7 Best Binoculars For Police Surveillance | Reviews & Buying Guides

From monitoring suspicious activities to rescue operations, binoculars are of great use to police and law enforcement. Choosing binoculars for police surveillance is a crucial task and one cannot go wrong with this at any point.

There are a number of binoculars available in the market each with different characteristics. But are they good for surveillance and investigating? What things should you consider before making a purchase? Well, this article is made to solve your dilemma. 

Before spending bucks and making a purchase that you’re not certain of, it’s always good to do a bit of research. In this article, we have carefully analyzed and reviewed some of the Best Binoculars For Police Surveillance. At the end of this article, there is a buyer’s guide to help you find the best one for your next police patrol.

7 Best Binoculars For Police Surveillance

1. Vortex Optics Crossfire Roof Prism Binoculars

The Vortex Optics Crossfire Binoculars comprise the roof prism glass lenses for forming crisp and bright images. The lenses are fully multi-coated that promote optimal light transmission for having an HD view. They magnify the object up to 10 times which is perfect for inspection.

The central focus wheel is for easy and smooth focusing and provides a wide field of view of about 325 feet at 1000 yards. These binoculars come with the right eye diopter locking which allows you to correct the vision difference between the two eyes. The twist-up eyecups provide you with an eye relief of 15 mm which makes them comfortable to use by people who wear glasses.

Made to withstand rainfall and external environmental conditions, these Vortex Crossfire Roof Prism binoculars have durable and strong rubber armor. To prevent internal fogging and provide waterproofing, they are nitrogen purged and O-ring sealed. The rain-guard eyepiece cover protects the eyepiece from dust and damage.

Highlighted Features

1. Fully multi-coated optics
2. Phase corrected roof prism system
3. Smooth central focus
4. Diopter adjustment
5. Twist-up eyecups
6. Rubber housing
7. Nitrogen purged and O-ring sealed
8. 42 mm objective lenses

Our Verdict on Vortex Optics Crossfire Roof Prism Binoculars

If you are looking for mid-ranged binoculars that offer you excellent views then Vortex Crossfire Roof Prism Binoculars can be a lifetime investment for you. They provide high-resolution images at 10x magnification, are rubberized and durable, and will last you at least a decade thanks to their life-time warranty. 

2. Steiner Tactical 10×42 Binoculars

Featuring a BAK4 roof prism, the Steiner Tactical Binoculars deliver sharp and high-resolution images. The Steiner advanced multi-coatings applied on every air/glass surface provides maximum light transmission to form detailed and high contrast images even in weak lighting conditions.

The central focusing wheel helps in fast and easy focusing from close up view to infinity. The large 42 mm aperture collects more light to bring the object close to you. The ClicLoc system has a push button to join or release the neck strap with ease.

The 14-psi dry nitrogen is injected into the optics and is sealed by an N2 injection system to prevent internal fogging of the lenses at any environmental conditions. The outer covering is made up of military-grade rubber with non-slip ridges and pads. These binoculars are lightweight yet robust, perfect for outdoor activities.

Highlighted Features

1. BAK4 roof prism Design
2. Fast-close-focus
3. ClicLoc system
4. N2 injection system
5. Tough rubber armor
6. Advanced optical coating

Our Verdict on Steiner Tactical 10×42 Binoculars

The Steiner Tactical Binoculars consists of water-resistant rubber armor which makes these binoculars light and easy to fit into the pocket. With the 100% in-house multi-coatings from the air-to-glass surface, you can get a sharp edge-to-edge vision from dusk to dawn.

Although the price is a bit in the high range, these binoculars will not disappoint you with their great quality optical performance.

3. Bushnell PowerView Binoculars

Bushnell PowerView Binoculars are characterized by BK-7 Porro prism glass lenses that reduce reflection on internal layers. The lenses are fully multi-coated on multiple layers of lens surfaces that increase light transmission to form bright and high definition views.

The insta-focus helps in focusing on the target instantly. Using the fold-down eyecups, you can block the extra light so that glass wearers don’t have to worry about using them.

Designed with 100% quality and tested materials, these binoculars bring you 10 times closer to the view. The rubber-armored body provides an anti-slip grip and saves the binoculars from shock during accidents.

