My new Nikon Monarch HG 8x30, comparative study (1 Viewer)

[dorubird]

Nikon Monarch HG 8x30 vs Nikon E2 8x30 vs Zeiss Victory Pocket 8x25





Below I will discuss only some of the optical and mechanical performance. All my impressions of these binoculars performance can be found summarized in the scores from the above comparative table.





Mechanics and design
The quality of the finishes and materials is excellent in E2 and HG. The leather imitation combined with the metallic surfaces give a retro character to these binoculars. In my opinion, E2 and HG have a nicer design even than Leica. Zeiss VP has a beautiful design but is more utilitarian without arousing my nostalgia! VP is the only binoculars in this group that can be folded to fit in a pocket. (however not as small as the true pocketable Leica Trinovid 8x20). Mechanically all three binoculars are very good. Only Zeiss VP major drawback is that the diopter adjustment wheel can move involuntarily when folded and pocketed the bino. And Nikon E2 is the only one that is not water resistant from this test.




Optical performance
Nikon E2 with its surreal resolution, irresistible stereoscopic view and extremely wide field of view, is by far the best optics of these three binoculars. My opinion is that Nikon E2 is the only alpha left on the market from Nikon, being the true heir of EDG. The only downside is the lack of water resistance and lower edge resolution (but still this edge resolution is forgiven because it has a huge FOV of 8.8 degrees).

The HG is the easiest, most natural and relaxing to look through in this group due to the larger eyepieces. Edge resolution is better than E2 even if the field of view is not much smaller(8.3 vs 8.8 degrees). Compared to Zeiss VP, Nikon HG has barely better center resolution and better brightness and a larger field of view in a body not much longer.

Zeiss Victory Pocket edge resolution is the best in this group. VP is the smallest and most compact with a very good optics not far behind HG optics.





Conclusion
I consider the Nikon E2 to be like an old retro car with a very powerful engine but without comfort.
The Nikon HG resembles a comfortable modern car but with a slightly weaker engine than the E2.
The Zeiss VP looks like a very small but powerful modern car with an engine not much smaller than HG.
Overall,
HG can completely replace the other two binoculars on the real field, being the most versatile. HG "borrowing" something from the E2 optical performance and something from the VP compactness! I'm very impressed that Nikon HG has an optics not far below than Nikon E2 but with a much more robust, compact and waterproof body. It can be seen that it is almost as long as the Zeiss 8x25, being one of the smallest 8x30 binoculars on the market. It has a rich colours and very good resolution with large FOV!
But E2 is my treasure that shines in this group test, even I will not be used it as much as Nikon HG or Zeiss VP. Nikon E2 being like a porro jewel it is something to be used with more care.

 

[lmans66]

Fun read...! ...I always find looking at binoculars and using a matrix to be right 'up my line' as I do that too! ...fun, but if you are like me, I get so much into the matrix that I come a way sometimes feeling a bit lost!

Anyhow...a few things. I am not sure I would compare the HG to either of those two binoculars. The roof/porro debate lives on and one either likes one or the other or hates it.....

Second....the Zeiss perhaps is the wrong zeiss to compare it to. A great bin, as I have had them but perhaps 'too small'? ...that is my thought. I wonder if a better comparison might not be the Swaro 8x30, ...or the new Opticron 8x Verano, or any of the 8x32's? But perhaps you used what was around and if so, I don't blame you.

I have one question concerning focus. In terms of focus/ focus..or having the object clear....I found the Zeiss to equal the HG, and yours differs....why?..what makes that difference?

But more importantly, how about 'focus quickness' or birding in the field. That is altogether a different animal. How fast can you get something 'in focus' I feel has a lot of value. I know in the HG model I had, the focus was just plain slow, thus....I had to sell my 8x30HG. Nice bin, but just too slow in the field. What are your thoughts on that? I bet the Nikon E2 has slow focus too, although I can't say for never tried it. I thought the Zeiss actually had a faster 'focus in the field' compared to the HG.... Thoughts? jim

 

[dorubird]

For me in general, porro has a more spectacular image than roof, but they are not mutually exclusive. I'm the kind of person who likes in optics to compare even apples to pears

