huntabsarokee
Well-known member
Well the Nikon's arrived this morning. Took them out at lunch along with the Viper HDs both in 8x. I have been using Monarch 10x40 since about 2000 which I thought were decent except for the diopter does not lock and is loose so it moves all the time when putting the binocs in and out of the case. I don't wear glasses and vision is very good.
The short version is I may be flipping a coin to determine which binoc goes back. The wider FOV in the Monarch is obvious but I think the center sharpness of the 2 is about the same. I looked at them both in bright light outside and details seem to be the same from 50 to 150 yards. I then brought them in my lab and hung a fine print post card on the wall at 28 feet. Again details looked the same to me. I also had a co worker look at both of them. He is not a big binoc user but is a photographer so is used to looking through expensive cameras. He agreed there was not much difference in clarity and brightness.
They are almost the same length and the Viper weighed less than 1/2 oz more than the Nikon.
Nikon Pros
Less $110
Wider FOV
Nikon Cons
Made in China (yes it bothers me a bit)
Cheap thin case (probably won't use it anyway)
Loose fitting eye piece caps
Non locking diopter but shouldn't move its stiff
Vortex Pros
Unconditional warranty (which may be why its more $)
locking diopter
better case and covers
Vortex Cons
More $$
Narrower FOV but really only bothers me as a stat not in use
In the next 2 nights I will try and see of there is a difference in low light. I hung a set of deer antlers in a tree 60 yards from my porch for this purpose.
The short version is I may be flipping a coin to determine which binoc goes back. The wider FOV in the Monarch is obvious but I think the center sharpness of the 2 is about the same. I looked at them both in bright light outside and details seem to be the same from 50 to 150 yards. I then brought them in my lab and hung a fine print post card on the wall at 28 feet. Again details looked the same to me. I also had a co worker look at both of them. He is not a big binoc user but is a photographer so is used to looking through expensive cameras. He agreed there was not much difference in clarity and brightness.
They are almost the same length and the Viper weighed less than 1/2 oz more than the Nikon.
Nikon Pros
Less $110
Wider FOV
Nikon Cons
Made in China (yes it bothers me a bit)
Cheap thin case (probably won't use it anyway)
Loose fitting eye piece caps
Non locking diopter but shouldn't move its stiff
Vortex Pros
Unconditional warranty (which may be why its more $)
locking diopter
better case and covers
Vortex Cons
More $$
Narrower FOV but really only bothers me as a stat not in use
In the next 2 nights I will try and see of there is a difference in low light. I hung a set of deer antlers in a tree 60 yards from my porch for this purpose.