Monocular muddle

[richt]

Hi All


I am assuming this post should fall in the binocular section so here goes
My ever so generous wife (just in case she is a secret forum user and reads this ! ) having already purchased me nice 10 x 42 SE Nikon's last year has asked if i would like a decent monocular for v close insect and/or bird watching as its shortly my 44th (ouch !!) birthday "
Resisting the answer "no but i'll have some 8x 32 SE or 8.5 x 44 Swift Audubon's !) i thought about this and decided well why not its a gift !
Trouble is i know very little about the good bad and ugly in monocular devices and probably more critically dont really know how these actually translate in "real use"
So any useful advice ref models,magnification,close focus and whether mono's are worth having is highly welcome

I reckon the good lady would probably spend up to say £70-£80 maybe £100 ish if i increase the housework assistance

[Richard D]

Hi All


I am assuming this post should fall in the binocular section so here goes
My ever so generous wife (just in case she is a secret forum user and reads this ! ) having already purchased me nice 10 x 42 SE Nikon's last year has asked if i would like a decent monocular for v close insect and/or bird watching as its shortly my 44th (ouch !!) birthday "
Resisting the answer "no but i'll have some 8x 32 SE or 8.5 x 44 Swift Audubon's !) i thought about this and decided well why not its a gift !
Trouble is i know very little about the good bad and ugly in monocular devices and probably more critically dont really know how these actually translate in "real use"
So any useful advice ref models,magnification,close focus and whether mono's are worth having is highly welcome

I reckon the good lady would probably spend up to say £70-£80 maybe £100 ish if i increase the housework assistance

There aren't many out there - Opticron do a few http://www.opticron.co.uk/

and Minox do odd square ones that are supposed to be optically quite good:

Minox Site (http://minox-shop.payworxx.de/index.phtml?
Menue=10&minox_shop_2002=a4dcc250bf5c0203af4215e11bd412c5)

but I haven't used either. I had (probably still have somewhere) an old Bushnell 8x20 Monocular and can't get on with it at all.

[level seven]

I don't know too much about this, but I did buy a monocular as a compact piece of equipment to take to football matches for reading names on players' shirts etc. The few times I've used it for birding I've found it very hard to find a bird once seen with the naked eye, although I suppose it would get easier with practice.

Personally, I can't really see the point of them and would much prefer to pay a slight size/weight penalty, if that's what it takes, for the more natural view of a compact pair of binoculars.

[kabsetz]

A regular monocular is not that much fun if you have good binoculars, but what can be nice is a good quality mini monocular. I have a Zeiss 3x12 Classic, which works as a booster for binoculars or telescopes (can be fitted into the eyecup of your SE with some imaginative self-made rubber rings), can be used as such as a 3x mini-scope, focuses down to 20cm so shows insects and flowers really well, and is about the size of a disposable cigarette lighter. Zeiss also has the 4x12 Design Selection, and several larger models, but the two I have mentioned are the most pocketable and best suited for booster service. Excellent for optics testing as well.

Kimmo

[richt]

There aren't many out there - Opticron do a few http://www.opticron.co.uk/

and Minox do odd square ones that are supposed to be optically quite good:

Minox Site (http://minox-shop.payworxx.de/index.phtml?
Menue=10&minox_shop_2002=a4dcc250bf5c0203af4215e11bd412c5)

but I haven't used either. I had (probably still have somewhere) an old Bushnell 8x20 Monocular and can't get on with it at all.


Thanks for that will check this out though i'm sensing already its not a path that maybe worth travelling

Rich T

[richt]

I don't know too much about this, but I did buy a monocular as a compact piece of equipment to take to football matches for reading names on players' shirts etc. The few times I've used it for birding I've found it very hard to find a bird once seen with the naked eye, although I suppose it would get easier with practice.

Personally, I can't really see the point of them and would much prefer to pay a slight size/weight penalty, if that's what it takes, for the more natural view of a compact pair of binoculars.

Hi
Yes i can see there may be more to consider with this

Regards
Rich T

[richt]

A regular monocular is not that much fun if you have good binoculars, but what can be nice is a good quality mini monocular. I have a Zeiss 3x12 Classic, which works as a booster for binoculars or telescopes (can be fitted into the eyecup of your SE with some imaginative self-made rubber rings), can be used as such as a 3x mini-scope, focuses down to 20cm so shows insects and flowers really well, and is about the size of a disposable cigarette lighter. Zeiss also has the 4x12 Design Selection, and several larger models, but the two I have mentioned are the most pocketable and best suited for booster service. Excellent for optics testing as well.

Kimmo


Thanks Kimmo for an interesting option i hadnt considered with my SE's maybe i should be extra nice to the wife and ask for an 8 x pair of SE bins rather than the monocular !!