This article is written for brand customers (OEM / ODM partners). It highlights FORESEEN OPTICS’ experience and engineering capabilities in binocular structural design and system trade-offs, and also helps consumers understand why binoculars have so many different designs and specifications, so they can make better buying decisions.
Before structural design: determine the application scenario first
Before any binocular enters structural design, the first step is not to choose the optical design or draw the layout, but to be clear who will use it and in what situation.
Different situations have very different needs for size, weight, brightness, and design complexity:
- Light hiking / Travel / Everyday carry: Focus on small size and light weight, so it can fit in a backpack or even a jeans pocket.
- Birdwatching / Nature observation: Focus on brightness, color accuracy, clarity, and comfort for long ues; larger size is acceptable.
- Concerts / Sports events: Focus on easy carrying and quick use; extreme low-light performance is less important. Field of view should cover the stage, and some models may support smartphone photography.
- Hunting: Core requirements for harsh conditions are waterproof and shockproof. Size and weight should make it easy to hold, and low-light clarity is important. Some models can include rangefinding for optimal search and measurement performance.
- Marine / Military: Must meet military standards first. Optical quality is the top priority, size and weight can be less strict.
👉 Determining the application scenario is essentially answering an engineering question:
“Given a target cost, should this binocular prioritize size or optical performance?”
This choice will affect all later structural decisions, including prism type, objective lens size, and bridge design.
Optical design comes first, but it also sets the “weight limit” for the structure
Before designing the structure, the optical plan must be decided first.
It’s important to note: a more complex optical system is not just about cost—it also sets the limits for size and weight.
Higher image quality usually means:
- More lenses
- More complex lens curves and materials
- Stricter assembly, alignment, and fastening structures
- Increased cost due to all of the above
Optical glass is basically silica with some added elements, and its density is similar to natural stone (fluorite, sapphire, etc. are not included here, though their density is also similar).
👉 This means:
Every step up in optical performance reduces the freedom in structure design for size and weight.
Therefore, during product planning, we usually evaluate optical complexity and target size as a linked system, rather than making decisions in isolation.
(We will cover optical design in more detail in another article.)
