Binocular Recomendation for Viewing Alaskan Wildlife

[tests4u]

I am taking a cruise-tour and spending 3 days in Denali and 7 days cruising through Alaska's Inner passage in July. I want to be able to view the wildlife the best way possible. Does anybody have a recommendation for binoculars? I have no idea how to start and there seems to be endless choices.

[tests4u]

Going to be spending 3 days in Denali before Inner Passage and want to get great views of wildlife. I know I will need binoculars but there are countless varieties with even more features. How do I know what I want? Anyone out there who can steer me to a good set without and exorbitant pricetag? Really need advice!

Edited April 13, 2015 by Host Kat >^..^<
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[Kamloops50]

I am taking a cruise-tour and spending 3 days in Denali and 7 days cruising through Alaska's Inner passage in July. I want to be able to view the wildlife the best way possible. Does anybody have a recommendation for binoculars? I have no idea how to start and there seems to be endless choices.

 

We use 7x25 for all our viewing. They are small and fit in a back pac.

The first number in 7x25 is the magnification factor. The second number is the diameter of the first lens in millimeters. As the second number gets bigger the amount of light required is reduced . If the first number gets to big , it's hard to keep a steady view on an object.

I also have a 7x50 for looking at scenery in low light levels.

[Budget Queen]

You need to try out binoculars. For wildlife, my preference is at least 10 power, with my marine wildlife viewing- wide angle are necessary.

 

Only way for you to determine what is right for you- is to take a look and get the feel of how the binocular is.

[varoo]

Going to be spending 3 days in Denali before Inner Passage and want to get great views of wildlife. I know I will need binoculars but there are countless varieties with even more features. How do I know what I want? Anyone out there who can steer me to a good set without and exorbitant pricetag? Really need advice!

 

Here are links to some of the threads where the subject has been discussed on this forum:

 

Type of binoculars for an Alaskan cruise - Cruise Critic Message Board Forums

 

Binocular Advice - Cruise Critic Message Board Forums

 

Binoculars - Best for cruising? - Cruise Critic Message Board Forums

 

Different people have different preferences, so as Budget Queen suggests, it would be preferable to try them out before buying if possible to see what will be the best fit for you within your acceptable price range.

 

[donaldsc]

This has been discussed many many times on the Alaska board. Do a search on binoculars.

 

All I can say is that there are bad cheap binoculars and wonderful expensive ones. The only way to find out what sort of compromise you can live with is as Budget Queen has suggested is to try them out at a good sporting goods store.

 

Just do not make the mistake that I made. I found a decent set of $500 binoculars that worked for me. However, just for fun, I tried out a $2000 set of binoculars. I walked out with the $500 ones but I will always regret not being able to justify the more expensive ones. Do not try out anything that you can not afford.

 

 

DON

[dhmom99]

there are many different binoculars available these days. My personal experience is to make sure that you get waterproof binoculars that have fully multi-coating glasses. My first pair of bushnell binoculars didn't have waterproof feature. The water leaked in there and we missed some good whale watching opportunity that day. We typically packed our Zen-Ray Summit 10x42 and Leupold GoldRing with us.

[Northern Aurora]

While I also believe that you just have to try holding a pair of binoculars in your own hands to see how they feel for you, birdwatching magazines seem to have binocular reviews almost every issue. Also consider checking birding magazines in your local library.

[tx_jackie]

It depends a lot on how much quality you're expecting and how much you're willing to spend.

 

I have a pair of Bushnell PowerView Binoculars that I picked up at a sporting goods chain for about $30. I tried them out and they seemed good enough quality for me. Sometimes I wished I had upgraded a bit, but for the most part they work just fine for sightseeing. My husband, however, has a pair of Swarovski binoculars that he swears by. He's pickier than me and was more willing to splurge for better quality. He also hunts and uses them far more than I use my pair.

 

I would also echo what others have said - go and try them out at a store. It'll give you a better idea of your taste and the salespeople usually have good info.

[JCrewz]

I Like the Leupold Rogues pretty well. My advice to anyone who is not used to using binoculars is to get an 8x magnification. The lower the first number, the wider your field of view will be.

 

Like most of the higher end binoculars, the prism based optics also feature nitrogen filled chambers which resist fogging. You can pick up Leupold Rogues for about $150.00 or so.

 

Binoculars are a little bit like champagne. Everyone can spot the cheap stuff. However, I have a hard time telling the difference between a $20 bottle and a $100.00 bottle. In my opinion, a good $150.00 pair of binoculars will serve you well and it will be hard to justify buying the premium $700.00 binoculars.

 

Also, if you wear glasses, pay attention to "eye relief" so you will know whether you can use the binoculars comfortably with glasses. Lastly, take some time before your cruise to train yourself with the binoculars. A slow, smooth scan can help you catch the views that often disappear quickly.

[plenox]

You definitely want to bring binoculars with you for Alaska cruise. Take 10x42 or 8x42. The first number is the magnification power and the second number is the objective lens diameter in millimeters. 10x has more power, but narrow field of view whereas the 8x gives you wider field of view. Another to consider is to make sure the binoculars are waterproof (not just weatherproof) as you will get a lot of rain in Alaska. If you wear glasses, the eye relief needs to be over 13mm or more. We took a pair of Zen-Ray VISTA and a pair of SUMMIT with us. We are quite happy with their performance. Some people recommend $2000+ Swarovski binoculars. To our eyes, the difference is small enough that we cannot justify spending extra money on them.

