[kristoffer]

I have no experience with monoculars but I have reached the conclusion that a monocular would serve me very good to, at and from my work and when I walk my dog etc. I like the idea that the monocular is so small that it will never be any hassle to keep it in the pocket. What monoculars have you tried and can recommend? Is it only Zeiss/leica that is worthwhile?

[gcole]

Kristoffer.... I just purchased a 6x30 Brunton Eterna Monocular for my brother, Great view 341/1000yds & great eyerelief. Its kind of big, half the size of a Minox 6.5x32 IF I owned. I got it for under $50 on Ebay new....Gwen

[kristoffer]

Thanks for the info! He does not find it a bit too big though? This one I assume?

http://cgi.ebay.com/6-x-30-Brunton-E...item4149e1f2a5


$50 sounds very cheap.

Originally Posted by gcole

Kristoffer.... I just purchased a 6x30 Brunton Eterna Monocular for my brother, Great view 341/1000yds & great eyerelief. Its kind of big, half the size of a Minox 6.5x32 IF I owned. I got it for under $50 on Ebay new....Gwen

[gcole]

No not to big, he did not want to carry a Bino to the beach & this takes up only half the size of a compact. Its waterproof & the optics are good also....Gwen

[gcole]

Originally Posted by kristoffer

Thanks for the info! He does not find it a bit too big though? This one I assume?

http://cgi.ebay.com/6-x-30-Brunton-E...item4149e1f2a5


$50 sounds very cheap.

I compared the prices & these were selling for $99 - 220 depending where you bought them, then a seller had some with no reserve on Ebay......Gwen

[mooreorless]

Gwen you need this.:-)
http://cgi.ebay.com/Remote-Control-B...item3ca6a3609d

Vortex
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...r.html#reviews

The Brunton looks like it has the longest ER

[kristoffer]

I like the look of the vortex. have you tried it?

Originally Posted by mooreorless

Vortex
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...r.html#reviews

The Brunton looks like it has the longest ER

[kristoffer]

Opticron Gallery scope, looks good. Anyone tried it?

Scroll down a bit.

http://www.sherwoods-photo.com/optic...n_monoc_fs.htm

[mooreorless]

No I have not, I have a broken half of a military Fujinon IF monocular, can't put that in my pocket. My boy has a Walters scope extra close focus that is 6.3x25 and I just tried it looking at road sign 225 meters away and could easily read the sign and er was good with glasses. This is very light wt. and the closest I see online to this monocular is this one and same size but wo armor BTW my boy's monocular is made in China. I wish I had this with me the other day trying to tell if there was wild turkeys or crows in a field a long ways off. I could tell by mannerism that they were turkeys as well as size.

http://www.adorama.com/VGDM6250.html

Originally Posted by kristoffer

I like the look of the vortex. have you tried it?

[kristoffer]

That was very cheap, hehe. Can I really expect it to perform at that price?

Originally Posted by mooreorless

No I have not, I have a broken half of a military Fujinon IF monocular, can't put that in my pocket. My boy has a Walters scope extra close focus that is 6.3x25 and I just tried it looking at road sign 225 meters away and could easily read the sign and er was good with glasses. This is very light wt. and the closest I see online to this monocular is this one and same size but wo armor BTW my boy's monocular is made in China. I wish I had this with me the other day trying to tell if there was wild turkeys or crows in a field a long ways off. I could tell by mannerism that they were turkeys as well as size.

http://www.adorama.com/VGDM6250.html

[kristoffer]

So I ordered the Opticron Gallery scope 8x20 today from Cleyspy. I really would prefer something like 5x20 or so but 6x16 sounded like a bit too small exit pupil. Well, we will see if I like it :)

[Kevin Conville]

Originally Posted by kristoffer

So I ordered the Opticron Gallery scope 8x20 today from Cleyspy. I really would prefer something like 5x20 or so but 6x16 sounded like a bit too small exit pupil. Well, we will see if I like it :)

?

6x16 has a slightly larger exit pupil than 8x20.

[kristoffer]

Originally Posted by Kevin Conville

?

6x16 has a slightly larger exit pupil than 8x20.

Yes, true. I did not mean exit pupil. I meant diameter of the lens.

