The new Nikon Monarch 7 8x30 is very nice! I have been using mine and I am very satisfied with it. The thing is really cute kind of like the Swarovski CL and about the same size but lighter YET! It is REALLY light. It is weird how much smaller a 30mm can be. The mechanics on it all work fine including diopter, IPD tension and eyecups and typical silky smooth Nikon focus. The accessories are all great with a nice rainguard, great strap, nice little case with belt loop and good tethered objective covers. Very typical Nikon high quality with a nice comfortable cushy rubber armour. I like it better than the Swaro CL for 1/2 the price. It has a much bigger FOV than the Swaro and in contrast to it's bigger brother the 8x42 Monarch 7 HD it is dead sharp on-axis. As sharp as my Swarovision and Conquest HD on-axis although these two do have a bigger sweet spot and of course the Swarovision has those sharp edges. IMO it is a better binoicular than it's bigger brother which too me is not that sharp on-axis. Very nice binocular if you are looking for something portable in the sub $500 range that is easy to carry around and you don't want to put up with the idiosyncrasies of a compact. I haven't looked through the new Swaro 8x25 but I will bet this little jewel will smoke it and it isn't much bigger. B&H has them in stock now and they have a no-hassle return policy.
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The new Nikon Monarch 7 8x30 is very nice! (1 Viewer)
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The new Nikon Monarch 7 8x30 is very nice! I have been using mine and I am very satisfied with it. The thing is really cute kind of like the Swarovski CL and about the same size but lighter YET! It is REALLY light. It is weird how much smaller a 30mm can be. The mechanics on it all work fine including diopter, IPD tension and eyecups and typical silky smooth Nikon focus. The accessories are all great with a nice rainguard, great strap, nice little case with belt loop and good tethered objective covers. Very typical Nikon high quality with a nice comfortable cushy rubber armour. I like it better than the Swaro CL for 1/2 the price. It has a much bigger FOV than the Swaro and in contrast to it's bigger brother the 8x42 Monarch 7 HD it is dead sharp on-axis. As sharp as my Swarovision and Conquest HD on-axis although these two do have a bigger sweet spot and of course the Swarovision has those sharp edges. IMO it is a better binoicular than it's bigger brother which too me is not that sharp on-axis. Very nice binocular if you are looking for something portable in the sub $500 range that is easy to carry around and you don't want to put up with the idiosyncrasies of a compact. I haven't looked through the new Swaro 8x25 but I will bet this little jewel will smoke it and it isn't much bigger. B&H has them in stock now and they have a no-hassle return policy.
marinemaster
Well-known member
Sounds good. Ill have to try one, maybe will on some discount a month from now 
I did. Thanks.
Yes. I think you will like it. Nikon did a nice job on this little binocular. Excellent optics for it's size. I think it will typically be awhile before the sporting goods stores have them. It is made in China but the quality control is very good. The dimensions are almost exactly the same as the Swaro 8x30 CL so if you like that size you will like the Nikon.I'll have to check it out at the local sports shop if they have it.
They carry a lot of Nikon bins there. Thanks for the review
Yes. If you can wait till especially after Christmas they will surely be discounted down to at least the $300.00 mark. Nice little birding binocular at that price. All the bells and whistles with ED glass, dielectric prism coatings, twist-out eyecups, 435 foot FOV and even scratch resistant coating on the lenses and only 15 oz. For those that can't quite live with a compact this could be your ticket.Sounds good. Ill have to try one, maybe will on some discount a month from now
Pleased to hear this positive review, I was selling a Monarch 5 8x42 and a prospective buyer asked if it would be a good binocular to take on safari. I told him that I honestly thought no, FOV too narrow, but as he wanted a similar priced, light, Nikon, I pointed him at clifton cameras range and the Monarch 7, he told me later that he bought the new 7 8x30, so I am relieved to hear it is good.
mooreorless
Well-known member
Sounds good. Ill have to try one, maybe will on some discount a month from now
I would say $300 shipped would be a good price for slightly used.:t:
Dennis thanks for your thoughts on this binocular.
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I think it would work good on Safari. Nice wide FOV and very sharp on-axis. Very dust and waterproof too and compact. The tethered objective covers stay on tight too. Good feature to have in Africa. I may be going there myself next year. I would not be afraid to take these. They seem very rugged and the armour is great with nice deep inset objectives
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I don't know the bigger Nikon Monarch's 8x42 HD's started at $479.00 them pretty soon they were on sale at $379.00 so I could see the 8x30's going for $299.00 on sale. Maybe after about 6 months though.I would say $300 shipped would be a good price for slightly used.:t:
Dennis thanks for your thoughts on this binocular.
