What better gift could a beginning birder ask for than real birding binoculars? What better gift could a birder give? This seems like such an obvious topic for BVD and New Vistas, but looking back I see that we haven't really covered it since the May 1993 issue (devoted specifically to binoculars for beginners and budgets). That was, in magazine terms, a long time ago, and many of you weren't with us then (New Vistas wasn't even with us then).

What you want: to be satisfying in the field, birding binoculars must, first and foremost, deliver a clear, sharp, finely detailed image to the eye. They must also, and this is just as important as image quality, be easy to use. It also helps if they are easy to carry and not too sensitive to weather and the bumps and bashes of field use.

In practical terms, if you are after real birding binoculars, you have to expect to spend at least $100. At that price point you can get the Bushnell NatureView 8X40, which are excellent beginners glasses. You should also look at any of the porroprism compacts listed under the Best Buys heading for Compact Binoculars in the Reference Standard. The compacts will provide you with extreme portability and good performance in all but the most extreme field conditions (deep dusk, deep shadow, or very long distances). The full sized NatureVew will, however, be much easier and less fatiguing to use over a long day in the field than any of the compacts. At this price point don't expect a great deal of durability. These binoculars should last you, with care, several years, but one good hard knock, or an unprotected shower, will put any of them into the repair shop.

If you can reasonably expect (or afford) something more expensive, there are quite a few excellent porroprism binoculars in the $200-$250 range that are designed specifically with birding in mind. The Swift Ultralite 8X42s are my current favorite in this range, but the Bausch and Lomb Custom 8X36s and the Nikon E series 8X30s are also worth a look. (The Wildbirds Unlimited Celestron Ultima 8X42s seem to be essentially the same glasses as the Swifts with a different exterior and, if the price and availability are right, are also an excellent buy). If you are more interested in absolute image quality, seeing all the detail you can in any birding situation, and are willing to carry some extra weight and a bulkier package, the Swift Audubon 8.5X44s provide center field optical performance that is close to unmatched at any price. While somewhat more durable than the $100 glasses, none of these binoculars will stand a great deal of abuse either, and none of them are particularly weather-proof. It is also becoming obvious, the more I test binoculars, that there is at least some variation between individual samples of the same model at this price point. The best are very good indeedÐbut you would be well advised to examine your purchase (or gift) critically. If the first doesn't live up to your expectations, don't be afraid to try another one.

If cost is no object, even an absolute beginner can appreciate the quality of a roof prism model in the $600-$1000 range. At this price you are paying for the best quality workmanship and materials, the highest degree of quality control and consistency, the most sophisticated and durable designs. Or you should be.

At this price point, look at the Leica Ultra 8X32 (my current all around favorite birding glass) or the Swarovski glasses reviewed in this issue. It is my opinion that for this kind of money you should get complete weatherproofness, immersion tested, gas purged or Nitrogen filled, waterproof binoculars. For that reason alone the Bausch and Lomb Elite 8X42 and Zeiss 7X42 glasses are second choices. On the other hand, if the B&Ls;or Zeisses have a feature you really like (either could easily fit your hands better than the Leica or Swarovski glasses, and ease of use is just as important, in the long run, as anything else), you will sacrifice nothing but the weatherproofness by choosing them. Remember, when you move from the best of the $200-$250 porros to these roof prism glasses you are buying extra durability more than you are better optical performance. Though sample to sample consistency should be, and generally is, much higher among these glasses, you can get an occasional off spec glass here too. Let the buyer beware.

You may have noticed that all of the binoculars recommended above are 7 or 8 power. I do not generally recommend high power (9-10X) binoculars for beginners. I don't recommend them for any birder. There are some fine high power binoculars out there (see the Swarovski review or take a look at the Celestron 9.5X44ED glasses), but in general I find them significantly more fatiguing to use in the field for any length of time. While the view through the best high power binoculars is often stunning (sometimes addictively soÐsee the Swarovski review again), it is my studied opinion that you will see more, especially over time, with lower power binoculars. What is more, I have yet to be in an actual birding situation where the difference in image size between 7 and 10 power binoculars would have made any difference in getting the marginal identification. If 7X isn't enough, 10X isn't going to be either. You need a scope!

I have not mentioned the few real birding binoculars that fall outside those handy price ranges. The Optolyth Alpin series (8X30 and 8X40) come to mind. These are fine, very compact, porroprism glasses in the $500 range. Around the same price point you should look at the Celestron (6.5 and 9.5X44) and Swift (8.5X44) ED models. The ED glasses give unsurpassed color fidelity and color detail. The Celestrons, in particular, are also among the best handling binoculars I have ever used. Also of interest are the new Nikon 8X23 Diplomat compacts which use at least one aspheric lens element. These compacts, while not as easy to use for long time periods in the field, provide resolution and detail that is very close to any full sized binocularsÐovercoming the distance limitations of the compact design.

There are hundreds, thousands, of other binoculars out there, of course. Many of them are indeed fine. The ones I have mentioned are still what I call the "real birding binoculars." Any one of them would make you, or some birder you know, very happy this giving season.