[ceasar]

By coincidence the new Orion Catalogue, (#101 Holiday 2009) which I received in today's mail, shows a new 10 x 42 Monocular on the inside cover. Only $49.95. No specs like length, weight, ER, etc are given. But it is said to be waterproof.

www.oriontelescopes.com

Bob

PS: See compact binoculars in link above. Has 17mm ER and 309' FOV.

[andrew_s]

Originally Posted by kristoffer

I really would prefer something like 5x20 or so

like this?
http://www.astroshop.eu/vixen-monocu...20-golf/p,5601

[kristoffer]

Originally Posted by andrew_s

like this?
http://www.astroshop.eu/vixen-monocu...20-golf/p,5601

Yes, sweet specs. Anyone tried it? Vixen does quite nice eyepieces if I am not mistaken.

[kristoffer]

Got my 8x20 Opticron gallery scope today, really fast shipping from cleyspy, thanks! And I really like it, the image is way better then I expected and I like the format. I l give more info later on.

[Wolf Beam]

Hi Kristoffer, so how much did you have to pay for the monocular, including shipping?
I'm thinking of the Opticron 6x16

Wolfy

[kristoffer]

Originally Posted by Wolf Beam

Hi Kristoffer, so how much did you have to pay for the monocular, including shipping?
I'm thinking of the Opticron 6x16

Wolfy

The monocular costed me £69 and along with a mule pack (tripod carrying rucksack) the shipping costed me £10?!. Very nice prices and I got it shipped from UK in two days. Thumbs up. And the monocular impresses me, way to go opticron.

[Wolf Beam]

Thanks, Kristoffer. Does anyone know if a 8x20 and a 6xX16 would be equally bright? If they are made in a similar way with equal optics.

[kristoffer]

The 6x16 got a larger exit pupil but 16mm "feels" kinda small. Sherwood Optics recommended me the 8x20 for more brightness.

Originally Posted by Wolf Beam

Thanks, Kristoffer. Does anyone know if a 8x20 and a 6xX16 would be equally bright? If they are made in a similar way with equal optics.

[Kevin Conville]

Originally Posted by Wolf Beam

Does anyone know if a 8x20 and a 6xX16 would be equally bright? If they are made in a similar way with equal optics.

For most any applications you are likely to be using it for, the 6x should collect about as much light as the 8x. In theory, the 8x20 will have better performance in the lowest of light (twilight factor) but that's not these thing's forte anyway.

IMO there are other good reasons to choose the 6x though. Smaller size and weight, much wider field of view, and most useful, a greater depth of field. The last issue minimizes re-focusing which is helpful with these things, for quick handling. The 6x will lessen shake as well, which I find important as they are not the easiest optics to hold steady.

As a point of reference, I have a Nikon 5x15HG and find it about right, for the above reasons.

[Wolf Beam]

Thanks Kevin. I actually ordered an Opticron 6x16 today, before I read your post. I thought that the brightness would be approximately similar, just like you wrote.

The decisive factors was the fov of 163m/1000m and that the lower power would be useful in shaky situations, when on a boat, in a car or when I will be on a bus in Cameroon, three months from now :-)

[kristoffer]

The 6x16 might be better, I am going to order it aswell, so we will find out. My girlfriend want one for her dogwalks too.

[denco@comcast.n]

Originally Posted by kristoffer

I have no experience with monoculars but I have reached the conclusion that a monocular would serve me very good to, at and from my work and when I walk my dog etc. I like the idea that the monocular is so small that it will never be any hassle to keep it in the pocket. What monoculars have you tried and can recommend? Is it only Zeiss/leica that is worthwhile?

I have tried two from Eagle Optics that were not very good. Returned them. Dim and poor optics and not much ER. They were these two and I can't recommend them:

http://www.eagleoptics.com/monocular...25-monocular-2

http://www.eagleoptics.com/monocular...cular-metallic

But the best one I have ever seen for the money is this one from Orion Telescopes. It is the Orion Eagle Eye 8x32. It has a 7.8 degree FOV and amazingly sharp optics right to the edge. It is a little BIGGER so it is kind of big in a normal pocket but it puts all those little monoculars to shame when it comes to optics:

http://www.telescope.com/control/pro...8-4c91b3ad4fc5

Try it you will like it!