Binoclulars vs. Camera Zoom for Alaskan Cruise

[bluejbird]

Hi,

It seems like it's highly recommended to bring along a good pair of binoculars on an Alaskan Cruise. I haven't had much experience with binoculars, but plan on taking lots of pics and video. Does anyone know if binoculars would still be needed or recommended if someone has a 10x optical still camera zoom and a 30x hd video camera zoom. I'm thinking that if I see something with the binoculars, I'll miss the photo op by the time I grab my camera? Thanks for your opinions.

Bluej@RealLifeRealStoriesDOTcom

[W5KAP]

Hi,

It seems like it's highly recommended to bring along a good pair of binoculars on an Alaskan Cruise. I haven't had much experience with binoculars, but plan on taking lots of pics and video. Does anyone know if binoculars would still be needed or recommended if someone has a 10x optical still camera zoom and a 30x hd video camera zoom. I'm thinking that if I see something with the binoculars, I'll miss the photo op by the time I grab my camera? Thanks for your opinions.

Bluej@RealLifeRealStoriesDOTcom

 

Do not go to Alaska without binoculars!! There will be shots too far off for your camera and the binoculars will allow you to at least see things better. There is so much going on and so very much to see. You will regret if you spend thousands of dollars on the cruise and don't spend the $100 or so to get good binocs!!

 

Enjoy your cruise

 

Cheers, Kenn

[AmazingJourneys]

I have a 14x zoom on my DSLR and still will be in the market for some decent 10x binoculars.

[CruisingGoddess]

Bringing 2 sets of binoculars (one for each of us), 12x optical zoom digital camera, and our little Canon PowerShot!

[donaldsc]

You will regret if you spend thousands of dollars on the cruise and don't spend the $100 or so to get good binocs!!

 

Enjoy your cruise

 

Cheers, Kenn

 

Where can you get good binocs for $100? Fair ones - maybe. Good ones - much more.

 

DON

[Budget Queen]

There is NO comparism with binoculars and a "zoom" lens. First huge difference is the field of view, which with the camera is WAY too restrictive. A wide angle binoculars is absolutely necessary if you want viewing of marine wildlife. A zoom lens just will NOT do it.

[Warm_CND]

Hi,

Does anyone know if binoculars would still be needed or recommended if someone has a 10x optical still camera zoom and a 30x hd video camera zoom. I'm thinking that if I see something with the binoculars, I'll miss the photo op by the time I grab my camera?

Bluej@RealLifeRealStoriesDOTcom

 

I was looking into binoculars for our Alaskan cruise as well. I spent 10 years working in a camera store that also sold binoculars.

 

A confusing point is the ‘strength’ of a binocular vs that of a zoom lens. And while it is not complicated it is not simple to lay out in a short post.

 

The ‘zoom’ in a camera is relative to the that particular lens. In other words that 10x camera zoom lens means it will bring things 10x closer than its ‘lowest’ or ‘farthest’ away setting. This is key because almost all of these zoom lenses start out wide angle or farther away than your eye. The ‘POWER’ in a binocular is measured in relation to that of your eye , 1x being basically what your eye sees. Subtle but Important difference.

 

Digital camera numbers are confusing so for a standard reference I’ll use 35 mm film camera examples. A 50 mm lens offers a close approximation of the size of things seen with the eye (thus called a ‘normal lens). And so as far as binoculars are concerned a 2x binocular would be 100mm for a 35 mm camera. 4x binocular = 200 mm lens. So an 8x Binocular would bring things… you guessed it , to the equivalent of a 400 mm lens.

 

Straight Forward … BUT a cameras’ 8x does not start at 50mm , it will start at the widest angle of its lens. So my 25 – 200mm zoom lens is an ‘8x’ lens, BUT it is roughly HALF as powerful ( close ) as that 8x pair of binoculars.

 

Digital camera’s make things confusing because a ‘normal’ lens on your digital camera will not be 50 mm , it will likely be much lower for MY digital camera a 31mm lens would be ‘normal’ , my 15mm – 120mm which is an 8x CAMERA lens and would be just shy of having about the same ‘power’ of a 4x pair of binoculars. Exactly how many ‘mm’ on a specific DIGITAL camera model will equal ‘normal’ ( 50 mm for 35 mm film cameras ) varies greatly !

 

A good reference page that explains binocular terms and specifications is (http://www.opticsplanet.net/how-to-buy-binoculars.html#ch01 )

And here is one describing the focal lengths ‘zoom factors’ for camera lenses (http://www.photoxels.com/tutorial_focal_length.html )

 

There are also brightness factors as well as the ease of viewing with a ‘binocular’ system as opposed to a monocular system like a camera.

 

Good luck !!