Highlighted Features

1. Multi-coated lenses
2. BK-7 Porro prism
3. Durable rubber armor
4. Fold-down eyecups
5. Insta-focus lever
6. 100% reliable and quality materials

Our Verdict on Bushnell PowerView Binoculars

Not only great aesthetics but the Bushnell PowerView Binoculars guarantee great quality optics. The BK-7 prism and multi-coated lenses help to form a bright and clear view of the object. You can also get these binoculars in Realtree AP design which is best suited for outdoor usage. They are compact and can be used for a variety of purposes like monitoring, bird-watching, sporting, and so on.

However, these binoculars are not weatherproof so you have to avoid using them during rainfall and extreme weather conditions. You can encounter regular internal fogging of the lenses too. 

4. Celestron-Skymaster Giant Binoculars

The Celestron-Skymaster Giant binoculars feature the 70 mm objective lenses which are fully multi-coated with the BAK4 Porro prism system. These lenses enhance light transmission to form bright and crisp images. The large aperture gathers enough light to form a high contrast image even in weak and dim light conditions. Their magnification power is 15x which is perfect for police surveillance.

With the fold-down rubber eyecups, these binoculars provide a long eye relief of 18 mm and hence eyeglass wearers can also use these binoculars without any difficulty. The large central focus knob with diopter adjustment helps in easy and quick focusing.

The rubber armor is durable and ergonomic that guarantees a non-slip grip and resistance to shock. Also, the housing is water-resistant so you can use them even in heavy rainfall. These binoculars come with a tripod adapter so that you don’t have to worry about holding it during prolonged use.

Highlighted Features

1. Fully multi-coated optics
2. BAK4 Porro prism
3. Rugged rubber housing
4. Large central focus knob
5. Fold-down eyecups with diopter adjustment
6. Tripod Compatible

Our Verdict on Celestron-Skymaster Giant Binoculars

Designed with durable rugged rubber covering, the Celestron-Skymaster binoculars provide high-quality images at an affordable price. With the central diopter adjustment, you can easily focus on the object without losing the field of view.

While the weight of these binoculars may be a bit intimidating, but with the use of a tripod, these binoculars are ideal choices for surveillance.

5. Carson 3D Series Binoculars

With the 3D series feature, Carson 3D Series Binoculars have been delivering high-quality optics for a long time. These binoculars consist of phase-corrected roof prisms that enhance light transmission and color fidelity. The lenses are dielectric fully multi-coated to reduce reflection for forming bright and high-resolution images. 

The twist-down rubber eyecups offer longer eye relief of about 20 mm so that comfortable viewing can be experienced by people who wear glasses.

The body of these binoculars is made up of lightweight yet robust rubber armor that offers resistance to shock during accidents. The thumb grooves are correctly placed to ensure a non-slip grip and textured surface. These binoculars are purged with nitrogen and O-ring sealed to protect them from internal condensation and water penetration. Further, they are tripod mountable that saves your hands from straining out. 

Different models with varying power are found within the Carson Series Binoculars: 10×42, 10×50, 8×32, models with ED glasses, and so on. Among these, the Carson 10×42 3D Binoculars are good to go for surveillance. 

Highlighted Features

1. Fully multi-coated lenses
2. Phase corrected roof prisms
3. Dielectric coated BAK-4 prism
4. Twist down eyecups
5. Ergonomic rubber housing 
6. Nitrogen purged body and O-ring sealed

Our Verdict on Carson 3D Series Binoculars

Having an average price range, the Carson 3D Binoculars are compact and easy to fit binoculars that render color corrected and detailed view of the object. The twist down eyecups with long eye relief provides comfortable visuals and easy focusing. Designed to be used for a number of applications ranging from bird watching and hunting to security surveillance, these binoculars are worth the price.

6. Humvee 10×50 Field Binoculars

The innovative and cutting edge design is what makes Humvee 10×50 Field Binoculars unique and amazing. These binoculars have ruby red glass lenses and a Porro prism system that enhances light transmission to deliver maximum brightness even in low light conditions. Their magnification is 10x that brings you ten times close to the action.

The Humvee binoculars feature a central one-touch focus and focusing lenses for simple and immediate focusing. The outer body is made up of synthetic rubber that makes these binoculars long-lasting and sturdy. It also provides a comfortable and firm gripping surface with water-resistant properties.  

Highlighted Features

1. Anti-reflective ruby red glass lenses
2. Anti-slip rubber armor coating
3. One-touch central focus
4. Porro prism system
5. Cutting-edge design

Our Verdict on Humvee 10×50 Field Binoculars

These consist of anti-reflective red ruby glass lenses that optimize light transmission. Ergonomically designed with durable rubber coating, you can use these binoculars in extreme environmental conditions.