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mayoayo
Well-known member
Thanks for sharing your view..I have been thinking about this model..How do you think the sharpness /sweet spot size compares with the Bresser Everest?..I like the Everest view.. The level of sharpness is good/starting-to-be-really-good ,field of view is super,but sweet spot is smallish/acceptable-only..You think the Monarch 30mm does better regarding sharpness /sweet spot?..
looksharp65
Well-known member
Nice, but the whole thread should be moved to the Nikon subforum.
//L
//L
Gijs van Ginkel
Well-known member
As you all know, the Nikon Monarch 7 8x30 is extensively reviewed and compared with the Kite Lynx HD 8x30 on this forum by Chris 37, since both binoculars are made by Kamakura, have the same dimensions and almost the same optics. Only Kite has chosen to do more investments in the quality of the Lynx, therefore it scores on a number of points higher then the Kite Lynx, but you can read that yourself.
Gijs
Gijs
Hi All,
I think Dennis brought up an interesting point during his Swaro Companion era, which is there just might be a niche market between a pocket and a x32mm binocular.
If so, around these parts it appears to be served up until now by only the Swaro. I've read in another posting how the CL flies out the door and doesn't remain in stock which would make it one of the hottest binoculars around. But my experiences around here, local retail, is it is always on display and available anywhere where Swaro is carried. So I wonder how strong of a seller it really is.??? I'm aware most on this forum have looked thru the companion at some time and many don't find the cost/value ratio that strong.
I was one who went from pockets to the Swaro x32 EL for huge optic and comfortable use gains at the cost of having to trade off a little size and weight. Had there been a well established and competitive marketplace for x30 binoculars... I just might have chosen it over a 32mm binocular.
Aware that women and children and travelers and hikers and backpackers and sports fans and car bin buyers are potential buyers for this product, and then combining it with a palatable price and decent optics and build quality.... I'm thinking Nikon may nail it with this binocular. If they do...
Anyone else thinking this may become the latest emerging/growing trend in binoculars?
My .02,
CG
I think Dennis brought up an interesting point during his Swaro Companion era, which is there just might be a niche market between a pocket and a x32mm binocular.
If so, around these parts it appears to be served up until now by only the Swaro. I've read in another posting how the CL flies out the door and doesn't remain in stock which would make it one of the hottest binoculars around. But my experiences around here, local retail, is it is always on display and available anywhere where Swaro is carried. So I wonder how strong of a seller it really is.??? I'm aware most on this forum have looked thru the companion at some time and many don't find the cost/value ratio that strong.
I was one who went from pockets to the Swaro x32 EL for huge optic and comfortable use gains at the cost of having to trade off a little size and weight. Had there been a well established and competitive marketplace for x30 binoculars... I just might have chosen it over a 32mm binocular.
Aware that women and children and travelers and hikers and backpackers and sports fans and car bin buyers are potential buyers for this product, and then combining it with a palatable price and decent optics and build quality.... I'm thinking Nikon may nail it with this binocular. If they do...
Anyone else thinking this may become the latest emerging/growing trend in binoculars?
My .02,
CG
Gijs van Ginkel
Well-known member
As you all know, the Nikon Monarch 7 8x30 is extensively reviewed and compared with the Kite Lynx HD 8x30 on this forum by Chris 37, since both binoculars are made by Kamakura, have the same dimensions and almost the same optics. Only Kite has chosen to do more investments in the quality of the Lynx, therefore it scores on a number of points higher than Nikon Monarch 8x30, but you can read that yourself elsewhere on this forum.
Gijs
Gijs
How is that possible?
Presumably Nikon has a larger volume than Kite, so they should get better terms from Kamakura. So Kite needs to pay more for the same quality and extra on top of that for better quality. Unless they can then sell at a premium, they must be working on a materially lower margin, which leaves less for the retailer as well.
What am I missing?
dalat
...
That the Kites cost quite a bit more?
mooreorless
Well-known member
I tried to do a search for dealers of Kite and find the Kite Lynx HD 8x30. The dealers in UK that had any Kite products didn't have the Lynx. A supposed Kite dealer in North America is Eagle Optics, no Kite products listed there. Any reference of how much better the Kite is to the Nikon is a moot point if it is not available and besides if it costs more it should be a little better.
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