A great pair of binoculars can see very far and make a huge difference in a hunting trip. Binoculars are easy to spend long periods looking through, rather than a heavy and large spotting scope.
Every time you move, the binoculars move with you very naturally.
When looking into how far can binoculars see, you need to establish the magnification power you have on hand, then look at how far can binoculars see and identify the target clearly.
How far can the binoculars see?
Binoculars can see a very long distance, and the correct question is: “how far can the binoculars see clearly?” The answer to that depends on three things, quality, magnification, and field of view.
If we look at the magnification power only, a safe bet for magnification distance is 100 yards for every 10 power of magnification.
This is only a guideline for guessing magnification power as you are shopping for binoculars.
When the magnification power gets larger, the field of view or width of the area you can look at gets tighter. That is why as binoculars go up in magnification, they also go up in the field of view.
The real factor in considering how far a pair of binoculars can see is the quality of the glass over everything else.
You can buy a pair of binoculars with a fantastic amount of magnification, and the sight picture is blurry due to poor quality.
On the same line of thinking, a pair of lower magnification binoculars can see farther with higher quality glass due to the image’s sharpness.
Binoculars can get very expensive, so you need to be wise when shopping for them. Only spend the money on quality binoculars that you can easily afford.
It does no good to have the best possible pair of binoculars and not enough money for gas to get to the field and use them.
How to determine the magnification of your binoculars?
The magnification power of your binoculars is printed on the binoculars’ body. Most of the time, it is engraved, so the lettering does not wear off.
I have a pair of my great grandfather’s binoculars, and the numbers are still there, due to engraving.
Many people find it difficult to focus their binoculars, If you one of them go through this link to learn how!
The first number stated is the magnification power. For example, 8×42 = 8 power magnification, and 12×50 = 12 power magnification.
FAQs
The question is, how far can I see clearly with 20-power magnification? You will be able to clearly identify the big game as buck or doe up to 500 yards with 20×50 binoculars.
The average range of binoculars is 7 or 8 times magnification and 35 to 50 width of the field. For bigger, more expensive, and heavier binoculars, the average is 12 magnification and 50 width for the field of view.
A simple answer for this is whatever you are looking at is 12 times closer when using the binoculars. If you are hunting mule deer, and a buck is 200 yards away, when you use the binoculars, he will now appear to be about 20 yards away.
Conclusion:
The question “how far can binoculars see?” is not a valid question. The correct question one must ask is how far can these binoculars see?
A great place to start when shopping for binoculars is 7×40 if you have been in the binocular-using game for a while. Stay around the 12×50 range; you will always be set up well.
If I can leave a pro tip, do not shop for magnification or width; shop for the best quality glass you can easily afford. The better the glass, the better the picture, and the more you will enjoy your binoculars.
