What Type Of Binoculars Are Best For Safari?
You’ve almost certainly met someone who has complained about a recent safari trip. The animals being too far away and difficult to spot would be their biggest disappointment. So, how are you going to get a good look at the wild animals without jeopardizing your life? Binoculars for safari are the ultimate solution.
A safari binocular will improve the quality of your safari vacation, making it a necessary addition to your personal belongings. As a result, we’ll show you some criteria for what type of binoculars are best for safari.
So, What Type Of Binoculars Are Best For Safari?
The following are the most important considerations when comparing safari binoculars:
Magnification
When buying binoculars for a safari, magnification is one of the most important factors to consider. The first number is the magnification coefficient, which indicates how large an object can be magnified by the binocular.
It’s natural to believe that the higher the magnification, the better the binoculars for wildlife viewing, but this isn’t always the case.
A number greater than 12 may compromise brightness and focus while also allowing for greater zooming. A binocular magnification of 8x or 10x is best for safari.
Magnifications of less than 8 tend to solve all of these problems, but they have a narrow range and poor image quality.
Prism Type
On the market, there are two distinct variations to consider: the porro-prism and the roof-prism.
The classic porro-prism design has the larger objective lenses (those facing what you’re looking at) offset significantly from the eyepiece lenses.
The roof-prism type is a more modern design in which the objective lenses are aligned with the eyepiece lenses, resulting in a slimmer and more compact design.
To produce high-quality images while keeping the primary lenses in line, the roof-prism concept necessitates a great deal of precision and craftsmanship. The porro-prism, on the other hand, is more capable of producing a more stable image for the same price.
For the same price, lower-cost porro-prism designs usually provide better image quality than roof-prism designs. If you’re on a tight budget, the porro-prism is an excellent choice.
Technology and processes, on the other hand, are constantly improving, resulting in outstanding roof prism designs. However, keep in mind that technology and processes are constantly evolving, resulting in incredible roof-prism designs. However, your cost range expands.
Size and weight
If you don’t live in the area where you’ll be going on safari and must travel to Africa, you’ll want to choose a pair of lightweight binoculars. The easier your safari binoculars are to travel with, the smaller and lighter they are.
If you’re going on a walking safari, the lighter, smaller binoculars will undoubtedly be more comfortable. Binoculars that are smaller are also easier to hold and grip.
Objective Lens
An objective lens is located on the binocular’s tip and is aimed at the object. To gather a lot of light, the binoculars should have a larger actual surface area. In low-light situations, it makes a huge difference in your vision.
The tricky part is that the objective lens increases the binocular size significantly. For safari purposes, a focal length of 30 to 45mm should suffice.
Field of View
The field of view refers to the size of the image that a binocular can cover. You can see a lot more with a wider field of view. Even if a pair of binoculars with a small field of view has acceptable image quality and magnification, you’ll still have to adjust and move them around to see an animal.
At 1000 yards, a field of view of at least 315 feet is a good rule of thumb.
Eye relief
With a long eye relief, you can hold the binoculars further away from your eyes while still seeing the target clearly. It also ensures that people who wear glasses keep them on while looking through binoculars.
The size range of 12mm to 18mm is ideal for your needs. You should also think about binoculars that can be used with or without glasses.
Exit Pupil
This is the magnification divided by the lens size ratio. Because some binoculars include this information in their specifications, it is critical to understand how they work.
A large exit pupil size, like a large lens size, allows the binocular to gather more light, allowing you to see more clearly in low light conditions. For early morning and evening safaris, an exit pupil of at least 5mm would suffice.
Waterproof, fog proof and shockproof
Any binocular designed for serious outdoor use will almost certainly encounter challenging weather – not to mention rain – along the way. While on a safari, binoculars are prone to getting wet.
As a result, having a model that is waterproof and possibly fog proof is essential. Some models are even suitable for use in the water. To withstand the harsh safari conditions, the binoculars should be shockproof.
See Also
- Best Budget Safari Binoculars
- Best Budget Hiking Binoculars
- Best Budget Binoculars for Wildlife Viewing
Do I need binoculars for safari?
Yes, you should bring binoculars to see the animals. Your safari guide will have a pair to look for wildlife, and once he sees them, you can use your binoculars to see the animals.
What color should you not wear on safari?
The best way to get close to wildlife is to blend in as much as possible with your surroundings by going neutral. Wear greens, browns, and khakis to avoid drawing unwanted attention.
Wearing clothing with bright colors or busy patterns is not recommended. This will draw attention to you and frighten away the animals. Avoid wearing camouflage clothing, as it is only permitted for military personnel in some African countries.
Dark colors attract tsetse flies, so avoid wearing dark blue or black clothing – their bite is painful! Instead of wearing white, choose a neutral color that will hide dirt and dust.
What is the price range of safari binoculars?
A pair of safari binoculars typically costs between $100 and $500. There are also some high-end models that cost up to $3000 USD and have an excellent feature set.
Conclusion
People, that’s all there is to it! We’ve covered the most important factors to consider when purchasing safari binoculars for your next wildlife viewing adventure. If you want to see wildlife and get a good look at it, I recommend bringing at least one pair of binoculars on your trip. You’d have a great time!