Nikon Monarch HG (1 Viewer)

[Canip]

I live within a couple of miles or so of possibly the largest main Nikon dealership in Sussex and possibly in the south east. It boasts "our knowledgeable staff receive regular training to ensure that the buying advice and technical assistance we can offer is second to none ".

However, when I contacted them when these bins had already been sold elsewhere, they knew nothing of them. I asked them to contact me when they were in stock: they still are not in stock.

This does not help me to try them. In any event they are very reluctant for customers to try equipment outside.

I have posted on this before. When I last checked, Curry's did not stock them.

As the old saying goes, Nikon 'needs to pull its socks up'.

Any other ideas Canip?

Hmm, that sounds pretty bad - sorry for you that in lovely Sussex - I lived for five years in Surrey - Nikon seems to be such a mess.
Can you not mail order the HG from one of the many shops (inluding Amazon) that allow you to return the binos for a refund) ? That's what I did with mine (where I live, currently around 20 internet shops have the HG on offer, half of which say they have it in stock), but since I found the performance of the HG quite satisfactory, I kept it.

 

[The-Wanderer]

Canip,

I could, but I am inclined - on present information, to let it pass.

 

[ceasar]

Ceasar,

It is a big dealership, for the Uk, with many brands, mostly photographic but they have only a limited stock of bins.

Quote
It isn't too difficult for them to find out what Nikon is coming out with. Nikon has a website for that information.
Unquote

Indeed so, but I don't think they are interested.

Nikon must be able to provide encouragement, but I see no signs of it.

Does the store sell lots of Nikon photographic products? If so then it looks like they don't want to be fooling around with binoculars so the problem is likely with the store. Surely they would have a Nikon sales representative assigned to them, wouldn't they? I wouldn't be surprised if that Nikon Sales rep did not know about the Monarch HG.

If the Dealer really wants to sell binoculars he should confront the rep with the information on the Monarch HG and tell him he has people interested in buying Monarch HGs right now and he wants some, like right now!

Nikon is 1/2 way around the world from Britain, communication is vital.

Bob

 

[The-Wanderer]

Ceasar,

Quote

Surely they would have a Nikon sales representative assigned to them, wouldn't they? I wouldn't be surprised if that Nikon Sales rep did not know about the Monarch HG.

Unquote,

Me neither

 

[ceasar]

Ceasar,

Quote

Surely they would have a Nikon sales representative assigned to them, wouldn't they? I wouldn't be surprised if that Nikon Sales rep did not know about the Monarch HG.

Unquote,

Me neither

I meant that I wouldn't be surprised because he was selling mostly Nikon photographic products. I got the impression that photography products were the store's dominant sales items. The store probably is not going to stock costly binoculars unless it can be sure they will sell. A lot depends on the stores that handle these items. Many do not want to become big dealers in optics for birding or hunting. Britain doesn't seem to have many big mail order binocular dealers like the USA does

Even in the USA there aren't many like Camera Land, now located just outside of NYC. It is a big mail order Camera Dealer which also carries a big binocular inventory for mail order sales. They also stay active on websites that have Binocular forums. B&H and Adorama, which are huge, carry both but are really in competition with Amazon.

I expect that once the Monarch HG reaches the USA Camera Land and Cabelas (if they haven't been sold by then) and others like them will carry it for Mail Order. For some reason or other Nikon no longer does business with Eagle Optics.

Bob

 

[[email protected]]

