A good pair of binoculars is a staple in any naturalist’s kit. Whether you are wildlife watching, insect spotting or exploring the wilderness, we have a fantastic range of optics to enhance your outdoor activities.
Discover our top 5 best binoculars for wildlife watching below, where we highlight the key features of each for easy comparison.
Bushnell Prime Binoculars 8×32 BP832B
A great entry-level option with high quality optical performance, these binoculars are waterproof, lightweight and robust which makes them great for fieldwork. A wide field of view makes these ideal for fast moving animals and large landscapes, and the anti-reflective coasting ensures a bright image with high contrast.
- EXO barrier coatings to repel oil, dust and water
- BAK-4 Prisms for excellent image quality and low light performance
- 20-year guarantee
- Weight: 479g
- Magnification: 8x
- Field of view: 130m @ 1000m
- Eye relief: 18mm
- Close focus: 9ft / 3m
GPO PASSION ED 8×32/42mm Binoculars
Combine value and performance with these lightweight binoculars from GPO. A magnesium body provides a robust chassis, the Schmidt-Pechan prisms further enhance their durability, while superb clarity and exceptional colour transmission ensure an excellent price to performance ratio.
- Suitable for all levels of expertise
- Multi-coated lenses for exceptional clarity and colour transmission
- Wide field of view
- 10-year guarantee
- Weight: 520g
- Magnification: 8x
- Eye relief: 16mm
- Field of view: 139m @ 1000m
- Close focus: 2m
Hawke Optics Nature-Trek Binoculars 8×42
Completely waterproof and fog free, these robust binoculars are ideal for fieldwork. The multi-coated optics and an inner-focus optical design ensure high resolution images, and a close focus distance of 2m make them great for observing insects.
- Shock resistant polycarbonate body
- BAK-4 roof prism
- Lifetime guarantee
- Winner – Best Low Cost Binocular Award 2014
- Weight: 638g
- Magnification: 8x
- Eye relief: 18mm
- Field of view: 129m @ 1000m
- Close focus: 2m / 6.6ft
Opticron Explorer WA ED-R Binoculars 10×42
An impressive field of view makes these compact binoculars great for surveying large landscapes and fast-moving animals, and a close focus of 2m makes them suitable for viewing insects too. Multi–coated lenses allow extra light transmission and colour contrast, ensuring clear, crisp viewing.
- Nitrogen waterproof construction
- Close focus: 2.5m / 8.2ft
- Weight: 660g
- Magnification: 10x
- Eye relief: 15mm
- Field of view: 113m @ 1000m
- 10-year guarantee
Swarovski CL Pocket Binoculars with Wild Nature Case 10×25
Ideal for travelling, these pocket binoculars are compact and lightweight, while providing users with a large field of view and great close focus suitable for insect observation. A high-quality lens and prism coating ensure excellent optical performance, even at low light, and SWAROBRIGHT phase prism coating ensures better colour reproduction and light transmission.
- 10-year warranty
- Waterproof to 4m
- Magnification: 10x
- Eye relief: 17mm
- Field of view: 98m @ 1000m
- Close focus: 2.5m
- Weight: 350g
For more information on how to choose the right pair of binoculars, see our blog post on the Conservation Hub.