Best Binoculars - Under $500

Binoculars can be pricey, but you find a lot of value below $500. Binoculars in this category provide lots of bang for fewer bucks. There are core features that we look for in picking what we stock in the price range.

First of all, they’re waterproof and usually nitrogen purged. This keeps your binoculars safe if you get caught out in the rain or if something is accidentally spilled on them. It also helps to keep humidity out of the binocular so they resist fogging or developing any mold inside the optics. 

The main optics are coated to reduce glare and eliminate strange reflections between optical elements in the binoculars. This helps to make sure your view is good in any light conditions from bright sunlight to night time observing.

Some options even have ED glass to reduce chromatic aberration (CA). CA is a hot button topic on any internet forum dedicated to astronomy or birding. In short, it's a little bit of color fringing at high contrast points in your view. For example, a tree branch highlighted against a bright sky may show a subtle color fringing around the edge.

In our opinion, this is the most pronounced difference between binoculars at different price points. It can be very expensive to completely eliminate CA. The binoculars in this collection do a good job of managing it. 

We've tested these binoculars and like well enough to recommend them. They’re great value and will do an incredible job of bringing you closer into nature.