[Updated December 2022]
You want to purchase binoculars for bird watching but you don't know who to trust! You want to purchase the best binoculars under $200.
This post was written and researched by a real birder--me! I've been birding over 45 years, sometimes with poor optics, so I know what birders need in binoculars. Here is my About Me page.
When you are doing your research for buying budget birding binoculars under $200 you may be led to reviews and recommendations made by people who are not birders. The reviewers tend to copy one another's lists--even for binoculars that are less than ideal for bird watching.
There was a time, not long ago, when getting decent bird watching binoculars for under $200 was not possible. There was no such thing as "best binoculars under 200 dollars." Things have improved. But there are still a lot of cheap models out there that say they are for birders, but they aren't very good. The ones listed here should work well for you and yet stay in your budget.
Here are my 12 choices for best bird watching binoculars under $200 for real birders--you! I'll tell you why below. [Plus 2 bonus binoculars under $230 to consider.] First, the list.
The best binoculars for bird watchers under $200 are these:
- Wingspan SkyBirder 8x42
- Celestron Nature DX ED 8x42 Recommended
- Nikon ProStaff 3S 8x42
- Vortex Crossfire 8x42
- Wingspan NaturePro HD 8x42
- Wingspan SkyView 8x42 Recommended
- Carson VP 8x42
- Bushnell Legend Ultra 10x42 Discontinued January 2020
- Vanguard Spirit XF 10x42
- Vortex Diamondback 8x28
- Vortex Diamondback HD 8x32
- Celestron Trailseeker 8x32
- Opticron Discovery WP PC 8x32 (<$230)
- Carson 3D 8x32 (<$230)
If I chose one of these as the best, it would be the Celestron Nature DX ED 8x42. Compare today's price on Amazon Compare today's price on Adorama Read my in-depth review of the Celestron Nature DX ED 8x42 binocular December 2022: A recent binocular review by Cornell's All About Birds (source) |
What makes a good birding binocular?
The 8x42 style is the best all-round full-sized birding binocular. That is 8-power magnification and an objective lens size of 42 millimeters. Dividing 8 into 42 gives 5.25mm of exit pupil (anything of 5 or over gives excellent brightness even in dim conditions, such as twilight or overcast winter days or in the deep dark woods! I've selected 7 of the best in this price range for you.
There are also a couple of 10x binoculars I picked out. They are not quite as bright in dim conditions (exit pupil 4.2mm), but magnify another 25% more than 8x binoculars. Sounds great (and it is), but that also means 25% more hand-shakiness magnification and a bit heavier, too. So be warned, more magnification isn't necessarily better for long days in the field.
They also have narrower field of view, making it harder to find that movement in the canopy, or get on that lone swift flying far overhead. 10x binoculars, in general, have shorter eye relief--there are very few models suitable for eyeglass wearers.
A final problem more magnification brings is that these binoculars will likely not have very good close focus. Butterflies at your feet or a bird in a nearby hedge may be too close to focus. If most of your birding is in open country, then these are a good choice.
There is one compact binocular I selected, an 8x28 model. These can be very dull in low light conditions (exit pupil 3.5mm). But they are good as a hiking binocular or something small to have as a binocular you always carry in your car's glove compartment. Or a pair for feeder watching out the window.
Finally, I've selected 4 mid-sized binoculars in the 8x32 range. Their exit pupil is 4.0mm. So in low-light conditions, comparing side-by-side with a good 8x42, they won't give quite as bright and colorful display.
Most of the time you won't notice the difference. They use the same prisms and ocular lenses as their corresponding 8x42 brothers. So they generally are much better quality than the compact binoculars, while still having a smaller form factor and less weight--perfect for smaller hands.
In summary, a good birding binocular is 8x42 with wide field of view to see more birds (>390 feet @ 1000 yards), close focus for great view even in close bushes or window feeders (<8 feet), and longer eye relief for better view for eyeglass wearers (15.5-19 mm). Good exceptions include 10x42, 8x32, and a compact 8x28 with the above specs, depending upon use.
Which binoculars are best for birding at all prices? I compare over 80 models of birding binoculars and discuss all these specifications in more detail in this buying guide article.
A quick note: All binoculars here are for adults. Children less than 14 years old may have their eyes too close together to see with both binocular lenses at the same time.
But see the Opricron Discovery WP PC 8x32. [See buying guide above under "Interpupilary Distance" and "Kids Binoculars."]
Wingspan SkyBirder 8x42
"Out of stock" in February 2020. Returning? (It's still on their web site.)
ED glass fully multicoated. BaK-4 prisms with phase corrected coatings. Waterproof/fog-proof. Nitrogen sealed. Limited lifetime warranty.
