binoculars, monoculars or a spotting scope

will be used to observe wildlife/birds from quite a distance

how powerful? I don't know, I don't own one at the moment, so I can't say how powerful. I'm thinking, the more powerful, the better?

it must be lightweight
also must be rugged

read somewhere, that some people find binoculars too bulky and heavy, so they've opted for monoculars

what are the specifications I should be looking at? I have zero understanding of this...

thanks in advance for your replies.

Try this link.... I dont know were you are in the world but this link has some great scopes and gear to give you a head start at the least

www.westwalesbinoculars.co.uk...

Originally posted by 1 2 3
will be used to observe wildlife/birds from quite a distance
how powerful? I don't know, I don't own one at the moment, so I can't say how powerful. I'm thinking, the more powerful, the better?
it must be lightweight
also must be rugged
read somewhere, that some people find binoculars too bulky and heavy, so they've opted for monoculars
what are the specifications I should be looking at? I have zero understanding of this...
thanks in advance for your replies.

They all have advantages and disadvantages. Go visit or join a birdwatching club and talk to the members, or visit a specialist 'sports optics' store and try everything out.

The more the magnification, the harder to keep still, the darker the image, and the more likely you are to have slightly blurry optics, all things being equal. For binoculars, 7x50 and 10x50 are the popular cheap and cheerful sizes. Easy to handhold, bright images, not very expensive for good quality. 12x50 and above tend to be hard to hold steady, so you might want a tripod. The first number gives the magnification, the second gives the size of the lens (the bigger, the brighter). Take a look thru expensive optics first, so you know what the best looks like, then make sure you look through anything you are planning to buy. If you are buying in the cheaper end of the market, the quality will vary from unit to unit...