Binoculars are great gifts for so many people and hobbyists.

Bird watchers will love getting close up views and seeing new birds to add to their bird lists. If they have set up backyard bird feeders, they'll love the close-up views. Other nature lovers will take to the high seas in search of whales or migrating birds.

Theater goers and opera lovers will use binoculars to see the facial expressions of actors and singers and the close up details of the beautiful costumes.

Sports enthusiasts will use binoculars to zoom in on the offensive and defensive lines at football games. To see the expression of the pitcher on the pound.

I love shopping for things like binoculars at Amazon because you can read the hundreds of reviews and learn how real users found the products. Just click on any of the images and you'll go to the Amazon site and be able to read the reviews. The products I've included here, have gotten some of the highest user ratings. But of course this can change. If you prefer shopping at Ebay, you'll see links for that site as well. I've shown you a selection of the most popular brands Bushnell, Nikon, and Canon.

I know that you'll find the right binoculars at Amazon or Ebay - two of the most trusted online merchants. Thank you for visiting this site, Nelle.

This Busnell binocular is durable, light, and easy to use. The insta-focus system adjusts quickly to help you follow rapidly moving objects. Weighing only 11.3 ounces its easy to carry. For your convenience it also comes with a neck strap. And if you drop it, there's a rubber armor housing that absorbs the shock. 12x magnification with multi-coated optics give you superior light transmission and brightness, so the images appear clear and crisp. You get a 240-foot field view at 1,000 yards. Carrying case included. Limited warranty.

These Nikon binoculars are waterproof and fogproof. Perfect for hiking and birdwatching. Multi-coated lenses provide bright and clear images. Durable design with rubber armor to asorb shocks and drops. Comfortable and compact and easy to use to find the bird you are looking for. The 8x magnification lets you see more than the 10x. That's why some birdwatchers prefer it.

Budding astronomers will enjoy using these Bushnell Falcon binoculars to pick out objects in the night sky. Users have reported being able to see the great Adromeda Galaxy, star clusters, and the Summer Milky way. So this is the way to go if you're stargazing on a budget. The Insta-focus feature that keeps fast moving objects in clear view makes it great for stadium sports and hunting. There's also porro prism fully coated objects for superior light transmission. Suitable for all-weather. non-slip rubber pads make it easy to keep a good grip. 12x magnification, 50 millimeter objective lens.

Very good from 10 to 1000 feet. The Bushnell Powerview Compact Folding Binoculars are wonderful if you love the opera or theater. You can sit far away and still see the beautiful costumes and facial expressions. Very small and lightweight (weighs only 7 ounces), so they'll fit in your purse or pocket. They also come with a waist carrying case, that can be looped through a belt buckle. These binoculars would be the perfect gift combined with theater tickets.

If you're looking for a great pair of binoculars to take on an Alaskan cruise, then consider the Nikon 7510 Travelite Binoculars. There's the 25mm objective lenses for maximum light gathering. Close focus distance is less than 14 feet. The optics systems is designed to let you see true colors and sharp images.

The body has been designed with a durable carbon-fiber which makes it comfortable to use for hours. The all metal chasis is cover with shock-absorbant black rubber.

If your a birder, these binoculars will help make those tough identifications. Whale watchers will marvel that they can clearly see whales despite the boat movement on the sea. What makes this possible is the image stablization. Once you have the subject in focus, you push the "IS" button and the image comes into a sharp focus like you're 3 feet away. Because of this feature, these binoculars would be good for someone suffering from tremors.

The Nikon 7496 Eagleview Zoom 8 - 24 X 25mm Binoculars (Black) has a smooth zoom leveler allowing you to go from 8 to 24 magnification. Although you'll find that the higher magnifications use so much light that the image becomes darker. So not so good at dawn or dusk birdviewing. At the higher magnfication levels stability does become an issue any shaking in your hand will quickly transfer to the image.

But that being said the zoom works in one hand and is very lightweight. For convenience there's a belt carrying case.