Looking for a great deal on binoculars? You’ve come to the right place! We have everything you need to get the most out of your time spent seeing things. That’s why we’ve put together this list of the five best budget binoculars for under 50 dollars.
I know there are alot of different types of binoculars on the market today, but for under 50 bucks you can pick up these high-quality binoculars.
Most powerful binoculars
Buying binoculars can be stressful, especially when you’re looking for the greatest combination of features, quality and price. It can be hard to make a decision on which pair is the best for your needs. That’s why we have taken everything into account and have come up with what we believe are some of the best high power binoculars currently available on the market today.
Cheap high-powered binoculars are probably the most common type of binoculars for anyone looking for a gift for their hunting buddy or themselves. And yet it may not be easy to choose the best one. You want something that will let you see well and do the job whether you’re out on the hunt with your old flinty eyes or just walking through the forest or on an adventure in general. So here is a list of four best cheap high powered binoculars which I personally use and recommend:
Most binoculars on the market utilize the “Close Focus” function to improve magnification levels. In general, a higher magnification does not improve your ability to clearly see faraway objects. Therefore, a better method for obtaining high magnification using binoculars is to focus closer than the closest object you would like to view through the lens.
Best cheap high powered binoculars
A great pair of binoculars can help you stargaze, birdwatch, or even spot a cheetah on safari. If you’d like to magnify far away animals or objects, you’ll need a well-designed, high power pair of binoculars. But not all binoculars are created equal, so how do you find a great pair without spending too much time?
We’re here to help you shop. We tested the top models and put together this list of 2021’s five best high power binoculars for long-distance viewing. For each model, we’ve written detailed reviews comparing price, magnification, lens design, zoom control, accessories, and warranty so you’ll get a great set of binoculars.
A Quick Glance at the Winners of 2022
IMAGEPRODUCTDETAILSBEST OVERALLNikon ACULON High-Power Zoom Binoculars10-22 times magnification, 50-millimeter lensesSimple fingertip zoom controlAdjustable rubber eyecupsCHECK PRICEBEST VALUECelestron SkyMaster High-Powered BinocularsAdjustable rubber eyecupsMinimum focus distance of 108 feetWater-resistant rubber coatingCHECK PRICEPREMIUM CHOICEVortex Optics HD BinocularsMulti-coated lenses, including AR coatingFully water- and fog-proofAdjustable eyecups and locking right diopterCHECK PRICEBetaOptics Military Zoom High Power BinocularsClassic Porro prism systemSmooth center focus wheelIncludes carrying case and neck strapCHECK PRICECelestron 71454 Echelon BinocularsWater- and fog-proof, with nitrogen purgingProprietary glass coatingHigh-quality BAK-4 prism glassCHECK PRICE
The 5 Best High Power Binoculars
- Nikon ACULON High-Power Zoom Binoculars – Best Overall
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Our top pick is the Nikon 8252 ACULON A211 Zoom Binocular, which is a well-designed model with simple controls, a durable coating, and a great warranty. There’s a reason Nikon is famous for its high-quality, powerful binoculars.
These light two-pound binoculars offer 10 to 22 times magnification, controlled by a simple fingertip zoom knob, and 50-millimeter lenses. The minimum focus distance is 49.2 feet, and the rubber eyecups are easy to adjust. There are multi-coated eco glass lenses, and the body has a durable, non-slip rubber coating. The package includes a case, lens covers, and convenient carrying straps.
When we tried these binoculars, we found some distortion at the highest zoom levels. They’re very fairly priced, though, and Nikon offers a great lifetime warranty for the optical system and a seven-year warranty for the other components, which are all reasons why we’ve got this at the top of our list for best binoculars for long-distance viewing.Pros
Fairly priced and lightweight
10 to 22 times magnification and 50-millimeter lenses
Simple fingertip zoom control
Adjustable rubber eyecups
Minimum focus distance of 49.2 feet
Multi-coated eco glass lenses
Durable rubber coating
Includes case, lens covers, and carrying straps
Great lifetime optical system warranty and seven-year non-optical warranty
Cons
Some distortion at the highest zoom levels
- Celestron SkyMaster High-Powered Binoculars – Best Value
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Are you working with a tight budget? You may be interested in the Celestron 71018 SkyMaster Binocular, which we found to be the best high power binoculars for long-distance viewing for the money.
These heavier 4.69-pound binoculars have multi-coated lenses and a protective, water-resistant rubber coating. They offer 20 times magnification through very wide 80-millimeter objective lenses and have soft, adjustable rubber eyecups. The minimum focus distance is a more distant 108 feet. The package includes an objective lens cap, rain guard, nylon carrying case, neck strap, and lens cloth.
We found these binoculars fairly heavy and bulky, though the magnification is impressive and the accessories are extensive. The eyecups aren’t as durable, and the binoculars as a whole feel less sturdy. Celestron offers a lifetime warranty, with decent customer service. With all that said, we think these are the best high power binoculars for long-distance viewing for the money this year.Pros
Inexpensive
20 times magnification and 80-millimeter lenses
Adjustable rubber eyecups
Minimum focus distance of 108 feet
Water-resistant rubber coating
Multi-coated lenses
Includes objective lens cap, rain guard, nylon carrying case, neck strap, and lens cloth
Lifetime warranty
Cons
Heavy and bulky
Less durable overall
Less sturdy eyecups
- Vortex Optics HD Binoculars – Premium Choice
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Are you shopping for a premium pair of binoculars? You may want to look at the Vortex KAI-5603 Optics Kaibab HD Binoculars, which are heavy and quite pricey but also easy to adjust, fully fog-proof, and backed by a great warranty.
