Why Invest In A Pair Of Camping Binoculars In New Zealand In The First Place?

New Zealand, also called Aotearoa (land of the long white cloud) by the indigenous Maori, is well known the world over for its friendly folks, mostly pleasant weather and breathtakingly stunning landscapes. Camping, hiking, fishing, trail running and spending quality time with family and friends in the great outdoors of New Zealand is something that local New Zealanders have partaken in and enjoyed for decades. From high snow-covered mountains to deep valleys and gorges, from turquoise seascapes to fluorescent green meadows filled with pristine white fleecy sheep, New Zealand has lots to offer by way of natural treasures.

One of the great aspects of camping in the NZ wilderness is that New Zealand has no large predators like bears or tigers that are dangerous to human beings nor does she have any venomous land snakes unlike her next-door neighbour Australia, which is teeming with dangerous snakes. One only has to be wary of sea snakes and a few species of venomous spiders, otherwise, New Zealand is a very safe place to go exploring Mother Nature. On the flip side, NZ has a lot of iconic animals, such as the Kiwi bird, sea lions, penguins, dolphins and so on. In order to sight and properly have a look at these mesmerising animals, camping gear in New Zealand like binoculars are of vital importance.  

How To Select the Perfect Pair of Camping Binoculars in New Zealand?

In order to choose the pair of binoculars most suitable for one’s needs, the following points need to be kept in mind:

• One has to first decide what he/she will be using the binoculars mostly for. If one is mostly interested in birding or hunting, then it is best to get high-quality binoculars that have been specifically designed and made for those purposes. If one intends to go on safaris in New Zealand then one will be better off getting hold of a pair of safari binoculars in New Zealand. On the other hand, if one is going camping in general and wants to be able to observe all that is around oneself, be it birds, animals, plantlife or landscape topography, then one should get hold of a pair of all-purpose, all-round binoculars which will be sturdy enough to be able to endure all that nature and the elements throw at it.

• Then, one has to figure out what features one wants in his/her binoculars and rate them in order of importance.
• Finally, one has to do a market survey and find out if there are any binoculars in New Zealand that meet some or all of the above criteria and if available, whether those binoculars fall within one’s desired budget.

Some Criteria to Consider When Choosing a Pair of Binoculars in New Zealand

• Binocular size and exit pupil number: Light and compact binoculars are best when it comes to camping especially if one is on a backpacking or hiking trip. However, compact binoculars in NZ have a smaller exit pupil compared to full-sized binoculars, this results in poor visibility in low-light conditions. This is something to keep in mind if someone plans to use the binoculars to view animals and birds in the forest or at dawn or dusk. It is best to get a pair of binoculars with an exit pupil number of at least 2.5, however, an exit pupil closer to 4 is a much better option. The exit pupil number can be calculated by dividing the objective lens size by the magnification or power of the binoculars. If one is on a camping trip in a caravan or a recreational vehicle then the size, weight and compactness of the binoculars do not matter as much.
• Magnification power: Binoculars with very high magnification are very difficult to hold steady as the slightest hand tremor affects the viewing experience greatly. A higher magnification power also results in a narrower field of view and a lower apparent depth of focus. One can try to use high-magnification binoculars with electronic stabilisers or tripods in order to steady them but some campers might still find it difficult to do so. All-round binoculars work well with a magnification power of 8x to 10x. Binoculars with a magnifying power of 10x or greater are great for identifying various birds and animals, especially when they are far away. However, one should have very steady hands if one intends to invest in compact, lightweight, high-powered binoculars as these pieces of camping gear in New Zealand are so light that the slightest movement can shake the images.
• Field of view: A pair of binoculars with a wide field of view makes it possible to swiftly scan the landscape in order to spot any birds or animals of interest. As the magnification power of a pair of binoculars goes up, the clarity of detail in the images also goes up, however, the width of the field of view tends to go down. When comparing two pairs of binoculars of the same magnifying power, one should always go for the one which has a wider field of view. At the same time, it should be kept in mind that if the field of view is too wide then the images might get distorted at the edges.
• Fog and water-proofing: Most good quality binoculars are built to be able to handle light drizzling rain, however, if one is visiting a place that experiences a lot of rainfall, at a time when it is expected to rain very heavily then one must invest in a pair of good quality waterproof binoculars. Fog-proof binoculars are binoculars that have argon gas or nitrogen filled in their barrels. This prevents the binoculars from fogging up when in use in places with extreme temperatures and high humidity. The fog and waterproofing mechanisms also prevent small debris, dirt and dust particles from entering into the binoculars, so these types of binoculars are also very useful in dry and dusty places as well.
• Focusing ease and speed: The ease and speed with which a pair of binoculars focus on a subject, especially on fast-moving subjects like running animals or flying birds, is of vital importance if one does not want to miss spotting them. Binoculars that can shift focus from nearby objects to infinity in a short time with one turn of the focusing ring or less, can be considered to be good quality binoculars with fast focusing ability. Binoculars, where one has to turn the focusing ring/dial more, are better at focusing on closer objects whereas binoculars, where one has to turn the focusing ring less, are better at focusing on objects located far away compared to objects that are closer. One can consider autofocus or focus-free or always-in-focus binoculars in order to avoid the above issues.
• Balance: This is something that one has to check in person. A well-balanced pair of binoculars is easy to hold and does not put pressure on the hands, wrists and arm muscles. Binoculars that are not well balanced, on the other hand, make holding the binoculars up to one’s eyes for extended periods of time very difficult and put a lot of strain and stress on one’s arms, hands and fingers. However, most good-quality binoculars on the New Zealand market are designed to be well-balanced.
• Eye relief: This is a very important aspect for people who wear spectacles. People who wear glasses cannot get their eyes as close to the lenses as people who do not wear glasses, therefore, such people require a longer eye relief of at least 15mm in order to be able to see full images.

Final Take:

When going camping in the wilds of New Zealand, a pair of binoculars can be considered to be one of the most important pieces of camping gear in New Zealand that one can invest in. It can be used to not only study the terrain and spot wildlife but can also be used to spot approaching storms and other forms of inclement weather. When looking to purchase a pair of quality camping binoculars in New Zealand, one should keep a lot of points in mind in order to choose the most suitable model for one’s needs.

This article aims to inform readers about what they should look out for when choosing the perfect pair of binoculars for themselves. Good quality binoculars are available in many online and offline shops in New Zealand, however, if one is confused regarding which store to visit, then he/she can check out Dwights Outdoors. They have both brick-and-mortar shops and an online store and they stock a wide variety of high-quality binoculars with different types of features to suit every need and budget.