Do I Need Waterproof Binoculars for Safaris?

The MOST important thing is that you do have a pair of binoculars for your safari, it is the single most important piece of equipment that you can take with you and will transform your experience.

Ok now that we have established that we are going on safari with a pair of binoculars, which pair of binoculars is the next question? I have written a guide to choosing binoculars for safaris, which goes over all the important features you should look out for. One of them is waterproofing, which I will go into more detail here:

Whilst having a pair of waterproof binoculars on safari is not absolutely essential, it is preferable. We all hope that it does not rain on your holiday, but if it does, you should be prepared. Whilst it is true that spotting some types of game is harder in the rain and depending on how hard the rain is you may not even go out on game drive. But on the other hand I have also had some of my best experiences in the rain.

A particular example was sitting for hours watching a cheetah sheltering from the rain under a tree. Sure everyone and everything got wet, but hey it is only water and everyone on the game drive had a magical experience watching one of the most elusive creatures in the bush.

Dry and Sandy Environments

It is not only wet and humid conditions where water and fog-proofing can help: in an extremely dry and dusty climate, like on safari the O-ring seal used to make your binoculars waterproof will also prevent dust and tiny debris from entering the unit.

The Waterproof Fogproof Binocular

Many binoculars are either waterproof, fogproof or both where as some manufacturers call their optics weather protected or even weather proof. But what exactly does it all mean and just what do they do to make a pair of binoculars waterproof and fogproof?

Waterproofing

Waterproof binoculars are sealed internally using O-rings to prevent moisture as well as dust and other small debris from entering the inside of the unit.

Fogproofing

Fogproofing means that the optical barres are filled with nitrogen or argon gas to prevent internal fogging caused when subjecting the optic to temperature extremes, especially in high humidity. Fogproofing is sometimes referred to as nitrogen-purging. This term is probably more descriptive of the actual process; O2 (oxygen) is purged from the barrels and replaced with an inert gas (usually nitrogen) which doesn’t condense.

A pair of binoculars or can be waterproof without being fogproof. What this means is that the binoculars are sealed, but the oxygen inside the barrels haven’t been purged and replaced with an inert gas. But if an optical instrument is fogproof, it has to be waterproof (sealed) as well.

Today even fairly inexpensive binoculars are both waterproof and fogproof. Just look out for manufacturers that claim that their optics are “weather protected” or “water protected” this usually means that they are not 100% water or fog proof, If you are paying for it, make sure that they are 100% waterproof.

Water Repellent Lens Coatings

Another feature to look out for and one that is often found on high end optics are special lens coatings that are actually water repellent or sometimes known as “hydrophobic coatings”. These water and dirt repelling properties, not only repel water, but they are have more resistance to abrasions and make it much easier to remove your fingerprints and dirt particles from the lenses. Lenses treated with the hydrophobic coating allow water to just roll off them.

Popular Waterproof Binoculars for Safari

If you buy a Nikon EDG binocular or spotting scope, Nikon will send you a FREE D3000 camera kit with 18-55VR Nikkor lens worth $549.95.

Ideal Camera & Binoculars for Safaris
This promotion is even better if you are planning on going on safari as now you can get some of the best safari binoculars available (or spotting scope), with a free Digital SLR camera that also makes an ideal a safari camera, but hurry, the offer ends on October 31st 2010.

Where can I get this offer?
The Take it to the EDG Promotion from Nikon is only available to consumers within the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands by Nikon Inc., Melville, New York. Purchases made in or delivered to other countries are ineligible. There are two major binocular online retailers in the US who are also authorised dealers of Nikon EDG Binoculars and Fieldscopes who are participating in the promotion:

Nikon EDG on Binoculars.com

Nikon EDG on Eagle Optics

Nikon EDG Binoculars
Truly some of the finest binoculars available, Nikon EDG Binoculars use Nikon’s own ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass lenses that deliver superior sharpness and color correction for unmatched detail resolution with Dielectric coated prisms meaning that Nikon’s coatings deliver brighter views. The optics are fully multicoated meaning that there are multiple layers of anti-reflective compounds on every glass surface for bright, vivid sight pictures.

The design of the binocular has open bridge style which is ergonomic making sure the binoculars balance perfectly in the hand for extended use. A quick, central focusing knob has been paired with pop-up diopter adjustments for unparalleled speed and convenience. The Horn-shaped detachable eyecups are ergonomically contoured to block out peripheral light for a clear field of view on top of this you get a long eye relief with ratcheting eyecup adjustments that allow for a perfect view, with or without eyeglasses.

All EDG Binoculars are O-ring sealed making them 100% Waterproof and fogproof as they are dry nitrogen filled to handle the toughest conditions on the planet.

The Nikon D3000 Digital Camera
The Nikon D3000 is Nikon’s entry-level digital SLR camera designed for anyone who wants to take quality digital photographs without worrying too much about settings. It features a 10.2 megapixel sensor, EXPEED processing system, 3-inch LCD screen, 3 fps continuous shooting and 11-point autofocus system.

You can select from a choice of subject parameters and the camera will do the rest, and the instant response time means you never miss a moment. The 11-point autofocus system ensures everyone is in focus, and the bright viewfinder means you get what you want, when you want it.

More Information
Best Binoculars for Safari Holidays
Digital SLR vs Compact SuperZoom Cameras for Safaris

So much of what happens in the bush occurs during the night and as such we only really see a small snippet of what goes on when you go out on safari during the day. This is especially true for many predators like lions, leopard, hyaenas and the smaller cats like serval, caracal and tha African Wild Cat.

We would time our afternoon safari drive at the safari lodges that I have worked at, so that we would stop at sunset at a nice scenic spot somewhere to enjoy drink (sundowner) and then drive the last half hour or so back to the lodge in time for dinner keeping an eye out with a spotlight for anything interesting on the way back. There are also many lodges that will take you out on night safaris (we would only do so if we knew that there was something interesting in the area)

Viewing animals at night with a spotlight does have its problems and in many cases can even be unethical.  Responsible guiding teaches us that should we spot any animal, especially nocturnal ones, not to shine the spotlight directly on them as this can temporarily blind them, which could lead to an injury. This is especially true for birds like owls, where if they were to fly off blind they could easily break a wing. A spotlight will also obviously change the behaviour of that animal which is not ideal, prey animals can be distracted giving the predators an unfair advantage or you could even point out the predator to it’s prey ruining it’s chances.

So is there an alternative?

Night Vision Devices: Binoculars, Monoculars, Goggles and Camcorders

The answer is a Night Vision Device, many camcorders come with some sort of night vision capability these days. Notice how the video of elephants at night (above) which were filmed with a camcorder using night vision, carry on with their normal behaviour. A spotlight on them would have disturbed them.

There are also now also many night vision binoculars, monoculars and goggles available on the market, and whilst you would probably not find decent quality cheap night vision, the prices are getting more and more reasonable.

Night vision has been around since the Vietnam War and since then the technology has improved, each new step is known as a Generation. We are now up to 4th Generation Night Vision, but the cost of these devices usually means that they are reserved for the military and other law enforcement forces. 1st Gen (Gen 1) devices are still the most popular on commercially available products and these days you can get some excellent results from them.

For more information:

Check out Night Vision Glasses, Binoculars, Goggles and Monoculars on the Best Binoculars Reviews website, including how they work, what to look out for when buying a device and where to get the best deals from.

I also have a page on Night Vision Binoculars on the main website.