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  3. 10 Best Opera Glasses in 2022 (Kingscope, Bushnell, and More)
  • 10 Best Opera Glasses in 2022 (Kingscope, Bushnell, and More) 1
  • 10 Best Opera Glasses in 2022 (Kingscope, Bushnell, and More) 2
  • 10 Best Opera Glasses in 2022 (Kingscope, Bushnell, and More) 3
  • 10 Best Opera Glasses in 2022 (Kingscope, Bushnell, and More) 4
  • 10 Best Opera Glasses in 2022 (Kingscope, Bushnell, and More) 5

10 Best Opera Glasses in 2022 (Kingscope, Bushnell, and More)

Have you ever felt that when you’re at a concert, the band always looks like a series of impressionist blurs on stage? To fix this, what you need are opera glasses. After all, sporting events, concerts, plays, and the opera are all more exciting when you can actually see what’s going on.

Opera glasses aren’t limited to those dainty, handheld, gold-trimmed lorgnettes you see in movies. There’s actually a diversity of types and features in an opera-glass. So let’s talk about what opera glasses are and how to find one that’ll work for you. Our favorite was Levenhuk's Broadway 325N. Find out why below!
Last updated 09/26/2023
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Table of Contents

How to Choose Opera Glasses – Buying Guide

There are so many numbers and terms that come when searching for a good pair of opera glasses: objective lens diameter, real field of vision, magnification. What does it all mean? Let’s try to make everything a little clearer.

1

Magnification Matters When You're Far From the Stage

Magnification Matters When You're Far From the Stage

A common misconception is that higher magnification means clearer images. Actually, higher magnification will shrink your field of vision, and make the images more susceptible to shaky hands!


As a rule of thumb, go for something that magnifies up to 10 times or less. Anything more zooms you up way too close and is frankly frustrating to use, unless you can hold perfectly still.


When you go to the museum, magnification between 2 times or 4 times is fine. For small concert halls, like local theaters, try 3 times to 6 times magnification. For large concert halls with second or third level seating, get a pair of glasses that’ll magnify between 6 times to 10 times.

2

Find Glasses With a Bigger Objective Lens for Brighter Images

Find Glasses With a Bigger Objective Lens for Brighter Images
To see, we need light. The diameter of the objective lens (also known as an aperture lens) directly affects brightness

The bigger the objective lens, the more lighting you’ll get, but the less magnification. Finding the perfect balance is key. When it comes to opera glasses, try going for an objective lens with a diameter size between 20 and 28 millimeters.


A word of warning though - as the diameter of the objective lens gets bigger, so do the opera glasses. And if you get something too heavy, you’re arms are going to get tired during long concerts.

3

Pick Something With a Wider Field of Vision

Pick Something With a Wider Field of Vision
“Field of vision” just means how much you’ll see when you use the opera glasses. A bigger field of vision means you see more of the stage. If you want exact dimensions, you’re going to have to do some math, but manufacturers will usually tell you where you should be using the glasses (at the football stadium versus in a tiny playhouse).


Something to keep in mind is that the higher the magnification, the smaller the field of vision. This makes sense since you’re zooming in closer.

4

Get Something That Feels Good in Your Hands

Get Something That Feels Good in Your Hands

Most opera glasses you have to hold up to your eyes, like binoculars. However, there are some that have a long handle, which means you only have to slightly raise your arm. Not only do these look classy, but they’re great for long nights at the opera. 

5

Pay Attention to Eye Relief If You Wear Glasses

Pay Attention to Eye Relief If You Wear Glasses
If you have a visual impairment and need to wear a corrective lens, then check out the eye relief. Eye relief refers to the distance you can put between your eyes and the opera glasses before things start getting blocked out. 

If you wear glasses, get something with longer eye relief – because you don't want to be pushing the opera glasses up against the face.


If you want the opera glasses resting on the bridge of your nose, then look for a short eye relief.

Was the Buying Guide helpful?

10 Best Opera Glasses

And now to move on to our list of the 10 best opera glasses available online. Each one takes into account the features in the buying guide.
Popularity
Products
Image
Click to purchase
Price
Key features
1

