Choosing & Using Binoculars: A Guide for Star Gazers, Birders and Outdoor Enthusiasts

Binoculars are life enhancing instruments, uniquely capable of bringing the intricacies of nature into sharp focus. Whether it be birds, majestic lakes and seas, alpine vistas, wild animals or exploring the glories of the night sky, anyone interested in buying binoculars today will be faced with a bewildering number of different models to choose from!

This book walks the reader through the fascinating world of binoculars, past and present, while exploring all of the main binocular types, their desirable features, how to test out and narrow down the choices a prospective customer should make, as well as looking at some of the best and most-sought-after binoculars money can buy. Uniquely experienced writer and binocular enthusiast, Dr Neil English, takes the pain out of narrowing down the search for your ideal binocular, whether your budget is $50 or $5,000. Dr English explores many of the timeless beauties of the binocular world, crafted by top European and Japanese manufacturers, such as Swarovski, Zeiss, Nikon, Leica and others. Sumptuously illustrated throughout with full color images, Choosing & Using Binoculars decodes all the technical jargon without sacrificing accuracy and presents the world’s best compendium of binocular literature for the birder, hunter, inveterate traveler, nature enthusiast and star gazer. Don’t leave home without it!

Contents:

Introduction: The Joy of the Binocular.- Acknowledgements.- Foreword.- Part I: Chapter 1: Binoculars 101.- Chapter 2: A Brief History of the Binocular.- Chapter 3: Pocket Binoculars.- Chapter 4: Compact Binoculars.- Chapter 5: Full-Size Binoculars.- Chapter 6: Low Light Binoculars.- Chapter 7: Range-Finding Binoculars.- Chapter 8: Astronomical Binoculars.- Chapter 9: Marine Binoculars.- Part II: Chapter 10: Leica Binoculars.- Chapter 11: Zeiss Binoculars.- Chapter 12: Swarovski Binoculars.- Chapter 13: Nikon Binoculars.- Chapter 14: Vortex Binoculars.- Chapter 15: GPO Binoculars.- Chapter 16: Opticron Binoculars.- Chapter 17: Meopta Binoculars.- Chapter 18: Maven Binoculars.- Chapter 19: Kowa Binoculars.- Chapter 20: Pentax Binoculars.- Chapter 21: Oberwerk Binoculars.- Chapter22: Leupold Binoculars.- Chapter 23: Fujinon Binoculars.- Chapter 24: Bushnell Binoculars.- Chapter 25: Popular Binocular Accessories.- Chapter 26: Testing Binoculars: Notes from the Field.- Chapter 27: Top Bargains in Today’s Market.- Chapter 28: A Brief Survey of Classic Binocular Literature.- Chapter 29: Classic Binoculars.- Chapter 30: Earth & Sky.- Glossary.- Binocular Repairers & Restorers.- Index.