Christmas is a time for giving, and with the big day rapidly approaching you need to make sure you’ve got everyone ticked off the list. If you’ve got a bird watcher in your life you can’t go wrong by giving them a new pair of binoculars, but of course, it’s never as simple as it first appears. You need to choose wisely to ensure the recipient’s eyes light up on Christmas morning, so just how can you go about doing that? Here are a few top tips to help you out:

•    Magnification is key. When focusing on a single object, which the recipient generally will be in this case (they might be watching a bird in flight or roosting, for example), magnification is incredibly important and can make all the difference to the overall performance.

•    Consider the field of view. A wide field of view may not be as important in bird watching as the magnification, but you still need to make sure you’re getting a quality pair that can offer a decent view.

•    Consider the objective lens diameter, light transmission and exit pupil measurement. These features will be important if the user is planning on doing a spot of bird watching in low light conditions such as sunrise or sunset, with them working in combination to improve brightness and clarity.

•    Does the recipient wear glasses? This will often have an effect on the style you eventually go for, and you’ll need to check the eye relief—the distance the eye can be from the eyepiece whilst still having the full field of view—with someone that wears glasses needing an eye relief of more than 14mm (or 17mm if they wear thick pairs).

•    Consider the size and weight. If the binoculars will be carried around for long distances you’ll need to make sure you’re getting a fairly light, portable pair, although remember that compact options will have smaller objective lens and exit pupil measurements which means they won’t perform quite so well in low light conditions.

•    Quality and price. These will of course be major considerations, and whilst you don’t want to spend a fortune you need to make sure you’re getting a quality pair that’s built to last. That’s why careful research will always be important, so why not take a look around?

Find the bird watching equipment you’re after

Here at Sherwoods we’ve got all the products you could need to ensure you find the right gift, covering everything from scopes to night vision to give the bird watcher in your life exactly what they’re looking for. We can offer help and advice to ensure you choose wisely and with great prices you won’t have to spend a fortune, and because we only stock the best products from leading manufacturers you can be confident in getting a quality result. Choosing the right bird watching binoculars can be easier than you think, and with a bit of time and attention (and some help from the experts) you’ll find the perfect gift this Christmas.