Speedy55 Posted May 25, 2015 #1 Share Posted May 25, 2015 What size binoculars are good for viewing wild life in Alaska. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare martincath Posted May 25, 2015 #2 Share Posted May 25, 2015 What size binoculars are good for viewing wild life in Alaska. Depends how far away, how stable your location will be, how heavy a pair you can handle easily enough to actually use, if you have a tripod etc. but in general a wide field of view (the second number, e.g. the 50 in a pair of 7x50 binocs) is better than a really high magnification (the first number). Especially when onboard the ship, a high-zoom but narrow field (e.g. I have a tiny pair of 12x25s that I took on my first trip) is a real hassle to use - the ship may have very little movement but it gets exaggerated while using the binocs and finding the eagle, bear, whale or whatever you're looking for can be really hard with a narrow field of view. Now I take a pair of 8x40s which are light enough that my wife and I can both hold them stable for extended periods. Don't spend a ton on really good glass unless you know you'll be using them for many years - Celestron make several very affordable (well under $50) binocs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putterdude Posted May 25, 2015 #3 Share Posted May 25, 2015 This question probably gets asked at least twice each season. Before attempting to answer the question, are you looking for binoculars that you are going to hike with or something that you are going to use aboard the ship? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BratDet Posted May 25, 2015 #4 Share Posted May 25, 2015 we don't need binoculars, we have them. He pulled them out and the lense fell out. They were really bad anyway- so they go tossed. We bought two different brands of 8x42. His & hers. I've wanted them for a long time, so I am glad we bought them....I'd have to look up the brands and model... Bernadette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brentp Posted May 25, 2015 #5 Share Posted May 25, 2015 (edited) As Putterdude said, this gets asked a lot. And, there are lots of different opinions as there is no straight forward answer to what will be best for a particular need or person. There are lots of different numbers that one needs to know about, as well as different design techniques, manufacturing quality, and each can make binoculars unique and different. Here is a tutorial that might help understand things (magnification, objective lens, exit pupil, field of view, minimum focal distance, design types, etc.). It starts on page 2, so keep paging around to get the full info. Behind Binocular Numbers (Page 2) I would start there, and then typically with binoculars, the more you pay, the better the quality of the optics. Figure out what you want to do, figure out what your budget is, find some that fit within that budget, and then highly recommend if possible, go try them locally so you can find what works best for you. I like this website for reviews of mid to high end Binoculars. Best Binocular Reviews For handheld use, typically most people can only use 8x or 10x, and a smaller number are OK with 12x. Higher power than that the shake gets annoying. Larger field of view and objective lens (exit pupil) can offset this a bit, but not much. For us, we set a lower budget as our use outside of travel is limited. We selected a set of binoculars from Celestron, the Nature DX 10x32 and the Outland X 10x42. A good compromise on size, cost, quality, etc. and each have slight differences that should allow us to view most everything we hope for. Good Luck! Edited May 25, 2015 by brentp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donaldsc Posted May 25, 2015 #6 Share Posted May 25, 2015 http://www.allaboutbirds.org/page.aspx?pid=2674 DON Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovetotraveltx Posted May 25, 2015 #7 Share Posted May 25, 2015 We are doing a pre cruise land tour do you recommend binoculars for portage cruise, Denali... Our cruise starts on our 7th day in Alaska and we get them free to use in our cabin! Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Aurora Posted May 25, 2015 #8 Share Posted May 25, 2015 We are doing a pre cruise land tour do you recommend binoculars for portage cruise, Denali... Our cruise starts on our 7th day in Alaska and we get them free to use in our cabin! Thank you Your signature indicates that you will be on a Celebrity cruise. We are Elite+ on X and so are very familiar with the product, The binoculars available in the staterooms are totally inadequate. Actually, I am not aware of any cruise line which provides good binoculars in their staterooms. You will definitely need to purchase adequate binoculars for Denali and the remaining portions of the trip if wildlife viewing is of any interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovetotraveltx Posted May 26, 2015 #9 Share Posted May 26, 2015 Your signature indicates that you will be on a Celebrity cruise. We are Elite+ on X and so are very familiar with the product, The binoculars available in the staterooms are totally inadequate. Actually, I am not aware of any cruise line which provides good binoculars in their staterooms. You will definitely need to purchase adequate binoculars for Denali and the remaining portions of the trip if wildlife viewing is of any interest. Thank you for your help! We will pack our own! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gottagoacruzn Posted May 29, 2015 #10 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Hi guys, got to lookin at the binoculars that I have. They are: Nash Kelvinator Corp, 1942, HMR, the lens M3 6X30. My dad brought them home from WW2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plenox Posted May 31, 2015 #11 Share Posted May 31, 2015 From our experience learnt from the forum, take 8x42 or 10x42 waterproof binoculars. The roof binoculars with streamlined shape is lighter than Porro binoculars with zigzagged shape. Waterproof is important feature as we had 4 raining days out of 7 during our cruise. We use them primarily for whale watching. We bought several pairs of VISTA 8x42 and Zen-Ray ZRS 10x42 so everyone can have his or her own pair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie_mke Posted May 31, 2015 #12 Share Posted May 31, 2015 (edited) Experts please provide feedback on the below 3 I have narrowed down to, http://www.amazon.com/Weaver-10x42-mm-Binoculars/dp/B005N7E81M/ref=lh_ni_t?