Single Hinge VS Dual Hinge Binoculars | Optics Trade Debates

By Maruša Justinek Dec 21, 2020

Hello and welcome to another Optics Trade debates episode. Today, we are discussing another distinctive feature of binoculars, that is whether they are of a single hinge or dual/double hinge design.

Binoculars with a single hinge design can be found in almost all categories: full-size, compact, low-light, marine, etc. Binoculars with a dual-hinge design, however, can be found in the pocket category.

Binoculars with a dual-hinge design have two hinges so they fold in two places. When folded, the barrels also touch each other. With a single hinge design, this is impossible because even when completely, folded, there is still some space between the barrels. The dual-hinge makes the binoculars very compact.

In the category of dual-hinge binoculars, the design of the bridge is very long in proportion to the rest of the binoculars. There are some exceptions where the bridge is quite short, like the Leica Ultravid.

In which fields do we use binoculars with a dual-hinge design, and in which the ones with a single hinge design? Single hinge binoculars can be found in all categories and can be used for all sorts of observations.

The dual-hinge is really specific for pocket binoculars and we use them for cycling, traveling, even for hiking – in situations where size matters so you can store them in pockets without problems. Also, they can be easily used by children, as they have smaller faces and the distance between their eyes is smaller.

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