Binoculars for Wildlife Photography: Tips and Tricks
If you’ve decided to venture into the captivating world of nature and wildlife photography then it’s likely you’ve spent hours researching the perfect camera to capture your shots, but many photographers forget one incredibly vital piece of equipment that will help to take their nature photography to the next level; birdwatching and nature viewing binoculars.
While cameras and lenses are essential to capturing moments in time, another important and valuable tool that any nature photographer should always have on hand is binoculars. In this handy guide we’ll consider how a decent pair of wildlife binoculars can transform your wildlife photography experience, allowing you to more effectively scout distant animals and track their movements, and to help compose captivating shots and get you up close and personal with the animals that you want to capture on film. Let’s take a look how harnessing the power of binoculars can allow you to explore the world of wildlife with precision, craft compelling compositions, and capture dynamic moments in motion.
If you’re a keen nature enthusiast then you may already own birding or nature binoculars, but if you don’t, then we’ve provided a range of fantastic quality binoculars below that are ideal for supporting your wildlife photography and offer fantastic value for money.
How to Use Binoculars for Wildlife Photography
When you're venturing into the realm of wildlife photography, having the right tools can make all the difference. Many photographers overlook or don’t fully understand the benefits of binoculars to support their photography skills, but in truth, wildlife binoculars offer more than just a closer look; they provide a window into the world of animals that’s vital if you wish to capture them in their natural habitat.
There are various reasons why binoculars and wildlife photography go hand in hand and can elevate your skill in capturing the perfect moments of nature's beauty on film. Below we’ll take a look at the keys reasons why binoculars are a great piece of equipment for any budding or professional wildlife photographer.
Using Binoculars to Scout for Wildlife
Taking stunning wildlife photographs can only happen if you are able to spot animals and birds of interest in the first place. That’s why binoculars are a vital partner when it comes to scouting for wildlife. By magnifying the world around you, optics like binoculars allow you to get closer to a bird or animal of interest than your naked eyes can. This means that from a safe and comfortable distance, you can sweep your surroundings, scanning through foliage and across open spaces, all while remaining undetected and not disturbing animals in their natural habitat. Once you’ve scouted out wildlife of interest you can pull out your camera and start snapping.
Using Binoculars to Decode Animal Movement and Behaviour
Some of the best, most iconic photographs of animals and birds are those that capture courtship rituals, territorial disputes, and feeding patterns. Good binoculars for wildlife viewing help you to spot the subtle movements and behaviours that might be otherwise invisible to the naked eye. By observing these behaviours and interactions through your binoculars, you’ll have much more chance of predicting an action and being able to capture the photograph of a lifetime.
Using Binoculars to Track Moving Wildlife
Binoculars are great optics for not only locating and observing animals in a fixed location, but also for tracking animals through landscapes as they go about their daily life. Binoculars can be used to look for tracks, nests, and other indicators of animal presence to ensure you’re on the right path for finding photo worthy action. Whether you're watching a soaring eagle or a nimble deer, optics offer a fantastic way to stay connected to your subject's movements without encroaching upon their space.
In addition, as you track an animal's journey, optics allow you to zoom in to discern even the subtlest facial expressions and body language, allowing you to capture emotions and interactions that you may not have seen if you weren’t so close up. Binoculars also empower you to predict where an animal might head next, based on their current behaviour and the environment, so you can position yourself for the perfect wildlife photography shot.
Tips for Effective Binocular Tracking:
Tracking a moving animal with binocular optics can sometimes be a bit tricky for novice users but practice certainly makes perfect. Here’s some handy tips to get you started when tracking birds and animals with your new binoculars.
Ensure you have the right binoculars: Tracking an animal through a landscape depends, in part in being able to keep the binoculars steady and on target so that you don’t loose sight of the animals or birds you’re trying to keep tabs on. To do this, you’ll need binoculars that aren’t too high in magnification so that you don’t have issues with stabilisation and so that your field of view isn’t too limited. In addition having a more compact binocular model will mean that they’re likely to be lighter in weight which means that your hands and arms won’t become too fatigued when tracking one animal for a prolonged period of time.
Focusing technique: Practice adjusting the focus of your binoculars swiftly and accurately to ensure that your subject remains sharp and in clear view. This skill is especially crucial during moments of rapid movement.
