Every year there’s more and more binoculars being released on the market. If you’re like me, you’ve probably been mixing different models to find the top 10 best 12×50 binoculars in the market.
I can tell you from experience that this can become a very time consuming process. After hours of looking through reviews, and preparing a spreadsheet, I was still unsure of how to rate them.
It is very easy to compare products with a laptop in a controlled environment. But, how do you know it will be the same if you take it outside? Without testing all of these binoculars I would not be able to give you an accurate and honest review.
| Name | Category | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Maven C3 ED Binocular Gray/Orange | Best Overall |  |
| Nikon ACULON Binocular | Budget Pick |  |
| Swarovski EL 12×50 Binocular | Upgrade Pick |  |
1. Maven C3 ED Binocular Gray/Orange
Pros:
- Affordable
- Rubber armored and grip-friendly design
- Lightweight
- Smaller size waterproof binoculars
- Ergonomic design
- Unlimited eye relief
- Long lasting and high quality
- Highly adjustable eye cups for your comfort
- Exceeds all standards for binoculars
- Meet standards for both leisure and professional usage
Cons:
- Does not work with hanging hooks
- Some customers were worried about the poor quality of the lens covers that they purchased, which caused them to decrease the score of this product
- Are not the best binoculars for sports
- Not the best choice for casual viewing of distant objects
These binoculars are a friendly choice for wide variety of outdoor activities. They are a relatively lightweight model of waterproof binoculars. They are available in one design only.
The Maven binoculars have about 6 X 50 size. The weight is 20.4 ounces.
2. Vortex Optics Diamondback HD Binoculars
The Vortex Diamondback Binoculars provide the perfect combination of top quality workmanship and absolute value. It’s amazing how it packs such a punch for the price.
The Diamondback HD binoculars feature a remarkable fully multicoated lens that maximizes light transmission so you can see in low light conditions. The binoculars have BaK-4 lenses and extra low dispersion glass. These are also nitrogen purged to eliminate any fogging that may occur and have O rings to ensure a watertight sealing.
3. Swarovski EL 12×50 Binocular
Pros:
- Bright, sharp images
- Excellent twilight performance
- By the best priced value and quality binoculars
- Unbelievable detail and clarity
- Focused and stable on the ground, up in a tree, far out on a lake.
- Feel solid and are easy to hold
- Rain-proofed and fog-proofed
- Waterproof, but not water-resistant.
Cons:
- Zooming is slow.
- There are no zoom lock mechanisms.
- I had to send mine back because of lens problems.
This pair of binoculars has a zoom range of 12.4 – 53.6 whereby it comes with a rubberized texture for your hands and it's also waterproof. The Swarovski EL series are manufactured by Swarovski Optics. This one is one of the best adventure binoculars, which has a focus ring that has a rubberized grip all around the ring, allowing you to easily adjust the focus.
4. Nikon ACULON Binocular
Pros:
- Water, fog, and shock resistant
- Lifetime warranty
- Comfortable to hold
- Easily adjustable
Heavy (2.30 lbs.)
The premier Nikop binoculars available from Nikon are the ACULON. This set of binoculars is geared towards the serious and casual outdoor sports enthusiast who demands a product with the best quality.
The ACULON is incredibly lightweight, compact, ergonomically designed, and provides you with the highest of magnification. They come with fully multi-coated lenses, an erector prism system with a wide field of view, and feature NP49 rubber coating to ensure that you have a stabilized grip even in the wettest of conditions.
5. Bushnell Engage Binoculars
Pros:
- High-quality lenses
- Waterproof and fogproof
- Great for wide-open areas
- High-end surround coating
- Sports-style design
(Model 10 x 42)
The Bushnell Engage is the brand's most affordable model that still delivers fantastic results on the field. It features 16mm eye relief, rubber armoring, and a wide-open design. These binocs are great for open hunting terrain and have extra-strength hinges and hinges fasteners to keep them strong and sturdy.
6. Nikon PROSTAFF 5 Binocular
Pros:
- Waterproof and fogproof
- Outstanding optics
- Fully multicoated
- Parallax and center focusing mechanism
- Tripod adaptable
- Lens caps with strap
- Close focusing distance
- Storage case
Cons:
- Heavier than most binoculars
- Large and bulky
- Not readily available
Most people will recognize the Nikon brand name, and with products like the PROSTAFF 5 binoculars, it’s easy to see why. The PROSTAFF is ideal for deer and bird watching, as well as many other uses for binoculars.
These binoculars pack some serious punch with 16 x magnification and a 7.1 degree field of view. Beyond that, you can expect point-and-click clarity, as well as the comfort of amazing Nikon optics.
The ultra-bright image clarity delivers crisp, clear, precise and vivid images for you to enjoy. It also has an automatic focusing system for ease of use.