[donaldsc]

Some people recommend $2000+ Swarovski binoculars. To our eyes, the difference is small enough that we cannot justify spending extra money on them.

 

looked at $2000 Leitz binoculars when I bought mine. The difference was obvious but the price of the divorce if I bought them was unaffordable.

 

DON

[plenox]

looked at $2000 leitz binoculars when i bought mine. The difference was obvious but the price of the divorce if i bought them was unaffordable.

 

Don

 

 

lol

[fishin' musician]

Binoculars run the gammut from budget, say under $100, to premium at $2k plus. The premium brands like Zeisse, Swarovski and Leica are amazingly bright and accurate. But, there are mid-range varieties in the $200-600 range that may not be quite as bright, but can be quite accurate. Find a big box sporting goods store with a large selection with someone who is willing to show you how to adjust the diopter to compensate for the difference between your eyes. At this time I can't justify the premium varieties and have settled for 8X32 and 10x42, mid-range, fully multi-coated lense/bak 4 prisms. Waterproof is a necessity. Hopefully your budget will permit at least midrange consideration. I consider this a lifetime investment.

[rockdoctor]

I hope you don't think I'm hijacking the thread but a 400 mm camera lens has a magnification of 8X. So I use my DSLR as binoculars and squeeze of a picture while I'm at it. Since it's a zoom lens, I can find wildlife more easily that with binoculars.

[AgaveGal9]

If you search in Google or whatever for binocular reviews (with filters like "wildlife" or "birding"), you will get a LOT of good suggestions for size and brand. And you'll find a lot of the reviews have the same makes/models listed over and over again, which should help you narrow down your search. 10x42 and 8x42 seem to come up frequently in the reviews for this use. I read a lot of reviews, watched videos and checked out the top 5 "repeat" binoculars that sounded like they would work nicely for me in my price range, and ultimately decided on the 8x42 Vanguard Endeavor ED 8420. For one, Vanguard has a GREAT warranty (if I drop them and mess up the optics at any time...it's covered). The strap is comfortable, the eye cups twist in/out for glasses (or not), the diopter ring can be locked down, the optics are coated, it's waterproof, you can put it on a tripod and the focus wheel is smooth. Compared to my old Bushnell budget binoculars, they are a huge improvement. And cost was reasonable.

 

My ONLY complaint about these is that the instructions to put the strap onto the binoculars were pretty lousy. It's a sketch of how you are to loop the strap around and through the plastic piece, but you can't figure out what's supposed to go where. I ended up doing image and video searches online of this and other models that had similar straps and made it work. Doubt it's what they intended, but they are secure (and still adjustable)!

 

I must say I was really tempted to buy the next model up (the ED II's), but the comparison ratings didn't justify the extra money. I'm really looking forward to using them on my trip in June!

 

Be sure when reading reviews that you take into consideration the accessories that come with the binoculars. My Bushnells have lens caps that are supposed to stick on the ends but never do...falling out in the bag and on the floor. And the strap is not comfortable. Some of the binoculars get great ratings for the optics themselves, but then rate poorly because something as simple as keeping track of your lens caps make them a frustrating purchase. Some of the brands excel in this area, and some got knocked off my "maybe" list because of the lack or quality of accessories. Why buy a $250 pair of binoculars when you lose a lens cap on your first adventure! :cool:

[cruisevers]

For those just wanting binoculars for a one time trip or an extra pair for a child or to take ashore, try your local pawn shop. My husband wanted to check for a camera lens this afternoon so we headed to a pawn shop near by. Well right next to the camera stuff they had many sets of binoculars in all range of prices and brands. Their prices were good and we were able to test many different kinds. In the end, we didn't find the lens but found a very good extra pair of binoculars to take to Alaska with us for a fraction of what they would cost retail....along with a thirty day warranty from the store. If we drop them in the ocean they didn't cost that much anyway!

[zqvol]

Just remember that whatever you take you have to haul around, and if you are hauling a camera, a couple of extra lenses, plus binos it get real heavy real fast. Multiple trips to AK, we have never taken them with us and have never had a need for them.

[kGCAL]

Majority of people on the cruise ships rarely bother to spend time doing wildlife watching(except of those who came to this board:)). But we really enjoy spending a few hours each time out there search for opportunity to spot some whales in the water, or a bear on the shore. For that, having binoculars for each person is a great plus. Do not bug rock bottom budget binoculars, which is a waste of money and you don't get enjoyment out of it any way. We don't want to spend top dollars for the high end either since we only use them for our trips. Like several other posters have said, try to get a pair in the middle ground is the best. Between $100 and $300, there are many nice binoculars out there. We use Zen-Ray VISTA 10x42 and our kids use Olympus 8x42. Both are very nice and quite affordable.

[dhmom99]

I hope you don't think I'm hijacking the thread but a 400 mm camera lens has a magnification of 8X. So I use my DSLR as binoculars and squeeze of a picture while I'm at it. Since it's a zoom lens, I can find wildlife more easily that with binoculars.

 

DH used to haul a 100-400 lens with him. I "hated" it as it took up too much of my packing space.:D But joking aside, we found viewing with a 10x binoculars gives more detail than the picture taken with his 400 zoom lens. The image feels almost like 5x bigger. We do not understand how it works, but it is the difference we have experienced.