binoculars comparison table

The accompanying table from 1993 shows some of the models considered to be best for birding. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list. There are many omissions. Please consider it just as a list of benchmarks to compare others against.

The table is ordered roughly by size, with samples of the best full size, mid-size, compact, and mini binoculars represented. Don't be disheartened by the retail prices. They can be misleading, since binoculars are heavily discounted. Shop around.

Birding Binoculars Table
From the BWD 93 Article

See table from January, 2000, article

Power
and Size Model Description and Comment
Prism Design
Close Focus
Carry Weight
Eye Relief
Field of View
Retail Price

20 x 60 Zeiss 20 x 60 S (Stabilized)
Press a button and hand-hold 20 power Porro 46 ft. 56 oz. 14 mm 2.9· $4725

10 x 42
Bausch & Lomb Elite
Excellent optics, good wtih glasses
roof
12 ft.
28 oz.
20 mm
5.6·
$1956

10 x 42
Leica BA Ultra
New design, excellent optics
roof
15 ft.
31 oz.
14 mm
6.3·
$1650

10 x 40
Zeiss B/GA T Dialyt
Classic top birding binoculars
roof
16 ft.
27 oz.
16 mm
6.3·
$1250

8 x 42
Bausch & Lomb Elite
Better in twilight than 10 x's
roof
10 ft.
28 oz.
20 mm
7.0·
$1900

8 x 42
Swift Ultra Lite
Top rated by Living Bird Magazine
Porro
16 ft.
21 oz.
22 mm
6.8·
$345

7 x 42
Zeiss B/GA T Dialyt
Good with glasses, wide view, bright
roof
11 ft.
28 oz.
19 mm
8.6·
$1215

7 x 42
Leica BA Ultra
Excellent optics, good in low light
roof
21 ft.
31 oz.
17 mm
8.0·
$1650

8 x 30
Swarovski SLC Mark II
Excellent optics, polymer body
roof
13 ft.
31 oz.
14 mm
7.8·
$645

8 x 30
Zeiss B/GA T Dialyt
The classic best all-purpose binocular
roof
13 ft.
27 oz.
15 mm
7.7·
$1025

8 x 30
Nikon Criterion E
Top rated by BBC's Wildlife Magazine
Porro
13 ft.
21 oz.
13 mm
8.3·
$512

7 x 36
Bausch & Lomb Elite
Excellent optics, light, good with glasses
roof
10 ft.
25 oz.
20 mm
8.0·
$1704

7 x 35
Bushnell Birder
Best low-priced binocular
Porro
12 ft.
21 oz.
13 mm
6.8·
$75

9 x 25
Nikon Travelite III
Good inexpensive compact
Porro
12 ft.
9 oz.
10 mm
5.6·
$156

7 x 26
Bausch & Lomb Custom Compact
Top rated compact, big, bright image
Porro
10 ft.
12 oz.
16 mm
7.4·
$457

7 x 24
Bausch & Lomb Discoverer
Rugged, waterproof compact
Porro
8 ft.
17 oz.
14 mm
6.5·
$549

8 x 20
Zeiss Mini (Pocket binoculars)
Excellent pocket binocular
roof
11 ft
6.3 oz.
14 mm
6.6·
$475

10 x 25
Zeiss Mini (Pocket binoculars)
Narrow field of view but powerful
roof
18 ft
7.5 oz.
14 mm
5.4·
$520

8 x 20
Leica BCA Trinovid (Pocket binoculars)
Eyecups slide down instead of folding
roof
7 ft
7.8 oz.
14 mm
6.6·
$615

10 x 25
Leica BCA Trinovid (Pocket binoculars)
Eyecups slide down instead of folding
roof
10 ft
8.5 oz.
14 mm
5.4·
$645

8 x 20
Swarovski Habicht (Pocket binoculars)
Fully waterproof
roof
13 ft
7.6 oz.
13 mm
6.6·
$630

Optics Return Policy | Basic optics page | The Binocular Advisor | Binoculars Glossary | Gifts for birders

Power and Size	Model Description and Comment	Prism Design	Close Focus	Carry Weight	Eye Relief	Field of View	Retail Price
20 x 60	Zeiss 20 x 60 S (Stabilized) Press a button and hand-hold 20 power	Porro	46 ft.	56 oz.	14 mm	2.9·	$4725
10 x 42	Bausch & Lomb Elite Excellent optics, good wtih glasses	roof	12 ft.	28 oz.	20 mm	5.6·	$1956
10 x 42	Leica BA Ultra New design, excellent optics	roof	15 ft.	31 oz.	14 mm	6.3·	$1650
10 x 40	Zeiss B/GA T Dialyt Classic top birding binoculars	roof	16 ft.	27 oz.	16 mm	6.3·	$1250
8 x 42	Bausch & Lomb Elite Better in twilight than 10 x's	roof	10 ft.	28 oz.	20 mm	7.0·	$1900
8 x 42	Swift Ultra Lite Top rated by Living Bird Magazine	Porro	16 ft.	21 oz.	22 mm	6.8·	$345
7 x 42	Zeiss B/GA T Dialyt Good with glasses, wide view, bright	roof	11 ft.	28 oz.	19 mm	8.6·	$1215
7 x 42	Leica BA Ultra Excellent optics, good in low light	roof	21 ft.	31 oz.	17 mm	8.0·	$1650
8 x 30	Swarovski SLC Mark II Excellent optics, polymer body	roof	13 ft.	31 oz.	14 mm	7.8·	$645
8 x 30	Zeiss B/GA T Dialyt The classic best all-purpose binocular	roof	13 ft.	27 oz.	15 mm	7.7·	$1025
8 x 30	Nikon Criterion E Top rated by BBC's Wildlife Magazine	Porro	13 ft.	21 oz.	13 mm	8.3·	$512
7 x 36	Bausch & Lomb Elite Excellent optics, light, good with glasses	roof	10 ft.	25 oz.	20 mm	8.0·	$1704
7 x 35	Bushnell Birder Best low-priced binocular	Porro	12 ft.	21 oz.	13 mm	6.8·	$75
9 x 25	Nikon Travelite III Good inexpensive compact	Porro	12 ft.	9 oz.	10 mm	5.6·	$156
7 x 26	Bausch & Lomb Custom Compact Top rated compact, big, bright image	Porro	10 ft.	12 oz.	16 mm	7.4·	$457
7 x 24	Bausch & Lomb Discoverer Rugged, waterproof compact	Porro	8 ft.	17 oz.	14 mm	6.5·	$549
8 x 20	Zeiss Mini (Pocket binoculars) Excellent pocket binocular	roof	11 ft	6.3 oz.	14 mm	6.6·	$475
10 x 25	Zeiss Mini (Pocket binoculars) Narrow field of view but powerful	roof	18 ft	7.5 oz.	14 mm	5.4·	$520
8 x 20	Leica BCA Trinovid (Pocket binoculars) Eyecups slide down instead of folding	roof	7 ft	7.8 oz.	14 mm	6.6·	$615
10 x 25	Leica BCA Trinovid (Pocket binoculars) Eyecups slide down instead of folding	roof	10 ft	8.5 oz.	14 mm	5.4·	$645
8 x 20	Swarovski Habicht (Pocket binoculars) Fully waterproof	roof	13 ft	7.6 oz.	13 mm	6.6·	$630

Birding Binoculars Table From the BWD 93 Article See table from January, 2000, article

Birding Binoculars Table
From the BWD 93 Article

See table from January, 2000, article