What features do butterfly watching binoculars need?

Binoculars are extremely useful for identifying and enjoying butterflies. Choosing the right binoculars for butterfly watching can be easy with a little knowledge. Butterfly watchers will want to consider the following when comparing binoculars for watching butterflies:

     Ability to focus closely

     Magnification matters

     Ability to gather light

Ability to Focus Closely
The close focus of a binocular refers to the minimum distance to which it will focus. The ability of a binocular to focus up close depends on binocular design and, to some extent, on the characteristics of your own eye. This binocular feature is most highly desired for identifying butterflies in the field and, in today's market, there are a great many binoculars to choose from -- a testament to how quickly the hobby of watching butterflies has grown!
     Since most butterflies will tolerate close observation, being able to focus your binoculars from a short distance greatly enhances field identification. You'll want to compare binoculars that focus as close as ten feet, preferably as close as six feet.

Magnification Matters
Another important consideration is magnification, but more magnification in a binocular is not necessarily better. Since butterflies are observed at close range, a binocular magnifying from 6x to 8x may be the best choice.
     Hand tremors are also more pronounced through binoculars with higher magnification. The wider field of view provided by binoculars of lower magnification can also be important for tracking butterflies since they move so quickly.

Note: As magnification increases, brightness and clarity may diminish, the depth of field can become shallower, and the field of view is usually more restricted.

Ability to Gather Light
The objective lens size, or aperture, of a binocular limits the amount of light entering the optical system. Binoculars with larger objective lenses of 40-50mm will gather more light and, theoretically, provide greater detail and clarity of the image. This is especially true under the low light conditions brought about by the time of day, cloud cover, and shadows cast by dense vegetation.

Note: Since most butterfly watching is done during the brightest moments in the day, such low-light performance isn't always necessary. However, binoculars with larger objective lenses may still be desirable for those cloudy moments, or when there is potential for viewing woodland species like Satyrs, Elfins, and Skippers.


More about choosing binoculars.




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