Another Nikon Monarch 7 question thread (1 Viewer)

Hi everyone

I have enter this forum a few days ago, now I'm getting ready to buy my first binoculars. For all the short time I'm intro this hobby I been using a cheap spotting scope, but it make it clear that the principal instrument for a birdwatcher and wildlife watcher is the binocular, as the spotting scope has a narrow field of view and start at 20X, this make very difficult to localize and aim at anything (birds always fly away when I finally found them with the scope) also is very clunky and slow to set up.

Binocular market almost non-existent here, local stores only sells overpriced US$30 cheap porro bino's, so in the past I ordered a very appealing but also cheap Shuntu ED glass 8x42 bins from china, but they never arrived and the seller send me a refund.

This led me to rethink about buying cheap equipment, and now I have around US$350-400 to spend in a good binocular.

I have surfed this forum and the web for reviews, education on optics, brands, and practical facts on binoculars, seem the more I read, the more facts are to be considered and difficult the choice becomes.

The principal fact I have learn about binocular's is that they are too much on the personal side, and no conclusion can be made out of the reviews, forums and info found in the web (In one site A is better than B, and on the other B is better than A...).

I had no intention to start another thread about the best bino's for the money, there is plenty of these around and always end up with high-end bino's discussion.

My question may be silly, but as the tittle say, I had put my eyes on the Nikon monarch 7 line, the 8x30 and the 8x42. My main reason is for their very good optics features, the wide FOV, and also that Nikon is a well established brand (also seem like they are always compared to $2000 high end binoculars without mercy, I consider this to be good).

I have read all I can about the battle that goes on with the Viper, Zen-Ray ZRS, Zeiss Terra, Athlon Midas, Alpen wings, Vortex, Celestron Trailsecker and general all brands that sells for this price. Some users love the Monarch 7, others dislike it (they found that they don't handle CA very well, or found too much rolling effect, and finally reported that they glare badly). Also several people had complained about QC manufacture problems.

I have read a lot on the Nikon subforum here also.

The main problem I have is that I have no means to test any equipment, as there is a almost non-existing market here. Also because of high shipping charges and taxes, buying online, test, and then return is not practical in terms of money and time (the time that most sellers give for returns is 30 days, which is only half the shipping time just to arrive to my country). So I'm buying very blind.

I have no previous experience with any binoculars more that the cheapest toy like ones.

I do use eyeglasses occasionally, probably I will use it regular in some time from now.

I humble ask for your opinion here, will I be fine choosing the Nikon Monarch 7 line? this will be my binoculars for at least several years. Or is really true that the price tag is high in comparison to the ones mentioned abode in terms of performance? :h?:

Many thanks in advance for all your comments and experiences. :hi:

Hi Franco,

I have the Monarch 7 8x30 and it is an excellent binocular and I have had no glare problems with mine. I believe that you will be fine choosing a Monarch 7. In my opinion it is well worth its price.

I have never had any problems with CA when I use binoculars. Some people are more susceptible to CA than others. If it didn't bother you with your cheap binoculars there is a good chance it won't bother you with good ones. Also you won't find any "rolling ball" in the Monarch 7's because they don't have a "flat field" of view.

I do have a suggestion for you since you say you use glasses occasionally.

If you do decide on the Nikon Monarch 7 and can afford it, I suggest that you get the 8x42 because it has longer eye relief than the 8x30 Monarch 7. The 8x42 will work better with glasses. Its eye relief is 17.1mm while the 8x30 has eye relief of 15.1mm. This doesn't mean that you won't be able to get along with the Monarch 8x30 should you chose to get it, but you might find that the 8x42 is more "friendly" to use.

Here is the link to Nikon USA for the 8x42 Monarch 7. It has 3 reviews of the binocular which you can read. It costs $479.99

http://www.nikonsportoptics.com/en/nikon-products/binoculars/monarch-7-8x42-atb.html

Bob

PS: My son was an exchange student at the Catholic University of Valparaiso for one semester a few years ago and I gave him a small Pentax 9x28 binocular to take with him which he used while trekking through Chile, Bolivia and Peru after the semester was over. He was very happy with it but he is not a serious birder. He did see a Condor with it. A couple of years later he spent a year teaching English in Valparaiso and he took an inexpensive 8x25 Kreuger with him while exploring Patagonia before he came home. They served him well for his purposes.

This illustrates the binocular maxim that "The best binocular is the one you have with you."

You, of course, are looking for a good, reliable birding binocular at a reasonable price so you should also consider the Sightron "Blue Sky II 8x32, a very economically priced Binocular which has one of the longest discussion threads ever, here on Bird Forum. You can probably get one from Amazon easily enough.