Though they are not easily portable, these binoculars are available at a very low cost. These are the best fit for you if you are a cop, military personnel, hunter, or outdoor enthusiast.  

7. Occer 12×25 Compact Binoculars

The Occer Compact Binoculars are lightweight binoculars consisting of BAK4 Porro prisms. The 25 mm objective lenses are fully multi-coated with broadband green film and the eyepiece is blue coated. This reduces color distortion to restore the accurate color of the view. They optimize the light transmission for forming clear and crisp images even in dim light situations. 

The adjustable rubber eyecups can be pulled down for comfortable viewing for both eyeglass wearers and non-wearers. 

These binoculars are made up of ABS plastic that makes them very handy and compact. The rubber housing provides a comfortable and non-slip grip for holding them while on an outdoor adventure.

Highlighted Features

1. BAK4 Porro prism
2. Fully multi-coated optics
3. Broadband green film coating on the objective and blue coating on the eyepiece
4. Durable rubber armor
5. Adjustable eyecups

Our Verdict on Occer 12×25 Compact Binoculars

Extremely lightweight and compact, these binoculars have FMC broadband green film coating on objective lenses and blue coating on the eyepiece that delivers excellent optics. The adjustable eyecups and larger eyepieces provide longer eye relief for comfortable viewing by glass wearers too. Not only the size, but the price of these binoculars are also very low.

The fact that these binoculars cannot withstand even small concentrations of water is a bit disappointing. Otherwise having these binoculars in your list of gadgets would be a great addition.

Buyer’s Guide

If you are in law enforcement or the police department and are searching for a good pair of binoculars, below mentioned are a few things you should consider before you go on to buy them.

Magnification

The power of the binoculars is measured in terms of its ability to magnify the object which is called magnification. While buying binoculars, one should keep in mind that larger magnification does not mean the binoculars are better.

With larger magnification, the field of view is greatly affected. The field of view is decreased as magnification increases. Also, larger magnification greatly magnifies the small hand movements making the image unstable.

For long-distance surveillance, 10-12x magnification is ideal.

Objective Lenses

You need binoculars which are handy and lightweight while you are investigating outside. A larger aperture of objective lenses makes the binoculars bulky. So, the diameter of objective lenses should be such that it does not simultaneously impact light transmission and the weight of the binoculars. 

Generally, 42-50 mm lenses are preferred for surveillance.

Prism Type

There are two types of prism design: Roof prism and Porro prism.

Porro prism is a zig-zag and a more complex design in which light jogs a bit before entering the eyepiece. If you need a wide field of view, precise clarity, and high contrast then you can go for Porro prism binoculars. 

Roof prism has a slender and streamlined body so that light passes straight to the eyepiece. Porro prism makes the binoculars a bit heavy whereas roof prism designs are more lightweight and easy to carry. So if you are in search of compact binoculars that have a narrower field of view, then you can opt for roof prism binoculars. The internal design of roof prism is much more complicated than Porro prism making them more expensive than the latter one. For surveillance, the Porro prism design is well suited.

Fog Proof and Waterproof

In many cases, the lenses fog out quickly which blurs the vision making it difficult to see. You must buy the binoculars that are nitrogen purged to protect the lenses from internal fogging. 

Moreover, for rescue operations and surveillance, you need binoculars that are not damaged by water invasion and ones you can use in any weather conditions. So, the binoculars must be waterproof and fog proof so that you can use them from cold arctic regions to hot deserts. 

Size and Weight

For monitoring a crowd or keeping an eye on the suspicious activity from a distance, the binoculars must be handy and portable. So they must be light in weight and small in size to reduce strains in hands while using for a long time period. You for sure cannot mount a tripod every time you go out for surveillance.

Exit Pupil

The exit pupil is the virtual aperture through which light exits the eyepiece. It is calculated by dividing the objective lens diameter by magnification. A larger size of the exit pupil ensures that a bright image will be formed even in a weak lighting environment. The exit pupil should be greater than the human’s eye pupil so that a generous amount of light enters the pupil for a brighter and wider view. For a 10×42 binocular, the exit pupil would be 4.2 mm. 

Final Say

As we already mentioned, it is an important task for a cop to find the best pair of binoculars for surveillance. For this, you need binoculars that can be fitted into the pockets easily and that is weather resistant. Also, the price value will greatly influence the optical performance and design feature. 

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