The 10 Best Opera Glasses
Special Honors
Authentic Antique Opera Glasses Die hard theatergoers who want genuine vintage opera glasses will find them in a dedicated collectible marketplace like Ruby Lane. There are hundreds of offerings from dealers and estate sales in unique styles and very good condition. These include enameled French and German-made models from the 19th and 20th centuries. rubylane.com
Editor's Notes
May 08, 2019:
For this list, we prioritized portability, thoughtful optics, ergonomics, pleasing aesthetics, adjustability, and field of vision. We gravitated toward designs that employed broadband coating technology, which contributes to a clearer picture with better contrast, especially in low-light conditions, as well as a wide field of vision so that users could glimpse an entire stage at once.
That being said, we still thought the Bushnell Spectator merited a spot, despite having an atypical design, because they're versatile and provide a generous field of view.
The Vixen Optics Pink are ideal for users with weaker vision, extremely far away seats, or simply anyone who'd rather have a modern-looking unit. Conversely, the Levenhuk Broadway 325N and Aomekie Mini provide a classic lorgnette-style construction, with the former even having a built-in LED light for illuminating seat numbers and programs without interrupting the experience of other attendees.
The KabukiGlasses Ultra are expertly designed, of extremely high quality, and feature-rich. The company considered the smallest details when it comes to the wearing experience and vision enhancement, so naturally, we placed it at the top spot. You'll also find the popular LaScala and Eschenbach brands, both leaders in the field. LaScala offers modest prices while Eschenbach is known for its high-quality German construction.