I had the Razor in both 10x42 and 10x50---did not keep either as their glare control was rather poor; they also had many specks of dust, grease etc inside the tubes. The MHG has very good glare control, similar to the EDG's and SE's, and also the interior of the tubes is very clean. It feels good in the hand, and has a smooth focuser (just a bit of stiction at infinity)---similar to the Razor. (I have only two minor complaints about the MHG ergos: the plastic cap of the tripod adapter slot has sharp edges that dig into your fingers, and the rubber eyecups collect lots of dust and skin cells; btw, the eyecups cannot be removed). Here is the bad about the MHG: on axis it is sharp (almost SV/SF sharp) and the CA is well controlled, but just off axis the CA becomes visible and the image starts to soften; in the last 25% the CA is excessive, and the image is very soft (does it really have a field flattener?). Additionally the DoF is poor: it focuses almost on a 2D surface (no 3D). A rough measurement showed that the IPD=objective separation, which explains the lack of 3Dality. Another consequence of this fact is that the apparent magnification is larger than what one would expect for a 10x (almost like for a reverse porro).
Bottom line: If you're not sensitive to CA and soft edges, you will be happy with the MHG. In my opinion the MHG is a very usable set for birding, and in fact a good one under 900$ (right now the best price in the EU is about 830$). But if you're a "purist" then the MHG is not for you.

Peter.

Thanks for the great review Pesto. I hate a small sweetspot and soft edges. I am glad I didn't buy one out of the starting gates.:t:

 

[PeterPS]

You're welcome, Denco.

Below are excerpts from the brief review of the MHG 8x42 by Kimmo:

Sweet spot is not very large, though, and as for a field-flattener, if there is one it did a remarkable job of not making itself seen. That is, edge performance was only marginally better than in most non-flattener designs,

Perhaps due to the smallish sweet spot, viewing especially at shorter distances did not feel as easy and relaxed

This comment agrees with what I said about the soft edges of the 10x42.

As for CA, centrally there is perhaps somewhat more than in top-grade alphas, but the image does look purer than in most 300-800 € "HD" binoculars.

This comment suggests that the view through the 8x42 is less affected by CA---No surprise here, as the 10x42 is expected to have more CA; however note that Kimmo saw some color fringing in the 8x42 even on axis.

there was somewhat too prominent prism edge line visible in the left tube. Viewing from the objective end, you can see that there is very little vignetting with prisms that are large enough and no undersized aperture stops

I have noticed the same issue: a prism edge is visible in one of the tubes. In fact, the same was true in the case of the two EDGs that I owned. For the EDG this led to more glare in one of the tubes. My MHG 10x handles glare very well, and there seems to be almost no difference between the two tubes, but this might vary from sample to sample.

Peter

 

[Elmer Fudd]

I am getting more and more infected by the idea to get one of the MHG 8x.

Does anyone of you have the opportunity to compare the Zeiss 7x42 BGATP against the new Nikon Monarch HG 8x42? FOV seems to be almost the same. But what about the brightness?

 

[Canip]

CA a problem in the Monarch HG 8x42?? - 1of 2

I wanted to show 2 photos side by side, but as a only halfway computer literate person am having trouble attaching more than one file at a time, so I am sending two successive messages:
- this one, showing a digiscoped image of the Ultravid HD Plus 8x42, exhibiting CA
- the next one in the next message, showing a similar image of the Monarch HG 8x42
To enhance the display of CA, I used both times a Zeiss 4x booster.
I let everyone decide for himself / herself which glass they think exhibits more CA. My humble opinion: the HG does extremely well.
Canip

 

[Canip]

Message 2of 2: same image now as in previous message, this time with the HG

 

[Elmer Fudd]

Thank you, canip for your contribution to the forum. Nice to meet you here as well.

Do you also have access to a Zeiss 7x42 BGATP to compare it with the new Nikon MHG 8x42?

 

[Canip]

Thanks, Elmer J Fudd - the pleasure is all mine
Unfortunately, I don't have the 7x42 BGATP, also called Dialyt (I have the 7x42 Victory FL instead).
Canip

 

[PeterPS]

Canip:

Thanks for trying to illustrate the better CA control of the MHG 8x. However to be convincing your photos should show the object in the same position in the FoV: the side that has visible color fringe in the UV photo is missing in the MHG photo.

Peter

 

[[email protected]]

Canip:

Thanks for trying to illustrate the better CA control of the MHG 8x. However to be convincing your photos should show the object in the same position in the FoV: the side that has visible color fringe in the UV photo is missing in the MHG photo.

Peter

Exactly. That is where the CA would be. Good point. Pesto.

