Parts of the binoculars

Strap attachment – Point for attaching neck strap or shoulder harness.
Centre hinge – Allows adjustment for the separation of the barrels.
Objective lens – Gathers light from the subject being viewed.
Eyepiece – These are the lenses that you look through.
Diopter – Adjusts focus between the two barrels to accommodate differences between your eyes.
Focus knob – To focus on your subject
Adjusting your binoculars
- Attach the neck strap and adjust the length so that the binoculars sit comfortably against your chest.
- Adjust the rings surrounding the eyepieces for the naked eye or contact lenses (out) or wearing glasses (in).
- Adjust the hinge to suit the distance between your eyes.
- Select an object with clear sharp outlines, e.g. a dead tree or power pole, and view through your binoculars.
- Shut your right eye and focus on your object using the central focus knob.
- While still viewing your object and without changing the focus, open your right eye and close your left eye. Now use the diopter adjustment to get clear focus through your right eye.
- Open both eyes. You should now have clear stereoscopic view of your subject.
Once you have completed this setup you should only have to adjust the diopter occasionally if it gets out of alignment or if other people are using the binoculars. Remember everyone’s eyes are different in how they focus and the amount of difference between each eye.
How to use your binoculars for birdwatching
Always carry your binoculars hanging around your neck so that they are easily accessible. Before you start, adjust the focus to a moderate distance by focusing on something 20-30m away.
When you spot a bird or other animal:
- Keep the bird in the center of your vision and follow it if it moves – do not look away.
- Bring your binoculars up to your eyes.
- Focus your binoculars.
If you have kept your subject in center view, when you look through the binoculars you should be looking straight at it. If your binoculars are focused mid-range there is less adjustment needed to focus on your subject. By having the binoculars around your neck, you do not have to look away from your subject to find your binoculars and inevitably lose sight of it.