Birdwatching in Africa is a big deal and many people base their entire trips around it. But to actually get a good view of the feathered creatures, you need to get yourself a good pair of binoculars.
While we won’t try to sway you on which brand to buy, there are several things to look for when picking them out:
Field of View: This gauges the horizontal breadth of the image you see when you are looking through them. Binoculars with a wide field of view will be helpful to find fast moving birds.
Brightness: You want to look for ones with good relative brightness. This can make or break seeing the birds.
Ease of Handling: Simply put, that giant pair of binoculars might be a chore to bring around, while the smaller set won’t have great resolution. Shoot for something in the middle if you are a first timer and adjust from there.
Night viewing: You probably won’t need this, but if you want to view birds at night, you’ll definitely need it.
Magnification: You want at least 8x magnification if you’re going to be birdwatching.
Lens: Try to stay within 30-42mm for the front lens.
Cost: This is really up to you, you could spend over a thousand dollars on a good set. However, we recommend something in the US$50-200 range if you are just starting out.
If you pay attention to these guidelines, you’re sure to get yourself a good pair of binoculars. Good luck, and happy birding!