In "Focus quality" from my table I only pointed out my subjective feeling of the focus wheel. The HG score "+5" vs other score "5" it is from only very small difference, because all three binoculars have a very good focus feeling.
However, there are some nuances that differentiate them for me.
Zeiss VP has a very small resistance difference between the directions of rotation but is very silky and accurate (score "5").
Nikon E2 has a very smooth and accurate rotation but offers a little more resistance, that I only notice compared to the other two (score "5").
HG has a focus feeling close to perfection: silky but firm and accurate just the way i like it (score "+5"). Still no better than SF 10x42

About 'focus quickness' rotation for birding HG is the fastest to focus, followed by Zeiss VP. The slowest is the Nikon E2. Due to the ease of positioning at the eyepieces, excellent focus whell feeling and the faster focus, for me HG has the easiest focus in focus from the group test. But I can get used quickly to any of them, it's not a problem for my birding style!

 

[BryanP]

Hi Dorubird,
Thanks for the summary/comparison/study, Very helpful!
On a side note, I really like your arty B&W binocular shots, some interesting compositions and tones.
Cheers,
Bryan

 

[Howard220]

Thank you for doing this comparison, as you've saved me a thousand US dollars! I have the Zeiss VP and the original Monarch 7 8x30. The Monarch is more than "suitable." I had been contemplating replacing the M7 with the HG, but it looks like my VP will continue to serve me well despite its noticeably smaller field of view.

Howard

 

[Dennis Mau]

Nice review! I totally agree with just about everything you said. I have had all three binoculars, and I still have the E2. I agree, the E2 is the best optically of three binoculars you tested. The biggest weakness of the HG is the glare. One area you didn't talk about is how the eye relief matches the eye cup length. For my eye sockets, the eye cups on the HG and Zeiss VP are too short and small for the eye relief, which creates black-outs. The E2's eye cup length is just about perfect for the eye relief, which is very important. The E2 is hard to beat for the price and competes well with $1K roofs easily, and you get the 3D on top of it.

 

[lmans66]

But how is the E2 as an everyday birding binocular, which to me....is the point of this birding forum. I don't think there would be too many that might disagree that the E2 is very good optically, but 'in the field'....'birding'....'quick focus' etc.... does the E2 or for that matter any porro bin a good birding bin? One doesn't see too many of them in the field, so why is that? I can see them on board a ship....sky watching, maybe safari with bigger game and broad expanse....

 

[mtn]

But how is the E2 as an everyday birding binocular, which to me....is the point of this birding forum. I don't think there would be too many that might disagree that the E2 is very good optically, but 'in the field'....'birding'....'quick focus' etc.... does the E2 or for that matter any porro bin a good birding bin? One doesn't see too many of them in the field, so why is that? I can see them on board a ship....sky watching, maybe safari with bigger game and broad expanse....

I've had my EII out birding and next to my desk (where I watch my feeders and the park, town, fields and sky beyond) every day for several weeks running. Other bins I use regularly are Conquest HD 8x32, SLC Neu 8x30 and some larger x42 roofs. The only time I wished for anything aside from the EII was when I was out on a 16 degree day and the focus became stiff enough to slow it down some (I leave it home and bring a roof prism bin if I plan to be out in rain). Still, I have not missed a bird due to handling or focus speed of the EII. And, when watching raptors in flight I have found it to be superb - that huge FOV helps get on target quickly. After a little practice using the EII becomes second nature, like anything else. And, I prefer the way the EIIs fit in my hands compared to my 8x30/32 roofs. My birding includes walks/hikes, stationary (kitchen or office window or a fixed position outside, usually overlooking a stream), and driving/cruising. The EII suits me and my "every day" birding very well.

 

[dorubird]

One area you didn't talk about is how the eye relief matches the eye cup length. For my eye sockets, the eye cups on the HG and Zeiss VP are too short and small for the eye relief, which creates black-outs. The E2's eye cup length is just about perfect for the eye relief, which is very important.

I'm always wearing glasses (astigmatism), so it doesn't exist for me "eye cups too short and small for the eye relief"
For me, HG is the most comfortable of the three, without black-outs, and a beautiful FOV bordered by the clear black ring! If I didn't wear glasses, than E2 it would have been the most comfortable! VP without glasses is awful, because it gets into my eye sockets