| p>Using binoculars to give you the best | | | | of the house opposite!). Now shut your right eye, |
| advantage is as important when you are shooting | | | | and finely adjust the focus until the image is clear. |
| pigeons as when you are stalking deer or | | | | Once you have that, close the left eye and open |
| birdwatching. This is not to say it is difficult to use | | | | the right one again. Point the binos at the same |
| them correctly, but a little preparation and | | | | point you focussed on previously - the chances |
| practice can make a huge difference to the | | | | are that it will be out of focus. Focus this by |
| success or otherwise of your sporting day. | | | | twisting the eyepiece, which will perform a fine |
| The first thing to do when you get your | | | | adjustment on the right hand barrel. Once this is |
| binoculars out of their case is to set the correct | | | | done, check the focus by looking through both |
| width between the eyepieces - these must | | | | eyepieces at once. |
| match the distance between the centres of your | | | | You should now see a single circle, clearly in focus |
| pupils. The easiest way to do this is to put them | | | | with both or either eye. If this is what you see, |
| to your eyes, and aim them at something that will | | | | make a note of the angle between the barrels, |
| not attract your attention and cause you to | | | | and the setting of the eyepiece, which will |
| focus. This is probably best done by pointing them | | | | normally be in a range between 2 numbers, half |
| at the sky, making sure not to aim at the Sun, | | | | of which is positive and half negative. With these |
| which can result in permanent eye damage. | | | | two numbers you can quickly set the binoculars |
| Now adjust the distance between the eyepieces | | | | to suit your eyes within seconds of getting them |
| by pulling the two barrels apart or pushing them | | | | out of their case. |
| together, until the two circles become one. At this | | | | The reason for setting them initially to the closest |
| point you should be able to obtain a measurement | | | | focus is that it gives maximimum sensitivity to |
| of the angle between the barrels from the central | | | | the adjustments. At further distances the |
| pivot - this is normally marked in degrees. | | | | adjustments are much coarser, and if you then |
| Next focus the binoculars in to the closest point | | | | focus closer you will notice that the two eyes will |
| you can - maybe just across the other side of | | | | go out of focus. |
| the road (by this I do not mean into the bedroom | | | | |