These 4.61-pound binoculars offer 20 times magnification through 56-millimeter objective lenses. The multi-coated lenses have a convenient anti-reflective coating and the right eye diopter locks for better focus. The eyecups are fully adjustable, and the focus wheel is simple to use. The water- and fog-proof interior has O-ring seals and argon purging, and the package includes a high-quality soft case, neck strap, and objective lens covers.
These binoculars are very pricey but offer effective magnification. They’re backed by a great lifetime warranty that’s also transferable. They’re our premium choice for best binoculars for long distance viewing.Pros
20 times magnification with 56-millimeter objective lenses
Multi-coated lenses, including AR coating
Adjustable eyecups and locking right diopter
Fully water- and fog-proof, with argon purging and O-ring seals
Includes soft case, neck strap, and lens covers
Simple focus wheel
Great, transferable lifetime warranty
Cons
More expensive
Fairly heavy
- BetaOptics Military Zoom High Power Binoculars
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The BetaOptics KC247L Military Zoom Binoculars are a heavy, mid-range option with powerful magnification but more difficult controls.
These five-pound binoculars offer a wide zoom range, from 20 to 144 times magnification, through very wide 70-millimeter objective lenses. They have a classic Porro prism design and a smooth center focus wheel. The glass is lower quality BAK-7. The package includes a carrying case and a neck strap.
When we tested these binoculars, we found that the focus wheel was difficult to turn, and adjusting the zoom significantly reduced the field of vision. Though these binoculars have high magnification levels, they quickly become distorted and don’t work well at the highest levels. These binoculars have a cheaper, less durable feel overall, and don’t come with a warranty.Pros
20 to 144 times magnification through wide 70-millimeter lenses
Classic Porro prism system
Smooth center focus wheel
Includes carrying case and neck strap
Cons
No warranty
Heavy, with a cheaper, less durable feel
Focus wheel difficult to adjust
Distortion and limited field of vision at high magnification levels
Lower quality BAK-7 glass
- Celestron 71454 Echelon Binoculars
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Our least favorite model is Celestron’s 71454 Echelon Binoculars, which are expensive and bulky, with a very long focal distance.
These 4.12-pound binoculars, sold at a very high price, offer 20 times magnification through wide 70-millimeter objective lenses. They’re fully waterproof and fog-proof, with nitrogen purging, and have proprietary XLT glass coating and folding eyecups. You can individually adjust the focus on each eye, and the lenses are made of high-quality BAK-4 prism glass. The package includes a waterproof hard case, lens cap, strap, cleaning cloth, rain guard, instructions, and eyepiece cover.
These large binoculars have a bulky carrying case, and the close focus distance is a lengthy 328.1 feet. Though they have a nice feel, these binoculars are more expensive than they can justify. Celestron offers a limited lifetime warranty.Pros
20 times magnification and wide 70-millimeter lenses
Water- and fog-proof, with nitrogen purging
Proprietary glass coating
High-quality BAK-4 prism glass
Adjustable eyecups and individual eye focus
Includes waterproof hard case, lens and eyepiece caps, strap, cleaning cloth, and rain guard
Limited lifetime warranty
Cons
Somewhat heavy and very expensive
1-foot close focus distance
Bulky carrying case
Buyer’s Guide – Purchasing the Best High Power Binoculars for Long Distance Viewing
Now that you’ve read through our list of the best long-distance binoculars, it’s time to start shopping. But which features do you need, and which model should you choose? Keep reading for our detailed guide to your options.https://www.youtube.com/embed/OtQ9uWcNE5U?not_used=1&rel=0&modestbranding=1https://c808a77ce99aecdf3048f073411475b1.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
Specifications
The most important specifications you’ll find on a pair of binoculars are the magnification and diameter. These numbers, which you’ll find written as 20×50, refer to the magnifying power and the diameter, in millimeters, of the objective lenses. The more magnifying power you have, the better you’ll be able to see things in the far distance. The lens diameter affects how much light your binoculars can gather. For low-light activities like stargazing, wider lenses are better, because they’ll allow in more light and let you see more stars.
Another important number is the close focus distance. This is the minimum distance that your binoculars will be able to focus on. If you’re only planning to use your binoculars for long-distance viewing, this number may be less important to you. If you’d like the flexibility of observing closer and farther objects, you may want to pay attention to this number, which can range from 50 feet up to hundreds of feet.
Glass
There are two major types of binocular lens glass: BAK-4 and BAK-7. BAK-4 prism glass is high-density and more expensive, while BAK-7 glass is often found in lower-end binoculars. You can tell which kind of glass you have by holding your binoculars up to the light, away from your eyes. If the eyepieces have circular exit pupils, your glass is BAK-4. If the exit pupils are square, you have BAK-7 glass.
The glass quality is especially important in low light, where you may encounter blurring and chromatic aberrations, particularly around the edges.
Coatings
Lens coatings affect how clear, crisp, and contrasted the image is. If your lenses haven’t been coated, you won’t be able to see through them as well. There are many types of coatings, but a particularly useful type is anti-reflective, which will help you see more clearly in bright daylight settings.
To protect the coating on your lenses, you’ll want to use only soft cleaning cloths. If the lens comes into contact with an abrasive surface, you may lose some of the coatings or even end up with a scratch in the glass. Many binoculars come with cleaning cloths that are safe for your lenses.
Eyecups
Most binoculars come with built-in rubber eyecups. The soft rubber makes even an extended viewing session comfortable. High-end binoculars often go a step further, allowing you to adjust the eyecups by twisting or pushing them. Adjusting the eyecups will allow you to wear prescription glasses while using your binoculars.
