How many of the Monarch fans regularly use them for more than just quick viewing (say less than 3 minutes)? with good results?
They alway seem tops in the reviews. At first glance, I'd tend to agree. However, I have experienced eye strain within minutes with at least three different pairs (8x32 and 8x42). As well, when really concentrating on particular birds,etc, I've struggled to get that really sharp center image. I know this is minority opinion - just "keeping' it real"
If you plan to actually watch birds, etc for more than just a few minutes, I would NOT recommend the Monarchs. We don't yet know what your $ range is, but there are alot of options under $500. You might consider the Pentax SP, the Zeiss Diafun, or the Swift Audubon (porro) for better viewing.