Field of view: 425 ft @1000 yards (very good)
Close focus: 6.6 ft (good)
Exit pupil: 5.25 mm (excellent)
Eye relief: 17.8 mm (very good)
Weight: 27 oz (okay)
Greg's comments: Full-sized 8x42 $150-200 range. Excellent optics. The specs are all good (especially wide field of view) but this is getting a bit on the heavier side. Compares favorably with the Bushnell Legend L Ultra. Replaces Wingspan CrystalView.
Celestron Nature DX ED 8x42
Recommended
ED glass. Fully multi-coated. Phase coated BaK-4 prisms. Rubber armored, polycarbonate body. Waterproof. Nitrogen-sealed. Limited lifetime warranty.
Field of view: 393 ft @1000 yards (good)
Close focus: 6.5 ft (good)
Exit pupil: 5.25 (excellent)
Eye relief: 17.8 mm (very good)
Weight: 24.9 oz (good)
Greg's comments: Full-sized 8x42 $100-150 range. The ED glass makes this the Best full sized 8x42 birding binocular under $200.
Check out my in-depth review of the Celestron Nature DX ED 8x42 binocular.
Check price at Adorama (affiliate link)
Nikon ProStaff 3S 8x42
Eco-Glass (lead-free, arsenic-free). Multi-layer coatings. Silver mirror coatings on prisms. Waterproof/fog-proof; nitrogen sealed. Polycarbonate body. Limited lifetime warranty.
Field of view: 378 ft @1000 yards (okay)
Close focus: 9.8 ft (okay)
Exit pupil: 5.25 mm (excellent)
Eye relief: 20.2 (excellent)
Weight: 19.9 oz (excellent)
Greg's comments: Full-sized $100-150 range. Optics properties aren't as good as others here. Excellent eye relief for eyeglass wearers. Field of view and close focus specs not as good as others in its class. Not bad. Just not quite as good.
Vortex Crossfire HD 8x42
HD glass. Fully multicoated. Waterproof/fog-proof; nitrogen-sealed. Unlimited and transferable lifetime warranty.
Field of view: 393 ft @1000 yards (good)
Close focus: 6 feet (very good)
Exit pupil: 5.25 mm (excellent)
Eye relief: 17 mm (good)
Weight: 23.8 oz (good)
Greg's comments: Full-sized 8x42 $100-150 range. Good value. Best close focus in its range (though barely).
Wingspan NaturePro HD 8x42
I communicated with Wingspan Optics and they said this binocular will restock in 2020.
Fully multicoated lenses. Phase corrected BaK-4 prism coatings. Waterproof/fog-proof; nitrogen sealed. Limited lifetime warranty.
Field of view: 430 ft @1000 yards (excellent)
Close focus: 6.6 ft (good)
Exit pupil: 5.25 mm (excellent)
Eye relief: 17.2 mm (good)
Weight: 22 oz (very good)
Greg's comments: Full-sized 8x42 $100-150 range. Excellent optics and specs, but HD glass, not the better ED glass. Widest field of view and lightest in this range. The wide field of view is very desirable in the full-sized 8x42 birding binocular in the $100-150 range.
Wingspan SkyView Ultra HD 8x42
Recommended
ED glass. Fully mulitcoated. BaK-4 prisms. Phase coated. Waterproof/fog proof; nitrogen sealed. Limited lifetime warranty.
Field of view: 393 ft @ 1000 yards (good)
Close Focus: 6.6 ft (good)
Exit pupil: 5.25 mm (excellent)
Eye relief: 17.8 mm (very good)
Weight: 22 oz (very good)
Greg's comments: Full-sized 8x42 $150-200 range. Was unavailable for a while. Back in stock in February 2020. The ED glass makes this a good choice.
Carson VP 8x42
Fully multicoated. BaK-4 prisms. Phase coated. Waterproof/fog-proof; nitrogen sealed. No fault warranty.
Field of view: 393 ft @1000 yards (good)
Close focus: 6.6 ft (good)
Exit pupil: 5.25 mm (excellent)
Eye relief: 17 mm (good)
Weight: 24.6 oz (good)
Greg's comments: Full-sized 8x42 $100-150 range. Good optics, but lacks ED glass. Great value. The no-fault warranty is an added bonus.
Bushnell Legend Ultra 10x42
Discontinued (as of January 2020)
ED Prime glass. Fully multicoated optics. BaK-4 prisms. Waterproof. Limited lifetime warranty.