Follow through changing terrain: Wildlife doesn't always adhere to open paths; they might traverse challenging terrains like dense woods or rugged hills. As soon as you cast eyes on an animal of interest it’s down to you to familiarise yourself with its distinct features so that you can continue to pick it out as it travels through different coloured backgrounds. Having optics with a suitable magnification will allow you to see these important details and to maintain a connection with your subject.
Predict movement patterns and routes: The more nature watching you do, the more familiar you become with a certain animals movement patterns, behaviours and traits. This level of familiarity can allow you to be one step ahead when it comes to tracking where an animal may go next so that you don’t loose sight of it. In addition, by ensuring you’re familiar with the landscape you’re observing in, you may have a better chance of locating an animal again should you loose sight of it.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
One of the key factors in the success of animal scouting and tracking is patience. Tracking wildlife can be a test of patience. Avoid giving up too soon, even if an animal seems to disappear from view. They might reappear or engage in intriguing behaviour that makes the wait worthwhile. In addition, don’t be afraid to take your binoculars away from your eyes to have a more zoomed out scan of the landscape if you’re having little success with locating a subject of interest with them; you never know what slight movement you may spot with the corner of your naked eye.
Using Binoculars to Compose Wildlife Photographs
Cameras with telephoto lenses can be bulky and heavy to use. Binoculars on the other hand are compact and lightweight, making them the ideal optical equipment for not only locating and tracking animals of interest, but also for composing well planned and striking wildlife photographs. Once you’ve got the perfect shot lined up, your camera can then do its thing. Indeed, binoculars aren't just tools for observing; they're your personal scouts for uncovering artistic elements that elevate your wildlife photography. As you scan your surroundings, they’ll help you to unveil hidden angles, intricate textures, and compelling juxtapositions.
Binoculars also offer the perfect way to study how light dances through leaves, casts dramatic shadows, and illuminates your subject. This knowledge will empower you to position yourself for the optimal shot, capturing the interplay of light and shadow that adds depth and dimension to your images.
Binoculars offer a great way to plan a shot before even lifting your camera. This preliminary framing ensures that when you do bring your camera to your eye, you're already equipped with a clear vision.
As always, it’s important to ensure that you maintain a connection with the overall environment and landscape around you whilst you’re composing your shot. Be sure to occasionally take your binoculars away from your eyes so that you can scan the landscape to limit the chance of missing some other action nearby when you’re busy framing a shot. In addition, pay attention to surrounding vegetation, water bodies, or interesting textures that can enrich the photograph you’re trying to frame. The most important thing to remember is to take your time to explore through your binoculars before capturing the shot. Rushing to take the photo without carefully composing can result in missed opportunities for creating captivating images.
Choosing the Right Binoculars for Wildlife Photography
Binoculars are a lightweight addition that can transform the experience of wildlife photography for everyone. But what features should you look for when purchasing binoculars for wildlife photography?
Magnification
When it comes to choosing binoculars for wildlife photography, many of the factors that are essential for choosing bird watching or animal observing binoculars are just as important. Indeed, one of the key uses of binoculars for wildlife photography is scanning the landscape for animal or bird activity and then tracking animals of interest. With this in mind, a moderate fixed magnification of 8x or 10x that of your naked eye is always favourable as this allows you to have enough magnification to spot and track subjects whilst still seeing plenty of detail on them, but not limiting the size of your field of view with a very high magnification.
Objective lens diameter
The front, objective lens of a binocular can come in a range of sizes. Smaller lenses are more compact and easier to carry, but the smaller the lens, the less light it can let in which results in darker, less clear images. In an ideal world, for the brightest, most clear images possible, every binocular user would have really large lenses to increase their light gathering ability, however in reality, this would mean that the binoculars would be incredibly heavy and unusable without a tripod. Choosing the right lens size to suit your needs involves striking a balance between bright images and a compact size. One great way to combat this is to purchase binoculars with the very best glass quality that you can afford, as higher quality glass will out perform lower quality glass of the same size. For photography purposes we’d suggest binoculars with lenses between 30mm and 42mm depending on your appetite for carrying slightly heavier equipment. The larger lenses will produce brighter, clearer images, however they will weigh a little more. Below we have compiled a range of recommended binoculars that weigh as little as possible for their size.
