Even just 15 years ago, the world of binoculars was pretty much unchanged ever since these products were first created oh so long ago.
The moment that the digital camera world began to explode in popularity is the moment that binoculars changed forever.
Now, you can invest in a high quality piece of equipment that not only allows you to zoom in closely to a target hundreds and hundreds of yards away – but you can also snap a high quality photo of that target with the same device!
Binoculars with camera technology built right in have become amazingly popular in just the last few years, and for good reason. That being said, you’re going to want to pay close attention to the information below concerning binoculars with camera technology built right in, if only to make sure that you purchase the right pieces of equipment moving forward.
Binoculars with Digital Video Recording - Watch Video Below
The Best Binoculars with Camera Technology Available
There are essentially two styles of camera binoculars. The first is digital camera binoculars, which are essentially binoculars that take pictures.
These have the camera built right into the binocular so it is always aiming and snapping pictures of whatever you're glassing.
The second type is a zoom lens that attaches to your smartphone. These photo binoculars allow you to use the high quality camera that is built into every iPhone, Galaxy, or other Android phone that you have.
The table below will give you an idea of what are the best and worst binoculars with camera technology in the market today. After that, we'll dive into more details about the best digital binocular cameras.
| Picture | Binoculars | Size | FOV | MP | Rating | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Picture | Binoculars | Size | FOV | MP | Rating | Cost |
| Bushnell ImageView Digital Camera Binocular | 8x30 | 320 ft | 1.3 | 3.6 | $$ | |
| Meade CaptureView Digital Camera Binocular | 8x42 | 376 ft | 2 | 3.2 | $$ | |
| BARSKA 8x32mm Binocular Camera | 8x32 | 330 ft | 8 | 3 | $$ | |
| Vivitar Binocular Digital Camera | 10x25 | 303 ft | 1.3 | 2.9 | $ | |
| Vivitar MagnaCam Binocular Digital Camera | 12x50 | 289 ft | -- | 4.3 | $ | |
| The Sharper Image 10x25 Camera Binoculars | 10x25 | N/A | N/A | 1.9 | $ | |
| Bushnell 118328 Imageview 12mp 720p | 8x30 | 310 | 12 | 2.7 | $$ |
- Size: Size of the binoculars e.g. Magnification x Lens Diameter
- Field of View (FOV): Measurement of what can be seen through the binoculars
- Megapixel: Is the resolution of the camera technology
- Rating: Rating provided by reviews on Amazon.com
- Cost: $$ = Average Price, $ = Low Priced
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Purchase High-Quality Camera Binoculars, First, and Foremost
Before you even begin to consider investing in a pair of binoculars with camera technology built-in that includes:
- High zoom capabilities
- The ability to snap photos in crystal-clear clarity
- Tons of camera storage space
You need to make sure that you are purchasing a high-quality set of binoculars in the first place. After all, you need to make sure that you have binoculars that are useful for your application and can provide you with all of the power and magnification you need on a regular basis.
Even the best camera technology will be a tremendous letdown as you won’t be able to get close enough to get the right shot.
Really break down exactly what you expect from your new binoculars with camera technology, but first starting from a point of considering these binoculars as though they didn’t have cameras on board at all.
This is going to guarantee that you get a high-quality piece of equipment and not some “run-of-the-mill” set of binoculars with a world-class camera attached – the rough equivalent of pumping jet fuel into a Ford Edsel.
If you need help picking binoculars, check out the ultimate guide to buying binoculars.
Pay Close Attention to the Specifications for Binoculars with Camera Equipment Built-in
Once you have outlined exactly what kind of binoculars you need (or what kind of features you need to be included in that platform), then and only then is it time to begin considering camera specifications.
The original binoculars with camera technology included rudimentary digital cameras that were only capable of snapping grainy photographs (and maybe 10 or 15 of them at max capacity) – but those days are dead and gone.
Now, you can invest in binoculars with camera technology that rivals the same kind of camera technology you would find in a professional DSLR. We’re talking about 16 megapixels or more, the ability to store hundreds (and potential even thousands) of photographs right on board, and all kinds of extra-large sensors that allow you to take fantastic photographs in almost any lighting condition.
Obviously, you’re probably going to be leaning on the zoom capabilities of the lenses that your binoculars are built with – though there are some binoculars with camera technology built-in that take advantage of “adapters” and allow you to squeeze extra zoom capabilities out of your favorite set of glass.
