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I spent 6+ hours over several sessions in my usual amazing testing environment comparing the Nikon Monarch M7 8x30 binoculars vs. the Pentax AD 7x32 ED binoculars side-to-side.
(Non-)disclaimer: I paid for both models myself and have no affiliation with any manufacturers or dealers.
The Pentax is larger, being about 15 mm longer and about the size of a Zeiss Victory T* FL x32.
Weights with included objective and eyepiece covers: 502 g for the Nikon vs 634 g for the Pentax.
The eyepiece covers for the Pentax fit loosely. Perhaps they are shared with larger models. I discovered that eyepiece covers from GPO fit the Pentax perfectly.
Both binoculars focus clockwise-to-infinity. Both focused very smoothly with no detectable backlash in the focus mechanisms. The focus wheel of the Pentax turns easier, but I don't have a preference.
Both binoculars are seem quite bright and display excellent contrast. However, unlike the 10x binoculars which I recently compared which were very similar optically, these two models are very different optically.
The apparent field through the Nikon is very wide and immersive, and for that reason, feels modern. The apparent field of the view in the Pentax is substantially smaller and seems antiquated in comparison.
However, despite the Nikon having a wider apparent and actual field of view, the field of the view through the Pentax is more usable. With the Pentax, you can easily direct your gaze to the edge of the field of view, whereas with the Nikon, you have to strain your eyes (and possibly reposition your head) to try to see to the edge of the field.
Both binoculars exhibit field curvature, but the lower magnification of the Pentax usually allows more of the field to be in focus because of the greater depth of field that lower magnification allows. If you predominately use your binoculars for scanning, I might recommend the Pentax over the Nikon.
When trying to view a single subject, objects viewed through the Nikon feel substantially larger, due to the 8x vs. 7x magnification and wider apparent field of view. (Also the actual magnification of the Pentax could be slightly less than the 7x designation, but that is just conjecture on my part.)
Chromatic aberration in both models is very well controlled (and much, much less than that of the 10x binoculars I recently evaluated). it is not really delectable until you get about 30% from center, and I rarely noticed it at all in real-world use.
Veiling glare through the Nikon is more of an issue than with the Pentax. But it can often be worked around by repositioning one's eyes upward. Also it occurred to me that I can 3D print tubular objective covers in TPU that might substantially reduce glare for the Nikon under most conditions. They would make the binocular longer, but would only weigh a few grams.
In the Pentax, there is a circular reflection from the barrels around the field of view which is more evident than in the Nikon because the edge of the field of view is more within one's field of vision. It is somewhat distracting, but doesn't interfere with the view substantially.
(Non-)disclaimer: I paid for both models myself and have no affiliation with any manufacturers or dealers.
The Pentax is larger, being about 15 mm longer and about the size of a Zeiss Victory T* FL x32.
Weights with included objective and eyepiece covers: 502 g for the Nikon vs 634 g for the Pentax.
The eyepiece covers for the Pentax fit loosely. Perhaps they are shared with larger models. I discovered that eyepiece covers from GPO fit the Pentax perfectly.
Both binoculars focus clockwise-to-infinity. Both focused very smoothly with no detectable backlash in the focus mechanisms. The focus wheel of the Pentax turns easier, but I don't have a preference.
Both binoculars are seem quite bright and display excellent contrast. However, unlike the 10x binoculars which I recently compared which were very similar optically, these two models are very different optically.
The apparent field through the Nikon is very wide and immersive, and for that reason, feels modern. The apparent field of the view in the Pentax is substantially smaller and seems antiquated in comparison.
However, despite the Nikon having a wider apparent and actual field of view, the field of the view through the Pentax is more usable. With the Pentax, you can easily direct your gaze to the edge of the field of view, whereas with the Nikon, you have to strain your eyes (and possibly reposition your head) to try to see to the edge of the field.
Both binoculars exhibit field curvature, but the lower magnification of the Pentax usually allows more of the field to be in focus because of the greater depth of field that lower magnification allows. If you predominately use your binoculars for scanning, I might recommend the Pentax over the Nikon.
When trying to view a single subject, objects viewed through the Nikon feel substantially larger, due to the 8x vs. 7x magnification and wider apparent field of view. (Also the actual magnification of the Pentax could be slightly less than the 7x designation, but that is just conjecture on my part.)
Chromatic aberration in both models is very well controlled (and much, much less than that of the 10x binoculars I recently evaluated). it is not really delectable until you get about 30% from center, and I rarely noticed it at all in real-world use.
Veiling glare through the Nikon is more of an issue than with the Pentax. But it can often be worked around by repositioning one's eyes upward. Also it occurred to me that I can 3D print tubular objective covers in TPU that might substantially reduce glare for the Nikon under most conditions. They would make the binocular longer, but would only weigh a few grams.
In the Pentax, there is a circular reflection from the barrels around the field of view which is more evident than in the Nikon because the edge of the field of view is more within one's field of vision. It is somewhat distracting, but doesn't interfere with the view substantially.
