News
Picking the Right Binoculars to Watch the Cup
10/23/2015
The first shock that a racing fan has when looking for new
binoculars is the price range. Basic binoculars can be purchased for
under $100 while a top
$100
$$$$shelf
pair can easily cost $3000 and up. If money is a factor, as it is for
most fans, finding the right price point is critical. Often times price
is influenced by optics and additional factors like waterproofing.
Another important factor are the "numbers" associated with the
binoculars, e.g. 8X42, 10X25, etc. Understanding the basics of these
numbers will help with selection. The first number "8x" refers to
magnifications. The image seen through an "8x" binocular will generally
appear to be eight times larger than if you were looking at it without
binoculars. The second number "42" refers to the light let in through
the lenses.
So when selecting a pair of binoculars for
race watching think about how far you will likely be from the actual
race being run and how much you want to magnify the image. This will
help you determine the size of the first number on the pair you chose.
Next consider the amount of light you will need to see the race. Since
most races are run in the daytime or if at night under bright lights a
large second number is not as important. Of course if your need is for
watching trips or race-riding then higher number binoculars might be
important. Certainly, trainers who are looking intently at many details
at once need bigger binoculars. Remember, as size increase so does
weight.
Weight is an important factor to consider. Since
most racetrackers move around the track grounds a good deal of weight
may be an inconvenience. A major contributing factor to weight is the
prism inside the binoculars. There are two kind of prisms-roof and
Porro. The former provides direct light through the binoculars, while
the later displaces the light. The Poro prism's displacement function
causes the binoculars to be squatty and sometimes heavier -but not always.
Latest Archive