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=APCD325Q5U7IK http://www.amazon.com/Bushnell-Powerview-Roof-Prism-Binocular/dp/B00192GS04/ref=sr_1_29?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1433111554&sr=1-29&keywords=10x42+binoculars+waterproof http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004P1IMFA/ref=psdc_297842_t3_B00192GS04 Thanks Edited May 31, 2015 by newbie_mke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budget Queen Posted May 31, 2015 #13 Share Posted May 31, 2015 I watch a lot of wildlife with my preference 10 power along with wide angle necessary for marine wildlife. I want my spotting further out so I have the opportunity for extended viewing. The lessor power binoculars just don't work for me. Best is to go to a sporting type store and try out several, looking at various points. But realize- a store's view is going to be closer than most wildlife. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diane.in.ny Posted May 31, 2015 #14 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Good advice about trying out several pair at a sporting goods store. I know from past experience that I prefer a wide angle pair. As much as I would love to have better magnification, I have trouble 'finding' that I want to see without the wide angle That said, I have a pair of 7 x 35 and just returned from Alaska. They were perfect for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie_mke Posted May 31, 2015 #15 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Thanks! Celestron Outland seems to have good wide-angle. If I need to choose between the Celestron Outland and the Weaver, which would be a better choice? I have read good reviews for both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putterdude Posted June 1, 2015 #16 Share Posted June 1, 2015 The OP has never come back to say how he intends to use the binoculars so here goes, I have 4 pairs of binoculars and one nautical scope on a tripod and each have a different purpose. The ones I cruise with are a holdover from a previous life, they are a Fujinon marine product, fully rubberized, nitrogen filled, 7X50 but at over $500 a copy they are far more then the average cruisers needs. I have a pair of plain old 10X50 Bushnells that are good for spotting things on land but may make you ill if using them on a ship with its movement. I have another old pair of 8X35's in the car for just general use. The best glasses to purchase for use on the ship are 7X or 8X which is the marine standard they are stable on a ship and should not contribute to seasickness; with anything stronger it may contribute to motion sickness and tends to be an unstable platform for viewing. For most people they purchase a pair of binoculars for their Alaska cruise then put them in the closet to gather dust for ages. So the message is don't mortgage the farm to buy binoculars, there is lots of products under a $100 that will work just fine. Try some and see what right for you and my advice would be to stick with something that is 7X or 8X. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedy55 Posted June 1, 2015 Author #17 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Thank you for all your help. We went with the Bushnell 7x35. We head to Seattle in 13 days for our first cruise and first time to Alaska. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putterdude Posted June 1, 2015 #18 Share Posted June 1, 2015 They are a general purpose product and I am sure will be just fine for your cruise....have a great time.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knorrisb07 Posted June 10, 2015 #19 Share Posted June 10, 2015 we took 10x42 ZRS binoculars for the last several trips for Alaska cruise. They work well for both low light and rainy conditions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhmom99 Posted September 19, 2015 #20 Share Posted September 19, 2015 we took 10x42 ZRS binoculars for the last several trips for Alaska cruise. They work well for both low light and rainy conditions. We also use 10x42 binoculars. just came back from a September cruise. Still bummed out for not seeing the northern light like some posters did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donaldsc Posted September 20, 2015 #21 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Regardless of what you buy and how much you are planning to spend, do not buy them off the internet unless you can return them w/o a return fee. In fact, my recommendation is to never buy any optics (camera, binoculars, spotting scope, etc) without checking the actual product. In addition, it is even more important if you buy a cheaper product where manufacturer QC is lax. A good place to go to buy binoculars is a good sporting goods store or maybe REI if there is one close to you. They will have a good selection at different price point before you buy. Hope this helps. DON Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmcglothen Posted August 31, 2016 #22 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Hi, I had read on another post that I can't seem to find now...that Carnival Legend offers rental binoculars for Alaska...Does anyone know if this is correct and if so how much do they cost? Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me! Thanks, Patti Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diane.in.ny Posted August 31, 2016 #23 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Hi, I had read on another post that I can't seem to find now...that Carnival Legend offers rental binoculars for Alaska...Does anyone know if this is correct and if so how much do they cost? Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me! Thanks, Patti You might get some better answers if you posted this under the Carnival thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now