Thanks Howard. I hope to receive a 10x30 M7 today or tomorrow and I have to admit I'm fairly apprehensive about it. I used to have a Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 10x42 and it could have some CA but it never really bothered me so hope the M7 is similar to that. Swaro's and Leica HD also had some CA but not bothersome to me like the E2. Maybe my eye placement with the E2 wasn't that great. I think the eyecups would have been better a little bit shallower or I could have folded them but I think I'd rather have adjustable eyecups. Small exit pupil won't be any surprise to me with the 10x30 after all I use an 8x25 at times but my 8x43 Sapphire certainly are very easy to use (never any eyestrain) with the large exit pupil and they never glare/flare in fact the more binoculars I buy/try it seems the Sapphire shows me again that it really is an extremely good optic and I don't expect the 10x30 to displace it from that position excepting that the M7 is almost half the weight and much more compact (must take a photo of them side by side), so useful to take cycling.
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A Monarch 7 8x30 for a couple of days (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter oetzi
- Start date
Thanks Howard. I hope to receive a 10x30 M7 today or tomorrow and I have to admit I'm fairly apprehensive about it. I used to have a Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 10x42 and it could have some CA but it never really bothered me so hope the M7 is similar to that. Swaro's and Leica HD also had some CA but not bothersome to me like the E2. Maybe my eye placement with the E2 wasn't that great. I think the eyecups would have been better a little bit shallower or I could have folded them but I think I'd rather have adjustable eyecups. Small exit pupil won't be any surprise to me with the 10x30 after all I use an 8x25 at times but my 8x43 Sapphire certainly are very easy to use (never any eyestrain) with the large exit pupil and they never glare/flare in fact the more binoculars I buy/try it seems the Sapphire shows me again that it really is an extremely good optic and I don't expect the 10x30 to displace it from that position excepting that the M7 is almost half the weight and much more compact (must take a photo of them side by side), so useful to take cycling.
Actually just received the 10x30 and boy was I nervous about opening the box and having the first look at and through these after all the faff with the E2.
Big shout out for the super service from Microglobe. Phone ordered Monday morning, here Tuesday morning and my E2 returned no questions asked.
So what is my first impression of the M7 10x30.
Well.......BRILLIANT!!!!! Just absolutely BRILLIANT.
They are so tiny the grip seems odd but I honestly don't think I could have hoped for more than what I'm seeing so far.
Absolutely tremendous so I assume the 8x must be also and I could well in future want a pair of those too but I like the magnification with these already. No difficulties with eye placement but I'm using them with the cups folded down to the first stop.
I'll have to take them out today for a proper look around to really gauge them and see if I get any flare/glare problem. There is only a tiny bit of CA and that's because I looked for it. The big wide (yes wide even for a 10x) view is outstanding and they seem to be surprisingly bright with no blackouts or anything adverse that I can find so far. No shiny parts inside. Seem to be all well matt blackened. Lenses perfect, everything tightened perfectly. This is a "cherry", no doubt about it.
Superb!!!!! Amazing actually. Really really really happy with these:bounce:
p.s. and this is coming from some-one who loves their Sapphire 8x43 but who immediately returned a Sapphire10x42 as I just didn't like those from the get go. Just didn't like the the washed out norrower view although no doubting the were ultra clear.
Hope I get on with these 10x30 when I go out later. Learned that lesson from the E2.
Big shout out for the super service from Microglobe. Phone ordered Monday morning, here Tuesday morning and my E2 returned no questions asked.
So what is my first impression of the M7 10x30.
Well.......BRILLIANT!!!!! Just absolutely BRILLIANT.
They are so tiny the grip seems odd but I honestly don't think I could have hoped for more than what I'm seeing so far.
Absolutely tremendous so I assume the 8x must be also and I could well in future want a pair of those too but I like the magnification with these already. No difficulties with eye placement but I'm using them with the cups folded down to the first stop.
