In the store I compared these with the same power Leica. The Leica was nice but a lot heavier. I could tell the Leica was better, but not three times the price better. It was dusk, overcast and drizzling (ideal conditions for trying out binoculars). For example, I was looking at the brick work under the awning on a building about a block away from the store. I could see more detail in the brickwork and felt more `there' with the Leica. In brighter conditions the difference is less noticeable and I like the lighter weight of the Monarchs.

On the Amazon trip I has the opportunity to compare binoculars with other people. Most people had brought cheaper binoculars and I think as a result their wildlife watching experience was compromised. The only people who had brought comparable binoculars were avid bird watchers. They had Opticrons which are in the same price ballpark as the Leica. Again, they are excellent binoculars but not three times better.

I like the hard rubber-armor construction. It does not become slippery when wet. They feel solid but light. I am not so nervous about dropping the binoculars as I would be with the Leica or Opticrons. The firm turn-and slide eyecups (like the Lieca) are a huge improvement over the fussy soft foldable rubber eyecups found on many other binoculars.

Looking for binoculars is a lot like looking for Hifi speakers. As the price goes up, the quality improves. At a certain price point you can no longer tell the next price level is clearly better; it is mostly just different. That is a good place to buy, and is something of a personal judgement. Minolta has some binoculars that are priced between the Monarchs and the high end and I think the Monarchs are every bit as good.


Tack sharp, lightweight and well worth owning.   November 19, 2005
 84 out of 85 found this review helpful

I did alot of research before deciding on this pair. As an experienced photographer, optical quality was my top priority.
I originally purchased them for hiking and long range mountain scanning in southern Oregon, and while initially perplexed between the 10X or 8X version; I found the extra sharpness of the 8X resolution negated the need for a 10X magnification, because they rendered so much detail.
With the 8X, I spotted a fire lookout station that I'd never seen before, on a mountain 15 miles out of town. Quite remarkable. Added to that, was the research at Cornell University's Ornithology Center on the web. Birdwatchers extraordinaire; who called them a steal. I concur. I never thought I'd be so happy paying this price for binoculars, but it was a no brainer. Tack sharp, lightweight and well worth owning.


Bargain of the century?   September 30, 2005
 62 out of 62 found this review helpful

Bought these bins recently, they really are excellent, very easy to use, good feel, amazing light gathering and reproduction, and only 1 and 1/2 pounds. If you read Cornell Lab of Ornithology review, there is only 1 set of binoculars under 1000 dollars that beat these,(and they are 6x lenses not really suitable for general birding.)Everything about them feels and works like 1000 dollar lenses with two exceptions, the lens cap and raingaurd, the former in particular would be a disgrace on 50 dollar lenses, i am going to see if i can buy generic replacements. Lots of other web reviews also rave about them, and 98% of people would not tell the difference between these and top range Zeiss, Leica etc. And for 300 dollars you can take them anywhere and enjoy them.


great optics, questionable construction   November 6, 2007
 38 out of 42 found this review helpful

I bought these to replace a pair of Pentax 8x42 WP's which I had scratched. For the money, I don't think you can do any better for optical clarity and resolution, in my amateur opinion. Not 'wow' better, but did seem a tad brighter than the Pentaxes. They are amazingly light and the overall ergonomics were good so I enjoyed using them. That 'quality feel' was lacking when compared to the Pentaxes, for whatever that's worth, and I don't think it was the lack of 'heft'. The twist out eye cups worked well when full out or in. The diopter ring was stiff and not so user friendly, it doesn't lock but won't likely budge anyway.
So why only 3 stars? For it's price class it deserves 5 stars, but my example began fogging internally on an Elk hunt in otherwise benign conditions. A fluke? Others on the net have noted significant variability within the model line suggesting quality control issues with these Chinese made binoculars.
I returned them to my local Cabela's and was refunded without question so did not deal with Nikon directly (25y warranty, FYI). If I can't find a better bin for similar money (considering Eagle Optics Ranger's, Vortex Vipers, Bushnell Elite e2, etc...), I may get another pair, after looking through several at the counter and doing my own 'testing' once I get them home. Hope that helps.


Better Optics Make Better Birders. These Make You Better   January 11, 2006
 25 out of 28 found this review helpful

After hinting for some time to my fiance, I was thrilled to receive these as a Christmas gift. I've used them over the past few weeks and have been thrilled with the quality of the optics. Scrutinizing some Bohemian Waxwings from 30 feet away revealed great detail and color richness. The adjustable locking eye cups are a great feature. The hard rubber exterior is strong and offers a good grip. The only negative review I have to offer is similar to others; the lens caps are cheap and are beneath the level of these fine binoculars. For the money I challenge anyone to find a better pair.