Durability
Think about how you use your binoculars. If you’re an adventurous stargazer or like to take your binoculars canoeing, you may be particularly interested in durable features like waterproof rubber coatings.
Another useful design feature is interior water- and fog-proofing. Many high-end binoculars have been specially treated to avoid fogging even in humid climates. Manufacturers do this through processes like argon or nitrogen purging. This involves filling the binoculars with clean, dust-free nitrogen or argon, which displaces air that may contain humidity or vision-impairing particles. The binoculars are then fully sealed, leaving very little air and keeping out dust and moisture.
Accessories
Are you interested in included accessories, or are you planning to purchase them separately? Many binoculars come in packages with useful items like carrying cases, neck-straps, cleaning cloths, rain guards, and lens covers. If you already own many of these items or would like to shop for particular accessories, you may want a pair of binoculars that come with fewer additional items.
Keep in mind that binoculars have two sets of lenses, objective and eyepiece. Some binoculars only come with objective lens covers, so you may want to purchase eyepiece covers for additional protection.
Included carrying cases can also be hard or soft, so you may want to think about which you’d prefer. Hard cases are durable and will better protect your binoculars from falls, but may also be bulky, heavy, and somewhat more difficult to carry. If portability is what you’re looking for, you may prefer a soft case, which may be lighter, smaller, and easier to carry.
Warranty
High-quality binoculars can be a large investment, so you may want the security of a great warranty. Many of the binoculars we reviewed here come with lifetime warranties, which will protect your investment for years to come. Some lifetime warranties are transferable, so if you purchase a used pair or sell yours, the warranty will continue.
Conclusion:
After reading all this, what are the best high power binoculars for long distance viewing? Our top pick is the Nikon 8252 ACULON A211 Zoom Binocular, which is light, well-designed, and backed by a great warranty. Are you shopping for value? You may be interested in the Celestron 71018 SkyMaster Binocular, which offers great value with strong magnification and plenty of useful accessories. Are you looking for a high-end model? You may want to try the adjustable, fog-proof KAI-5603 Optics Kaibab HD Binoculars, which are pricey but offer great magnification and an impressive warranty.
If you’d like to see far away, you’ll need powerful, high-quality binoculars. With so many options, it can be hard to find the best model for your needs. We hope that our list of 2021’s five best high power binoculars for long-distance viewing, complete with in-depth reviews and a comprehensive buyer’s guide, helps you find a great pair that will last a lifetime. Great binoculars are a big investment, but shopping for them doesn’t have to be difficult.
Magnification & The Exit Pupil
I am not surprised that the 20×40 Bushnell’s that your friend gave you were difficult to use as they produce a shaft of light that exits they eyepiece (exit-pupil) that is only 2mm in diameter (40 ÷ 20 = 2mm).
This is tiny and will almost certainly be smaller that the size of the pupils in your eyes in all but the very best light conditions when your pupils are at their smallest:
The relationship between the Exit Pupil and your eyes pupil diameter is important
Whereas if you take the Zeiss Dialyt 10x40B as another example, they produce a much more respectable 4mm exit pupil (40 ÷ 10 = 4mm) which will be larger than your eyes pupils in good light.
What this means is that not only is the Bushnell transmitting less light to your eyes than those like your Zeiss binoculars that have larger exit pupils and so will appear less bright. But it makes lining up your pupils with those very small (2mm) shafts of light much more difficult than ones that produce larger shafts of light (larger exit pupils).
If you do not line up your eyes with this light, you get dark rings forming around the image and it generally makes viewing and thus using the bins more difficult.
For more on this very important concept, please take a moment to read my guide to the exit-pupil.
Objective Lens Size
By simply increasing the magnification on a binocular and nothing else, the exit pupil will get smaller and smaller.
To counter this and thus make sure you get a good long range binocular, it must not only powerful, but must deliver an image that is of good quality and bright enough. To do this, you need to increase the size of the objective lenses:
Larger lenses have the potential to capture and let in more light and therefore create a larger exit pupil, which we have already discovered means they can deliver more light to your eyes.
So if for example you kept the 20x power, but with objectives twice the size (80mm), they would now produce a shaft of light that is 4mm in diameter (80 ÷ 20 = 4mm), which is much more reasonable and in fact is the same as your 10×40 Zeiss.
The main down side to this is as you increase the objective lenses, the larger and heavier the bins become. A typical 20×80 binocular will weigh around 2kg (4.4 pounds/ 70.4oz) and so can be quite difficult or even impossible to hold steady for a reasonable amount of time. To counter this, you should mount them onto a tripod, which will also ensure image stability. Another important aspect which I will get to a little later on.
Almost all giant binoculars come with integrated tripod adapters that make attaching them to your tripod very simple – for more, see the section on tripods below.
Magnification & FOV
Whilst powerful binoculars give you more image detail, another down side to increasing the magnification is that it reduces the field of view (FOV). Or to put it more simply the width of the image that you can see gets narrower.
This can make locating and following an object more difficult and is also not ideal if you want to scan over a wide area in search of something as at any point you are viewing a smaller area than you would with a bin that has a wider FOV.
If we consider that most full sized 10×42 binoculars have a FOV of between 300ft and 350ft wide at a distance of 1000ft, you can see that the FOV of the much higher powered bins I have listed below is greatly reduced.
Magnification & Image Steadiness
As the magnification of an optical instrument is increased, any movement you make is amplified even more and so it makes keeping the image steadier more and more difficult. For hand held devices you really do not want to go much above 15x – 16x.
