Which make? The top three are Leica, Zeiss and Swarovski.

Don't sit on the fence. It's neck and neck: but Leica reckon you can use theirs for an extra half-hour at dawn and dusk.

How do they do it? Very precise optics, and a secret recipe for the glass.

Which model? The Leica Trinovid 8 x 20 BCA is their pocket-sized all-rounder: for opera, races, low-level bird-watching.

All those numbers and letters. The 8 is the magnification, 20 the diameter in millimetres of the front lens. B means you can use them with specs, C is for compact and A is for armoured, ie rubberised protection.

Since when did B stand for spectacles? It stands for Brille, actually.

German, then? Jawohl. Zeiss are, too, while Swarovski are Austrian.

Any more background? Leica have made lenses and microscopes since 1849, and cameras since 1924.

Specifications? The Trinovid is a bit bigger than a fag packet: 60 x 35mm. Weight 223g, cost £300.

What's the alternative? Grandpa's wartime bins in that crumbling leather case.