[plenox]

I have Canon 70-300mm lens on my dSLR. With cropping factor of 1.6 and everything, it should give me about 10x magnification. But I can see more with my 10x zen-ray summit binoculars than through the viewfinder of the camera. The binoculars and camera are designed to do different things. I would bring both binoculars and zoom lens camera for the trip.

[NHsnowpup]

Has anyone found a carrying system/harness that will work off backpack straps? I'm bringing my D80 with 70-300 and 18-135 lenses, Sony Handy cam, and zoom binoculars. I have a great daypack that will carry the equipment, raingear, drink bottle and snacks in pockets and attached pouches. The camera/binocular harnesses I have checked out look like reversed backpack straps and I was thinking something that hooked into the slide loops on the shoulder straps would be less bulky and still provide quick access for the binocs and/or Nikon. My rear is already wide enough so no belt pouches. (I'll post also on the camera board)

[NHsnowpup]

Has anyone found a carrying system/harness that will work off backpack straps? I'm bringing my D80 with 70-300 and 18-135 lenses, Sony Handy cam, and zoom binoculars. I have a great daypack that will carry the equipment, raingear, drink bottle and snacks in pockets and attached pouches. The camera/binocular harnesses I have checked out look like reversed backpack straps and I was thinking something that hooked into the slide loops on the shoulder straps would be less bulky and still provide quick access for the binocs and/or Nikon. My rear is already wide enough so no belt pouches. (I'll post also on the camera board)

[NHsnowpup]

The site locked up and when I came back found it was doubled and too late to edit it out.

[W5KAP]

Where can you get good binocs for $100? Fair ones - maybe. Good ones - much more.

 

DON

 

Don, you're right (Mostly). I got a good pair at Cabella's just outside Austin TX. I think I paid like $129. Very happy with them

 

Cheers, Kenn

[slumdogtexan]

Don, you're right (Mostly). I got a good pair at Cabella's just outside Austin TX. I think I paid like $129. Very happy with them

 

Cheers, Kenn

 

Make and Model please ?

[prophotogirl]

Camera Zoom for me. I've gotten closer with the camera than the people I've traveled with using their $150 binocluars.

[Glaciers]

Nice to have the room for both a camera and binoculars but if not, I'll always take my camera over the binoculars.

[plenox]

I don't know.... I was able to spot a black bear near the creek in Juneau with my 10x binoculars. It was just a dot on my Canon rebel viewfinder with 300mm lens.

[kGCAL]

we took sony zoom camera and zen-ray VISTA 8x binoculars. The Sony cybershot has 12x zoom. But we can see much better with 8x on our binoculars. Don't know why. :confused:

[Ron AKA]

One of the big advantages of binoculars is that you are seeing an image with two eyes. With the right kind of binoculars this can give you a nice crisp three dimensional image. This is not possible with a monocular, or a camera. Warm_CND has also given an excellent explanation as to why an 8X zoom digital zoom camera is not the same as 8X binoculars. It takes a 400mm lens on a 35mm camera to get 8X magnification.

 

If one is looking to get this advantage of a binocular at a lower cost, I would suggest you restrict your looking to a porro prism design binocular. This is the type of binocular which has kind of a dog leg shape, with the objective lens wider spaced than the eye spacing. There are at least three reasons for the advantage:

 

1. The wide objective spacing gives a more three dimensional depth of field view -- even better than with your naked eyes, due to the increased spacing.

2. The other design (roof prism) which looks like two straight cylinders, is more complicated to design and retain image quality. It costs at least twice if not three times as much to get the same image quality as a porro prism. So a bargain basement roof prism is not a good choice.

3. Last the porro prism is likely to give you a wider field of view.

 

One model I would suggest for consideration is the Bushnell Legend 8x42, or alternately if you feel you need more power (and can hold it steady), the Legend 10x50. Good quality, and good price now that they are discontinued. Another poster said they found better prices than that on Amazon.

[plenox]

I just found out the zoom lens actually zoom out the image at the lowest magnification power. I have a 3x compact camera. At 1x, the image is actually shrinked to 0.7. So at 3x, it is really 2.1x magnification. You should definitely get a pair of binoculars with you. For easy packing, go either compact or streamlined roof binoculars. I had mine for almost 3 years and could not say enough good thing about them. Use it at least once a month and get my money's worth.

[chipmaster]

For those in the market for "reasonable" price, I found several Barska models for sale at Big5 this week.

 

I ended up getting 3 so nobody would be fighting for their own copy. Cheap enough that everyone has their own, yet good enough quality that they aren't your Target brand type either ;) Do try at a store and make sure yours are sharp and focus well, I'm reading their quality control or lack of results in some sample variations.

 

http://big5sportinggoods.shoplocal.com/big5/default.aspx?action=detail&storeid=2503823&rapid=0&listingid=-2087423155&offerid=

 

http://www.trails.com/review_13057_barska-binocular-review.html