Frequently Asked Questions

GPS SYSTEMS - HOW DO I CHOOSE THE RIGHT ONE FOR ME?

GPS SYSTEMS are the hottest items in electronics.  They get us where we are going quickly, safely and without arguing over "turn right - no, turn left".  Maps are practically obsolete these days.  We all want A GPS - we probably all need one, but how do you choose the right one for you?

First and foremost, you must decide how and where you are going to use your GPS.  Sounds simple, but it really isn't. There are dozens of different varieties of GPS Systems. For auto, motorcycle & biking travel - for boating and fishing (lakes, rivers, shoreline, offshore, with charting capabilities, with fishfinders, etc. ... there are even fishfinders which attach to fishing poles, if you can believe it)- for hiking and for integration with personal training software.  There are many which combine land and marine maps, so that you can take these "crossovers" from car to boat to hiking trails, and back. In most instances, hikers and boaters are able to mark thousands of way points to find their way home, even from the most remote areas. Here's a unique item. Garmin has produced a handheld full GPS system which, in addition to guiding you over on-road and off-road venues, can track your dog's every move, even when you can't see or hear him, by means of a wireless transmission unit attached to his collar. This provides an added measure of security when taking "Rover" into new, unfamiliar territory. 

Another feature to consider is specific mapping - U.S. Only; U.S. and Canada, including Puerto Rico & Alaska; North America & Europe; North America & Caribbean, Inland Waterways Only; Coastal Shores Only; etc., etc., etc.  Most people buy systems loaded only with maps they will use most frequently.  If more extensive mapping is needed, most systems can import (by download or card slots) a wide range of optional maps. 

Cost and size of the GPS are other factors you should consider.  Prices vary widely - from under $200 to over $1300 - depending on the flexibility and amount and type of information you require. Screen size is something most people don't weigh into their choice until they find themselves straining to see their next move.  Portability can play a role, too.  Do you want a good sized screen with both window and dash mounts or would you prefer a handheld unit which is compact and lightweight and more practical for long hiking trips? And, consider “long-life” battery types and recharge capability which may be offered as options - especially if you plan hikes or camping trips of several days duration. If you won’t be able to recharge your batteries during an extended stay, spare batteries are a wise investment

Popular brand names such as Garmin, Magellan, Cobra and Bushnell offer excellent value and advanced technological features which provide good quality reception in almost all environments and geographic areas mapped into their units. Once you have made your choice and receive your new GPS, you will be flabbergasted by what it can do for you - regardless of your type of journey or your destination. In addition, you will find your GPS is more than useful - it is FUN!


 WHAT ARE THE BEST BINOCULARS FOR BIRDWATCHERS?

Birdwatchers require binoculars that have a variety of features. They must be fairly lightweight, so that they may be carried for a long part of the day; they must be durable enough to withstand the rigors of the trail; they must be waterproof and sealed from dust particles; they must focus quickly and have capacity to view objects in dim light.

WHAT DO THE NUMBERS SHOWN ON BINOCULARS REPRESENT?

The numbers you see associated with binoculars or monoculars represent a formula, for example "7 X 35" or "10 X 42" .  The first number is the power, or how many times larger you will see an object through the binoculars than you can see it with your naked eye. So, a 7X magnification is 7 times larger than your naked eye, while a 10X magnication allows you to see an object 10 times larger than with your naked eye.  The second number in the formula is the size of the "objective" lenses, or the front lenses of the binoculars. The diameter of objective lenses is expressed in millimeters.  And, as with the aperture of a camera lens, the size of the objective lenses determines the amount of light that enters the binoculars.  Together with magnification, this element is crucial to the effectiveness of binoculars in a variety of light conditions.

WHAT IS THE BEST MAGNIFICATION FOR BIRDWATCHING?

That is a matter of personal preference and depends on the type of birds you usually observe. You may want 10 power binoculars to observe distant shorebirds, but a 7 power with a wider field of view might be better for observing small birds in dim light conditions.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ROOF PRISMS AND PORRO PRISMS?

Erecting prisms are used to correct for an inverted image.  There are two basic types - Roof Prisms and Porro Prisms. Porro Prisms give binoculars their classic design with a "jog" in the lightpath through each barrel; while Roof Prisms create straight optical channels. 

WHO USES NIGHT VISION OPTICS?

Night vision optics are widely used by mariners and fishermen, law enforcement and security personnel, hikers, wildlife observers, campers and hunters.

HOW DO NIGHT VISION OPTICS WORK? 

Night vision optics amplify existing light (moon, stars, surrounding artificial light) and often use high power IR illuminators, which act as an additional light source, to produce higher quality resolution  - even without natural light sources.

WHAT IS THE BEST TYPE OF NIGHT VISION BINOCULAR OR MONOCULAR FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON?

A night vision device's range is usually affected by its gain (illumination factors), magnification and resolution.  As a rule, higher magnification gives more ability to view distant objects, but decreases the amount of available light captured. For the average person, best results may be achieved by combining a high-speed lens with magnification below 5x.  High gain is required when viewing far-off objects and is less important when observing closer objects.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A REFRACTOR TELESCOPE AND A REFLECTOR TELESCOPE?

Refracting Telescopes, or Refractors, use concave and convex lenses to gather light and bend it to make objects seem larger.  The convex lenses, which are curved outward, make things larger, but they tend to blur an image.  The concave lenses curve inward and make objects clearer, but smaller.  Therefore, when combining these two lenses, the telescope makes objects appear larger and clearer.

Reflecting Telescopes, or Reflectors, use mirrors, not lenses, to collect and magnify light.  Because they do not bend the light, there is no color distortion. Light is collected by a big concave mirror which reflects light to a smaller flat mirror.  This smaller mirror directs the light to the eyepiece lens located at the side of the telescope, which magnifies the image.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VGA CAMERA BINOCULARS AND CAMERA BINOCULARS WITH MEGAPIXELS?

Actually, both employ megapixels; however, VGA systems usually have less than a 1 megapixel capacity.  This means the resolution of VGA photos is less than that of digital cameras with higher megapixel capacity.  Nonetheless,  VGA produced photos are clear and sharp, but  usually may not be printed and enlarged beyond a 4"x 6" size without some distortion.  Because their resolution is low, VGA camera binoculars are popular among people who regularly share their photos on the internet, where it is desireable to send  lower resolution images to insure quick, trouble-free transmission. In addition, VGA camera binoculars are less expensive.  Digital camera binoculars with higher megapixels can, of course,  produce higher resolution photos which may be printed and enlarged to greater sizes.  However, one must be sure to reduce the resolution on high megapixel photos when transmitting them through emails, as they require much more memory and may not be transportable, depending on the capacities of the sending and receiving equipment.

WHAT IS YOUR RETURN POLICY ON DAMAGED OR UNSATISFACTORY PRODUCTS?

Please refer to the "Return Policy" section of our website for full details. 

DO YOU SEND PRODUCTS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES?

Presently, we do not take or deliver orders outside the Continental United States.

WHY DON'T YOU DELIVER TO P.O. BOXES?

UPS will not deliver to a P.O. Box.  A physical address is necessary to assure our customers that their item(s) will be delivered in a  safe and timely manner.  In addition, this procedure allows us to verify that orders are delivered to the proper person.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO CONTACT YOU?

The best way to contact us is by e-mail to: support@obinoculars.com. We will respond within one business day.