So whilst it is possible to hand hold a binocular at higher magnifications, the constant image shake will make it hard to get a good view of whatever you are trying to observe, especially over longer periods and so you may find that you need to support the bin against a post or tree.
Tripods
So if you want to use a high powered long range binocular, you really should attach them to a good tripod via a tripod adapter.
Fortunately most giant binoculars and many larger bins will come with integrated tripod adapters that makes them really simple to fix securely onto your tripod and even if they don’t they are an easy to find and relatively cheap accessory to purchase.
If you are wondering which to get, I personally use this Vanguard Alta Pro 263AT Tripod that I highly recommend, but there are many, many others that I am sure will work just as well.
Image Stabilization Binoculars
By using electronics IS binoculars can help eliminate some image shake. How much depends on many factors, but in some cases it is certainly extremely effective. The range Canon IS Binoculars have been synonymous in this sector for years and I have to say whilst pretty good, I have never been a massive fan, as they tended to be bulky, heavy, have short battery lives, were not particularly robust (unless you got the top-end model), and expensive.
But the technology involved has certainly improved and because of instruments like the Kite APC 16×42 Image Stabilised Binoculars that I recently tested, I am now somewhat a convert as they have addressed many of my issues, but there is no getting away from the fact that they are not cheap and so will not be the right solution for everyone in every situation.
Best Long Distance Binoculars 2021 Awards
Every year since 2010, I have highlighted and honored the very best optics in a whole range of categories with a BBR Best Binos award. In recent times, this included an award for a single high magnification instrument ideal for long-distance observation.
This year I have gone a step further and have included a whole section dedicated to the very best binoculars in a whole range of categories that includes:
Best Overall High Power Binoculars
Best Long-Range Image Stabilized Binoculars
Best Long-Range Binoculars for Bird Watching
Best Long-Range Binoculars Under $1000 /£/€
Best Value High-Power Binoculars Under $400 /£/€
To check out all the winners, be sure to follow the link above.
Featured Powerful Binoculars 2022
Orion GiantView 25×100 Binoculars
If you are looking for a good value mid-to-high level, very powerful, long distance viewing binocular that can be used for astronomy as well as daytime terrestrial observation, then my top recommendation is the 25×100 Orion GiantView.
Features that I like
The massive 25x power is great, but the fact that it is combined with the giant 100mm objectives ensure that not only do you get a very detailed “zoomed in” view, but it remains bright , even in very low light conditions, or indeed at night when using these for stargazing.
Unlike some that only have the outer lenses treated, the optics on these are Fully Multi-Coated, this means that every lens surface throughout the optical system has multiple coatings of anti-reflection material added to them.
This makes a real improvement to both brightness and image quality because far less light is reflected away each time it has to go through a lens in the system before getting to your eyes.
Field-of-View: 132ft at 1,000 yards
Weight: 161.55ozs (4580g)
Length: 17.1in (43.4cm)
Price Range
These Orion GiantView 25×100 binoculars currently retail for around $360 in the US and £320 in the UK:
Compare Prices: Orion GiantView 25×100 Binoculars (including the US, UK, Canada & Germany)
Recommended High Powered, Long Distance Binoculars
Price – There are few low cost options available, which I have listed below, but just remember that in life you usually get what you pay for. So whilst they will be better than not using any binoculars at all, generally the more you pay, the better quality prisms, lenses and optical coatings are used, which will all go a long way to improving the overall quality of the image that you see and so the best long distance binoculars also tend to be the more expensive options.
42mm – 60mm High Powered Binoculars
Hand Held Options: The 50mm to 60mm recommendations listed below may not have the longest range, but are for many uses ideal for those who are want a higher magnification binocular, but don’t necessarily want to have to attach it to a tripod.
Note: Almost all the instruments in this category will still be tripod adaptable, giving you the flexibility to use them as you wish depending on the circumstance. Indeed just how much detail that you can see in your image will be greatly affected by how steady you can keep it still. However I have found that with a something like a 15×56 or 16×50, I am perfectly able to keep them steady enough with just my hands.
So for example it may be nice to have them permanently set-up on a balcony looking out to the ocean on a tripod and then if you wish to take them out with you, just remove them from the tripod and off you go.
Steiner HX 15×56 Binoculars
At 15x magnification these may not be the most powerful binoculars on this page, but combined with the 56mm objectives, I just love the flexibility that you get with these Steiner HX binoculars and the extra width of view you get makes them great for scanning wide open areas and in my opinion definitely one of the very best binoculars for long distance viewing.
I found hand holding them and keeping the image steady no problem at all, yet as they are easily fitted to a tripod, should you wish. On top of this, they have a quick-release neck strap system that makes it real easy to quickly swap them over to a over to a binocular harness.
Marketed mainly as a high power hunting binocular, I do feel that these are also ideal in a variety of other situations and uses:
These would be perfect for medium to long range security surveillance, wildlife observation and even birding at longer distances like on the coast where the birds are usually a little further away.
