Comparison Celestron UpClose G2 10-30x50 vs Nikon Aculon A211 10-22x50

The magnification factor indicates how many times the image of any object in the eyepiece will be larger than what is visible to the naked eye. Standard values are 7x, 8x, 10x, 12x, 20x. The higher the magnification, the greater the degree of approximation and the further the distance from which one or another object can be seen through binoculars. On the other hand, increasing the magnification usually means decreasing the angle of view, and it can be very difficult to “catch” an object of interest (especially a moving one) through binoculars. In addition, with the same lens size, a model with a higher magnification will have a smaller exit pupil size and, accordingly, a lower aperture ratio (see below for more details). For models with multiplicity adjustment (see below), this item usually indicates the maximum value of this parameter. The magnification is the first number in traditional markings like 8x40 - this example corresponds to eight-fold optics. If there is a multiplicity adjustment (see below), the markings indicate the entire range - for example, 8-12x40.

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.

A complex indicator that describes the quality of binoculars / monoculars at dusk — when the illumination is weaker than during the day, but not yet as dim as in the deep evening or at night. It is primarily about the ability to see small details through the device. The need to use this parameter is due to the fact that twilight is a special condition. In daylight, the visibility of small details through binoculars is determined primarily by the magnification of the optics, and in night light, by the diameter of the lens (see below); at dusk, both of these indicators affect the quality. This feature takes into account the twilight factor. Its specific value is calculated as the square root of the product of the multiplicity and the diameter of the lens. For example, for 8x40 binoculars, the twilight factor will be the root of 8x40=320, that is, approximately 17.8. In models with power adjustment (see above), the minimum twilight factor is usually indicated at the lowest magnification, but data is often given for the maximum. The lowest value of this parameter for normal visibility at dusk is considered to be 17. At the same time, it is worth noting that the twilight factor does not take into account the actual light transmission of the system — and it strongly depends on the quality of lenses and prisms, the use of antireflection coatings, etc. Therefore, the actual image quality at dusk for two models with the same twilight factor may differ markedly.

One of the parameters describing the quality of visibility through an optical device in low light conditions. Relative brightness is denoted as the diameter of the exit pupil (see below) squared; the higher this number, the more light the binoculars/monoculars let through. At the same time, this indicator does not take into account the quality of lenses, prisms and coatings used in the design. Therefore, comparing the two models in terms of relative brightness is only possible approximately, since even if the values are equal, the actual image quality may differ markedly.

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.

Coating is a special coating applied to the surface of the lens. This coating is intended to reduce light loss at the air-glass interface. Such losses inevitably arise due to the reflection of light, and the antireflective coating “turns” the reflected rays back, thus increasing the light transmission of the lens. In addition, this function reduces the amount of glare on objects visible through binoculars/monoculars. There are single-layer, full single-layer, multi-layer, full multi-layer. More details about them:

- Single layer. This marking indicates that one or more lens surfaces (but not all) have a single layer of anti-reflective coating applied to them. This is inexpensive and can be used even in entry-level optical instruments. On the other hand, it filters out a certain spectrum of light, which distorts the color rendition in the visible image - sometimes quite noticeably. In addition, in this case, on some lens surfaces there is no coating at all, which inevitably leads to glare in the field of view. Thus, single-layer coating is the simplest type and is used extremely rarely, mainly in budget models.

- Full single layer. A variation of the single-layer coating described above, in which an anti-reflective coating is present on all surfaces of the lenses (at each air-glass interface). Although this...option is also characterized by color distortion, it is devoid of another, the most key drawback of “incomplete” enlightenment - glare in the field of view. And the mentioned color distortion is most often not critical. With all this, full single-layer coating is relatively inexpensive, which is why it is very popular in entry-level and entry-mid-level models.

- Multi-layered. A type of coating in which multiple layers of reflective coating are applied to one or more lens surfaces (but not all). The advantage of such a coating over a single-layer coating is that it uniformly transmits almost the entire visible spectrum and does not create noticeable color distortions. The absence of a coating on individual surfaces reduces the cost of the device (compared to full multi-layer coating), but it is impossible to completely get rid of glare in such a system.

- Fully multi-layered. The most advanced and effective of modern types of coating: a multilayer coating is applied to all surfaces of the lenses. This way, high brightness and clarity of the “picture” is achieved, with natural color rendition and no glare. The classic disadvantage of this option is its high cost; Accordingly, full multi-layer coating is typical mainly for high-end models.