Bird watchers encounter all types of weather conditions.  It would be sad to miss that rare bird sighting because your binoculars have fogged-up or moisture has collected in them.  The proper sealing of binoculars is one of the most important features of good optics. There are no industry wide standards for the sealing process.  Many manufacturers boast fog-proof, weatherproof, rainproof, climate-proof, rustproof, spray-proof, waterproof and many other “certain-proofs”.  Some of these words are just alerting the consumer that there was an attempt to seal the binoculars against harsh weather conditions.

Waterproof binoculars are nitrogen gas purged and use O-rings to seal the optics.  They protect from rain, leakage and fogging. The waterproofing offers better optics in all weather conditions.  Waterproof binoculars ensure clear views in mornings’ heavy dew and during times of elevated humidity.  Waterproof binoculars allow you to enjoy events without worrying about the effects of harsh weather conditions.  The waterproofing even keeps dust and dirt out.  Dirt building up over time in your binoculars will obscure the view.

Buy binoculars that are waterproof!  Waterproof means the following two things about the optics.

* Additional protection and maximum measures were taken by the company to seal the binoculars.
* If the seal of a waterproof binocular fails, the warranty by most companies will cover resealing the binoculars.

There are a few basic precautions that bird watchers and outdoor enthusiasts need to take to ensure that the optic seal is not damaged.

* Buy a waterproof binocular that is easy to grip and feels comfortable in your hands.  This eliminates them slipping and dropping out of your hands which may loosen the seals.
* Always carry and use lens caps and rain guards to protect your binoculars in damp or dusty conditions.
* Get a comfortable and secure binocular harness.  A good binocular harness will keep the binoculars close to your body and prevent them from bouncing and banging into things.  This jarring could also loosen and effect the binocular seals.
* Be careful where you store your binoculars.  When not in use place them in a durable and waterproof case.
* Never leave your binoculars in the car or any other place that has extreme temperature swings.  These conditions will put a high amount of stress on the gaskets and seals in your binoculars.

For any birder or outdoor enthusiast waterproof binoculars is a must, even if rarely used in bad weather.

There are many good waterproof binoculars on the market.  The waterproof binoculars that I recommend are the Nikon 7294 Monarch III or the 7430 Monarch 8×42 waterproof ATB binoculars.  These binoculars are waterproof and “if” anything should happen to them the Nikon warranty is superb.  The warranty states: “Nikon is dedicated to quality, performance and total customer satisfaction. If your Nikon Binocular, Spotting Scope or Fieldscope requires service or repair not covered by our 25-Year Limited Warranty, Nikon will repair or replace it (even if it was your fault) for just $10, plus return shipping and handling.”

Other posts you may find helpful are: The Nikon 7294 Monarch III Waterproof Binocular Review and Nikon 7430 Monarch 8×42 ATB Binoculars

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The Nikon 7294 Monarch III 8×42 binoculars and the Nikon 7430 Monarch 8×42 All-Terrain binoculars are similar in many ways.  They are both a roof prism binocular.  The specs for lineal field of view of 330 ft./1000yds. and angular field of 6.3 are identical for the 7294 and the 7430.  Both have the exact eye relief (19.6 mm) and exit pupil (5.25mm) as well as eye cups with the multi-setting click stops.   They are alike in their close focus distance of 8.2 ft. and relative brightness of 28.1.  These lightweight binoculars are equal in their weight (21.5 oz.) and size (5.7 x 5.0 in.).

So, what is the difference?  The major difference is the coating on the prism and lens.  The Nikon 7430 Monarch 8×42 All-Terrain binoculars has a full multi-coated lens that highlights brighter and clearer images with less ghosts and blurs.  The new Nikon 7294 Monarch III 8×42 binoculars have a new dielectric high-reflective multilayer coating.  The dielectric high-reflective multilayer coating features even crisper images and sharper colors through the binoculars.  The coating also allows a much improved low-light performance with the Nikon 7294 Monarch III 8×42 Binoculars.  I love the fact that Nikon is continuously out there improving their binoculars.  The full multi-coated lens on the 7430 is a super crisp and bright lens.  So you can imagine the superb view that you get on the 7294 with the dielectric high-reflective multi-layer coating.

Another change in the new Nikon 7294 Monarch III 8×42 binoculars is it’s newer body style.  The new body furnishes a stronger and more rugged binocular.

The warranty for both binoculars are the same great warranty that Nikon provides.  I like Nikon’s warranty because they definitely stand behind their products.  It covers damage to the binoculars (even if it’s your fault).  Let’s face it, when we are out in the elements anything can happen.

In conclusion, the Nikon 7294 Monarch III 8×42 binoculars and the Nikon 7430 Monarch 8×42 All-Terrain binoculars are both great glasses.  If I were looking for a new pair of bird watching binoculars I would certainly look at the new Nikon 7294 Monarch III 8×42 binoculars first.

