12 Best Binoculars for Safari in the Market – 2024 Reviews & Guide

Last Updated: Aug 21, 2024 @ 8:35 am

I have been a safari enthusiast for many years now. When I was a young man, my uncle who was a passionate lover of safari introduced me to its thrills and joys.

Observing different forms of wildlife in their natural setting is always an exciting experience.

He also emphasized that having a good pair of binoculars with you adds a lot to the fascinating adventure. I realized this each time I had an opportunity to go out on such safari trips.

I want to tell you how important it is to have a pair of good binoculars for safari trips. In addition, I will provide you clear tips on how to choose one that meets such a specific need. I am sure that will help you to have a trip that will be great fun.

Magnification:

Magnification means how the image gets enlarged. After all, you would love to see spots on a leopard sleeping on a tree or eyes of an elephant. Therefore, you may feel that having a high magnification is great.

However, you should remember that it is difficult to hold high-powered binoculars still.  Moreover, your field of view will become narrow. Hence, you must try to balance the two aspects.

It is my experience that the ideal magnification to go for is 8x or 10x. If you are viewing at night time or in dim light, choose binoculars with medium magnification and larger objective lenses.

Best Objective Lens Size:

I can tell you that the binoculars come with a range of sizes of the objective lens. Full-sized binoculars generally have lenses that are 42mm or more which are good in dim light conditions. Such lenses also produce very high-quality images. But the problem is that they are large and heavy.

Hence, the best bet is to go for compact binoculars. These usually have lenses that range from 21mm to 32 mm and are good for bright day viewing.

In mid-sized binoculars, you will find objective lenses to be between 32mm and 42mm which are suitable for early morning and evening views.

Overall Size and Weight:

You will agree with me that if the binoculars are light and compact, you will enjoy carrying it around, the whole day. You can take a quick look at changing scenes without missing much.

But the weight of the binoculars must be balanced with the aspect of magnification. Therefore, my advice would be to choose a middle-sized pair that weighs less than 2 or maximum 3 pounds with a size of 8×32 to 10×42.

Field Of view:

So, What is the field of view (FOV) is and why it is an important factor in choosing your binoculars?

FOV is the width of the image you see. That means the greater the width of the lenses, the greater will the field of view.

I consider a FOV of 315 feet at 1,000 yards as a good value.

On a safari, if the binoculars have a greater field of view, you will see more of the surrounding area and your chances of spotting a moving animal become greater. 

Prisms type and Coating:

I would like to mention that prisms used in the binoculars should be of high quality. Likewise, the optical parts should be multi-coated. This will ensure lower light reflection. All these will help you to have the best possible view of the animals and surroundings. You can choose between two types of prism models:

• Roof-prism: In these the barrels are straight, the view is not very clear.
• Porro-prism: These use zigzag prisms which create brighter images.

Exit Pupil Size:

From my experience, I can tell you that quite often, animals are more active at dusk and dawn. Under such poor light conditions, I advise you to use binoculars with a large outer diameter and exit pupil size.   

What does exit pupil size mean? It is the lens size divided by the magnification. The size depends on the pupil and the light conditions.

The idea is to collect as much light as possible to see well. At night, the pupil size can be as high as 7mm, while in bright daylight it is just 2 or 3 mm. 

Waterproofing:

As you might be aware, most safari vehicles are open at the top. When you move through the forest area, you are likely to come across unfavorable weather conditions like high humidity, rain or dust.

Thus it becomes essential that your binoculars are waterproof. Anyway, most standard models have this feature.

It will also help to protect your binoculars against dust. During a safari that involves a good deal of walking, you are likely to be in open spaces most of the time.

You can keep using your binoculars for long by protecting them against such adverse conditions.

Shockproofing: 

I am sure you know that most safari tours involve traveling in Jeeps or such other sturdy vehicles.

This is because the roads and the terrain are generally rough and uneven. What do you expect then? It’s going to be a really bumpy ride.

You have to take extra care to see that your binoculars don’t get damaged.

What is a simple solution? 

When you buy a pair of binoculars chooses one that is shock-proofed. That will surely extend the life of the binoculars.

Eye Relief:

If you use normal glasses or use sunglasses, you will need to hold the binoculars a little away from your eyes.

In order to still see images clearly, you have to go in for binoculars that have the facility of long eye relief. It is a big help when you travel in the hot blazing sun.

I would suggest choosing a pair of binoculars with an eye relief of 18 mm or more.

General Considerations:

I hope I have explained clearly different factors you should consider to choose a really good pair of binoculars. Once you have the right pair you can enjoy your safari to the fullest.

You may ask me if you need to spend a fortune in getting the right type of binoculars.

My simple answer is No!

Take your time and study the market carefully and pick a model that is reliable and has all the features

I described earlier. Make a decision that will keep you happy for years to come.

FAQs:

1. Do I Really Require Binoculars for Safari to have the Best Experience?

My answer is a definite YES.  Without a good pair of binoculars, you will be missing out on half the fun. 

Don’t be tempted by low- priced and low-quality stuff. My sincere advice is: Buy the best pair you can afford that has all or most of the features I described.

Since you are already spending a good fortune for the trip, hustling hard to save on this one item is not a wise step. 

2. Should I Buy the Best Quality and the Most Expensive One?

I suggest that you should go in for the best quality that you can afford to buy. You should see it as an investment for the lifetime.

Hence, you should not try to cut costs and compromise on quality. You should get expert advice about the features to look for.

In addition, you can take a close look at some of the models to get a feel of the pairs.

3. Which Brands and at What Pricing Point Should I choose a Safari Binocular?

You will be happy to know that there are many brands that create high-quality binoculars suitable for safari trips.

Some of the better-known brands are Bushnell, Nikon, Pentad, Celestron, Opticron, Olympus and Canon. Even more valued are models from Leica, Zeiss and  Swarovski Optik.

In case money is not a hurdle, you can choose Swarovski Optik binoculars since they probably represent the highest quality. Buying this brand will be a lifelong investment.

Conclusion:

Safaris are adventure trips you always look forward to. The opportunity to watch wildlife of diverse types is a thrilling experience. For many of you, such opportunities come only once in a while. So you must go all out to have a whale of a time. Having a high-quality pair of binoculars can add to the real value of such trips by offering a more complete and exciting view of the wildlife and surroundings. Consider the tips and info I have given and choose your binoculars carefully, with the best features. You will thus turn your safari trip into a memorable one.

Here are some of our other reviews If you need Binoculars for other purposes:-

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