 7 8x42
Saving the best for last, it is the moment where I introduce one of the most special binoculars from the giant Nikon.
The Monarch 7 8X42 is similar in configuration with the rest of products, I mean the magnification and the front lens size, but it is clearly better than most of wide angle binoculars when it comes to functionality.
This pair of binoculars offers a stunning wide field of view reaching almost 500ft at 1000 yards.
PROS:
- Top quality high reflective optics that ensure the best colour contrast and light transmission.
- Rubber armoured and perfectly sealed for protection
- Water and fog proof
- Comes with a variety of accessories including neck strap, special case, and lens protectors.
- Comfortable eye relief for eyeglass wearers
- Comes with Nikon lifetime Warranty
CONS:
- Relatively big size for a binocular (weighs around 650 grams)
- Not adaptable on tripods
- Material used on eyepieces is not durable
I think, now, that you have a great knowledge about binoculars as much as I do and it is the perfect time to go for a good wide angle bino, don’t forget to check the description attentively and don’t spend your money on something useless.