Thoroughbred Racing Fan Association, Inc.

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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.




Armed with these basic facts you are prepared to venture into a sporting goods story to try out binoculars.


LINK TO EXCELLENT ANALYSIS OF THE RIGHT BINOCULARS TO BUY PRODUCED BY B&H PHOTO IN NYC