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Avalon 8x32 or Nikon Monarch 7 8x30 (1 Viewer)

giosblue

Well-known member
Avalon bins, any good. Looking at compact 8x32 or Nikon Monarch 7 8x30.
Anybody any experience with either of these? Avalon are 1/3 the price of the Nikons from what I've read they are very good though.
 
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Hi giosblue.
It may be best to try them before buying.
Some of the items on the Avalon site actually look expensive, say the 20x50 Porroprism binocular or tripod adaptor.
The items all seem generic as sold under different names.

It would be best to directly compare the Monarch 7 8x30 and Avalon 8x32.
I would think that there is a lot of sample variation with the Avalons.

Some of the reviews look rather questionable, maybe not by experienced binocular people.
 
Well, both sets of bins arrived on the same DPD van . First up, Avalon 8x32. Nicely packaged, a neat little pair of bins. Whats the view like?. AWFUL. I haven't looked through many bins, but these are the worst. My 20 year old Nikon 7x20 CF111 knock them into a cocked hat. The focusing is stiff and I can't seem to get them to focus properly. I know they are only £99, but even so I think these must be faulty, they are that bad. I also have a pair of Nikon Travelite 9x25 and they are really good, so it's not just the price.

Next up the Nikon Monarch 7 8x30. Again nice packaging and a nice compact pair of bins. Not tiny, just right for my hands. The view, FANTASTIC, A really wide, bright view compared to my other bins, pin sharp. with excellent contrast. Only tried them in overcast conditions, so don't know how they will fare in bright light, but really impressed so far.
 
Congrats on your Monarchs. As regards the Avalons...any bino named after one of Roxy Music's crappier songs should be avoided;)
 
Just had another play around with the Avalons. Definitely something amiss. All my other bins snap in and out of focus. These just don't do that, already packed up and ready to go back.
 
I have had another play around with them. The problems seems to be on the right hand side. When I set the diopter to the centre, which is where it is on all my other bins. The right hand is not quite right, I have to move the diopter to the full minus postion, but even though it's better, it's still not right. Really like the Nikons, the wide view is wonderful. I never thought a wide view was that important until I had tried these. I haven't looked through any of the latest alpha bins, but if they are better than then Monarchs, they must be something special.
 
Well, I emailed them expressing my concerns, and next day I get another pair in the post. No communication whatsoever. How strange is that? The replacements are fine, I think I'm keeping the Monarch 7 8x30 though.
Lovely view through these.
 
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