Sporting events can sometimes be rather disappointing when you are so far away from the action that you just can't see what is going on. Compact sports binoculars are the ideal solution to a difficult situation, never again will you miss the most important event of the day, just slip a pair of sports binoculars in your pocket and whip them out just when you need them. No hassle, nothing to carry around and no real extra weight.

Compact sports binoculars come in all sorts of shapes and sizes with quality brands such as Pentax, Bushnell and Nikon starting at around £50. Options include waterproof sports binoculars (ideal for marine use and all weather conditions), ultra compact models, ultra lightweight, extra wide (Bushnell), close focus, foldable and zoom binoculars.

Olympus make quite a few good little sports optics including the RC I ultra compact sports binoculars which are credit card size, when folded (only 9x6.5cm), the smallest binoculars in their class and are available in 8x and 10x magnification with multi-coated lenses. These binoculars are ideal for travel, theatre, concerts and sporting events.

If you are looking for the lightest possible pair of compact sports binoculars you might want to consider the Olympus DPC I series which are feather light at just 170g (the lightest in their class) or if you want stylish the Olympus PC I make excellent sports binoculars and come in a wide range of magnifications up to 12x or 10-30x zoom.

Nikon manufacture some excellent compact sports binoculars including the Sportstar EX series which are foldable, waterproof and lightweight with multi-coated lenses and a close focus distance of 2.5mtrs. Other Nikon options include the Nikon Travelite V series which are rubber armoured and come in up to 12x magnification plus 8-24x zoom and the Travelite EX series which a waterproof, with long eyerelief and of high eyepoint design making them suitable for spectacle wearers.

Celestron make compact sports binoculars small enough to fit into a purse (the Celestron Upclose series) which come with a lifetime warranty and a price tag of less than £50 and the Bushnell Xtra-Wide binoculars (both compact and mid-size) offer an amazingly wide field of view, twice that of normal binoculars, making them great for spectator sports.

Pentax specialise in compact sports binoculars with numerous options including the DCF MC II which come with high performance optics, high resolution phase-coated roof prisms and multi-coated lenses, also the central fast focusing Pentax UCF R series and the UCF Zoom II series which make excellent sports binoculars.

The Olympus WP I compact sport binoculars are built for extreme conditions, waterproof, nitrogen filled and sealed with fully multi-coated lenses, high quality Bak-4 prisms and another waterproof option is the Pentax UCF WP 8-16x21 with features such as a sophisticated internal focusing system (which contributes to the lightweight a compact size of the binoculars), high refraction Bak-4 prisms and multi-coated lenses.

Effectively the choice is enormous with so many options that it is often hard to choose. As with any optics the quality of compact sports binoculars is in the lenses although lens quality does have to be balanced with other personal essential features such as weight, size and zoom capabilities. Hopefully I've left you with enough options for you to make a choice so you have absolutely no excuse for going empty handed to that next all important sporting event.

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One of the most exciting advancements in sports optics technology is the advent of image stabilization. Binoculars are designed to magnify an image, making it appear closer to the user. The higher the magnification, the closer the subject in the image will appear. However one of the downsides to higher magnification is the fact that the image will move and shake due to small movements in the person holding the binoculars. The higher the magnification of the binoculars, the worse the shaking and movement is. Other factors can also add to the movement, such as vibration of an unsteady surface or even shaking due to excitement. Also as we age it becomes more difficult to hold binoculars steady, making image stabilization technologies that much more important.

It used to be that the only way to compensate for this shaking was to mount the binoculars on a tripod or other supporting structure. For most situations, carrying and setting up a tripod is inconvenient at best, impossible at worst. However, the latest image stabilization technologies now allow for steady images at high powers without the use of a tripod. Even better news is the fact that prices for image stabilized binoculars have dropped dramatically in the past few years, making them more affordable for the average person.

So how do image stabilized binoculars work? There are a variety of technologies on the market, yet most use gyroscopic detectors and motorized internal components that automatically compensate for vibration and small movements. One of the most popular lines of image stabilized binoculars is made by Canon. Canon uses what it known as a Vari-Angle Prism system along with gyroscopic sensors. While this may sound confusing, it basically means that the binoculars have internal sensors that detect movement, as well as moveable prisms that are controlled by the sensors. When the sensors detect vibration, they send a signal to the prisms and the prisms shift the optics slightly to hold the image steady. This provides for steady images even at higher magnifications.

Canon makes a wide variety of image stabilized binoculars, from their compact 8x25 stabilized binoculars to their full size 18x50 high magnification binoculars. They also have a fully waterproof model that uses their highest quality optical glass. This 10x42L stabilized binocular is one of the best rated binoculars on the market today.

What are the best uses for image stabilized binoculars? Boating is a very popular use, as the stabilizers help to compensate for the movement and vibration being on a boat causes. Stabilized binoculars are also popular for hunting, as they can allow for keeping safe distances from the target by using higher magnifications. They are also popular for sporting events, especially when you need to get up close to the action from a distance. Image stabilized binoculars are also excellent for target shooting, bird watching and even astronomy. So if you are looking for a new pair of binoculars, take a close look at the latest image stabilized binoculars and let the newest technology take the shakes out of your viewing!

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Antique Chevalier Paris MOP Opera Glasses Binoculars    US $24.95

3x25 Opera Theater Glasses Brass Binoculars Coated Lens    US $9.13

Deluxe Opera Glasses Theatre Concert Binoculars w Chain    US $19.99