Nikon Team Realtree Monarch 8 x 42 Waterproof Binocular
From Nikon
Nikon is a precision optical company with worldwide manufacturing, research and marketing capabilities. The Nikon name is equated with extraordinary photographic performance, innovation, precision and optical quality.PRODUCT FEATURES:100% Waterproof/Fogproof;Phase-correction coated high index prisms;Fully multicoated lenses for bright, clear images;Ultra rugged, rubber-armored design;Twist-up eyecups for easy viewing;Long eye-relief for eyeglass wearers.
- Amazon Sales Rank: #16327 in Camera & Photo
- Brand: Nikon
- Model: 7434
- Dimensions: 4.00" h x 4.00" w x 9.00" l, 3.00 pounds
Fits like a glove, works like a dream, good bang for the buck
Pros:
Fantastic price point
Fits like its made just for you
Tethered objective lens covers
High build and quality feel standards
Accurate one handed focus adjust wheel
Small size fits and balances perfectly in your hands
let in a lot of light for those early morning bird hunts
Weather sealed for that out in the field comfort of mind
Light weight for 8x42 almost forget you are wearing them
Rubberized coating gives a good non-slip grip even when wet
Cons:
Eyecup cover is cheap and falls off too easily
Dioptric correction system markings barely visible
Case is cheap and too small to store the binoculars with strap in place
Chromatic distortion easily visible in brightly illuminated high contrast areas
Introduction:
I am an avid birder and wanted something light and small but with good optics and better light gathering capability and yes a better birding more reliable in the field experience. I already owned a couple of pairs that I liked and which I thought were pretty good a Nikon 7508 Travelite 8 X 25mm (my old fav) and Nikon 7216 Action 8 X 40mm. The Travelite is my favorite handling of the two but the chunkier and bigger Action 8 x 40 had more light gathering capability and a larger field of view. I was hoping to get something between the two and get better features as well especially weather sealing.
Shopping:
At the local store I proceeded to totally tick off the salesman rapidly trying several dozen binoculars in a row. To make things go faster and placate him a little I asked him what his favorites were. He quickly told me his favorite, the one he paid his hard earned case for a Nikon Monarch 8 x 42.
Anyway I kept on comparing right down the line and always kept coming back to the Monarch's which performed better then a lot of the binoculars that cost several hundred more and some that cost as much as thousand dollars! That's an amazing feat I thought.
Then the sales guy showed me the really nice features I had been missing on my cheaper binoculars like the twist in-out eye pieces for use with-without glasses. They worked great swapping between out and in smoothly and effortlessly. Something my cheaper Nikon's with the roll in-out cups didn't have.
In Use:
What a pleasure to use. The Nikon Monarch's just feel so right in the hands, smaller then the Action 8 x 40 almost as small as the Travelites. They felt especially good when using one handed where they felt like they were custom made for me and an extension of my thought process. Back to back viewing with the Action 8 x 40 showed the viewing experience to be very similar with very good sharpness and contrast in the center fading somewhat towards the outer edges something you really don't notice unless you have looked through say a pair of Swarovski EL 8.5x42 $1,699 Binoculars. I did notice in high contrast areas in the sunlight a slight amount of chromatic anomalies but certainly not objectionably so and probably not even noticeable to the average viewer but something I had not noticed as much on the cheaper Travelites or even the Action binoculars.
Lens covers:
I especially appreciated the objective lens covers being tethered to the body of the binoculars allowing you to quickly remove them without worrying about stowing them and losing them. Nice touch! I just hope the little plastic tethers don't wear out and break off. As you walk along with them off they tend to bounce up and down with every movement.
The eyecup cover on the other hand just plain felt cheap and ddin't fit very well slipping off way too easily. At least it was provided with a slot to be permanently attached to the carrying strap.
Size matters:
The other thing I wasn't prepared for in back to back testing against my other binoculars is how small they are. From looking at the photos for some reason I thought the Monarch's would be much larger. Size wise they reside right between my Nikon Action and Travelite while providing the wide angle of view of the 8 x 40 Actions but without feeling chunky or large. And as they say what good are larger more capable binoculars if they are not with you. The size and weight lends it's self to always be with you.
