Comparison Nikon Action EX 10x50 CF WP vs Nikon Prostaff 5 10x50

The diameter of the area visible through binoculars / monoculars from a distance of 1 km — in other words, the largest distance between two points at which they can be seen simultaneously from this distance. It is also called "linear field of view". Along with the angular field of view (see below), this parameter characterizes the space covered by the optics; at the same time, it describes the capabilities of a particular model more clearly than data on viewing angles. Models with magnification adjustment (see above) usually indicate the maximum field of view — at the lowest magnification and the widest angle of view. This information is often supplemented by data on the minimum value.

The angle of view provided by binoculars/monoculars and available to the eye of the observer. This parameter can be described as the angle between the lines connecting the two extreme points of the image visible in the eyepiece with the eye of the observer; in other words, this is the sector actually observed through binoculars (as opposed to the actual angular field of view described below). The greater the value of this parameter, the greater part of the observed space can be seen without turning the instrument. On the other hand, a wide field of view reduces the magnification factor (see above) — or significantly increases the cost of the device compared to more focused ones.

The section of the panorama that can be viewed through the eyepieces of binoculars. The higher the actual angular field of view, the wider the visibility of the optics. Note that the angular field of view has an inverse relationship with magnification. That is, the higher the magnification, the narrower the visibility (the smaller the real angular field of view). The actual angular field of view is calculated as follows: you need to divide the angular field of view (in degrees °) by the magnification factor. In comparison, the human eye has an angular field of view of 60 arcseconds (“). In terms of degrees, you get 150 °. Good binoculars provide a real field of view somewhere within 10 arcseconds. But it does not always make sense to chase after large indicators of the real angular field of view. The fact is that when viewing a large section of the panorama, the edges of the image receive noticeable distortion.

The smallest distance to the observed object, at which it will be clearly visible through binoculars / monoculars. All such optical instruments were initially created for observing remote objects, therefore, not all of them are able to work at short distances. When choosing a model for this parameter, one should proceed from the expected observation conditions: ideally, the minimum focus distance should not be greater than the smallest possible distance to the observed object.

The offset is the distance between the eyepiece lens and the exit pupil of an optical instrument (see "Exit Pupil Diameter"). Optimum image quality is achieved when the exit pupil is projected directly into the observer's eye; so from a practical point of view, offset is the distance from the eye to the eyepiece lens that provides the best visibility and does not darken the edges (vignetting). A large offset is especially important if the binoculars / monoculars are planned to be used simultaneously with glasses — because in such cases it is not possible to bring the eyepiece close to the eye.

A type of prism used in binocular/monocular construction. A prism is one of the key elements of an optical system: it is a glass polyhedron through which light passes on its way from the lens to the eyepiece. The need to use such polyhedra is associated with the peculiarities of the creation of optical devices of high multiplicity. In other models, there are two main options:

— Porro. A distinctive feature of binoculars with such prisms is that the optical axes of the eyepieces are offset relative to the lenses — in other words, the distance between the eyepieces differs from the distance between the output lenses. This makes the design somewhat more cumbersome than with Roof prisms; on the other hand, the lenses can be spread over a long distance, which provides a better sense of the volume of the observed picture — especially at long distances. In addition, binoculars with Porro prisms are easier to equip with interpupillary distance adjustment (see below).

— Roof. In models with prisms of this type, the eyepiece and the objective are on the same optical axis — the binoculars look as if the light in it goes from "input" to "exit" directly, without any prism at all (although in reality this, of course, is not So). Such devices are smaller and lighter than Porro systems, but more complex and more expensive.

The presence in the design of the binoculars / monocular socket for attaching an adapter for a tripod(the adapter itself is not included in the kit, unless otherwise indicated). This feature is especially important for high magnification models (see above): they are usually heavy, making it difficult to hold stable in your hands, and at high magnification, even slight shaking can make observation impossible. In addition, mounting on a tripod is convenient for constant observation of a certain place, and such observation does not always require high magnification. Therefore, even fairly small devices can have the possibility of attaching an adapter. The adapters themselves can be designed for different sizes of tripod mounts — this must be taken into account when choosing such a model.