I'll have to take them out today for a proper look around to really gauge them and see if I get any flare/glare problem. There is only a tiny bit of CA and that's because I looked for it. The big wide (yes wide even for a 10x) view is outstanding and they seem to be surprisingly bright with no blackouts or anything adverse that I can find so far. No shiny parts inside. Seem to be all well matt blackened. Lenses perfect, everything tightened perfectly. This is a "cherry", no doubt about it.
Superb!!!!! Amazing actually. Really really really happy with these:bounce:
p.s. and this is coming from some-one who loves their Sapphire 8x43 but who immediately returned a Sapphire10x42 as I just didn't like those from the get go. Just didn't like the the washed out norrower view although no doubting the were ultra clear.
Hope I get on with these 10x30 when I go out later. Learned that lesson from the E2.
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Don't you just love that feeling? o
You bet. I'm still sitting here, can't help staring through them in amazement.
I think that must be a good sign!
Alpha's this and alpha's that but this is so small remember and 10x is hard to pull off well especially with only 30mm as an objective and this being a budget bin in comparison. As I say, very impressed.
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Just back from a few hours out with the 10x30 M7.
Weather very changeable. Was cycling at one stage and I'm sure it must have been very similar to being in a huge washing machine. Then strong sun. Next I was having a coffee and another storm and almost couldn't hold onto the coffee in the driving rain while trying to get to a tree for shelter. Ah Ireland in June. Sort of like Hell :C
Maybe needed the Sapphire with the hydro coatings but glad to say the 10x30 was really superb. Only fault I saw was purple and yellow bifs but only dark backlit birds like crows and rooks. Gulls seemed to be ok. I'm thinking this is something with Nikon that they just don't do backlit dark birds in flight? Anyhow at least this time the oak tree wasn't purple.
No glare or flare problems for me with these. Total non issue.
I absolutely love these little binoculars and glad I went for the 10x as it just works so well. Close up is really brilliant. By that I mean birds about 10-20 meters range. They're huge and bright and look really super in the good light at the time. My Sapphire at 8x wouldn't have been as good not being as close-up nor as colour rich.
The wide field of view makes it easy to track birds in flight and the focus is fast but very good as in accurate with perfect focus easily and quickly obtainable. One of the best I have ever used, better than a lot of much more expensive bins I've had. It seems cheaper built than the most expensive but it's definitely effective and built to a perfectly good high standard.
Actually I must give credit to the Chinese build here as it's nothing short of 100% so they really deserve some acknowledgement.
I could stay out for hours with these and really enjoy them and in fact I will definitely be doing that often. Couldn't detect any eyestrain which is also remarkable.
I would say for me the best value for money I have ever received in a binocular but that of course is just how I feel but if you want a 10x bin something this size then I would certainly say give them a try and if you are like me then you definitely are going to be happy.
I'm so glad to have a 10x bin that I enjoy again, in fact this could be my favourite binocular ever. When I was testing the E2 I was missing the Sapphire. When I was testing these I was thinking these are possibly better for me than the Sapphire but I know I still really like the Sapphire very much also.
What more can I say. Result!
If I wasn't me and I was reading this and was in the market for something like this I'd be buying a pair pretty sharpish. Personally I'd love another one as a backup and may get an 8x when next I have some spare cash.
Nearest bin to this I've owned is probably the Leica 10x32 HD but these M7 sort of reminded me more of an Opticron 10x42 DBA (original silvered prism model) that I owned and these are at least as good as either of those or possibly even more preferable in terms of size and view. They may of course not be just as bullet proof but they seem fine and anyhow you can buy 6 of these or one Leica. I know which I would choose.
Oh click stops on the eyecups work but don't seem very solid but outside I often use bins with the eyecups completely down as I did with these today.
Another thing worth mentioning is they have threaded tripod attachment which could actually be good for use on a tripod if you are not able to use them steadily. May be more useful with these 10x. I might even try them like this sometime as I have a couple of binocular mounts one currently in use with my 15x70 porros.