Focus wheel:
The focus adjusting wheel felt just right to my hand allowing quick an accurate focusing even with one hand with the rubber armor coating providing a very secure grip.
Neck Strap:
The neck strap felt just fine to me in fact after putting it on I forgot all about it, which is a good sign.
Case:
The case is the same cheap soft nylon design that comes with the much cheaper Action 8 x 40 binoculars with a really cheap Velcro closure and no dust or weather sealing. For the higher price I expected better. Additionally once you put the neck strap on there is no room for both it and the binoculars inside the case. I have taken to wrapping the strap around them before trying to put them in the case but they are still a tight and clumsy fit. You might want to invest in a better case.
Camouflage:
I think the camo is cool and set's these apart from their black cousins. I have had several people ask what binoculars I was using out at the local birding park.
Back to Back Comparison:
Just for fun I gathered my current crop by the back door and did a back to back comparison.
Nikon 7216 Action 8 x 40 vs Nikon Monarch ATB 8 x 42 Team Realtree
The Nikon 7216 Action 8 X 40mm felt the most clunky in the hand and was by far the largest and heaviest of the group. But surprise of surprises even though costing several times less then the Monarch and even less then the a Nikon 7508 Travelite 8 X 25mm the view was every bit as good as the Monarch's. In face if any thing I noticed very little chromatic anomalies even less then the Monarch's. Pretty shocking considering you can get the Action 8 x 40 for $60 to $70 or so. Where they really feel short of the Monarch's was in the features department. Slower to focus, harder to hold, non-attached end caps and much larger all added up to me preferring the Monarchs even if I'm just looking at the back yard from the house. If you are away from the house and likely to get wet then there is no comparison as the Monarchs are sealed and the Actions are not. But if you are on a budget and don't mind the size and weight and lack of features the Nikon Action 8 x 40 are sure to please.
Nikon 7508 Travelite 8 X 25mm vs Nikon Monarch ATB 8 x 42 Team Realtree
Feeling even smaller but actually physically not too much smaller then the Monarchs the Travelite is my old favorite and it's easy to see why, very clear view, easy to focus fits the hand well especially when holding them one handed. In fact the resolving power in the center seems to be slightly better then the Monarchs. But in a back to back comparo the Monarchs have a much wider field of view and are brighter especially at dawn and dusk and of course have all the extra features. Still they are also a bargain at $70 to $80 even though they are not weather sealed don't even have end caps and the eye caps are easy to fall off and become lost.
Conclusion:
It's hard to beat the Nikon Monarch 8 x 42 binoculars they have that quality feel and look of a much more expensive purchase and many of the features I needed in the field such as weather proofing and more light gathering capability. I'm in love and look forward to many years of use.
If you are in the $200 to $1000 purchase range I whole-heartedly recommend the Nikon Monarch 8 x 42 binoculars for your field birding use.
6-18-2009 Update:
I have gone on to purchase a pair of Zen-Ray ZRS HD (Summit) 8x42 binoculars which are over $100 cheaper then the Monarchs and much better optically. However the Monarchs are somehow much lighter as they weigh only 21.5 oz vs the Zen-Ray at 26.5 oz. These are now my backup binoculars to hand to friends and its funny how an average user will almost always notice the weight before the optic quality. Just another thing to recommend a purchase of these Monarchs. However if you don't mind the extra weight and want the ultimate optics in the price range up to $500 you might want to try the Zen-Ray ZRS HD.
Excellent birding binoculars
I already own a pair of these binoculars and are buying a second pair this Christmas. My family uses these for birding. We compared these side by side with a pair of Zeiss binoculars (costing $3000). These are only a hair less sharp and a lot less expensive. I bird with a lot of experienced people and everyone who has looked through these binoculars is amazed at how sharp they are and how much light they let in. I have recommended them to other birders and everyone who has purchased them is happy with them. I would highly recommend these to anyone. They are excellent in quality and durability. The "realtree" camouflage makes them extra cool!