Field of view
The field of view of a binocular refers to the amount of the landscape (measured in m) that you can see at one time when looking through the binoculars in a fixed location. As a rule of thumb, the higher the magnification of a binocular, the smaller the field of view will be. We’ve found that binoculars with an 8x or 10x offer the perfect field of view for nature observing, however it’s important to keep in mind that two binoculars with the same magnification may have differing field of views due to the binoculars brands quality, or the manufacturing technique. If you’re choosing between a range of binoculars be sure to compare their fields of view and try to always opt for the model that has a wider field of view as it will help you locate and track moving animals more easily.
Close focus distance
When most people think of binoculars, they think of using them to magnify far away subjects. However when it comes to nature and animal observation and photography, binoculars are also a great tool for viewing closer subjects in much more detail. Imagine spotting a rare butterfly on a nearby branch and wanting to take a closer look at its stunning wing design. Binoculars with a good close focus will allow you to do just that, as they’re not only designed for viewing far away subjects in more detail, but ones that are close up too. Some binoculars are geared towards close up viewing more than others and they do this by having a shorter close focus. If you think that your wildlife shots could be of close encounters then opt for binoculars with the shortest close focus you can find.
Lens coating
All binoculars have some sort of coatings on their lenses to help direct the light that enters their objective lenses through to your eye. The type and amount of coatings used varies significantly depending on the quality of the binoculars. We’d always suggest binoculars that have fully multicoated lenses to ensure the brightest, clearest images possible. Where possible opt for those with higher end phase coatings too.
Durability
Wildlife observation and photography go hand in hand with being in the great outdoors, and the great outdoors brings with it unpredictable environmental conditions that can render equipment unusable if you haven’t purchased wisely. Always ensure that you choose the most durable binoculars possible for outdoor escapades so that they stand the test of time. Waterproof and fogproof binoculars are a must to stop them being damaged in wet or damp conditions, and a rubber armour is also key to preventing them from getting damaged by the odd scrape or knock.
Prism type
Binoculars come in two common designs, porro prism or roof prism. Roof prism binoculars have grown in popularity since they were invented as they offer a more compact form that makes them less bulky to use. In general, for most outdoor activities we suggest that roof prism binoculars are the best option, however due to their design, porro prism binoculars do generally offer a slightly wider field of view so if this is a very important factor for you, you may want to consider porro prisms too.
Image stabilisation
If you’re a photographer who’s been searching for an illusive bird or animal for as long as you can remember, then it’s likely you’ve spent hours on end waiting patiently for said animal to appear. Using binoculars for such a prolonged period of time can be tiring work, so to give your arms a rest and aid in image stabilisation, we’d suggest utilising a tripod where possible to take some of the load. In addition, you may wish to invest in binoculars that have an inbuilt image stabilisation feature to stop any unwanted shakes of your hands from impacting the images you see through your binoculars. These binoculars do tend to be quite heavy and more expensive though so often a tripod is a great option.
Our Favourite 7 Binoculars for Wildlife Photography
Take a look at our best binoculars for wildlife viewing below. We’ve put together a list of options that offers the best binoculars for the money that incorporate all of the key features listed above.
- Zeiss Conquest HD 8x42 Binoculars
- Vortex Crossfire HD 8x42 Binoculars
- Nikon Monarch M7 ED 8x30 Binoculars
- Vortex Viper HD 8x42 Binoculars (2018)
- Vanguard Endeavor ED IV 8x42 Binoculars
- Kowa SV-42 II 8x42 Binoculars
- Athlon Midas G2 8x42 UHD Binoculars
Zeiss Conquest HD 8x42 Binoculars
Made in one of the optical capitals of the world, the German made Conquest binoculars have HD lenses and produce bright, clear images. These top binoculars have a decent field of view for scanning the landscape for subjects for your next wildlife photo and a good eye relief making them a great option for people who wear glasses. They’re at the higher end of the price range but with optics, you get what you pay for, and with these you'll experience exceptional viewing.
Key Features:
- 8x magnification
- 42mm objective lenses
- Made in Germany
- HD lenses
- LotuTec® lens coating
- 128m field of view
- 18mm eye relief
- 1.9m close focus
- Waterproof
- 794g
Pros:
- Made in Germany
- HD lenses for bright, clear images
- Lens coating to repel water
- Good eye relief for eye glasses wearers
- Quite a short close focus so can be used for up close viewing of insects etc
Cons:
- Higher end of price range
- Could be a little lighter
Vortex Crossfire HD 8x42 Binoculars
Part of Vortex’s entry level line, these affordable binoculars are at the lower end of the price scale but offer great value for money. High definition lenses that are fully multicoated produce clear and crisp images and they offer a good 17mm eye relief. A short close focus makes them ideal for close up viewing of birds, bugs and more.