Tonight I'll see how they go in low light. They aren't the optimal tool for that but I really expect them to be useful all the same and I'll get some idea of how they fare against my 8x43 Sapphire.
Love these. Yes love. So pleasantly surprised by them. Wouldn't swap for two E2's but I did like the E2 for viewing from the house.
Credit has to go Nikon also. I think it's something to do with the big wide oculars in fashion today that make these bins work. I'm all for it and the dielectric coating certainly shows in the brightness through these. White areas are very bright and contrasty such as backgrounds through branches or such. Just amazing. The performance of these would only have been achieved in the best binoculars of the past and now it's something many more can enjoy and that certainly includes me.
Almost forgot. Handling = simply excellent.
Weather very changeable. Was cycling at one stage and I'm sure it must have been very similar to being in a huge washing machine. Then strong sun. Next I was having a coffee and another storm and almost couldn't hold onto the coffee in the driving rain while trying to get to a tree for shelter. Ah Ireland in June. Sort of like Hell :C
Maybe needed the Sapphire with the hydro coatings but glad to say the 10x30 was really superb. Only fault I saw was purple and yellow bifs but only dark backlit birds like crows and rooks. Gulls seemed to be ok. I'm thinking this is something with Nikon that they just don't do backlit dark birds in flight? Anyhow at least this time the oak tree wasn't purple.
No glare or flare problems for me with these. Total non issue.
I absolutely love these little binoculars and glad I went for the 10x as it just works so well. Close up is really brilliant. By that I mean birds about 10-20 meters range. They're huge and bright and look really super in the good light at the time. My Sapphire at 8x wouldn't have been as good not being as close-up nor as colour rich.
The wide field of view makes it easy to track birds in flight and the focus is fast but very good as in accurate with perfect focus easily and quickly obtainable. One of the best I have ever used, better than a lot of much more expensive bins I've had. It seems cheaper built than the most expensive but it's definitely effective and built to a perfectly good high standard.
Actually I must give credit to the Chinese build here as it's nothing short of 100% so they really deserve some acknowledgement.
I could stay out for hours with these and really enjoy them and in fact I will definitely be doing that often. Couldn't detect any eyestrain which is also remarkable.
I would say for me the best value for money I have ever received in a binocular but that of course is just how I feel but if you want a 10x bin something this size then I would certainly say give them a try and if you are like me then you definitely are going to be happy.
I'm so glad to have a 10x bin that I enjoy again, in fact this could be my favourite binocular ever. When I was testing the E2 I was missing the Sapphire. When I was testing these I was thinking these are possibly better for me than the Sapphire but I know I still really like the Sapphire very much also.
What more can I say. Result!
If I wasn't me and I was reading this and was in the market for something like this I'd be buying a pair pretty sharpish. Personally I'd love another one as a backup and may get an 8x when next I have some spare cash.
Nearest bin to this I've owned is probably the Leica 10x32 HD but these M7 sort of reminded me more of an Opticron 10x42 DBA (original silvered prism model) that I owned and these are at least as good as either of those or possibly even more preferable in terms of size and view. They may of course not be just as bullet proof but they seem fine and anyhow you can buy 6 of these or one Leica. I know which I would choose.
Oh click stops on the eyecups work but don't seem very solid but outside I often use bins with the eyecups completely down as I did with these today.
Another thing worth mentioning is they have threaded tripod attachment which could actually be good for use on a tripod if you are not able to use them steadily. May be more useful with these 10x. I might even try them like this sometime as I have a couple of binocular mounts one currently in use with my 15x70 porros.
Tonight I'll see how they go in low light. They aren't the optimal tool for that but I really expect them to be useful all the same and I'll get some idea of how they fare against my 8x43 Sapphire.
Love these. Yes love. So pleasantly surprised by them. Wouldn't swap for two E2's but I did like the E2 for viewing from the house.