Made in Germany and one of Steiner Optics flagship models, they are up there with the very best when it comes to their build quality and the level of optics and coatings used that combined to deliver a very high quality as well as bright image:
Main Highlights
Fully Multi-Coated Optics
Protective hydrophobic exterior lens coatings
Schott BaK1 Roof Prisms that are both Phase Corrected wand Dielectrically coated
Field of view: 241ft at 1000yds
Reviews
Read my full Steiner HX 15×56 Binocular Review
Price & Where to Buy
At around around $1000 / £1000, (check for the current prices in the US, UK as well as other countries by following the links below) the 15×56 Steiner HX is not the cheapest option on this page, but make no mistake, these are really up there with the best in this category and do in my opinion still offer great value for money. USA: Price & Where to Buy UK: Price & Where to Buy
Maven B5 18×56 Binoculars
Super high powered binoculars with an equally high level of renowned Japanese optics, coatings, components and a build quality to match, the 18×56 Maven B5 binocular is designed to deliver high quality, highly detailed views at long distances and whilst not cheap they are at a price that is well under that of most other “alpha” level instruments.Optical Highlights
Japanese Made Components
Abbe-Koenig Roof Prisms
Fully Multi-Coated Optics
Fluorite Glass Lenses
Scratch & Oil Resistant Exterior Lens Coatings
Body Facts:
Single Top-Hinge Design
Magnesium Chassis
Water & Fogproof
Right Eye Diopter
Twist-up Eyecups
Dimensions: 8.2in (20.8cm) x 2.5in (6.4cm) x 6.1in (15.5cm)
Weight: 45oz (1276g)
Main Strengths:
Excellent build quality using a very high level of components: e.g.: the metal focus wheel and all-metal eyepiece housings and removable eye-cups
Alpha level optical components made in Japan which directly results in a much higher than average quality of view, far less color fringing and greater image brightness than what I would have expected with such a high magnification
When you consider the build quality & components and a price that is far lower than much of their direct competition it makes the Maven B5 18×56 binocular great value for money
Long eye-relief with excellent quality metal eye-cups make these an ideal choice should you wear some sort of eye protection or glasses
One of the best focus wheels and focus mechanisms in the business: looks great and works even better!
Excellent image detail as a result of the 18x magnification and use of high-quality optics
Reviews
For More, read my full Maven B5 18×56 Binocular Review
Price & Where to Buy
Whilst not cheap, these top-end binoculars still cost way less than much of their direct competition from Europe. At the time of writing, they cost around $1500 / £1500. Check the links below for current prices in the US, UK as well as other countries: USA: Price & Where to Buy UK: Price & Where to Buy
Vortex Diamondback HD 15×56 Binoculars
Whilst these 15×56 Vortex Diamondback HD binoculars don’t quite match the 18×56 Maven above or the Vortex Kaibab HD below both in terms of their power or their level of optics, they do cost a whole lot less and yet Vortex has still been able to include a whole host of high end features and optical components and thus after fully testing, I came to the conclusion that they managed to achieve that very difficult balancing act of producing a reasonably priced, reasonably high power, reasonably high performance binocular that delivers a bright, high-quality image.
For all the details, take a look at the full Vortex Diamondback HD 15×56 Binocular Review.
Main Features
Powerful 15x Magnification
Large 56mm Lenses
Magnesium Chassis – Water & Fogproof
Fully Multi-Coated Optical System
Dielectrically Coated & Phase Corrected Roof Prisms
Field of view: 77ft at 1,000 yards
Weight: 34.8ozs (987g)
ArmorTek® Protective Exterior Lens Coatings
Included Tripod Adapter
Included Vortex GlassPak Bino Harness / Case
Included Accessories:
Also worth mentioning here is that Vortex includes an excellent quality tripod adapter as well as their very popular fully covered GlassPak binocular harness/case with these Diamondback HD 15×56 binoculars. If you had to buy this Vortex GlassPak harness/case separately, it currently retails for $30.Price & Where to Buy The mid-to-high end binoculars currently retail for around £350 / £350 / €350, which when you consider the level of components used, the coatings and included accessories, then I feel these make excellent value for money. USA: Price & Where to Buy UK: Price & Where to Buyhttps://f6930fb5106d9585091305b801ff39dd.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
Vortex Kaibab HD 18×56 Binoculars
If you are looking for a really high quality, very high power binocular, then the 18×50 Vortex Kaibab is most certainly worth considering.
Whilst the massive 18x magnification will get you greater image detail at longer distances, there is no doubt that the increased image shake you get with high magnifications means you will most probably have to use it with a tripod.
Indeed Vortex Optics recognizes this and as such these Kaibab binoculars come with a tripod adapter included.
As we know, higher powers also reduce your field of view and can be a problem in terms of image brightness and quality which is the main reason for using larger lenses.
At 56mm the lenses on the Kaibab are big, but not massive like some of those giant binoculars below. So in this case it is really important to use an ultra-high level of glass and coatings, which they do on this instrument. This includes an APO Lens System with ED glass elements and the very best dielectric prism coatings.
For all the details, check out my Vortex Kaibab HD 18×56 Binocular Review.
Main Features
Massive 18x Magnification
Large 56mm Lenses
Included Tripod Adapter (Vortex uni-daptor tripod mount)
High Definition ED Glass Lenses
APO Lens System
Fully Multi-Coated (XR Plus Anti-reflection)
Dielectrically Coated Roof Prisms
Field of view: 194 ft at 1000yds
Weight: 11oz
ArmorTek® Protective Exterior Lens Coatings
Price & Where to Buy
These top of the range 18×56 Vortex Kaibab binoculars will set you back around $1000 / £1100 / €1100, so not cheap, but you can be confident that you are getting one of the very best high powered binoculars on the market: USA: Price & Where to Buy UK: Price & Where to Buy
Swarovski SLC 15×56 HD Binoculars
The Swarovski SLC 15×56 HD is currently the most powerful binocular in Swarovski’s range and has gained a well deserved reputation amongst hunters, in particular, for its quality and low light performance.
However it should not just be looked at as a binocular for hunting, as I have used it very successfully as a high magnification binocular for coastal and wetland bird watching. In these circumstances, most bird watchers will use spotting scopes, but a high power binocular performs extremely well and offers you a far better sense of immersion.
