Many people who don’t have much knowledge about binoculars seem curious to know about different things that can increase the practicality and performance of their binoculars. On the internet, we have seen many guys confused about the dioptre and their setting.
This is unfortunate that the company which gives the dioptre adjustment setting doesn’t actually give them the exact method of setting. In order to make it simple for those who don’t know anything about binoculars’ diopters, we are going to write this guide.
Before going into the explanation and teaching how to adjust the setting, we feel it is mandatory for you to know what is diopter and why it is important. Diopter adjustment is a feature given in binoculars which enables you to control your focus. They allow you to zoom in and out and get the view that you actually need.
A diopter usually consists of a small knob or wheel. Different shapes of this knob are available in modern binoculars. However, the functionality of this knob is the same and it gives you control over the focus.
Do all the binoculars have a diopter adjustment setting?
Not all, you will see many optics which are very famous among outdoor enthusiasts, but they don’t have diopter adjust settings. In fact, binoculars that were made before 2012 had no feature for focus adjustment. This is a modern feature that comes in the latest models of almost all brands.
It is important to note that the diopter adjustment is considered a premium feature. You will not see it in the budget or cheaper binoculars. Instead, all the high-end and premium binoculars which are very expensive have this feature of zooming in and out.
Purpose of diopter adjustment?
Many people living on this planet have a weak vision. Along with me, many individuals have one weak eye as compared to the second eye. For example, my left eye cannot see as well as my right eye can see. In this situation, binoculars with diopter adjustment come handy.
With the help of a diopter setting, you can change the focus of both eyes independently. You can increase the focus of your eye which is weaker and decrease the focus of the or sharpness of the image towards the eye which is stronger.
It is also able to zoom in if you want to get a very close image of the targeted object. In contrast, it also helps you to zoom out if you don’t want a really zoomed or focused image. So, it is very beneficial for your daily usage as it enables you to have complete control over your viewing experience.
Now, you have a better understanding of the diopter’s basics, it’s time for you to know the exact method of how to adjust the settings of the diopter. It is necessary to know those wrong settings destroy your viewing experience. So, make sure not to make any mistakes. Below is a step-by-step method that you should follow while adjusting the diopter.
1- Locate the diopter
The first thing is to locate the diopter. Different binoculars have different diopter placements or locations. Locating the diopter is going to be the key. Keep it mind that the wheel or knob can have different shapes and designs. Modern binoculars make stylish knobs.
2- Diopter near the right barrel
Now, you have determined the location of the diopter. Suppose your binoculars have diopters near to the right barrel, then you should look through the left barrel with the right eye closed. After positioning your eye on the left barrel while keeping your right eye closed, you can adjust the focus by rotating the knob for a while. Stop rotating when you’re able to see clearly.
3- Diopter near the left barrel
If the diopter of your binoculars is present near the left barrel, then you can close your left eye and start seeing through the right barrel while keeping your left eye closed. In the process, you can adjust the focus by rotating the knob. When you are able to see clearly, then you can stop rotating the knob or wheel.
4- Check with both eyes
When you have adjusted the focus on both barrels as mentioned above, then you should check whether your setting is good or not. For checking the setting, you can use binoculars with both eyes simultaneously and check if you’re able to see clearly with both eyes or not. If you can see clearly, the settings are perfect and you’re good to go. If there is any problem, you can repeat the above-mentioned process again to get the setting right.
Disadvantages of wrong settings of diopter
Have you ever heard from your friend that he cannot see through his binoculars? This is because of the wrong adjustment or settings of the diopter. When the focus does not match with the strength of your eye, then you start getting blurry images or even no images sometimes when the setting is really bad. To avoid this issue, you will have to readjust the focus properly to ensure that you don’t get any sort of issue.
Conclusion
Almost all modern binoculars, especially those which are expensive, do have diopter adjustment features. Many people on this earth have vision problems. Admit it or not, all of us have one very strong eye while the other is relatively weaker. So, keeping the same focus for both eyes is never going to be a good idea.
So, the diopter adjustment enables you to increase or decrease the focus to view clearly. Moreover, if you’re in a place where you need to see a distant object as well as a closely placed object with details, then the zoom-in and out feature comes in handy and helps you see everything clearly. We hope that this guide will prove helpful for adjusting the setting of the diopter.
I am Richard from Michigan, and who has a craze for hunting. I have been around optics especially binoculars since 2001 and have gotten decent experience while using them to hunt. I have made this website to share my experience with those who are new in the field. My guides & reviews will help my readers to get in-depth information about binoculars. Let’s hunt for binoculars NOW!