Levenhuk

Broadway 325N

Levenhuk Broadway 325N 1

$29.95

High Mid

Most Popular Option Based on Customer Reviews

2

Skygenius

Small Compact Binoculars

Skygenius Small Compact Binoculars 1

$12.99

Low

Bird-Watchers That Work for the Stadium

3

Kingscope

Vintage Opera Glasses

Kingscope Vintage Opera Glasses 1

$16.99

Low Mid

Opera Glasses for High Fashion Events

4

Aomekie

Opera Glasses

Aomekie Opera Glasses 1

$20.99

Mid

A Practical Lorgnette That Just Works

5

Bushnell

Compact Binoculars

Bushnell Compact Binoculars 1

$47.29

High

Wide-Angle View to See More of the Stage

6

HQRP

Opera Glasses

HQRP Opera Glasses 1

$18.91

Mid

Beautiful Lorgnette With a LED Light

7

Merytes

Portable HD and Blue Film Binoculars

Merytes Portable HD and Blue Film Binoculars 1

$16.99

Low Mid

Clear and Vivid Images, Slim Binoculars

8

Life Story

Compact Binoculars

Life Story Compact Binoculars 1

$19.99

Mid

Crystal-Clear Compact Binoculars With 99% Light Transmission

9

BARSKA

Blueline Opera Glasses

BARSKA Blueline Opera Glasses 1

$29.75

High Mid

Gold Trim and a Limited Lifetime Warranty

10

Goeco

Quick Focus Binoculars

Goeco Quick Focus Binoculars 1

$28.99

High Mid

10x Magnification for the Great Outdoors

If you don't see the product you're looking for, you can request that it be listed.
No.1

LevenhukBroadway 325N

Broadway 325N 1
Source:amazon.com
Reference price
$29.95
High Mid
Reference price
$29.95
High Mid

Most Popular Option Based on Customer Reviews

Lorgnettes, or handle opera glasses, are some of the most classic pieces used for watching a play. These particular ones can magnify up to 3 times and they sport an objective lens diameter of 25 millimeters. They perform beautifully for an evening at the theater; sit in the Mezzanine section, and watch the expressions flitting across the actors’ faces.

You can also purchase these with a gold chain (no handle) if you’d like some extra security. At only 7.7 ounces, they’re light enough, so your arm won’t be sore holding them up to your eyes. And there’s an LED light for when you’re bumbling around in the dark finding your seat, or reading your program.

Reviewers warn that batteries are hard to put in the glasses for the LED light - the screw is tiny and not obvious. Some of the build is plastic, and the field of view is narrower than some liked. However, most reviewers love the elegant design and that they work and are sturdy. 

Was this Ranking helpful?
No.2

SkygeniusSmall Compact Binoculars

Small Compact Binoculars 1
Source:amazon.com
Reference price
$12.99
Low
Reference price
$12.99
Low

Bird-Watchers That Work for the Stadium

These are traditionally bird-watchers but can be used just as well in the theater. These magnify up to 8 times, so you can bring them to grand opera houses, stadiums, and outdoor arenas. And though they’re light and small, you get a decent field of view. You can also adjust each eyepiece individually.

The lenses are covered in a multi-coated material that lets in light and reduces strain on your eyes. And for the bespectacled, they have an eye relief of 16 millimeters.

Reviewers say the eyepieces are too small and, due to the magnification, you have to hold them still and steadily to see clearly. On the other hand, reviewers like the compact size and how much detail they can spot through the binoculars.

No.3

KingscopeVintage Opera Glasses

Vintage Opera Glasses 1
Source:amazon.com
Reference price
$16.99
Low Mid
Reference price
$16.99
Low Mid

Opera Glasses for High Fashion Events

The finish on these glasses is beautiful. It comes in a necklace style, so you don’t need to worry about them slipping from your fingers, and it has an objective lens diameter of 25 millimeters. And they magnify up to 3 times–another small playhouse type deal. 


Reviewers say that adjusting the glasses is difficult. It's hard to change the focus just right, so you might miss some of the action. However, reviewers are happy with the design and how they are easy to use and store.

No.4

AomekieOpera Glasses

Opera Glasses 1
Source:amazon.com
Reference price
$20.99
Mid
Reference price
$20.99
Mid

A Practical Lorgnette That Just Works

When you’re of the fashionable sort, you can never get enough of gold-trimmed lorgnettes. These come in five colors, or with a necklace and no handle. They magnify up to 3 times and boast a 25-millimeter objective lens diameter for brightness and clarity.

The central focus dial works, but you may miss out on finer details. It’s small, will slide into your purse, and also comes with a pouch, so it won't be banging against other things. 

Reviewers say that the glasses aren't very magnifying, but most others find them to be the perfect size, functional, and practical. 

No.5

BushnellCompact Binoculars

Compact Binoculars 1
Source:amazon.com
Reference price
$47.29
High
Reference price
$47.29
High

Wide-Angle View to See More of the Stage

These magnify up to 4 times, so they're perfect for medium-sized venues. For glasses wearers, you can fold down the eyecups to make them easier to use with correctives on. The objective lens diameter is about 30 millimeters, which means you'll be getting more lighting - but, you'll also be getting more weight and a bigger product. 


They're also made for wide-viewing, so you'll be seeing more of the performance and feeling more immersed in the action. It's auto-focus, so you won't need to adjust them, either. 