Field of view: 340 ft @1000 yards (okay)
Close focus: 8 ft (okay)
Exit pupil: 4.2 mm (good)
Eye relief: 18 mm (very good)
Weight: 23.5 oz (good)
Greg's comments: Full-sized 10x42 range. This 10x binocular has good eye relief for eyeglass wearers and is light weight for 10x binocular. Best 10x binocular under $200. Buy it as long as it is available.
Vanguard Spirit XF 10x42
Fully multicoated lenses. BaK-4 prisms. Phase coated. Waterproof/fog-proof. Textured rubber armor. Premium lifetime warranty.
Field of view: 332 ft @1000 yards (okay)
Close focus: 6.9 ft (good)
Exit pupil: 4.2 mm (good)
Eye relief: 16mm (okay)
Weight: 23.5 oz (good)
Greg's comments: Full-sized 10x42 range. Good close focus. The eye relief is a bit short for eyeglass wearers. Narrow field of view as expected for 10x binoculars. Does NOT have ED glass.
Vortex Diamondback 8x28
HD glass. Fully multicoated. Dielectric prism coatings. Waterproof/fog-proof; argon sealed. Rubber armor. Lifetime warranty.
Field of view: 332 ft @1000 yards (okay)
Close focus: 6 ft (very good)
Exit pupil: 3.5 mm (okay)
Eye relief: 18 mm (very good)
Weight: 14 oz (excellent)
Greg's comments: Compact 8x28. Narrow field of view is typical for compact binoculars. Good for eyeglass wearers. The only compact binocular under $200 that I can recommend for birding.
Vortex Diamondback HD 8x32
HD glass. Fully multicoated. Dielectric prism coatings. Waterproof/fog-proof; argon sealed. Rubber armor. Lifetime warranty.
Field of view: 426 ft @1000 yards (very good)
Close focus: 5 ft (excellent)
Exit pupil: 4.0 mm (good)
Eye relief: 16 mm (okay)
Weight: 15.9 oz (excellent)
Greg's comments: Mid-sized 8x32 range. Excellent wide field of view and close focus. Eye relief is a bit short but should work for many eyeglass wearers. Best mid-sized 8x32 birding binocular under $200 if you DON'T wear eyeglasses.
Celestron Trailseeker 8x32
Fully multicoated. BaK-4 prisms with phase correcting and dielectric coatings. Magnesium alloy body. Limited lifetime warranty.
Field of view: 409 ft @1000 yards (very good)
Close focus: 6.5 ft (good)
Exit pupil: 4.0 mm (good)
Eye relief: 15.6 mm (okay)
Weight: 16 oz (excellent)
Greg's comments: Mid-sized 8x32 under $200 range. Eye relief is short; may not be suitable for some eyeglass wearers. It's a fine binocular.
Opticron Discovery WP PC 8x32
Fully multicoated optics. Phase corrected prisms. Waterproof. Nitrogen sealed. ABS plastic body. Limited lifetime warranty.
Field of view: 393 ft @1000 yards (good)
Close focus: 3.9 ft (excellent)
Exit pupil: 4.0 (good)
Eye relief: 17 mm (good)
Weight: 13.8 oz (excellent)
Interpupilary distance: 52 mm minimum (suitable for ages 7 to adult)
Greg's comments: Mid-sized 8x32 range. Amazing close focus. Very light weight. Best mid-sized 8x32 birding binocular under $230 for butterflies. Only kid-friendly binoculars in this group.
Carson 3D 8x32
HD glass. Fully multicoated. Phase coated BaK-4 prisms. Waterproof/fog-proof; nitrogen sealed. Rubberized armor coating. No fault warranty.
Field of view: 392 ft @1000 yards (good)
Close focus: 6.6 ft (good)
Exit pupil: 4.0 mm (good)
Eye relief: 19.5 (excellent)
Weight: 19.2 oz (excellent)
Greg's comments: Mid-sized 8x32 $180-230 range. Lacks ED glass. Excellent eye relief. Best mid-sized 8x32 birding binoculars under $230 for eyeglass wearers. [Note: A new ED version available fall 2021 for about $269.]
Conclusion
Keeping this post up-to-date and accurate has been challenging. Models in this price range seem to become unavailable regularly.
Today there are a plethora of binoculars under $200 claiming to be "bird watching binoculars." Most will not satisfy.
Originally I listed 14 models that are suitable for birding. Of those, I found 8 to recommend.
Unfortunately, several became unavailable, some permanently so, some are supposed to be back in stock. I have since added 2 other models to consider.
Thus, as of September 2021, there are 2 binoculars here with nearly identical specs. These are the best cheap binoculars (I should say "best budget binoculars for birding") that are suitable for bird watching out-of-doors:
- Celestron Nature DX ED 8x42
- Wingspan SkyView Ultra HD 8x42
These are my choice for the best bird watching binoculars under $200.