Credit has to go Nikon also. I think it's something to do with the big wide oculars in fashion today that make these bins work. I'm all for it and the dielectric coating certainly shows in the brightness through these. White areas are very bright and contrasty such as backgrounds through branches or such. Just amazing. The performance of these would only have been achieved in the best binoculars of the past and now it's something many more can enjoy and that certainly includes me.
Almost forgot. Handling = simply excellent.
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brocknroller
porromaniac
Frank posted a pretty convincing photo of the unpainted rings. They appear to be bare metal, and some member who sent his back to Nikon was told that there was a "slip up" at the factory, and his was returned with those rings painted. So I'm pretty sure there was a "slip up" with the first batch or two, but the question remains why some people are still experiencing this with new samples?
At first I thought it was "old new stock" causing the problem, but then one member shone light into the objective housing and reported that there were no bare metal parts yet his sample still suffered from veiling glare. An enigma wrapped in a mystery roll.
Brock
Brock,
I believe this is the photo you are referencing.
http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=490538&d=1396627265
The photo looks similar to mine. There is no shinny metal in mine as gets mentioned every so often, but there are some lighter gray rings. I can not tell for sure if they are painted or not.
The Kite Lynx appears to be basically the same as the Nikon but with some upgrades, such as eye cups. Here is what Typo/David found out last year from the Kite rep at Bird Fair:
I did manage to persuade the Nikon rep to release a M7 10x30 from it's glass case and take it out in the sunshine (along with a Prostaff 7 8x30). The internals were all painted black, all be it a black with a bit of a sheen to it, although the sun was at a high angle I did manage to get some misbehaviour on glare. I later checked out the Lynx as well and it was similar, perhaps marginally better. De Putter Junior told me they had raised the issue with the manufacturer and there is no quick fix. Under the conditions yesterday I found both very acceptable but know they wouldn't be problem free with the sun low in the sky. Show stopper or minor irritation would be down to the individual.
If the issue were unpainted rings, then they would have a quick fix. It is puzzling. Mark F. our Nikon rep said he would look into it, but then left the building with Elvis.
I believe this is the photo you are referencing.
http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=490538&d=1396627265
The photo looks similar to mine. There is no shinny metal in mine as gets mentioned every so often, but there are some lighter gray rings. I can not tell for sure if they are painted or not.
The Kite Lynx appears to be basically the same as the Nikon but with some upgrades, such as eye cups. Here is what Typo/David found out last year from the Kite rep at Bird Fair:
I did manage to persuade the Nikon rep to release a M7 10x30 from it's glass case and take it out in the sunshine (along with a Prostaff 7 8x30). The internals were all painted black, all be it a black with a bit of a sheen to it, although the sun was at a high angle I did manage to get some misbehaviour on glare. I later checked out the Lynx as well and it was similar, perhaps marginally better. De Putter Junior told me they had raised the issue with the manufacturer and there is no quick fix. Under the conditions yesterday I found both very acceptable but know they wouldn't be problem free with the sun low in the sky. Show stopper or minor irritation would be down to the individual.
If the issue were unpainted rings, then they would have a quick fix. It is puzzling. Mark F. our Nikon rep said he would look into it, but then left the building with Elvis.
Went from dejection with the E2 to Euphoria with the M7, a bit of a manic trial by online binocular purchase.
So pretty normal routine then.
Partly your fault Howard ;-)
Still I love (I'm so loved up) a happy ending.
Best of all it's been a few hours and I haven't changed my mind yet!
brocknroller
porromaniac
I just got back from two months travel and birding in Peru and Bolivia. I took a new pair of M7 8x30 (006964) and really have no complaints. Before i left i compared them with my ZR 7x36, ZR 8x42 Prime's to see if i had any glare issues. I had some crescent glare when looking close to the sun but it was very eye placement dependent. Very little to no veiled glare. Over all The M7's had a lot less glare than ether of the ZR's when looking close to the sun torture testing....