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=211793

They cost under $200.00.

https://www.amazon.com/Sightron-SIIBL832-8x32-Binocular-Green/dp/B004MFBSL4

Hi Pajaro

I think the Monarch is an excellent choice.

I have no issues whatsoever with my 10x30 M7 so if you don't need low light ability (although the 10x30 does have good transmission) and want to bird over more distance I can vouch for the 10x30 and I imagine the 10x42 would be somewhat better again but larger and more expensive.

I have quite a few bins now (both 8x and 10x) but if I want a compact and fairly serious 10x view then I have no qualms about grabbing my M7 and it has very good eye relief although I don't wear eyeglasses but it is one of my bins that I can use most easily with the eyecups fully extended. I find it very functional and easily capable of doing the job for which it is intended. For a more scenic and perhaps more appealing in general view I normally use one of my 8x bins (Hawke and Kowa)

I see no issue with choosing one of the M7 line based on my own experience with mine. I certainly intend to keep and enjoy it.

If you haven't already used or tried a properly good binocular then I imagine you will be very pleasantly surprised with the ability of the M7. You will see a new world open up and that's what it's all about after all and you certainly get value with the M7.

So I say go for it and enjoy, ASAP. Just decide on which one. Basically if you want light and compact then choose the 30mm. Do you want a bit better view and ease of use, then go 42mm. Do you want wide angle and brightness then 8x or do you want magnification with still good light capability (and big view as the 10's still have a good field of view)) then go 10x.

I imagine you won't be disappointed with any of them but you can select the most appropriate based on the terrain you will be using it in and also how important compactness is to you. The 42 is generally a more serious view but I think the 30mm is a good choice to start with and you really don't loose a lot in the view but you do gain a lot in convenience.

You could spend almost forever considering the variety of bins on offer and I have the same problem as you with not being able to try many so my opnion is that it's pretty safe to go for the Nikon. It is simply an excellent binocular for the money. I don't understand anyone that might have a problem with it but there will always be some for whatever reason. In general though it is a very well received binocular and rightly so in my experience.

I haven't tried the 8x30, by most accounts an excellent binocular, but I have tried the 8x42 and it is really quite nice. It's very light for a 42mm binocular--as light as my Conquest 8x32--and has the same 8-degree field of view, which is excellent. Very good color correction too, and comfortable to use. For general purposes, I would say try to stretch your budget to the 8x42; but if you're doing a lot of hiking in the Andes, the 8x30 is a better bet. I have been very tempted by the 8x30 as a hiking binocular, but am a bit nervous about its eye relief, because I do wear glasses and its 15mm eye relief specification is borderline.

I have mine since last year. It is my EDC (every day carry) bino. Not that I use it every day but it rests in my backback on my way to work.

I bought it after some of our forum members wrote about a hiking trip through a South American country. I don't recall where he exactly was but he wanted to avoid to loose one of his hi-end binos on the trip or get it damaged.

I have no complaints. Everything is going fine with it. Even with my eyeglasses.

I like it so much and have so much confidence in the Nikon brand that I would like to sell my old Zeiss 7x42 BGATP* in favor to a Nikon 8x42 HDG very soon.

I also use my Monarch 7 8x30 regularly when out for a hike or on holiday (unless a dedicated birding holiday). I find it really useful at that size and for those activities, because it is so light for its features. However, my first choice if weight/risk of loss of damage is not an issue is always my x42 bins. I believe that, if weight saving is not an important feature, that you would be happier with the 8x42.

Cluster said:

I also use my Monarch 7 8x30 regularly when out for a hike or on holiday (unless a dedicated birding holiday). I find it really useful at that size and for those activities, because it is so light for its features. However, my first choice if weight/risk of loss of damage is not an issue is always my x42 bins. I believe that, if weight saving is not an important feature, that you would be happier with the 8x42.

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I agree with you, Cluster. Unless weight savings is one of your PRIMARY selection criteria for a binocular I would choose an 8x42 over an 8x30 every time. Even an 8x32 is MUCH more comfortable to use than an 8x30. I personally would never buy an 8x30 again after having the Nikon Monarch M7 8x30. Way too much glare and tricky eye placement. In my opinion it is just not worth the weight savings and cost savings. A binocular like the Trac Toric 8x42 is in a whole different league from the Nikon M7 8x30 and it is only about $200.00 more expensive. For a little inexpensive binocular to throw in your glove box an M7 might be alright but for a full time birding binocular it just does not cut it. I know a lot of people like the M7 because it is small, light and cheap but for birding no way.

I was looking seriously at the Monarch 7, but used Tract's 15% Christmas sale this morning to order the Toric 8x42. Began wearing glasses earlier this year, so the longer eye relief on the Toric was a welcome feature.