Monocular?

[bearbait]

As the odd advancing year keeps arriving at me from time to time I've decided to cut down on the weight of things I carry on my day hikes.

I have a small but decent pair of binoculars. These weigh in at around 250g. I'd like to replace them with something lighter. I do use use them, not every time I'm out but often enough not to want to leave them behind altogether.

I tend to use them for "scouting" the trail ahead, and watching the odd bit of stray wildlife that wanders into my zone.

I was wondering whether a monocular would suffice. Any experience of these? Any recommendations for decent but relatively lightweight monocular? Any particular disadvantages against a pair of binoculars?

Ta!

 

[dwardo]

Certainly no expert in optics.

I have a nice little opticon monocular and its great, has its place. Its small and light weight and lets me see 10x clearly.

My B&S bins aren't expensive but have good lenses and a far greater FOV and a far, far better wildlife viewing experience.

Two different tools as far as my experience goes. If weight and space is an issue which it rarely is I will take the opticron. If not its full bins. The bins are more a nice viewing experience where as the opticron is more a " I need to see what that is at a distance" Also doubles up as a makeshift mag glass.

I am sure the lense botherers will be along in a bit to offer a more technical angle

 

[Broch]

I had the pleasure of trying the 6x18 version of these out recently (a friend has one). It's a lovely bit of kit as it can double as a field microscope focussing down to 12" - but, a bit pricy. It's on my 'wish list'. Very light and brilliantly clear.

https://www.zeiss.com/sports-optics/en_de/hunting/binoculars/monoculars.html#models .

 

[oldtimer]

I use a monocular for the purpose and reasons you describe.

it is a Barska 10x25 96m at 1000m and weighs 116 grams with case.

I take my binoculars if I'm intending to look for wildlife and always keep a pair in the van, but the monocular lives in my grab bag and so is ready to hand. It gets a lot of use looking for waymarkers, styles etc. and for checking the way ahead.

I find it tiring to use for any length of time and it seems to make vision in the unused eye a bit odd temporarily. But I would recommend it for what you describe. I can't remember what I paid for it but I remember that it seemed cheap at the time.

 

[Billy-o]

I just parted with a Bushnell mono ... I have been wanting good compact bins for a while and sold the Bushnell in order to meke myself take the step.

It was a good thing but not as good, or indeed as compact as the glasses I am planning on.

 

[grumit]

I had an Hawke opticron monuculor which was not that exspensive but clarity was awesome

 

[Laurentius]

Monoculars have been the way to go with me since I am pretty much blind in one eye. Used have (well I still do but don't use it nowadays" Zeiss prismatic monocular, but I picked up some generic non label 8x25 from a charity shop which is my present go to, and I can't tell the difference.

 

[Robson Valley]

Can any of you make the case for buying a good quality 5X - 12X rifle scope to use as a monocular?
They have excellent coated optics for light transmission, maybe a 50mm objective for light acceptance and darn good resolution.
They have great mechanical strength to withstand recoil forces as well.

Mounted to a fake DIY rifle stock for stability, ought to work well.

 

[Broch]

Isn't that a telescope or at least a spotting scope? A bit bulky for what Bearbait had in mind I suspect but I agree, I get a very decent image through any of my rifle scopes.

I'd be very interested to know if anyone on here has tried out one of these monoculars:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Carson-Clo...se+focus+monocular&refinements=p_76:419158031

I'm not expecting Zeiss like performance but for the money I would think they'd be worth having in my pocket when I don't want to carry the full 'bins' around.

 

[Robson Valley]

I have a "spotting scope". A Nikon Prostaff 82mm monoc with 20X - 60X zoom.
Big enough that it needs its own 'finder 'scope.' A grunt to carry and tops a standard surveyor's tripod.
This lump isn't a pocket model by any means.
For spotting Mountain Goats and Mountain Sheep in my district for visiting company, wonderful.
Watch wolves pronking on mices and voles. Eagles feeding babies.
It's everything you could ask for = bright, stable, good resolution ( you can count legs at 4 miles).
I have yet to find even a half-a$$ed decent camera mount for the thing.

For half that ($ 350.00), I think that I could buy a very good, not tops, rifle scope to do much of the same duty.

To see what all is available, get into the B&H Photo web site, Optics section.
You needs bins, I think I recall that they show some 3,000 makes and models.

 

[superc0ntra]

I use one of these which I think would be good for th tasks you mentioned
https://silva.se/product/binoculars/binoculars-binoculars/binocular-pocket-scope-7/

 

[daveO]

Certainly no expert in optics.

I have a nice little opticon monocular and its great, has its place. Its small and light weight and lets me see 10x clearly.

I've got a 10x Opticron T3 monocular and it's great for the price, I'd highly recommend it if you don't need high end optics or a lot of low level light use. I chuck it in my pocket when walking and forget it's there most of the time. I paid about £25 for it and it's a really well built bit of kit for that price. The focus leaver takes a bit of getting used to but is great if you need to use it one handed. It will focus on the ground by my feet if you need it for close up stuff. Comes with a pouch and 2 end caps but you can only use one or the other as the pouch is too tight with the caps on.

 

[dwardo]

I've got a 10x Opticron T3 monocular and it's great for the price, I'd highly recommend it if you don't need high end optics or a lot of low level light use. I chuck it in my pocket when walking and forget it's there most of the time. I paid about £25 for it and it's a really well built bit of kit for that price. The focus leaver takes a bit of getting used to but is great if you need to use it one handed. It will focus on the ground by my feet if you need it for close up stuff. Comes with a pouch and 2 end caps but you can only use one or the other as the pouch is too tight with the caps on.

This is mine, great bit of kit within its remit. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Opticron-Trailfinder-10x25-Green-Monocular/dp/B0039ZTBJO

 

[homesicksteve]

Docter Monocular prices seem to have skyrocketed...
8x21, light, compact, quality optics.

https://www.google.com/search?clien.....0i13k1j0i13i30k1j0i13i10i30k1.0.bWz6Jo3-5Zk

 

[bearbait]

Many thanks for all your comments.

Time now to go and do some swotting up on your ideas and suggestions...

 

[Janne]

As you live (part time?) on the better side of the Atlantic, you should be able to find it much, much cheaper here.
I do not know why, but the same things as in Europe are cheapest in Freedomland, then Canada.
UK is quite expensive.

 

[Robson Valley]

Sorry bearbait. Didn't see that you spend time in BC.
As the hunting seasons are swinging to a close, the sporting goods store might have some sales.
I'd try to buy a 3X - 9X or a 4X - 12X very good quality rifle scope (50mm front element lens) as a monocular.

The Nikon Prostaff 20x - 60X 82mm mono scope must have a tripod. No way that's hand held.
The mag is enough that it has it's own little spotting scope!
Hindsight still makes me question if it really is/was worth the money (B&H New York).

 

[Nomad]

Don't rifle scopes have very long eye relief to stop you getting smacked in the face during the recoil?

 

[Robson Valley]

True enough, they do. I've never been blessed with the evil "third eyebrow."
I shoot a Remington 700 BDL in .30-'06. Maybe 30 years now.
I've never felt inconvenienced by the eye relief just to use the 4X Weaver to look at something.

 

[Sundowner]

Thanks to this thread I finally ordered on friday a Mil-tec monocular from fleabay. It arrived yesterday at the collection point. 100 - 1000m, took it out today and was quite impressed. Really like it, no weight and comes in a belt pouch. Not bad for about £11 including p&p