Monocular Advice

darbeit · Guest

Help! I could use advice about inexpensive, lightweight monoculars with reasonably good power.

I'm a wilderness canoe/camper who has been carrying a small, lightweight and inexpensive pair of binoculars on trips to spot wildlife. I started with a Nikon (9x25) but ditched that for a cheaper/lighter Bushnell 8x21. However, I have vision problems that makes it impossible for me to coordinate my two eyes Crying or Very sad

, so I really use the binocs as monoculars.

I'd like at least 8X power and would prefer more if stabilization isn't too much of an issue. Carson's 8-16x25 MonoZoom is an intriguing choice, but since even Carson doesn't list it on its web site, I'm apprehensive about it . What can you tell me about the MonoZoom and other suitable options?

Thanks,
DA

opticsplanet.com · Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2005 8:10 am Post subject:

Hi

First, in a monocular, I would stay on the low side for magnification. You will definitely find a 7x or 8x easier to hold than a 10x in such a lightweight optic and at the same time, you have nothing to gain optically in a 10x. I have never, in forty years of using optics, encountered a situation that a 10x could do, but a 7x could not. Lastly, in the truly high grade monoculars, you will have more selection in the 7x or 8x.

Zoom monoculars suffer from the same inferior optics as zoom binoculars and also the same headaches of trying to stabilize them at high power. Frankly, there is no such thing as a high quality zoom monocular, anyway.

The top end will be the Zeiss and Nikon HG monoculars and they are worth every penny in the long run, but if they are not in your budget, you can still get decent optics for quite a bit less. For instance, I like the tiny little Audubon 6x16, http://www.opticsplanet.net/audubon-6x16-monocular-finish-metallic.html and the ATN Goldeneye, http://www.opticsplanet.net/atngoleye8xs.html
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darbeit · Guest

Dear JNE,

Thanks for your advice to avoid zooms. I've been using 8x binocs and find the magnification fine, though the Audobon's at 6x may not seem like quite enough. The ATN Goldeneye is an interesting little implement, but I'm not too sure about the odd form factor.

You didn't mention either the Lomo Little Mak or Vortex 8x25 monoculars as options. Are they less preferable for one reason or another?

Your help is really appreciated.

DA