BINOCULARS Where would the lifeguard be without this important optical instrument? They magnify distant objects to aid the lifeguard in watching the beach and water. It consists of two telescopes that can be focused together by means of a thumbscrew. They are usually capable of independaent adjustment for each eye. Each telescope is equipped with an eyepiece and objective lens. Binoculars are classified by their magnifying capability and power of collecting light. An example would be looking through a pair that was 8x30, with the first number as the magnification and the second being the diameter of the objective lens in millimeters. They are usually equipped with a lens cap to protect the lens and a neck strap for hands free portability.