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Monocular (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Jerry S
- Start date
I have a Zeiss Mono 6x18T* monocular. It has draw tube focusing.
The further you pull out the tube the larger the small object viewed becomes. This makes it somewhat difficult to hold steady and find a light source lighting the object that is unobstructed unless you set one up.
Using it as a 6x18 telescope looking at objects or birds and bugs 10 feet or more away is much easier because it has a very wide FOV and one doesn't have to move the draw tube very far, if at all.
Zeiss also makes them in 4x12T*, A Pocket Pen Sized 5x10T*, 8x20T* and 10x25T*. They are rather expensive.
They also have a very expensive 3x12T* which is designed for use on binoculars. It makes one tube of an 8x42 binocular 24x42. Of course it has to fit snugly on the eye cups. It can also be used as a 3x12 microscope.
Here is the Zeiss Great Britain web site:
https://www.zeiss.co.uk/sports-optics/en_gb/nature/binoculars/monoculars.html#models
Bob
Last edited:
Gijs van Ginkel
Well-known member
Jerrythesnake,
Minox has a nice porro monocular with macro possibility and there are also different Japan made monoculars with extreme close focus properties.
Gijs van Ginkel
Minox has a nice porro monocular with macro possibility and there are also different Japan made monoculars with extreme close focus properties.
Gijs van Ginkel
pete_gamby
Birds? What Birds?!
We have a range of macro focus monoculars:
https://www.opticron.co.uk/our-products/monoculars/macro-focus-monoculars
HTH
Cheers, Pete
https://www.opticron.co.uk/our-products/monoculars/macro-focus-monoculars
HTH
Cheers, Pete
Gijs van Ginkel
Well-known member
Pete, post 4,
I have used the gallery scope 8x20 a lot and it works fine. Advantage is, that you do not need a special lens for close focus use as is necessary for the Leica Monovid.
Gijs van Ginkel
I have used the gallery scope 8x20 a lot and it works fine. Advantage is, that you do not need a special lens for close focus use as is necessary for the Leica Monovid.
Gijs van Ginkel
The Monovid has excellent optical quality and with the close-up lens works as a high-magnification stand-off loupe. Putting the close-up lens on and off is a cumbersome exercise, however. I keep it on always as I use a pair of Zeiss Victory Pocket 8x25 for distance viewing.
The closest focusing monocular I know without a close-up lens is the Minox Macroscope. Unfortunately, it is quite bulky due to its Porro prism design. The Nikon High Grade 5x15 and 7x15 will focus to 60cm, and are very compact, probably the best option for EDC.
The closest focusing monocular I know without a close-up lens is the Minox Macroscope. Unfortunately, it is quite bulky due to its Porro prism design. The Nikon High Grade 5x15 and 7x15 will focus to 60cm, and are very compact, probably the best option for EDC.
Hello Jerrythesnake.
How close do you want to get?
The Leica that you mention gets to about 5 feet without the close-up lens. With the close-up lens, it jumps immediately to 12-14 inches, depending on how the focus is set. You've basically lost the 1 to 5 foot range, which is the trade-off for this type of system.
Pentax makes a 8x42 monocular which includes a screw-on close-up lens with a built-in clear acrylic base. Without the close-up lens, the monocular focuses to about 6 feet. With the close-up lens, it jumps to about 2 inches (the height of the acrylic base). Focus adjustment can fine-tune the focus distance perhaps 1/2 inch. With the close-up lens attached, this is basically a field microscope.
If you want continuous close-focus, Vixen's Artes HR6x21 will get down to about 2 feet. Likewise, the Nikon HG's (5x15 ad 7x15) will both get to about 2 feet, too. But, if this were close enough for your purposes, I'd suggest simply buying a Pentax Papillio binocular so that you can use both eyes.
Bob mentioned the Zeiss models. I have the 3x12 and 4x12. The 3x12 will focus to about 8-10 inches, the 4x12 to about 12 inches. I don't have any experience with the 6x18, 8x20, or 10x25, but I would assume that these will focus pretty close, too. My only issue with the Zeiss models (except the 3x12) is their plastic construction and push-pull focus. All are quite expensive too.
How close do you want to get?
The Leica that you mention gets to about 5 feet without the close-up lens. With the close-up lens, it jumps immediately to 12-14 inches, depending on how the focus is set. You've basically lost the 1 to 5 foot range, which is the trade-off for this type of system.
Pentax makes a 8x42 monocular which includes a screw-on close-up lens with a built-in clear acrylic base. Without the close-up lens, the monocular focuses to about 6 feet. With the close-up lens, it jumps to about 2 inches (the height of the acrylic base). Focus adjustment can fine-tune the focus distance perhaps 1/2 inch. With the close-up lens attached, this is basically a field microscope.
If you want continuous close-focus, Vixen's Artes HR6x21 will get down to about 2 feet. Likewise, the Nikon HG's (5x15 ad 7x15) will both get to about 2 feet, too. But, if this were close enough for your purposes, I'd suggest simply buying a Pentax Papillio binocular so that you can use both eyes.
Bob mentioned the Zeiss models. I have the 3x12 and 4x12. The 3x12 will focus to about 8-10 inches, the 4x12 to about 12 inches. I don't have any experience with the 6x18, 8x20, or 10x25, but I would assume that these will focus pretty close, too. My only issue with the Zeiss models (except the 3x12) is their plastic construction and push-pull focus. All are quite expensive too.
Jerry S
Well-known member
Thanks so much for your replies everyone! I went for the minox