 

[Canip]

Canip:

Thanks for trying to illustrate the better CA control of the MHG 8x. However to be convincing your photos should show the object in the same position in the FoV: the side that has visible color fringe in the UV photo is missing in the MHG photo.

Peter

Yes it is, apologies for that, but the two metal bars which are well visible in both photos illustrate clearly enough what I was saying: CA is much worse in the HD+. I can of course repeat the photo shoot with a more precise positioning of the tharget object but will not get different results.
Look, my pictures don't have to be convincing for you or anybody. As we had discussed seperately, different people perceive CA differently even in the same instrument. That's just fine with me.

 

[PeterPS]

Christophe:

I have appreciated your effort---I just wanted to clearly see the difference: I cannot really see it, but I trust you when you say that you see more CA in the UVHD+ than in the MHG. Because that would be something, I thought that you wanted everybody to see how good the MHG8x is at controlling CA, which is why I suggested you post clearer photos, but I understand if you think that's not worthwhile.

I have compared the way CA affects the view in the SV 8x32 and the MHG 10x: the SV has some CA towards the edge, but nothing serious at all, whereas the MHG10x has lots of it.

Th next step for me would be to buy an MHG8x and see for myself.

Peter.

 

[Canip]

Christophe:

......
......

I have compared the way CA affects the view in the SV 8x32 and the MHG 10x: the SV has some CA towards the edge, but nothing serious at all, whereas the MHG10x has lots of it.

Th next step for me would be to buy an MHG8x and see for myself.

Peter.

Regarding the two photos: I think you can see at the edges of the horizontal metal sheet (yellowish CA) as well as on the two vertical metal bars (purple CA), both well visible in both photos, that the MHG exhibits clearly less CA than the HD+ (at least, that's what my eyes tell me). Posting additional photos would not make a difference here.

Otherwise, I agree with you - the EL SV 8x32 may have other characteristics at which it does not excel (straylight), but big CA is not one of its flaws. I could imagine that the 10x MHG may exhibit more CA than the 8x EL SV, so if you tested and confirmed it, I am with you on that as well.

 

[Sygus]

Hello, I might be interested in the MHG 8x too.

Canip, have you tested the glare control ?
Pesto pointed the good glare control by the 10x, but is it the same for the 8x ?

 

[Canip]

Hello, I might be interested in the MHG 8x too.

Canip, have you tested the glare control ?
Pesto pointed the good glare control by the 10x, but is it the same for the 8x ?

Yes, I have.
My favorite test situation for straylight and glare: observing over a glittery water surface againts a low standing sun, which happens e.g. when you observe birds on the other bank of a river against a setting or rising sun, so you get light entering the objective tubes from above and below at the same time. Many - even top - binoculars exhibit strong reflections and glares in this - admittedly extreme - test situation.
The 8x MHG proved well shielded against straylight effects, almost as good as the EDG (which for me is one of the very best in this discipline), I experienced very few disturbing reflections when panning in all imaginable directions. Moreover, and probably as important, there was almost no veiling glare in the image, despite the direct sunlight on the front lenses.
So, from my side, good marks for the 8x MHG.

 

[[email protected]]

Yes, I have.
My favorite test situation for straylight and glare: observing over a glittery water surface againts a low standing sun, which happens e.g. when you observe birds on the other bank of a river against a setting or rising sun, so you get light entering the objective tubes from above and below at the same time. Many - even top - binoculars exhibit strong reflections and glares in this - admittedly extreme - test situation.
The 8x MHG proved well shielded against straylight effects, almost as good as the EDG (which for me is one of the very best in this discipline), I experienced very few disturbing reflections when panning in all imaginable directions. Moreover, and probably as important, there was almost no veiling glare in the image, despite the direct sunlight on the front lenses.
So, from my side, good marks for the 8x MHG.

For glare testing try looking up at a steep angle on a sunny day. I found the toughest test for glare was looking at mountain goats high on craggy cliffs from a lower position in a canyon. Because of my Habicht 8x30 W's poor performance doing this I sold it.