Abbe Koenig Roof Prisms
Unlike the smaller, lower powered models within the SLC series, instead of the usual Schmidt-Pechan design of roof prism, the 15×56 version utilizes Abbe Koenig Roof Prisms inside of them to invert the image.
So whilst these prisms are less compact and a little heavier, Abbe Koenig Roof Prisms have the advantage of utilizing total internal reflection, which incurs no loss of light compared to Schmidt-Pechan prisms, which thus have to also use a reflective material, which no matter how good it is, does lead to some light loss.
For all the details, check out my Swarovski SLC 15×56 HD Binocular Review.
Main Features
Magnesium Chassis
Large 56mm Lenses
Central Focus Wheel with Integrated Lockable Diopter Adjuster
Abbe-Koenig Roof Prisms
SWAROTOP, SWARODUR & SWAROCLEAN Optical Coatings
Field of View: 78 m @ 1,000 m, 234 ft @ 1000yds
Dimensions: 192 mm, 7.56 in x 141 mm, 5.55 in x 73 mm, 2.87 in
Weight: 1,200 g, 42.3 oz
Price & Where to Buy
As they say, the best don’t come cheap and this is most certainly the case with these 15×56 Swarovski SLC HD binoculars: Certainly far from cheap, but you can be safe in the knowledge that you are buying the very best that money can buy. Depending on where you buy, be prepared to spend in the region of approx $2300 / £1600 / €1900: USA: Price & Where to Buy UK: Price & Where to Buy
High-Magnification Image Stabilized Binoculars
To get the best view out of any of these very powerful binoculars you simply must have some way of removing the image shake that comes from the tiny movements in your hands and body as without it you simply cannot take in and appreciate the extra detail that the higher magnifications present you with.
For the most part and as with most of the instruments on this page, this involves the use of a steady base like a tripod or monopod to mount the instrument onto. However there are times when carrying about a large tripod may not be convenient, or for example if you are on an unsteady platform like a boat/plane where using a tripod won’t actually help. So it is in these circumstances where onboard image stabilization really comes into its own.
Kite APC 16×42 Image Stabilised Binoculars
Winner of the awards for Best Long-Range Image Stabilized Binoculars 2021 these 16×42 APC IS binoculars from Kite Optics were a real revelation to me when I tested them. Indeed they proved to be way better than I had ever imagined.
In the past, I have never been a big fan of IS binoculars, as they always tended to be bulky, heavy, have short battery lives, were not particularly robust, and expensive! But the technology involved has certainly moved on and I am now a convert and because of how well they performed, I have zero hesitations in recommending the Kite APC 16×42 Image Stabilised Binoculars for use in the right situations.
Image Stabilization
Firstly IS technology has come a long way in recent years and as I say in my review of them, the first time I turned the Kite APC 16×42 binoculars on and looked through them I was blown away by just how much more stable the image was. This lack of image shake really helps in enabling you to fully enjoy and soak up all the extra image detail that the powerful magnification provides.
16×42 Configuration
This unique and somewhat extreme combination does have it’s down-sides which I go into in great detail in my review which I urge you to read if you are interested, but for long-distance observation of just about anything, but in particular wildlife and birds where you may be at the coast, on a lakefront, on rolling hills or out in wide-open fields and don’t want the hassle of carrying about a tripod, then these Kite APC IS binoculars are well worth considering.
High-End Binoculars – approx $1000 / £950 / €950
Image Stabilisation
IS Correction Angle: 2°
Batteries: 2x AA (+ 2xAA spare)
Battery Life: 120 hours(including use of the internal spare battery)
Waterproof: IPX7
Fogproof: Nitrogen Filled
Fov: 204ft @ 1000yds / 68m @ 1000m
Eye Relief 14mm
Close Focus: 4m / 13.0ft
Current Price & Where to Buy: Kite APC Binoculars
More 50mm Options Without IS
The instruments below are popular and so whilst I have not actually used or tested them, I am adding them for completeness:
Nikon & Pentax 16×50 Binoculars
Both Pentax and Nikon produce a number of different porro prism models, in a range of prices with this 16×50 configuration, which I feel is ideal for a higher power hand held optic for most uses:
The size and weight is not so great as to make them too awkward to use for long periods and the slightly reduced magnification of 16x makes it much easier to keep the image still without the aid of a tripod.
Pentax 16×50 XCF Binoculars
The XCF is their higher end product in this size configuration and uses Pentax’s Super Multi-Coating for an improved light transmission.
Note: Whilst they don’t come with a tripod adapter included, they are tripod adaptable.
Field-of-View 183ft @ 1000 yd / 61m @ 1000m
Weight 1.98lb / 900g
Dimensions 7.80 x 6.54 x 2.20″ / 19.8 x 16.6 x 5.6cm
Nikon 16×50 Aculon A211 Binoculars
With Multi-coated optics and the porro prism design, the Nikon Aculon binocular looks to me to be a good lower cost option for those on a budget. Also worth noting that considering their 16x power these have a good field of view:
Field-of-View 220 ft@ 1000 yd / 73m @ 1000m
Weight 32.6oz / 924g
Dimensions 7.8 x 7″ / 19.81 x 17.78cm
Pentax 16×50 S-Series SP Binoculars
This is the cheap option, but still use Porro Prisms made from BaK-4 glass and have Fully Multi-coated Optics which is good news.
Field-of-View 183ft @ 1000 yd / 61m @ 1000m
Weight 32oz / 907g
Dimensions 7.8 x 6.5 x 2.3″ / 19.8 x 16.5 x 5.8cm
Price Range
As I mentioned earlier, both Nikon and Pentax have a number of different options within the 16×50 configuration ranging in price from around $80 up to $200 in the US and £80 – £200 in the UK.
