Are Binoculars Okay To Bring To Concerts?

Concerts can be an excellent chance to see your favourite star on stage, but what happens when you are seated too far away and end up missing out on all the action on stage? 

That's why bringing a pair of binoculars to your outdoor concert or indoor concerts is a great idea, they allow you to zoom in on the action and have an amazing time even if you are seated at the back of the concert setting.

To help you find the best binocular choice for concerts we have composed a guide below which will cover why you should use binoculars at a concert, the essential features to look for in concert binoculars and some tips for using them in concert settings.

Why You Should Bring a Binocular To a Concert 

You might wonder if you are allowed to bring binoculars to a concert at all, usually, concerts have no issues with your bringing in your binos to the concert venue, but if you are not convinced, we have listed a few benefits of bringing your binoculars to an outdoor concert or indoor concert below.

• It doesn't matter where you are seated - Even if you get seated on the worst seat at the back of your concert venue, with decent binoculars you can still see everything you need and have an awesome time.
• You don't miss out on the action - As a concert attendee you can sometimes miss out on seeing your favourite star or band member if they are too far away or people are standing in front of you, but with binoculars, you do not have to worry thanks to their magnification.
• They can be used in indoor and outdoor concerts - Incredible binoculars can be used for magnifying indoor venues thanks to their low-light imagery as well as outdoor venues as long as you get a pair of binoculars with better magnification.
• Tickets are cheap - The closer you are to the stage the more expensive your tickets will be, so you can get away with choosing a cheaper seat at a distance and save money as you will see everything with your binos.
• They are allowed unlike cameras - Most indoors concerts do not allow cameras inside of the venue but never have problems with binoculars.
• You see things other people don't - Having compact binoculars allow you to see expressions and get a different experience from most other people who are at the concert.
• They work great in low light - Thanks to the larger objective lens size in most concert binoculars, they work great in low light situations, you can always choose a pair with a larger exit pupil to make sure of this which we will get on to next. 

Main Features To Watch Out For In Concert Binoculars

If you are looking for the best pair of binoculars to take to a concert venue then you should be ensuring it comes with certain features, unlike your standard pair of binos, for a concert attendee your model should have more important specs such as a wider field of view, extra-long eye relief and a lightweight. 

We will list the top specs and features to watch out for in your concert binoculars below. 

• Magnification - First off, you want to make sure you are choosing the right power of magnification for your binoculars, this can range between 8x and 10x, for outdoor concerts, we recommend getting binos with a higher magnification as you will likely be further away but for indoor concerts around 8x will be more than enough. Never get binoculars with an extreme magnification for a concert as this will likely be handheld and become shaky.
• Objective lens size - The objective lens size can be anything from 32mm to 42mm for a dimmed concert hall as this allows more light in, don't be tempted to get a pair with a huge objective lens size as this will add a lot of weight to the binoculars which can lead to fatigue while holding them during a concert.
• Porro or roof prism - When choosing your pair of concert binoculars you will be faced with a decision between porro and roof prism binoculars designs. Although expensive, roof prism binos are more desirable for concerts as they have a lighter weight, they are more compact and durable.
• Field of view - The FOV that your binos come with is super important for concert viewing, this will be expressed per 1000 yards and the larger the better as it will enable you to see the entire stage without having to move the binos around all the time. 
• Eye relief - A long eye relief is one of the most necessary features in binoculars as you will be using the binos for up to 4 hours or more which can give eye fatigue. For eyeglass wearers, this should be over 15mm no matter what.
• Lens coatings - To have a fun time viewing a concert through binos, you should make sure the optics are of high quality, choose concert binos that have multi-coated lenses to remove any reflection and colour fringing and extra-low dispersion glass to produce better detail in low light.
• Design - The design of your binoculars should be easy to hold and durable, you never know when they might fall out of your jacket pocket or get dropped. For outdoor concert viewing the design of your binos should be waterproof as well for any unexpected weather situations.
• Weight - Do not choose binos that have a heavy weight for viewing concerts, this extra weight will make your experience less enjoyable as the binos will be handheld most of the time.

Tips For Using Your Binoculars At Concerts 

The objectives for concert binos are to be able to see everything on stage without having to have the best seat in the venue, but there are a few tips for using them at concerts if you want to get the most out of your experience. 

We've listed a few tips for using binoculars at concerts below.

• Use the naked eye first - Zooming in on a subject at a concert is not always easy, use your naked eye to detect where you want to view first then place your binoculars over your eyes and view accordingly.
• Wear the neck strap - A neck strap is very important to have as it prevents you from accidentally dropping your binos while observing.
• Keep your binos with you at all times - Concerts are full of sweaty people, and you might place your binos down for one minute only to look for them again and find they are not there, keep your valuables close to you during these events.
• Choose a higher-up seat - If you can, choosing a higher seat in your concert venue will give you a better vantage point to see everything.
• Keep the lenses clean - Keeping your lenses clean will give you the best image, do not be tempted to clean them with your shirt, instead use a microfibre cloth and a lens cleaning solution.
• Use them properly - Maintaining a good posture while using your binos is a good way to make sure you don't get fatigued, you should pull your shoulders towards your back to prevent hunching.
• Have easy accessibility - Store your binos somewhere close to like in your pocket or around your neck, this will make sure you can get to them quickly when needed and not miss out on any action.
• Choose a compact pair - Getting a pair of fold-up compact binoculars is the ultimate concert checklist item, these will fit nicely in your shirt pocket and not take up too much room. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Using Binoculars At Concerts 

How much do concert binoculars cost? 

Depending on your model they can cost anything between £100-£500, roof prism binoculars will cost more thanks to their compact design but are excellent for concert viewing.

What are the essentials for concert binoculars? 

A good field of view, lightweight, lens coatings and durability, unlike other binos specs such as close focus or a larger objective lens, do not matter in this case.

Am I allowed to bring binoculars to a concert? 

Yes, there is no reason as to why you cannot bring binos into a concert, just makes sure to keep them close.

What magnification should concert binoculars have? 

Any magnification between 8x and 10x will be enough for a concert venue.

Last Words  

Overall, you can bring binoculars to a concert with no issues, just make sure they have a good field of view and are compact as you will be holding them for long periods without a tripod or stabilisation.

By using binoculars at a concert you can be able to see more without having to have an expensive seat and they allow you to have a VIP experience from a distance no matter where you are sitting!