Key Features:
- 8x magnification
- 42mm objective lenses
- High definition lenses
- Fully multi-coated lenses
- Waterproof
- 119m field of view
- 17mm eye relief
- 1.8m close focus
- 674g
Pros:
- High definition glass
- Great price point for their quality
- Comfortable to use
- Durable and rugged
- Good weight
- Exceptional Vortex warranty
Cons:
The build quality isn’t as good as some of the higher end models but it is excellent for the price
Nikon Monarch M7 ED 8x30 Binoculars
These exceptional mid sized 30mm binoculars from Nikons world famous Monarch line are built with an incredible optical system. Extra low dispersion (ED) glass virtually eliminates common distortion, chromatic aberrations and colour fringing resulting in clear, high-resolution views in nearly any lighting condition. They offer a very wide field of view and an incredibly low weight thanks for their mid sized lenses which make them a great option if you're worried about weight.
Key Features:
- 8x magnification
- 30mm lenses
- Extra low dispersion glass
- Waterproof
- 15.1mm eye relief
- 2m close focus
- 132m field of view
- 464g
Pros:
- Due to their 30mm lenses they’re much more compact than larger models and weigh a lot less
- ED lenses produce bright clear images
- Rugged design
- Great compact design is easy to handle on the move
Cons:
- Despite the exceptional quality glass, the size of the compact, mid sized lenses means they’re not as good in low light as some of the larger lensed models
- Not great for close up viewing due to a longer close focus than some other models
- Short eye relief so not ideal for those who wear glasses
Vortex Viper HD 8x42 Binoculars (2018)
The Viper binoculars from Vortex offer HD lenses and a fantastic quality build. They’re not only optically brilliant, they also have a durable and comfortable-to-use construction that’s lightweight too. The eye relief they offer will be a big hit for eyeglass wearers.
Key Features:
- 8x magnification
- 42mm objective lenses
- High definition glass
- Fully multicoated optics
- Waterproof
- ArmorTek ultra-hard, scratch-resistant lens coating
- 1.9m close focus
- 18mm eye relief
- 124m field of view
- 694g
Pros:
- HD glass for bright and clear images
- Good weight
- Good eye relief for eyeglass wearers
- Scratch resistant lenses
- Exceptional warranty
Cons:
- Close focus could be better
Vanguard Endeavor ED IV 8x42 Binoculars
Offering the longest eye relief of our binocular round up, at a whopping 19mm, the Vanguard Endeavors also have a wide field of view and exceptional glass quality for their price point. They're a great mid to high end option for bird and wildlife photography.
Key Features:
- 8x magnification
- 42mm objective lenses
- Extra low dispersion lenses
- Fully multicoated optics
- 126m field of view
- 2m close focus
- 19mm eye relief
- 786g
Pros:
- Good price point for the quality
- HD lenses
- Good eye relief
- Wide field of view
Cons:
- The close focus could be better
10. Kowa SV-42 II 8x42 Binoculars
A great option in the low to mid price bracket, the newly designed Kowa SV binoculars offer great value for money from the world leading Japanese optical brand. They have a very good 19.5mm eye relief and can withstand the rigours of the outdoors. They’re lightweight for their size making them a great option if weight is an issue.
Key Features:
- 8x magnification
- 42mm objective lenses
- Waterproof
- Coatings to repel water and dirt
- Fully multicoated optics
- 19.5mm eye relief
- 119m field of view
- 4m close focus
- 663g
Pros:
- Relatively lightweight
- Good build quality and well priced
- Very good eye relief so perform well for eye glass wearers
Cons:
- Better for long distance viewing and not close focus
- Don’t have HD glass
Athlon Midas G2 8x42 UHD Binoculars
The brand new Midas generation 2 binoculars from Athlon offer ultra high definition glass that produces bright, clear images. They have an exceptional construction and sit at a great price point. They are some of the lightest weight, compact, 8x42 binoculars in our range at only 660g.
Key Features:
- 8x magnification
- 42mm objective lenses
- UHD lenses
- 144m field of view
- 17.2mm eye relief
- 2m close focus
- Waterproof and argon filled
- Phase corrected prisms
- 660g
Pros:
- Lightweight for their size
- Ultra high definition glass for the brightest views
- Good eye relief
- Wide field of view
Cons:
- Could have longer eye relief
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