In the field i only noticed glare issues one time with a very bright overcast sky and that was only for a few seconds over two months. Over all i have no issues optically while actually using them in the field and not sitting around trying to find faults.
They are very handy, very light, have a nice wide FOV, quick focus, are sturdy and have a very easy view... For the $400 i paid I'm more than happy and found them perfect for light weight travel, especially somewhere where they might vanish. . Since I have been been back i have been using them instead of my 8x42 primes and like them more. I will only use the Primes if i need the extra low light ability and that's it. The M7's have a more comfortable view and are much nicer to carry. They also have a wider FOV and AFOV.
I'm not sure why the are get such a bashing here. No, they are not Swaro's or what ever, but they are 1/5 the price.. They are nice, light, wide, sharp and solid birding binos for $400.
Bill...
In the field i only noticed glare issues one time with a very bright overcast sky and that was only for a few seconds over two months. Over all i have no issues optically while actually using them in the field and not sitting around trying to find faults.
They are very handy, very light, have a nice wide FOV, quick focus, are sturdy and have a very easy view... For the $400 i paid I'm more than happy and found them perfect for light weight travel, especially somewhere where they might vanish. . Since I have been been back i have been using them instead of my 8x42 primes and like them more. I will only use the Primes if i need the extra low light ability and that's it. The M7's have a more comfortable view and are much nicer to carry. They also have a wider FOV and AFOV.
I'm not sure why the are get such a bashing here. No, they are not Swaro's or what ever, but they are 1/5 the price.. They are nice, light, wide, sharp and solid birding binos for $400.
Bill...
Clive i like your thoughts about M7.What about eye relief and how they compared against HD Bushnells(i have the 10x42 too) generally and particular in brightness and in steadiness and er. What's the price (microglobe?)and the serial number.I apreciate any info.
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brocknroller
porromaniac
Bill,
That's quite an adventure for a "Newb," assuming that means what I think it does. Plus, the trip must have cost a pretty penny, so having affordable priced bins put the money where it was most needed - in the trip.
I had the same experience (except not in South America) with the 8x30 M7 as you did, i.e., I could induce a crescent only under extreme conditions, but too many others have reported veiling glare to write off my experience as being typical. Having experienced veiling glare galore with the first gen. ZR 7x36 ED2, I know well how it can interfere with birding. So if others have had a similar experience with defective sample M7s, I can understand why they would gripe about it. Even at $400, a bin shouldn't exhibit a disturbing level of veiling glare.
Some might exaggerate the problem, but Frank D. is an honest guy and if he reported veiling glare, I believe him. He also showed convincing photos of the bare metal parts in the objective housing, which were painted gray in the sample I tried.
Anyway, I'm glad your sample worked well for you, it could have been a ruined trip if that was the only bin you bought and it showed veiling glare galore.
Did you visit San Vicente in southern Bolivia? It was the town where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid died in 1908 (or allegedly died, their bodies were never positively identified, and it appears they were shot at close range in the head, and there were only three soldiers, the police chief, the local mayor and some of his officials, not an entire cavalry unit like in the movie, so it's very suspicious since they shot their way out of more dangerous situations than that).
I doubt if I will ever visit Bolivia to complete my research for my straight-to-Bantam-paperback book, titled, Butch and Sundance: The Suicide Pact, but if I did, I think I would take two bins with me, one as a back-up in case Bandidos Yanquis stole the other.
Brock
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You liked an M7 better than an EII! I think Elvis has just left the building. Did you not see the GLARE. Eeeeegad. Hmmm. Maybe glare doesn't bother us all. It does me.
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Good review Bill!
We don't often see reviews of binoculars here on Bird Forum after they have been used for 2 consecutive months of birding in exotic and rugged places like Peru and Bolivia.
