Binoculars

I. Introduction

Almost from the invention of the telescope in the 17th century the advantages of mounting two of them

side by side for binocular vision seems to have been explored. Most early binoculars used Galilean

optics; that is, they used a convex objective and a concave eyepiece lens. The Galilean design has the

advantage of presenting an erect image but has a narrow field of view and is not capable of very high

magnification. This type of construction is still used in very cheap models and in opera glasses or theater

glasses. The Galilean design is also used in low magnification binocular surgical and jewelers' loupes

because they can be very short and produce an upright image without extra or unusual erecting optics,

reducing expense and overall weight. They also have large exit pupils making centering less critical and

the narrow field of view works well in those applications. These are typically mounted on an eyeglass

frame or custom-fit onto eyeglasses.

Binoculars are a pair of two telescopes mounted side-by-side and aligned to point in the same direction

which allows the viewer to see magnified distant object with both eyes while looking through them.

They are the second most popular optical devices used in the world beside glasses.

They are used for different purposes. Some of the popular uses of binoculars are military applications,

the military used them both in the sea and inland for various security applications. These devices are

also used by nature enthusiasts; which include hobbies such as hunting, bird watching, hikers,

astronomers, and among others.

 A quick Lists of the Parts of Binoculars

1. Objective Lenses
2. Eyepiece Lenses
3. Prisms
4. Focus wheel
5. Diopter
6. Chassis

 Objective Lenses

The objective lenses are located directly opposite the eyepiece lenses and are the furthest from the
user’s eyes when viewing. They are noticeably bigger than the eyepiece lenses. Their diameter
determines how much light the binoculars are able to gather from the target. They capture the available
light and then direct it to the eyepiece which allows the viewer to see the object.

These days you will find many manufacturers use coatings on them to enhance the light transmission.
These coatings vary from partial to fully multi-coated. The more coatings that are applied the better the
optical performance of the binoculars.

It is always vital to ensure these lenses don’t get damaged otherwise, they will render the binoculars
useless as they are the ones that provide the main insight of your target.

This part of the binoculars also determines how big or small your binoculars might look or feel. As the
size of the objective lens affects the weight of the binoculars. The bigger the objective lens, the more
light is able to gather from the target.

For example, Binoculars marked 8 x 42. Has an objective lens diameter of 42mm and magnification of
eight times(  8 x ).
Eyepiece Lenses

These lenses are closest to the viewer’s eyes when you look through your device and are noticeably
smaller than the objective lens. When the objective lens collects the light and brings it to focus creating
the image, the eyepiece which is placed near the focal point of the objective lens then magnifies the
image.

The amount of magnification depends on the focal length of the eyepiece. Eyepiece consists of several
lens elements in a housing. The image can be focused by moving the eyepiece nearer or further from
the objective lens. Most binoculars have a focusing wheel to allow you to move the shaft in which the
eyepiece is mounted without having to manipulate the eyepiece directly.

This part of the binoculars is usually permanently mounted in the binoculars. which causes them to have
pre-determined magnification and field of view. However, they are also interchangeable. When this is
done the magnification could either be reduced or increase while also altering the field of view as well.

 Prisms

when the objective lens gathers the light and create the image when it gets to focus on the eyepiece it
will be viewed as inverted image and to correct the inverted image, prisms are introduced in between
the objective lens and the eyepiece to correct the image orientation. Maybe for some applications, it
might not be necessary but for others, it might be an issue.

The prisms are also responsible for making the binoculars smaller enough to be held in the hands. This is
as a result of their path bending qualities, as the light’s path curls through the prisms, the length of the
instrument is reduced making it easier to handle

Binoculars are classified into types by the type of prism used inside them. The two most common type of
binoculars are the roof prism binoculars and Porro prism binoculars. The two are identified by their
shapes. The roof prism binoculars have a straight sleeker shape while the Porro prism binoculars have a
dog leg like shape.
Focus Wheel

The focus wheel is often located near the eyepiece. It can either be in between the lenses or on one of
the eyepiece.

When the focus wheel is in the center, its called center focus and when it is in the side, it is either left or
right focus binoculars. The purpose of the focus wheel is to slightly move the interior lenses of the
eyepiece to bring the image into focus.
It is important especially for those who wear glasses as this will help them adjust the binoculars to get
sharper images.

You will find binoculars in the market that are also called self-focusing binoculars – not often
recommended for eyeglass wearers because they rely on the strength of the viewer’s eye to bring the
image to focus.

 Chassis

The chassis is the housing that is holding all the parts of the binoculars together in one unit. Different
manufacturers use different materials to create the body of the binoculars. Some are lightweight and
durable, others have more strength. Depending on the type of material used for the body, it can affect
the weight as well as the longevity of the device and how much harsh weather conditions it can endue
with damage.