Binocular Chart

Best binoculars under $500: the $200 to $500 band

The Celestron TrailSeeker ED 8x42 has the widest field here, 426 ft at 1,000 yd, against a median of 333 ft for all 10 models.

Top picks

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Best binoculars under $500: the $200 to $500 band
ModelSizeField of viewEye reliefClose focusWeightExit pupilAmazon
Vortex Diamondback HD 10x42 Closest focus 10x42 330 ft 15 mm 5 ft 21.3 oz 4.2 mm Check price on Amazon
Vortex Crossfire HD 10x42 10x42 325 ft 15 mm 6 ft 23 oz 4.2 mm Check price on Amazon
Nikon Monarch M5 8x42 8x42 335 ft 19.5 mm 8.2 ft 22.2 oz 5.3 mm Check price on Amazon
Nikon Prostaff P7 8x42 Longest eye relief 8x42 377 ft 20.2 mm 9.8 ft 20.8 oz 5.3 mm Check price on Amazon
Celestron TrailSeeker ED 8x42 Widest field of view 8x42 426 ft 17.2 mm 6.5 ft 23.5 oz 5.3 mm Check price on Amazon
Celestron SkyMaster 20x80 20x80 195 ft 18 mm 108 ft 75 oz 4 mm Check price on Amazon
Celestron Nature DX ED 8x42 8x42 393 ft 17.8 mm 6.5 ft 24.9 oz 5.3 mm Check price on Amazon
Celestron SkyMaster Pro 20x80 20x80 168 ft 15.5 mm 66.2 ft 86.4 oz 4 mm Check price on Amazon
Celestron Nature DX 12x56 12x56 289 ft 16 mm 9.8 ft 36.2 oz 4.7 mm Check price on Amazon
Steiner Military-Marine 8x30 Lightest 8x30 390 ft 15 mm 66 ft 17.1 oz 3.8 mm Check price on Amazon

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How these binoculars were chosen

A model is on this list when its maker list price falls in the $200 to $500 band, with one size shown per series. Every figure comes from the makers' documents. Exit pupil and brightness figures are calculated from the lens size and magnification.

All 10 models have an Amazon listing. The median weight is 23.3 oz, the median eye relief is 16.6 mm and the median close focus is 9 ft. Six of the 10 offer 16 mm of eye relief or more, and 3 use ED glass.

Picks for every use and price are in the main best binoculars list.

The picks, most popular first

Closest focus

Vortex Diamondback HD 10x42

  • Field of view 330 ft
  • Eye relief 15 mm
  • Close focus 5 ft
  • Weight 21.3 oz
  • Maker list price $200 to $500

Close focus is 5 ft here, the shortest of the group, which helps with butterflies and other near subjects. The field is 330 ft at 1,000 yd and the weight is 21.3 oz, lighter than the 24.9 oz median of 10x42 models. Eye relief is 15 mm, short for glasses.

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Vortex Crossfire HD 10x42

  • Field of view 325 ft
  • Eye relief 15 mm
  • Close focus 6 ft
  • Weight 23 oz
  • Maker list price $200 to $500

Vortex prints 325 ft at 1,000 yd and 23 oz for this 10x42, with a 4.2 mm calculated exit pupil. Close focus is 6 ft, so it handles nearby subjects well. Eye relief is 15 mm, which suits bare eyes better than glasses.

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Nikon Monarch M5 8x42

  • Field of view 335 ft
  • Eye relief 19.5 mm
  • Close focus 8.2 ft
  • Weight 22.2 oz
  • Maker list price $200 to $500

ED glass and a 5.3 mm calculated exit pupil make this 8x42 a good fit for dusk and shade. Eye relief is 19.5 mm, so glasses wearers get room. The field is 335 ft, narrower than the 393 ft median of 8x42 models, and close focus is 8.2 ft.

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Longest eye relief

Nikon Prostaff P7 8x42

  • Field of view 377 ft
  • Eye relief 20.2 mm
  • Close focus 9.8 ft
  • Weight 20.8 oz
  • Maker list price $200 to $500

Eye relief of 20.2 mm is the longest on the list, well past the 16 mm the RSPB gives for glasses. The weight is 20.8 oz and the field is 377 ft at 1,000 yd. Close focus is 9.8 ft, so it is not built for near subjects.

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Widest field of view

Celestron TrailSeeker ED 8x42

  • Field of view 426 ft
  • Eye relief 17.2 mm
  • Close focus 6.5 ft
  • Weight 23.5 oz
  • Maker list price $200 to $500

Its 426 ft field sits at place 7 of 75 for 8x42 models, with ED glass and 17.2 mm of eye relief. Close focus is 6.5 ft. The weight of 23.5 oz is close to the 24.2 oz median, so the wide view costs little extra to carry.

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Celestron SkyMaster 20x80

  • Field of view 195 ft
  • Eye relief 18 mm
  • Close focus 108 ft
  • Weight 75 oz
  • Maker list price $200 to $500

At 20x with 80 mm lenses, the twilight factor works out to 40 and the field is 195 ft at 1,000 yd. It weighs 75 oz and Celestron says a tripod is needed from 15x up. Close focus is 108 ft, so it is for distant sky and land.