Your $400.00 Nikon 8x30 Monarch 7 held up through the trip as expected and gave you no problems with glare. It proved to be a lightweight binocular with a wide field of view and sharp optics that is easy to carry and use. All this at a price that won't require a 2nd mortgage to purchase it.
It is worth looking into.
Bob
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Howard220
Well-known member
Bob, these M7's may be the last "general purpose" binoculars I ever buy. I subscribed to Bird Forum to learn about what would be the best one out there for me, and, years later, the M7's came along. They're not perfect - at least for my face shape - with regard to eye relief. In order to prevent any blacking out, the eyecups need to extend further than they do. Thus, I have to use your method of resting the "top" of the eyecups right underneath the ridge below my eyebrow. I can live with that considering all else. With eyeglasses on, and the eyecups fully retracted, it's not an issue. (My eyeglass lenses are thin, though, at -1.25 diopter.)
You mean the E.R. is more than wrote in specs(15mm)?In that case I like that because my glasses ate not thin.
Elmer Fudd
Well-known member
Yesterday, after handling a Prostaff 7 10x30 in a camera store and after reading about your experiences with the M 7 I placed an order for the M 7 8x30. At the pricely sum of 275 Euros.
Hope the binos will arrive soon. O. k., I like my Zeiss 7x42 BGATP and the Meopta 10x42 HD and I'd also like to buy the Meopta 15x56 HD by the end of this year but I was always seeking for a lightweight pair of bins I can use with my eyeglasses on. The Deltrintem 8x30 from CZJ is fine but because of anistagmism it's not so comfortable to use them especially when daylight is fading.
Hope the binos will arrive soon. O. k., I like my Zeiss 7x42 BGATP and the Meopta 10x42 HD and I'd also like to buy the Meopta 15x56 HD by the end of this year but I was always seeking for a lightweight pair of bins I can use with my eyeglasses on. The Deltrintem 8x30 from CZJ is fine but because of anistagmism it's not so comfortable to use them especially when daylight is fading.
FrankD
Well-known member
Just an FYI Nikon did away with the birding specialist position for our neck of the woods which is why Mike F. is no longer around. However, I did hear that he is still with Nikon in some capacity working in the Northwestern corner of the US.
Hi Howard,
It's good to know that you can get along with the M7 too. I've considered buying one but I was concerned about whether I would get enough ER because it has to be using a wide angle ocular to get a FOV of 435'@1000 yards and they usually have shorter ER than normal oculars. Nikon lists its ER at 15.1mm.
My wife has a Swarovski 8x30 CL Companion and I get along pretty well with that binocular but it's FOV is only 372'@1000 yards. Its ER is 15mm. My older Swarovski 8x30 SLC is different and it might be because of the design of its eye cups or the ocular it uses because I have had some occasional minor blackout troubles using it. It has a wider FOV of 411' @ 1000 yards than the 8x30 CL but the same 15mm eye relief as it does.
I note that the Sightron 8x32 SII Blue Sky claims 17.5mm ER and and a FOV of 420'@1000 yards; however it seems that its actual FOV is around 390'@1000 yards or so. 17.5mm is long ER for an 8x32 binocular and it might be one of the reasons for its popularity (along with its low price.:king
. http://info.sightron.com/Binoculars/SII-Blue-Sky-Series-/SIIBL832/
I did purchase a Pentax 9x32 DCF BC which is a clone of the aforesaid Sightron. It has a FOV of 351'@1000 yards and stated ER of 16mm. It is curious but I can place this binocular nearly any place under and against my eye brows and not get blackouts (even back into my eye sockets).
http://www.cameralandny.com/optics/pentax.pl?page=pentax_62791
Pentax binoculars were recently given new designations. Mine is now an AD9x32 WP and the FOV as stated in the Camera Land link above is wrong but the 6.7 degrees works out to 351' @ 1000 yards. (They might have received some small improvements along with their redesignations. I wonder if the 9x28 was touched up?)
Bob
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