Last but not least, you’ll want to make sure that you are investing in digital camera binoculars that are as future proof as possible. You don’t want to purchase binoculars that take pictures that are going to be obsolete in just a few years, even though (with the rate of technology today) it may seem like everything on the market is headed that way right now!
Usage is Absolutely Everything when Purchasing this Equipment
Another key point of consideration that you want to focus on is just how easy to use your new binoculars with camera technology are.
Because you are adding a digital camera to elite level binoculars, the odds are fantastic that the weight is going to go up on your binoculars – sometimes considerably. This may or may not be a deal-breaker for some, but it’s almost always going to be a factor that you need to consider in before you pull the trigger on a purchase.
Secondly, you need to make sure that you feel completely comfortable using the binoculars as is, while also having no trouble whatsoever manipulating the camera part without ever having to take your eyes off of the lenses.
This is the only way to efficiently and effectively use them, and it requires smart placement of the camera technology throughout.
Special Camera Features you May Want to Spend A Bit More On
You’ll also want to investigate whether or not it’s smart to purchase binoculars with camera technology that include features like:
The price is obviously going to go up with each and every single special feature that you desire, but considering the fact that you might get 10 or more years out of a binoculars investment it may not add all that much to the sticker price to get everything you want.
Adapting your Traditional Binoculars for Use with an External Camera or Cellphone
If you simply can’t bring yourself to pull the trigger on binoculars with camera technology built right in, you may consider the different adaptive technologies out there that allow you to use your digital camera with your binoculars.
These are great because with the way phone technology is going, the phone may have an even better camera on board than the binoculars do.
The only problem with your phone is its lack of magnification. So, combining a quality pair of binoculars with your phone's camera is a perfect solution
There are some cons to this though. Getting this set up will take a few moments and if you need to take the shot quickly, you could easily miss it.
The benefit is that you will keep all your photos right where you keep everything else. You won't need to transfer files to your computer. And, chances are they will back up to your cloud storage, saving the pictures forever.
Our Favorite Camera Binoculars
Here we'll go into our favorite digital camera binoculars and we'll also cover our favorite magnification tool for a cell phone camera.
BARSKA 8x32 Binocular & Built-In 8.0 MP Digital Camera
We love this one because it is one of the few camera binoculars that actually is from a decent name brand. With binoculars, brand plays a huge factor in the decision to buy.
The Barska Point and View 8x32 Binocular Camera brings together the great aspects of binocular magnificaiton and combines it with a multi-use digital camera so you'll never miss a thing.
This binocular integrates their high-quality roof prism with a digital camera in one compact and light device which is an amazingly light binoculars, never mind the fact it has a camera built in.
These digital camera binoculars have great image clarity with their 32 mm objective lens along with the 8x magnificaiton.
Additionally, you get a 4x digital zoom on top of that for the real far away shots.
Like normal binoculars binoculars, these digital camera binocualrs have a center focus dial. So, once you've attained the image, you can simply snap a photo. Pretty easy stuff.
Specifications:
- Magnification: 8X fixed optical; 4X digital zoom on camera
- Mega-pixels: 8.0
- Objective lens: 32 millimeters
- Prism type: Roof
- Exit pupil: 4 millimeters
- Optical coating: Multi-coated
- Focusing system: Center
- Field of view: 330 feet at 100 yards; 102 meters at 100 meters
- Close focus (feet/meters): 16.4/5
- Weight: 13.76 ounces
Gosky Titan 12X50 High Power Prism Monocular With Smartphone Holder
We love these Gosky Titan camera monocular because they utilize the amazing camera in your phone while giving you amazing clarity and magnification.
These are a 12x magnification with a 50mm objective lense. So you can see the image 12x larger and also have a clear and bright image due to the large objective lens.
These are perfect for hiking, climbing, outdoor sports, watching the wildlife, etc.
This monocular come with the quick alignment smartphone holder which is compatible with just about every smart phone including the iPhone X to 4s, Samsung S9, 8, 6, as well as the Note, LG, Sony, and just about every other brand of smart phones.
It's built with rubber armor that is shock absorbing and can withstand the most difficult conditions and weather. Also, it's water proof, dust proof, shock proof, and fog proof. That pretty much makes it kid and life proof as well.
It has Nitrogen-filled waterproof and O-ring sealed optics that prevent moisture and dust from entering which ensures a good waterproof function.
Closing Thoughts
There are a number of different things that you’re going to want to consider before you decide to invest in high-quality binoculars with camera technology.
Hopefully, the above information provides you with just enough insight to start the decision-making process – and at the very least enough information to do a bit more research to find out if binoculars with camera technology are up your alley.