PeterPS
Well-Known Member
Monoculars are not as good as binoculars for nature observation (except for people who lack binocular vision). However monoculars are much lighter and can be easily carried by sliding them into a jeans pocket. This was my main reason for wishing to buy a monocular. When I go for a walk I would not like to carry even a 500-600g binocular set on my neck just for that improbable encounter with a special member of the wildlife. Good compact binoculars are small enough for a big jacket pocket but not for a jeans pocket, and when you pull them out you would still have to open them at the right IPD etc.; and very good monoculars are not only both smaller and lighter but they can be better optically too.
Specwell and Walters monoculars appear to be very little known in the birding community. Both are made in Japan (likely by Specwell). They are similar to some Orion and Kenko monoculars, but are offered in many more versions than the latter and appear to have better specs. I have bought the Specwell 7x25 with a FoV of 10* (for the other specs see, e.g.: http://www.monocular.info/specwell.htm). It goes from 50cm to infinity in about two CCW turns by extending its body. It is easy to focus and has a good DoF at inf, but of course it requires most of the 2 turns for close focus. The coating of the lenses has a light purple color, and the optics are excellent: no CA, and I really mean none (just to put this in the context, I have seen CA even in the EL-SV and Kowa-Genesis) and the glare/flare is very well controlled (IMO better than in the EII and the SE, the latter being among the best at this in the binos world). What really led me to the Specwell and Walters monoculars is their FoV---they have one of the widest FoV, if not the widest. Their 8x30 has a FoV of 8.5*, pretty close to the 8.8* of the EII 8x30!
Before acquiring the Specwell I had a Nikon HG 5x15 monocular----it has very good reviews and many happy users, but I found it hard to use--the small AFOV of 45* (compare this with the 70* of the Specwell!) made it hard to locate (and track) any bird, and it was not comfortable to use due to the fact that it had no eyecup and its focuser was too close to the ocular (the Specwell has a soft-rubber eyecup and a good ER, and its focuser is close to the objective lens and can be easily turned).
I suggest you go ahead and try one---I am sure most are going to like it, and with its close focus of 50cm/20in it is very good for insect and butterfly watching too. In fact something that I forgot to mention before---the eyecup is removable, which makes it easy to clean the ocular, but more important makes it possible to use the monocular (via an adapter) as a telephoto lens for cameras; also by buying an additional stand one can transform the monocular into a microscope which can be used for.... mite watching (which would be the next logical level after insect watching....).
All other monoculars out there (including Leica's Monovid) did not interest me due their small (A)FoV and my bad experience with the Nikon 5x15 which seemed almost unusable to me partly because of its small AFoV (perhaps I did not give it enough time..). Finally a piece of advise: before you buy a monocular try to see if you can close only one eye (preferably the non-dominant one)!
Peter.
Specwell and Walters monoculars appear to be very little known in the birding community. Both are made in Japan (likely by Specwell). They are similar to some Orion and Kenko monoculars, but are offered in many more versions than the latter and appear to have better specs. I have bought the Specwell 7x25 with a FoV of 10* (for the other specs see, e.g.: http://www.monocular.info/specwell.htm). It goes from 50cm to infinity in about two CCW turns by extending its body. It is easy to focus and has a good DoF at inf, but of course it requires most of the 2 turns for close focus. The coating of the lenses has a light purple color, and the optics are excellent: no CA, and I really mean none (just to put this in the context, I have seen CA even in the EL-SV and Kowa-Genesis) and the glare/flare is very well controlled (IMO better than in the EII and the SE, the latter being among the best at this in the binos world). What really led me to the Specwell and Walters monoculars is their FoV---they have one of the widest FoV, if not the widest. Their 8x30 has a FoV of 8.5*, pretty close to the 8.8* of the EII 8x30!
Before acquiring the Specwell I had a Nikon HG 5x15 monocular----it has very good reviews and many happy users, but I found it hard to use--the small AFOV of 45* (compare this with the 70* of the Specwell!) made it hard to locate (and track) any bird, and it was not comfortable to use due to the fact that it had no eyecup and its focuser was too close to the ocular (the Specwell has a soft-rubber eyecup and a good ER, and its focuser is close to the objective lens and can be easily turned).
I suggest you go ahead and try one---I am sure most are going to like it, and with its close focus of 50cm/20in it is very good for insect and butterfly watching too. In fact something that I forgot to mention before---the eyecup is removable, which makes it easy to clean the ocular, but more important makes it possible to use the monocular (via an adapter) as a telephoto lens for cameras; also by buying an additional stand one can transform the monocular into a microscope which can be used for.... mite watching (which would be the next logical level after insect watching....).
All other monoculars out there (including Leica's Monovid) did not interest me due their small (A)FoV and my bad experience with the Nikon 5x15 which seemed almost unusable to me partly because of its small AFoV (perhaps I did not give it enough time..). Finally a piece of advise: before you buy a monocular try to see if you can close only one eye (preferably the non-dominant one)!
Peter.
