• Choose Binoculars to Fit Your Needs

• Take Pictures With Your Binoculars

• See in the Dark With Night-Vision Binoculars

• Evaluate Binocular Features

• Find Binoculars on eBay

• Buy Binoculars With Confidence

Choose Binoculars to Fit Your Needs

Choose Binoculars to Fit Your Needs

Simply put, binoculars consist of two telescopes mounted together that make images appear closer. When you want to reduce visual distance, a good pair of binoculars eliminates the space between you and the object or area you want to view.

Binoculars come in two primary sizes: compact and standard. Some companies also offer monoculars. Popular options include Nikon binoculars, Meade binoculars, Celestron binoculars, Leica binoculars, and Zeiss binoculars.

Compact binoculars

Pop compact binoculars into your pocket, purse, or backpack, and get up close and personal wherever you go. Pocket-size models from companies such as Nikon, Minolta, and Pentax offer flexibility, mobility, and good viewing capabilities in a small, lightweight product. Some models weigh less than 1 pound. The Nikon Travelite V, for example, weighs a mere 9 ounces.

Standard-size binoculars

Standard binoculars provide a crisp, clear image for birding, hunting, or viewing animals at a distance.

Ranging from midsize to large, standard binoculars such as the Nikon Action Hunting Binoculars, Steiner Safari Binoculars, and Bushnell Powerview Binoculars weigh between 20 and 35 ounces.

Mount larger, heavier models geared toward astronomy and nature viewing on a tripod to keep the viewed image as steady as possible.

Monoculars

Monoculars consist of a single eyepiece and work well for stationary viewing. Mount it on a tripod and use it with your camera. Hands-free spotting scopes work particularly well for birding, hunting, and photographing nature. Some models also sport powerful magnification and produce high-quality images. You can use smaller, compact monoculars for occasional use.

Take Pictures With Your Binoculars

Take Pictures With Your Binoculars

Binoculars can do a lot more than magnify a faraway image. Some models include a built-in digital camera. Store images on internal memory, and then download them right to your computer just like any other digital camera. Some binoculars also allow you to record video.

Whether you go with a Meade CaptureView II or Celestron VistaPix model, digital camera binoculars make it easy to locate an image and then immediately photograph it. No more digging for a camera while that rare bird flies away.

See in the Dark With Night-Vision Binoculars

See in the Dark With Night-Vision Binoculars

Night-vision binoculars amplify existing light and produce a green-colored image so that you can see in the dark. Take them on your evening boating expeditions, observe wildlife in the evening, or scan your property at night. Three classes of night-vision binoculars exist, indicating which type of light intensifier tube the binoculars use:

• 1st generation binoculars: Inexpensive 1st generation binoculars provide adequate night-vision image quality.

• 2nd generation binoculars: Mid-range 2nd generation binoculars provide night-vision image quality between 1st- and 3rd-generation models.   

• 3rd generation binoculars: High-end 3rd generation binoculars produce high-quality night-vision images.

If you want binoculars that support true night-vision, read item listings carefully, looking for generation information.

Not-quite night vision

Many binoculars offer clear and bright viewing in the dark, but don’t supply true night vision. Item listings for these products will not list its generation. However, they make a good option for people who just want to see a little better at night.

Evaluate Binocular Features

Evaluate Binocular Features

Look for important binocular features and product specifications.

Magnification

Binoculars make distant objects appear closer. How much closer the object will appear depends on magnification. For example, binoculars with 8X magnification make objects appear eight times closer to your position. Magnification of 7X to 12X should suffice for general binocular use and wide-area viewing.

The higher the magnification, the steadier you need to keep your hands. Set binoculars with more than 12X magnification on a tripod for stability.

Zoom

Use zoom to control the range of magnification, for example, from 7X to 12X.

Aperture

Measured in millimeters, aperture represents the diameter of the front, or objective, lens. It determines the amount of light captured in an image.

Binoculars generally have a two-number designation: the first indicates magnification and the second represents aperture. For example, a 5 x 30 pair of binoculars magnifies an image five times and has a 30-millimeter opening.

For recreational binocular use, look for an aperture of 20 to 60 millimeters. Buy a larger aperture, such as 70 or 80 millimeters, for astronomical purposes.  

Field-of-view

The size of the area that you can see through a pair of binoculars is called field-of-view. Field-of-view is measured in degrees of field or in linear feet viewed from 1,000 yards. Wider fields-of-view allow you to see more scenery. Wide-field binoculars make it easier to track fast-moving objects, scan the sky for birds, and generally observe nature.

Prisms

Prisms work as mirrors, reversing an image and turning it right side up. Located between the objective lenses and eyepieces, they come in two designs:

• Roof prisms: Small prisms allow binoculars to come in smaller sizes.    

• Porro prisms: Larger prisms allow a larger field of view in larger binoculars.

Focus

Binoculars usually come with a center focus to simultaneously focus each eyepiece. Other optional focus adjustments may also fit your needs:

• Diopter control: Balance your view for each eye.    

• Individual focus: Precisely focus on objects. Models designed for marine or astronomical use usually include an individual focus feature.

Weather

If you’ll be using your binoculars for boating, hunting, hiking, camping, or other outdoor use, consider waterproof binoculars. Fogproof binoculars also offer protection in a light drizzle or heavy fog.

Find Binoculars on eBay

Find Binoculars on eBay

Once you know what type of binoculars you want and the features you need, go to the Cameras & Photo portal, click the Binoculars & Monoculars link under Binoculars & Telescopes, and start searching for items on eBay.

• Categories: The Categories list on the left side of each page will help you narrow down your listings by item type. You'll find links for Binoculars, Monoculars, and Other Binoculars & Monoculars. As you dig deeper into the site, you'll be able to narrow down your choice further by item type or popular features.    

• Keyword search : Search eBay listing titles for specific words. For example, if you want to find night vision binoculars, type "night vision binoculars" (without quotation marks) into the Search box. Click "Search title and description" to expand your results. Visit eBay's Search Tips page for more tips on searching with keywords.

If you can't find exactly what you want, try shopping eBay Stores, tell the eBay Community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save a search on My eBay and eBay will email you when a match becomes available.

Remember to also look for binocular accessories such as tripods, carrying cases, neck straps, and lens cleaning cloths while you shop.

Buy Binoculars With Confidence

Buy Binoculars With Confidence

Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you're buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Carefully read the details in item listings.

• Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.

• If you want more information, ask by clicking the "Ask seller a question" link under the seller's profile.

• Always make sure to complete your transaction on eBay (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not covered by eBay protection programs.

• Never pay for your eBay item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.

Know your seller

Research your seller so you feel positive and secure about every transaction.

• What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have?

• What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

• Most top eBay sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event that a problem arises during your transaction, eBay and PayPal are there for you.

• Pay safely with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. In fact, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorized payments from their accounts. Plus, with PayPal Buyer Protection, your purchase can be covered up to $1,000.

• eBay Security & Resolution Center: Visit the Security & Resolution Center to learn how to protect your account and use eBay's quick and efficient resolution tools.