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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Monoculars (1 Viewer)

What about the opticrons monoculars 8x32 (er16mm) or T3 Trailfinder Roof Prism Monocular
8x25 (er17mm). i wear glasses and i want something 8x in the midrange . I cant believe that nobody british jentleman espesially has any experience.
 
The Trailfinder has a lever focus rather than rotary. A lot of reviewers say that the focus is tricky. I haven't tried the 8x32 but it seems the obvious choice for spectacle wearers.

The downside to the Opticron is the thickness of the rubber armour. The 8x30 is the same size as the Viking 10x42 & the viking only weighs 50g more. So in effect you get a 10x42 for the size of a 8x30
 
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Galwayguy,
If I remember well, Kite has exactly the same monocular as Zenray, so you could give that a try.
Gijs van Ginkel

Almost three times the price of the Zen Ray or Viking. The Viking is the cheapest is the UK & looks identical but I don't know if it is.
 
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I would have no doubts that the Opticron is good - I have a Gallery Scope. It's just physically big for a 8x30 - nearly 2 inches diameter.
 
I didn't find much here regarding the Opticrons but I suspect they are pretty good. I did find a few comments about the Viking which were all positive.

It looks like there is a Chinese factory that produces the 8x42/10x42 & then rebrands it for Zen Ray, Viking & Kite. The price differences are amazing. I have seen the same monocular at nearly three times the price.
 
Opticron 8x32 WP monocular

Tom666:

I hope that some other visitor to the Bird Forum responds to your request for a review of the big Opticron 8x32 monocular.

Otherwise you're right that the Bird Forum and web supply only scanty comparative reviews* of the big x30 or x32 monoculars in the Monk, Kite, Helios, or Opticron ranges.

I've searched again, and reminded myself that I too had to buy the Helios on the basis of just one useful comparative review (which for present purposes unhelpfully did not specifically mention the Opticron).

But at least as to the Opticron (assuming the 8x30 and 8x32 to be much the same optically) you have two comparative reviews rather than my one to go on:

* There's Mike's review on Amazon on 31 March 2015.

* And there's FrankD's posts in the Bird Forum thread 'Which monocular' that JohnnyScience started on 2 April 2013.

Further there are virtually no negative reports in the non-comparative reviews.

I was indeed able to 'Try before I bought'.

But buying on the information before you is still better than plunging solely upon the basis of advertiser's 'puff'!


Stephen


* By 'comparative review' I mean a review by a person with experience of good optics
 
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If I decide on the Viking what are the thoughts on whether to go for the 8x42 or the 10x42 ? There is no difference in price & a lot of my viewing will be over longer distances. I once considered the 10x20 Victorys & I am guessing that a 42 would cope better with 10x.
 
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Just been trying the Opticron 8x30 Waterproof & I am impressed. It bears no comparison to the Gallery Scope & I am comparing it to my Dialyts. I am glad that I chose it over the similar sized 8x40's mentioned in this thread.

It is quite big, due the armouring, but it feels really nice in the hand & it's easy to focus one handed. The focus is smooth & progressive with, to me, a reasonable depth of field. The image is bright. It easily fits in a jacket pocket or in a belt pouch.

Worth saving a search on ebay. I paid £40 for mine.
 
Galwayguy

That's good to hear!

Stephen

In case you find it useful, here are photos of a simple 'customisation'. The split ring affords good partial--although not complete--protection against dropping the plot when you're not using the neck strap. I have also found myself using the split ring generally, even when I am using the neck strap, but can't pin down the ergonomic reason why.

The diameter of ring that works for me is one that affords a reasonably close, but still loose, fit round the inner digit of the second finger
 

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Galwayguy

That's good to hear!

Stephen

In case you find it useful, here are photos of a simple 'customisation'. The split ring affords good partial--although not complete--protection against dropping the plot when you're not using the neck strap. I have also found myself using the split ring generally, even when I am using the neck strap, but can't pin down the ergonomic reason why.

The diameter of ring that works for me is one that affords a reasonably close, but still loose, fit round the inner digit of the second finger

It's a good idea if you are on rough ground. Personally I thought about actually removing the neckstrap loop as I am unlikely to use it. But I will wait until I have had it for a while longer in case I change my mind.

I find it strange that monoculars aren't more popular. Mine is about the size of a pair of the Victory compacts but I paid 1/10 th of the price. The image quality is surprisingly good.

I was doubtful because Opticron price the Gallery scope at a similar price & it is nothing like as good. It's just so useful to have something accessible, fast & easy to use one handed.

My binos rarely come with me whereas this is in my pocket on every dog walk.
 
Galwayguy

It's come back to me: I fitted the split ring first to supply an attachment point with a carabiner on my belt. I discovered the utility of the ring also in use later.

Stephen
 
All I brought with me yesterday evening on a short cycle was my 6x16 Specwell and I was really pretty impressed with it.

I had been fiddling about with the eyelenses for a long time, trying them in different configurations and I seem to finally now have the most effective configuration, in my opinion anyhow.

If a D is roughly the lens shape then I have D-D and reverse D (3 lenses, one a doublet) and the spacer between the first two reversed so they butt against each other. I found I preferred this set up on my 8x20 Specwell also but I still find the 6x18 much more usable. For it's tiny size I'm getting almost a sort of full size view with it's 10 deg fov but it works best with the eyecup folded down to get right in close.

My 8x20 Specwell seems to suffer from a lack of darkening inside the barrel so I've been wondering if I could dismantle it and spray it black or something. You can see it's reflecting light back onto the objective and killing the contrast with slight glare production otherwise it's really good with sharp focus near or far but the 6x16 doesn't suffer glare much at all and also has good sharpness..

I'm happy with the 6x16 though. My adjustment to that makes it very useful even for some distance detail. It just now has that amazing effect of putting something tiny up to your eye and getting this relatively big view! I look forward to amazing people with it and I've even got two of them as I bought a new spare a while back. Actually I just cycled along with it in my back pocket in it's pouch which was possible due to it's small size and I use a long neck lanyard otherwise.

Basically because of this I am thinking better of monocs but I still think I will stick with bins for anything larger although never say never I suppose but I think I'm a small monoc fan especially now I've got this 6x16 doing it's thing i.e. really becoming something useful and effective and very compact.
 
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