Read my in-depth review of the Celestron Nature DX ED 8x42 binocular.
For those who want the higher 10-power binoculars then I can only recommend the discontinued Bushnell Legend Ultra 10x42. Buy it as long as it is available. Nothing else comes close in 10x binoculars under $200.
For a compact binocular to keep in the glove compartment or for hiking, there is only one binocular in this price range that is suitable, the Vortex Diamondback 8x28. In low light conditions (dusk, woods, gloomy day) it will not be as bright and colorful as a full-sized binocular.
The mid-sized 8x32 binoculars can be nice. But every one of those under $230 has some tradeoffs. I don't recommend any 8x32 binoculars under $230. In this price range it is best to stay with full-sized 8x42 binoculars.
Please note that I didn't find any binoculars under $100 that are well-suited as birding binoculars. For the most part, you have to give up waterproofing, wide field of view, close focus, wearing eyeglasses, or forgo decent optical glass once you go under $150.
The best birding binoculars just cost more for better quality.
This video from BBR discusses the difference between cheap binoculars and more expensive ones. You can use some of the tips discussed to see for yourself some items that indicate poor build quality.
If you have a budget of $250 to $500 you can get significantly better binoculars. This jump in price gets you better optical quality and better build quality. Please see the list in my article the Best Bird watching binoculars under $500.
If you wish to look at binoculars under $100, I have written an article on binoculars under $100 for backyard bird watchers. These have some trade-offs, such as poor brightness in dusky conditions, or not waterproof. But for feeder watching they may be perfect!
Despite their popularity, the way binoculars work, what makes one better or different than another, and what all the numbers mean, are still rather mysterious to many prospective buyers. I highly recommend bushnell binocular to everyone.
ReplyDeleteVery true about binocular specs being mysterious to most people, Simona. Bushnell has many nice binoculars. I just wish the Bushnell Legend L 8x42 was still in stock. It was tremendous for birding!
DeleteIn most areas, there are birdwatching clubs that you can join. These are not only a good way to see birds, but also a good way to meet like minded people. best binoculars
ReplyDeleteGood idea. Then you can compare binocular models directly.
DeleteThanks so much for info....doing research, have used a very inexpensive binoculars for years.....love birds.....budget is $125 to $150 so hoping to find a sale!!! You have helped me tremendously.....thanks again!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind comments. Consider going to $170 to get something you will cherish for years. You're almost there!
DeleteHey ! I am really confused which binocular to buy. I am going to this park Trinity Bellwoods Park and I was hoping if I could know that if Nikon Monarch 5 or Carson 3D 8x32
ReplyDeletewould be good ? thanks in advance !
Steve,
DeleteAre you going to be taking up bird watching more often. Or just this one trip?
The Carson 8x32 may be smaller and more compact. They will be easier to carry. In dim light they won't be as bright as full sized binoculars. Once the sun is up, you won't notice the difference.
Skip the Monarch 5 and buy the less expensive, but newer and better in my opinion, Celestron Nature DX ED 8x42. They are bright and clear with much wider field of view. These will be a great bird watching binocular.
The Carson 3D 8x32 binoculars is now being sold with ED glass. Product is listed as "Carson 3D Series High Definition Waterproof Binoculars with ED Glass"
ReplyDeleteThank you for pointing out this new binocular. I see a price of $269 on it at Amazona today.
DeleteI prefer watching Buirds only with my eyes ��
ReplyDeleteI wish my eyes were still good enough to do that.
DeleteAny thoughts on the Nikon Prostaff 7s? I only see the 3s mentioned here but the 7s comes in at under $200 as well. Currently torn between 8x42 Nikon Prostaff, Celestron Nature DX ED, or 8x32 Celestron Trailseeker.
ReplyDeleteSee my compendium buying guide with over 100 binoculars compared on specs only:
Deletehttps://www.whatbirdsareinmybackyard.com/2019/10/best-bird-watching-binoculars-birding-buying-guide.html
Because of the narrower field of view, I placed these Prostaff 7S in the "not-quite-as-good specs" 8x in the $250 to $500, range. Under $200 is a good price.
In the $250-300 range I chose Athlon Midas, Vortex Diamondback, and Celestron Trailseeker as Best specs.
One reviewer liked the Prostaff 7s: "Optics Trade selected the Nikon Prostaff 7s 8x42 and the Vortex Diamondback 8x42 as the best of the 100-400 Euros."
It looks like you are looking at the right models of binoculars. I'm sure that the differences between the 3 on your list are so slight that you'll be happy with whatever you get. You are at the "choose one" state!