Compare Prices: Pentax 16×50 Binoculars (including the US, UK, Canada & Germany)
Compare Prices: Nikon 16×50 Binoculars (including the US, UK, Canada & Germany)
About Pentax Binoculars
About Nikon Binoculars
60mm – 80mm High Magnification Binoculars
Possible Hand Held Options: Whilst I have listed these high range binoculars below that can be hand held if you don’t want to use a tripod, you will still get a better experience if you attach them to a tripod using a tripod adapter as it will not only ensure a steadier image but give your arms a rest if you spend long periods scanning wide areas:
Celestron SkyMaster 25×70 Binoculars
The 25x70mm Celestron SkyMaster binoculars combine a very high powered 25x magnification with large 70mm objective lenses and whilst the can be attached to a tripod for the most stable views, they are just light and small enough for most people to be able to hand hold them.
The FOV on these is 141 wide @ 1000 yards (47m @ 1000m), which for a binocular with such a high power is pretty impressive.
Read My Full Review for all the details on what I believe is a great low cost long distance binocular for use during the day and a good astronomy binocular at night.
Price Range
At the time of writing, the Celestron SkyMaster 25×70 Binoculars were available for around $90 in the US and £80 in the UK, which makes them great value for money.
Full Celestron SkyMaster 25×70 Binoculars Review
Compare Prices of SkyMaster Binoculars (including the US, UK, Canada & Germany)
More About Celestron Binoculars
Celestron Echelon 20×70 Binoculars
This award winning Echelon is similar to that of the SkyMaster above, except where the SkyMaster focuses on being great value for money, the Echelon’s main aim is simply to be the best and indeed these are up there with the best long distance binoculars that I have tested.
All Celestron Echelon binoculars are put together by hand in the USA, but they use the best optical components imported from Japan, thus combining a very high build quality with exceptional quality glass and coatings, to produce a stunning instrument.
Scoring an “outstanding” 82% when I reviewed them they performed well above average in every department. Highlights include a full water and fog proof aluminium tripod adaptable body, BaK-4 porro prisms and Fully Multi Coated optics.
Whilst these 20x binoculars are not quite as powerful as the SkyMaster above, but the advantages being that you get a bigger exit pupil, for a much better low light performance and a wider field of view: The FOV on these is 157 wide @ 1000 yards (52m @ 1000m).
For more details, please take time to Read My Full Review of this exceptional instrument.
Price Range
Costing around $800 in the US, they are not the cheapest, but when you consider the additional quality, I do still believe they make good value for the discerning long distance observer.
Full Celestron Echelon 20×70 Binoculars Review
Compare Prices of Echelon Binoculars (including the US, UK, Canada & Germany)
More About Celestron Binoculars
Pentax 20×60 PCF WP II Binoculars
These high powered long distance binoculars with their 60mm objectives have a exit pupil of 3mm, which should be just enough for day time observation. They also use Pentax’s Super Multi Coated lenses to increase the transmission levels to around 98%, which will help with image brightness.
They weigh 3.09lb / 1.40 kg, which is a lot lighter than the larger 80mm binoculars listed below and so is possible to hand hold. However to keep the image completely steady over longer periods you may need to use something like a post or a tree if you don’t want to use a tripod.
The FOV on these is only 114ft wide @ 1000 yards (38m @ 1000m), which may be a consideration if you need to scan large areas.
Price Range
The Pentax 20×60 PCF WP II Binoculars cost about $200 in the US and £220 – £300 in the UK.
Compare Prices of Pentax 20×60 Binoculars (including the US, UK, Canada & Germany)
About Pentax Binoculars
Nikon Monarch 5 20×56 Binoculars
These very high quality, high powered binoculars from Nikon are a great option and possibly my favorite choice if you are looking for a binocular that can be hand held as well as attached to a tripod as they weigh just 1.2kg (43.5 oz).
Whilst they only have 56mm objectives, they come with a host of very high end optical features to improve image quality and boost the brightness. This includes: Extra-low dispersion (ED) glass, phase corrected Bak-4 roof prisms that also have dielectric high-reflective coatings and all lenses and prisms are fully-multilayer-coated.
The FOV on these is an impressive 174ft wide @ 1000 yards (58m @ 1000m), which is a lot better than many others with this amount of power.
Price Range
The Nikon 20×56 Monarch 5 binoculars cost about $850 – $900 in the US and £700 in the UK.
Compare Prices of Nikon Monarch 5 20×56 Binoculars (including the US, UK, Canada & Germany)
About Nikon Binoculars
Announcing the New 56mm Nikon Monarch 5 binoculars
Giant Binoculars – 80mm+
Giant high zoom binoculars, with objective lenses of around 80mm like some of those listed below are commonly used for astronomy as they have large objective lenses to let in as much of the little light that is available and have a high magnification to bring distant objects like the moon, stars and galaxies into closer view. However this does not mean that they can’t be used as effectively as a terrestrial long distance binoculars.
Low Cost Giant Binoculars:
Zhumell 20×80 SuperGiant Binoculars
Winner of Binoculars.com’s award for the Best Astronomy Binocular in 2012, the Zhumell 20×80 SuperGiant Binoculars are a pretty good option if you are looking of a cheap, but high powered binocular.
Despite their giant 80mm objectives, they have kept the weight down to 70.4 oz. / 4.4 pounds / 2kg, making them just small enough to use in the field, but of course are best mounted to a tripod.
