Binoculars may fall into categories pertaining to their magnifying power and their aperture size of the lenses.  The varying types of scopes are manufactured for a range of uses.  Standard binoculars are used for things like sports and event viewing, bird watching, and observations while hiking and camping.  Compact binoculars are ideal for theater goers and patrons of the arts, primarily because of their small size and light weight.  Giant scopes are more appropriate for such activities as star gazing.  The digital kinds are effective in capturing the images seen through the lenses, while the zoom kind are able to easily and rapidly zoom in on the object being viewed. 

There are two versions of night vision binoculars.  One type uses light amplification to collect available light to help you view an object in the dark.  The other type is the thermal imaging kind, which produce images from the heat generated by the object being observed. 

Manufacturers also produce specialty binoculars that can really enhance an activity.  Marine scopes are often equipped with a compass and a rangefinder that are helpful for boaters.  Birding binoculars are designed to capture colors truly, which helps bird spotters identify the species being viewed.