How to Choose Best Binoculars for Game Viewing in the Kruger National Park
If you're planning on a game-viewing trip to the Kruger National Park then it is very advisable to take along a good pair of binoculars - you will not regret it. Zooming in on a pride of lions several hundred meters away will make them appear just a few meters from you. The big decision comes in the selection of binoculars.
There are many makes of binocular and they come in many shapes and sizes. It is important to know what the numbers mean that are printed on the binoculars. You will see numbers like 7 x 40 or 10 x 50. In all cases the first number that appears is the magnification of the binoculars, so 2 x 30 means a magnification of two times, 7 x 40 a magnification of seven times and so on.
Top brands include Bushnell, Meade, Zeiss, Nikon, Celestron, Canon and others. Check this page for help in selecting the right binoculars for birding
Clearly the higher the first number, the greater the magnification, and the first thought that probably comes to your mind is to get the largest magnification possible. However, once the power goes above 10 x, it becomes very difficult to avoid shaking and this should be taken into consideration when making your choice. The only way around this is to have a tripod mount for the binoculars (which very few are adapted for) and this is often impractical especially when seated in the back of a safari vehicle bashing through the bush.
The second figure denotes the size of the objective lens - the objective is the larger of the lenses in the binoculars. 7 x 40 means that the objective lens is forty millimeters in diameter, 10 x 50 means fifty millimeters and so on. The larger the lens, the more light that is allowed into the binoculars - this can be most important especially in the dim light conditions that you would find on a dawn or dusk safari in the Kruger National Park.
Also, generally speaking, the wider the objective lens, the heavier the binoculars. When choosing your new binoculars, hold them in your hands, get a feel for them - if they are too heavy then go for a lighter pair. I use a pair of 10 x 50's but my wife finds them far too heavy and prefers her 7 x 40', which are about ten ounces lighter.
The more expensive binoculars often have several refinements - coated lenses for example. Lenses can have several thin layers of coating on them, and all for a good purpose. An uncoated lens can reflect and refract about 6% of all the light that strikes it.
Coating the lens reduces this percentage to almost nil and so gives a much brighter image, especially in poor light conditions. Of course the cost of special coatings has to be passed on to the consumer, and this often accounts for the extra cost of the better brands. Another consideration should be whether or not the binoculars are waterproof - there can be a lot of rain in the Kruger National Park during certain seasons of the year, so be prepared.
You don't have to spend a fortune for a good pair of binoculars but could end up spending as much as $1400 if you really want the best - that's with adjustable magnification, zoom lens, the lot!
Prices start around $40 or $50 but a budget of about $100 should get you a perfectly good pair of binoculars with coated lens and even waterproof. When you do get your binoculars, look after them, keep them in their case and keep the lens hoods on when you are not using them. Don't give them any sharp shock treatment (like dropping them on the floor) as this could dislodge one of the prisms giving a non-aligned double image with the resulting headaches and a costly bill to repair them.
If you decide to go for a second-hand pair, make sure that the lenses are in good condition - i.e. no scratches and no double image. A good pair of binoculars should last you a lifetime. I have a pair of very ancient binoculars, which are about 3 x 45 - they must be at least 100 years old, but they work just as well as if new.
Quality optics in binoculars is essentially what you pay for (as well as brand name like Zeiss for example). Bushnell is a well respected binocular brand name with good optics at fair prices. Mine are Bushnell roof prism type binoculars 8 x 42 and are excellent ... they cost me about $180 here in South Africa.
Binocular design fall into 2 categories ... based
upon prism system used, roof prism and Porro prism. It's very easy to
tell them apart. If the objective lenses and the eyepiece lens are in
line with each other (ie a straight type of construction as distinct
from an angled construction) then they are the roof prism design. Roof
prism binoculars are very compact. In higher quality binoculars there is
probably not much difference in viewing quality and whatever difference
may be there will be very subjective rather than objective.