The FOV on these is 168 ft. wide at 1000 yards away
They also feature fully multi-coated optics and BaK4 prisms, and custom adjustment with center and right diopter focus knobs. Perfect for lunar viewing, locating deep space objects, or as you need, long range terrestrial viewing.
Price Range
Zhumell SuperGiant 20×80 Binoculars cost about $100 in the US, but are a little harder to find in the UK.
Compare Prices from other retailers (including UK)
About Zhumell Binoculars
Celestron SkyMaster 20×80 Binoculars
Like the Zhumell’s above, these have a powerful 20x magnification combined with 80mm objective lenses to produce a 4mm exit pupil. The also use high quality BAK-4 prisms, but they only come with Multi-Coated optics as opposed to the Fully Multi-Coated ones on the Zhumell’s. Having said that they are a fraction of the price when compared to high spec giant binoculars and will still produce a more than decent view during the day.
Weighing 75 oz (2126 g), they have a FOV of 167 ft. at 1000 yards.
If the 20×80 configuration is not right for you, Celestron produce the SkyMaster in a range of different setups:
SkyMaster 12×60 Binoculars
SkyMaster 15×70 Binoculars
SkyMaster 25×70 Binoculars – Read My full Review
SkyMaster 20×80 Binoculars
SkyMaster 25×100 Binoculars
Price Range
Celestron SkyMaster 20×80 Binoculars cost about $100 in the US and about £100 in the UK:
Compare Prices of SkyMaster Binoculars (including the US, UK, Canada & Germany)
More About Celestron Binoculars
Mid-Level Giant Binoculars:
Zhumell Tachyon 25×100 Binoculars
If you are looking for even more power a good mid-cost option would be these Super Giant Zhumell Tachyon binoculars with their massive 25x magnification and 100mm objective lenses that produce an exit pupil of 4mm.
Winner of the award for the Best Astronomy Binocular in 2013 at Binoculars.com, the optics on the Tachyon include the use of BaK4 prisms and fully multi-coated lenses and they have a relatively wide FOV of 157 ft. @ 1000 yards.
Their weight is 4.7kg (164.8 oz.) and so as you can see you will definitely be needing a tripod!
Price Range
Zhumell 25×100 Tachyon’s cost about $240 in the US.
Compare Prices from other retailers (including UK)
About Zhumell Binoculars
Barska 20x80mm Cosmos Binoculars
The Barska 20×80 Cosmos uses BAK-4 prisms combined with fully multi-coated optics, and a large 80mm objective lens to allow for maximum light transmission and clear, crisp imaging.
These fully waterproof, heavy-duty, binoculars are ideal for long-distance and astronomy viewing, they have a braced in tripod mounting post allows for quick and easy setup. Whilst these use a lightweight and high quality aluminium body, they still weigh 2.5kg (88 oz).
Field of view is 157 ft. wide at 1000yards.
Price Range
The Barska 20x80mm Cosmos Waterproof Binoculars cost about $200 – $250 in the US:
Compare Prices of Barska 20×80 Binoculars (including the US, UK, Canada & Germany)
More About Barska Binoculars
High Powered Binoculars at Night
Question 3:
I’m 70, still can’t figure out the social platforms you mentioned – sorry.
Absolutely love the web site. Clear, concise, good balance on color changes and fonts that old people can see. Pretty amazing.
Single recommendation if possible – please – thank you. We retired to Las Vegas, just built a new house up the side of Black Mountain. Entire Las Vegas valley below us. Strip and downtown about 8 miles away. Would like best binoculars and tripod for night viewing. View is fantastic. Thinking of the Fujinon 12×60 on tripod. What would you get – thanks again
Answer
Hi Ryan, many thanks for your question and the kind words.
Whilst I have not had the opportunity to test the Fujinon 12×60, I don’t think you will go far wrong with them as I have heard only but good things about the brand in relation to long range, larger objective binoculars.
The only thing I have reviewed that is similar to these and which I may recommend are the Celestron Echelon 20×70 Binoculars (see above or Read My Full Review here), which are in my opinion excellent.
However as you are planning on using your long distance binoculars mostly for night, I think you are right in keeping the magnification down to a reasonable amount, to maintain the exit pupil size. Whilst not the case for everyone, I think this is even more important when we consider your age, where your pupils may not dilate as much as when you were younger. For more on this please take time to read my complete guide to the exit pupil which goes over it all in detail.
I hope this helps and I would love to know what you do eventually get and how they perform for you.
Spotting Scopes
Another option would be to get a spotting scope which are in their most basic form, telescopes designed for terrestrial observation.
These generally have higher magnifications than even the strongest binoculars and come with larger objective lenses for the reasons that we have already discussed. The down side is that they only have one eye-piece (the are essentially half a binocular). Whilst this saves weight and makes them smaller, but in general I feel that a good quality high power binocular is easy to use, provides a better view and to me offers improved comfort, especially during extended periods of use than most spotting scopes.
Being one of the largest manufacturers of binoculars, we offer many varieties of best cheap high powered binoculars designs. Our goal at Solaroid is to provide you with the most luxurious and stylish binocular that you will ever find. We handpick the binoculars on Solaroid, doing extensive research to find the most beautiful and unique models. Unique binoculars we have in our collection include the best binoculars for long distance, ultra high powered binoculars, and best binoculars for stargazing.
We offer the 100 km range binoculars anywhere in the world, thanks to our high-quality designs, values, and styles. For binoculars, there are many different designs available. Shop at the Solaroid official website for the most powerful binoculars uk. It is no surprise that our binoculars are among the most popular on the market. For the best binoculars for long distance and night vision, please visit our site. You’ll find a variety of choices for binoculars today. Make your choice now!