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Celestron Nature DX ED 8x42

  • Field of view 393 ft
  • Eye relief 17.8 mm
  • Close focus 6.5 ft
  • Weight 24.9 oz
  • Maker list price $200 to $500

The field is 393 ft at 1,000 yd, equal to the median for 8x42 models, with ED glass and 17.8 mm of eye relief. Close focus is 6.5 ft. At 24.9 oz it is a little heavier than the 24.2 oz median of its size.

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Celestron SkyMaster Pro 20x80

  • Field of view 168 ft
  • Eye relief 15.5 mm
  • Close focus 66.2 ft
  • Weight 86.4 oz
  • Maker list price $200 to $500

This 20x80 is waterproof and nitrogen filled, with 15.5 mm of eye relief and a 168 ft field, the narrowest here. It weighs 86.4 oz, the heaviest on the list, and close focus is 66.2 ft. A tripod is a given at this power.

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Celestron Nature DX 12x56

  • Field of view 289 ft
  • Eye relief 16 mm
  • Close focus 9.8 ft
  • Weight 36.2 oz
  • Maker list price $200 to $500

The 12x56 gives a 4.7 mm calculated exit pupil and a twilight factor of 25.9, for long looks at distant animals in fading light. The field is 289 ft at 1,000 yd and eye relief is 16 mm. At 36.2 oz it is the heaviest hand-held pick.

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Lightest

Steiner Military-Marine 8x30

  • Field of view 390 ft
  • Eye relief 15 mm
  • Close focus 66 ft
  • Weight 17.1 oz
  • Maker list price $200 to $500

At 17.1 oz this is the lightest model here, with a 390 ft field and 15 mm of eye relief. The 3.8 mm calculated exit pupil is the smallest on the list, so dusk performance is limited. Close focus is 66 ft, a marine-style distance.

Check price on Amazon

By the numbers

Binoculars compared
10
Median field of view
333 ft
Field of view range
168 to 426 ft
Median weight
23.3 oz
Median eye relief
16.6 mm
With 16 mm eye relief or more
6 of 10
With an Amazon listing
10 of 10

Field of view of each pick, widest first, from the makers' figures.

What matters at $200 to $500

Magnification sets how steady the view is. Audubon notes that eight-power binoculars also magnify hand movement eight times. ZEISS says free-hand binoculars typically have 7 to 10x magnification, which covers seven of the 10 models here.

Brightness at dusk follows the exit pupil, which Nikon defines as the objective diameter divided by magnification. The 8x42 models here work out to 5.3 mm, the 10x42 pair to 4.2 mm and the Steiner 8x30 to 3.8 mm.

Eye relief decides comfort with glasses. The RSPB advises at least 16 mm for eyeglass wearers, and Audubon puts birding binoculars at 15 to 20 mm. The eyeglass tool checks a pair against your own frames.

Choosing between the picks

For a wide view, the Celestron TrailSeeker ED leads at 426 ft, followed by the Nature DX ED at 393 ft and the Steiner Military-Marine at 390 ft. Audubon sets 6.5 degrees as the minimum field for birding, and the Nikon Prostaff P7 reaches 7.2 degrees.

For close subjects, the Vortex Diamondback HD focuses at 5 ft and the Crossfire HD at 6 ft. The RSPB says close focus matters for insects, small mammals and plants. 10x42 binoculars and 8x42 binoculars fill most of this list.

For the night sky, the two Celestron SkyMaster models offer 20x with 80 mm lenses. Celestron says 15x and higher needs a tripod, and the British Astronomical Association says anything above 10x is hard to hold. See binoculars for stargazing for more.

What this list leaves out

Only one size per series appears, so a series such as Vortex Diamondback HD, which also comes in 8x42 and 12x50, shows just its 10x42. Models above or below the band sit on the $100 to $200 list or the $500 to $1,000 list.

Maker list prices are bands, not shop prices. For the full field, read best binoculars compared, or compare two sizes directly with 8x42 against 10x42.

The short answer

The Celestron TrailSeeker ED 8x42 has the widest field at 426 ft, and the Nikon Prostaff P7 has the longest eye relief at 20.2 mm. The Steiner Military-Marine 8x30 is the lightest at 17.1 oz. The two SkyMaster 20x80 models are for a tripod and the sky.

More binocular lists

Questions and answers

Which binoculars under $500 have the widest field of view?

The Celestron TrailSeeker ED 8x42 has the widest field, 426 ft at 1,000 yd. The range across all 10 models is 168 to 426 ft.

Which of these suits glasses wearers?

The longest eye relief is 20.2 mm, on the Prostaff P7, followed by 19.5 mm on the Nikon Monarch M5 8x42. The RSPB says eyeglass wearers should look for at least 16 mm, and 6 of the 10 models meet that.

Which is the lightest pair on the list?

The Steiner Military-Marine 8x30 is the lightest at 17.1 oz. The median weight across the 10 models is 23.3 oz.

Do any of these need a tripod?

The two Celestron SkyMaster 20x80 models do. Celestron says a tripod is necessary from 15x up, and they weigh 75 oz and 86.4 oz.

Which models use ED glass?

Three of the 10 do: the Nikon Monarch M5 8x42, the Celestron TrailSeeker ED 8x42 and the Celestron Nature DX ED 8x42. ED glass and coatings are explained in their own guide.