Q How wide is a "wide-angle" binocular?
A Wide-angle binoculars show up to 60% more picture area than some standard models of the same power, making it easy to track fast action subjects, from wildlife on the move to the fluctuations of rugby games. The 7x and 8x wide-angle models are good choices for general purpose binoculars.
Big front lenses don’t make a binocular a wide-angle model - the optical design of the eyelenses determines the field of view - and the easy way of getting the facts is to read the information printed on the shoulder or elsewhere on the binocular which will be in angular degrees and / or linear measure e.g. 6.5º / 114 metres at 1000 metres. The rating “Wide-Angle” is assigned to binoculars with certain minimum field coverage specifications, as follows:
7 Power wide-angle binocular:
9º or greater coverage, equivalent to 158m field of view or more at 1000m
distance.
8 Power wide-angle binocular:
8º or greater coverage, equivalent to 140m field of view or more at 1000m
distance.
10 Power wide-angle binocular:
6.5º or greater coverage, equivalent to 114m field of view or more at 1000m
distance.
(1º is equivalent to 17.5m at 1000m and 52.5 feet at 1000 yards)
The Lynx 14-7x35 extra-wide-angle binocular gives coverage of 11º (193m @ 1000m).
When purchasing binoculars check and compare their field of view, which can explain price differences between seemingly similar binoculars. All other factors being equal wide-angles will cost more!