7. Celestron 71376 12×50 Granite Binocular
Pros:
- Waterproof
- Submersible up to 18 inches
- Well-built
Cons:
- No tripod mount
- Can be heavy
There are many different makes and models of binoculars, but current users appreciate the high quality of the Celestron Granite 12X50. Most volunteers were happy with the combination of magnification and aperture of the binoculars, which makes them a great choice for any outdoors enthusiasts.
Many surveyed users agreed that these binoculars are rustproof, although some were unhappy that they were not waterproof. These binoculars are available with a rubber coating that will protect from most elements, though.
In addition to being protected from rust and water damage, these binoculars also have a fog-proof interior to protect the lenses from condensation or rapid temperature changes. The rubber exterior also makes these binoculars much more shock resistant than other options.
8. Pentax SP 12×50 WP Binoculars
Pros:
- Shockproof design
- Waterproof up to 15 ft.
- Fog proof
- Spring Eyecups let you adjust for perfect viewing
- Lens Cap Strap
- Phase Correction Coatings
- Multi-coated glass
- BaK4 prisms
- Rubber coated chassis
- Porro Prism design
9. Leupold BX-1 McKenzie Binocular
Pros:
- Outstanding image quality
- Features ED Extra-low Dispersion glass
- Rugged and durable
- Sleek and lightweight for easy packing and handling
- Rugged and durable
- Weather and water resistant
- Specifically engineered for high-resolution viewing in all environments
(12X50)
Comparing the Leupold BX-1 McKenzie Binocular (12×50) to other top brands, it brings some of the best features into a lightweight and compact body.
These binoculars are made to be tough, and they comprise all the features needed for a birding setup.
10. Vortex Optics Razor HD Roof Prism Binoculars
Pros:
- Extremely light
- Waterproof
- Impact and chemical resistant
- Nitrogen purged
Cons:
- Doesn’t come cheap
- Some extra weight added for the protection
You’ll have a clear and super-bright view at the Vortex Optics Razor HD binocular by its HD transmission, fully multicoated lenses, and phase correction coatings. Furthermore, the field of view is expanded beyond any other 10×40 binocular on the market.
They are filled with dry nitrogen that’ll prevent internal fogging plus have polycarbonate lenses that are impervious to both oil and water. Additionally, they have an o-ring seal that’s waterproof and fogproof. Lastly, they’re purged with dry nitrogen to prevent internal fogging.
Although these binoculars are heavier than some that depend on old school optics, they are also internally fogproof and waterproof. They are great for hunting, observing sports, birding, backpacking, and a number of other outdoor activities. They’re one of the few binoculars that are designed to fit comfortably over your head.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Which is better 12×50 or 10×42 binoculars?
12×50 binoculars are traditionally great for birding or any other outdoor activity where greater magnification is needed. The problem with such a high magnification is that it also magnifies your hand muscles tremors. Heavy hands shaking at 12×50 make for a blurry image.
On the other hand, in applications where even 8x magnification is too powerful, a 10×42 set seems too weak. It makes sense, therefore, to go with a set that splits the difference: larger size but lower magnification.
What is the best binoculars for the money?
The 10 best binoculars in 2022 are those that provide you with a lot of high-quality features for a very reasonable price. Every product here has something to offer including comfort, durability, image quality, lens quality, and magnification. Read on to find out which one suits your needs the best.
Are 12×50 binoculars good for astronomy?
When it comes to astronomy, the higher the magnification, the better. The downside of higher power magnifications is that they also tend to affect the brightness of the view. It’s not a coincidence that the most popular binoculars are rated at 8×42. It’s a great balance between magnification and brightness.
Other than that, high magnifications are unnecessary for astronomy. The deep sky objects you’ll be looking at generally don’t get any closer than the moon and stars. That being said, in certain instances, a richer view can be more appreciated, particularly when you’re looking at planets and other objects that are bright and are large and small.
What is the best magnification for hunting binoculars?
There is no single ideal magnification for all people. While each person has slightly different preferences, for most people, the number one consideration in choosing binoculars is the field of view. A binoculars field of view is measured in degrees and it represents the total width in which objects are visible.
Field of view is important because it affects your ability to scan the horizon and spot animals. While some binoculars may offer a higher magnification, a lower magnification binoculars pair, when paired with a tripod, can offer a wider view of the horizon and still produce sharp images.
People who spend a lot of time panning the horizon (like birdwatchers), may want a binocular with a wider field of view. If you are far from the subject of interest and you need to track the subject with your binoculars, you’ll also want the widest field of view possible.
Conclusion
There is a large selection of binoculars available these days. As a result of that, it is essential to take some time in order to do your research if you are to make a good choice. We want to make it easier for you, so we have taken the time to do the hard work in order to provide you with the best reviews possible.
We always state our opinion clearly on the binoculars we review. We make sure we provide you with enough information so that you can make a wise choice and we never accept payment from any company etc.
Our Recommendation
| Name | Category | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Maven C3 ED Binocular Gray/Orange | Best Overall | |
| Nikon ACULON Binocular | Budget Pick | |
| Swarovski EL 12×50 Binocular | Upgrade Pick | |