Other posts related to this:

The Nikon 7294 Monarch III 8×42 Binoculars Review

Easy Steps To Choosing The Right Bird Watching Binoculars

Nikon 7430 Monarch 8x42mm  All-Terrain Binoculars

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A good binocular harness system eliminates the annoyances that you have been dealing with when bird watching and hiking. The harness will hold the bird watching binoculars securely against your body eliminating any swinging or twisting. A good harness will protect your binoculars from any damage that may be caused from swinging into trees or other hard surfaces. And, no more missing those fast moving birds, because your binoculars are in a waiting position for you to grab and aim. This enables you to see many more birds while hiking and bird watching. Another important benefit of the harness is that your binoculars will be held in place while you are using your camera to photograph birds.

The binocular harness takes the weight of the binoculars off your neck. It distributes it evenly to your back and shoulders. Imagine hiking and birdwatching without the binoculars rubbing your neck all day. Your day will be a walk in the park.

The harness can be easily adjusted and used for people of any weight and height. The level of tightness of your binocular harness can be modified to suit your movement. You will move more comfortably, more freely and more quickly, which will make your day more enjoyable.

A binocular harness system will keep your binoculars safe and will keep you more comfortable. Choose the best binocular harness system available because your equipment is valuable and should be protected.

Technorati Tags: binocular harness, binocular harness system, bird watcher, bird watching, Bird Watching Binoculars, Birds, Photographing Birds

Canon EOS Rebel T2i Camera

The new Canon Rebel T2i EF-S is a lightweight and easy to use camera that incorporates many professional EOS features including:

• 18.0 Megapixel CMOS Image Sensor and DIGIC 4 Image Processor
  • Captures images with exceptional clarity to provide more than enough resolution for crops and enlargements. The DIGIC 4 Image Processor speeds up the EOS Rebel T2i’s operations and offers improvement in fine detail and natural color reproduction.

• ISO 100-6400 (expandable to 12800)
  • Allows shooting from bright to dim light.

• An advanced HD Movie mode for Full HD movies
  • HD video at 1920×1080 resolution with selectable frame rates of 24, 25 or 30 frame rates per second. Movies are saved as MOV files. Other recording sizes include HD at 1280 x 720 or SD/VGA at 640 x 480. Full manual exposure control. An external microphone can be used for stereo sound quality.

• Enhanced iFCL 63-zone, Dual-layer metering system

• • The new system delivers a very high level of accuracy by not only measuring the amount of light but color and luminosity as well. It supplies intelligent scene analysis for perfect exposure.
    

• Up to 3.7 frames per second continuous shooting
  • The Canon EOS Rebel T2i can shoot up to 3.7 frames per second (fps) for up to approximately 6 consecutive RAW files or approximately 34 full-resolution JPEGs. Shooting at speeds of up to 1/4000 sec., the EOS Rebel T2i camera can capture even rapidly-unfolding scenes with ease.

• A new wide LCD monitor
  • Wide 3.0 inch (3:2 aspect ratio) Clear View LCD monitor (1.04 million dots/VGA) for improved viewing. An anti-reflective and water-repellent coating provides a clearer and more smudge-resistant surface.

• Quick Control Screen Button
  • New Quick Control Screen button for easy access to frequently used settings. The Canon EOS Rebel T2i’s refined button layout makes it simple to navigate among any number of settings.

• Dedicated Live View/Movie shooting button
  • Quick and smooth transition between still and movie mode. No need to navigate through menus-just a simple press of a button.
    

• New compatibility with SDXC memory cards
  • The Canon EOS Rebel T2i camera is compatible with both SDXC memory cards for greater storage capacity and with Eye-Fi SD cards. An Eye-Fi card enables wireless uploading of your images directly from the camera.

• Compatible with the full line of Canon EF and EF-S lenses
  • The Canon EOS Rebel T2i is compatible with all Canon lenses in the EF lineup, from compact and lightweight lenses to ultra-wide angle and super telephoto lenses. The Canon image stabilizer, available in some lenses, minimizes the effect of camera shake. A very good feature when photographing birds.

Here are a few of the new features that the Canon EOS Rebel T2i camera provides that will make every bird watchers’ pictures stand-out.  The new expanded ISO range makes it easy to shoot from dim to bright light, eliminating one of the biggest concerns that bird watchers have when photographing birds.  The wider LCD monitor furnishes a clearer view and the anti-reflective coating makes it easy to see the subject even in bright light.  Go from still pictures to video with one quick press of a button, no fumbling with menu screens or carrying an additional video camera around all day. Shooting at shutter speeds of up to 1/4000 will surely enhance your success when photographing birds.  As you can see, the new Canon EOS Rebel T2i provides many beneficial features for taking pictures and will be a valuable piece of equipment while bird watching.

Canon feels that the EOS Rebel T2i camera is the best Rebel they have developed, providing some of the most advanced components of any digital SLR camera.  This camera is due out in early March.  I will keep you posted on the release date.

Click here for more information or to pre-order your Canon EOS Rebel T2i Camera.

Canon EOS Rebel T2i Camera

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