Reviewers warn that, with glasses, you tend to lose more of the wide-angle view, since there is some distance between you and the binoculars. On the other hand, many reviewers say these glasses are durable and they love the wide field of view.

No.6

HQRPOpera Glasses

Opera Glasses 1
Source:amazon.com
Reference price
$18.91
Mid
Reference price
$18.91
Mid

Beautiful Lorgnette With a LED Light

This dainty, gold-trimmed lorgnette is packaged in a beautiful, Victorian-themed illustrated box. Bring them to small theaters, opera houses, or playhouses. The glasses magnify up to 3 times and have an objective diameter of 25 millimeters. There’s even an LED light in the handle, so you can still see inside your purse in the dark.

The field of view isn’t the best at 344 feet, so you can’t keep track of everyone on the stage at once. Rather, reviewers say you might have to bounce around from player to player, to see the smaller details. But they still say the glasses work perfectly fine and are great for the price point.
No.7

MerytesPortable HD and Blue Film Binoculars

Portable HD and Blue Film Binoculars 1
Source:amazon.com
Reference price
$16.99
Low Mid
Reference price
$16.99
Low Mid

Clear and Vivid Images, Slim Binoculars

These binocular-opera glasses magnify up to 10 times; and yet, they’re made from a light metal aluminum alloy and weighs only 7.05 ounces. There's a little handwheel on top too, which you turn to bring the image in and out of focus. You can adjust the lenses on the left and right separately, as well.

FMC blue film is installed over the lenses to keep pictures crisp. You'll be able to see colors, facial expressions, and more detail in general with these. And it also includes a pouch and cleaning cloth so they don’t get scratched in your bag.

It's perfect more for outdoor stadiums and big sporting events. It does get out of focus rather easily, but reviewers generally like that it renders crisp colors and is compact.

No.8

Life StoryCompact Binoculars

Compact Binoculars 1
Source:amazon.com
Reference price
$19.99
Mid
Reference price
$19.99
Mid

Crystal-Clear Compact Binoculars With 99% Light Transmission

Life Story's cute binoculars magnify up to 8 times and are covered in a multi-optical green coating that sucks in light and churns out sharp, defined images. They come in a lovely pink or black. They’re tiny and light, perfect to slip into a purse, and easily handleable by kids.

These are great for medium to huge theaters or concert halls. They’ve also got an eye relief of 16 millimeters, which means you can use them with glasses.

Reviewers find them, upon arrival, to have a chemical smell to them. However, for the most part, they find them perfect for smaller children. They fit easily in a pocket and magnify extremely well.

No.9

BARSKABlueline Opera Glasses

Blueline Opera Glasses 1
Source:amazon.com
Reference price
$29.75
High Mid
Reference price
$29.75
High Mid

Gold Trim and a Limited Lifetime Warranty

These Blueline Opera Glasses are compact and sturdy, redolent of Chinese redwood, and trimmed in gold. It also comes with a limited lifetime Barska warranty and a black leatherette pouch with a drawstring.

The objective lens diameter is 25 millimeters, and the magnification is 3 times, which is typical of opera glasses. The images are decently clear

Reviewers mention that the lenses are far apart, so you might be seeing double at some points. However, most agree that these glasses are classy, functional, and portable.

No.10

GoecoQuick Focus Binoculars

Quick Focus Binoculars 1
Source:amazon.com
Reference price
$28.99
High Mid
Reference price
$28.99
High Mid

10x Magnification for the Great Outdoors

These binoculars were originally made for bird-watching. They're waterproof, fog proof, and stand up to freezing rain and stifling humidity. The grip is non-slip, and the lenses are multi-coated so they let in more light and color.

It magnifies up to 10 times and they have a 50-millimeter objective lens diameter, which means there’s quite a bit of heft to these. But it also has a wide field of vision, vivid pictures, and resistance to the elements. So they're perfect for outdoor concerts or games.

Though the magnification is advertised as 10 times, reviewers say the actual magnification is about half of that - which is actually better for shows, as it'll be easier to focus. the lens. On the other hand, reviewers love how high quality these binoculars are and say they show super clear images.

Looking for Other Types of Glasses?

There are plenty of other types of glasses out there that are used for different purposes. Sunglasses to protect your eyes from strong sunlight and blue light glasses to prevent your eyes from tiring out while working on the computer are just a few kinds. If you're looking for other useful glasses, check out some of our other buying guides.

Top 5 Opera Glasses

No. 1: LevenhukBroadway 325N

No. 2: SkygeniusSmall Compact Binoculars

No. 3: KingscopeVintage Opera Glasses

No. 4: AomekieOpera Glasses

No. 5: BushnellCompact Binoculars

View Full Ranking
The descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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