Does anyone use a Monocular for bird watching? (1 Viewer)

[arjacee]

Hi all. Was wondering if anyone uses a Monocular for bird watching? I know that Binoculars are preferable however i carry a big camera set up and i would like a Monocular that could fit in my pocket while i carry my camera! Any thoughts are appreciated!

 

[black crow]

I bought a little wide angle 6x30 monocular for grins but I never use it for the same reason I prefer my binoculars to my spotting scope, even though my spotting scope gives somewhat clear images up to 75x in very good viewing conditions. I'd usually rather use my 8.5x bins. If I was really loaded I'd trade in my scope for some really good astronomy binoculars. Really good ones. The panoramic views are wonderful. You just don't get that with a monocular.

 

[BrightIdea]

A relative of mine uses the vortex 8x36 to success. Vision issues preclude bino use.
She doesnt go for extended periods though. Its neat, but i prefered the little excursions 8x28 after an hour of back and forth.

 

[fugl]

I used an 8 x 30 monocular for years, but eventually gave it up for 10 x 40 binoculars which I found much more comfortable to look through. Since then I've dropped down to full-sized 8.5 binoculars which give an even easier view & I would never go back to a monocular.

 

[jaymoynihan]

Yes. Some do, but few use a monocular exclusively. A quality monocular can be a good choice in a limited carry situation, among other things..
I have an inexpensive 10x42 monocular sitting near a writing surface at work for quick peeks out the window.
The monocular that is small and of very high optical quality is the Leica Monovid 8x20. It is also :eek!: about $500 USD. Here is a recent review of it:
http://www.leica-storemayfair.co.uk/news/PDF/Leica%20Monovid%20Review_BWD_Nov_Dec%2011.pdf

 

[aljones27]

I have an 8x42 monocular made by Viking. I got it originally because I can clip it to a rucksack strap while walking (rather than specifically birding) and it is a lot easier to carry around than a pair of binoculars.

I'm now using the monocular pretty much exclusively as my old bins are just about ready for the bin. It's good but ergonomically bins are better.

Now starting to look for a good pair of bins for when I am out birding.

 

[Yippeekiay]

I picked-up a Zen Ray 10x42 monocular a while back and use it quite often. It excels at IDing birds that are a bit out of range for the naked eye. I do take it when walking the dog though at 42mm it isn't exactly "slip in your pocket and go".... Big pockets maybe.
It might be worth a look if you want to be sure of photo opportunities before setting up the camera.

 

[brocknroller]

Here is a thread on the ZR ZRS HD Monocular, which Dennis praised and said was a "keeper":

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=180836&page=2

Brock

 

[larryinlc]

The Zen Ray 8x42 HD Monocular. Who knew I needed one of these. After the glowing review here, I placed my order this morning. The 20.00 off coupon didn't hurt either. 115.00 seems like a great deal. The 20.00 off coupon code "monocular" was only shown under the 10x42 Zen Ray, but it also worked for the 8x42.

Larry

 

[Sancho]

I had the Zeiss 8x20 Monovid monocular. Optically it was a jewel. It also had a little lens attachment that converted it into a field microscope - a superb piece of kit. However, I couldn't hold the monocular steady enough in one hand for birding, and two-hand use was awkward. I sold it and use Leica Ultravid 8x20 binoculars instead - these fold up small enough for my requirements.

 

[keith]

I keep an Opticron BGA 10+40 monocular in the car, it's abolutely brilliant, a superb little optic.

 

[John Dracon]

IMO the finest old monocular ever made was the Zeiss 8x30 B IF. It is a constant companion, walking or driving, and very good for a quick peek at birds. Even with fifty year old coatings, its view is comparable to the alphas of today.

Yellowstone

 

[jaymoynihan]

IMO the finest old monocular ever made was the Zeiss 8x30 B IF. It is a constant companion, walking or driving, and very good for a quick peek at birds. Even with fifty year old coatings, its view is comparable to the alphas of today.

Yellowstone

Thanks. I have wondered about those...what is the minimum focus distance with it?

 

[John Dracon]

Jay.... The minimum focus as measured by tape is 109.5" or 9 feet 1.5 inches. Metric = 278 CM. The really amazing thing about the Zeiss 8x30B is how it stacks up against the Nikon 8x32 SE. While the field is slightly less than the SE and not as bright (certainly not dull), the resolution using the Elite 2.5 extender on both pieces favors the Zeiss slightly on the edges. If that appears to be heresy, one needs to make the comparison to verify the exceptional quality of the Zeiss. And it is much more compact than half of the Nikon. The Zeiss is a little jewel!

John

 

[jaymoynihan]

Thank you for that info John. Sounds like an excellent instrument.

 

[black crow]

I was looking at my seldom used monocular just now and I noticed the FOV was listed as 549ft. That seems pretty good and at least one reason to consider using it. But I won't.

 

[lilcrazy2]

Bushnell shows a new 10x40 Legend Ultra HD monocular with ED glass in the new 2012 catalog. Looks rather interesting and seems to be well designed for one handed use.

The new catalog itself is rather hard to find - I found it by doing a search on "Bushnell Binocular Catalog 2011 PDF"

 

[jaymoynihan]

FYI
I have started a thread about my new 8x20 Monovid:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=220741

 

[techniquest]

I have a couple of cheap 'monos' that I like to have in the car or in my camera bag when I'm out doing other things. They are dirt cheap but I consider them to be perfectly viable for when your out and about and just want to check that thing sitting in the tree, or "what's that up there?". They are a Tasco 10x40 and a tiny Kenko 15x32. The Tasco is light but amazingly robust - hang it round your neck and you barely know it's there. It's image is bright and sharp enough for a quick ID. The Kenko is a more delicate little thing, but ideal in that it can be packed into a small compartment in the camera bag. I ought to add I don't just do birds - I'm a big-time anorak who does planes and trains too. These monos are perfect for the end-of-the-platform environment.

 

[JWcamp]

Hello,
I have an 8 x 40 monocular that is lighter than, closer focus than[down to 18 inches!!!], tripod mount built in, rotating eyecup, smaller than a pair of binoculars...
Brunton "Macroscopes"
I love them ...

But I do not use them as much as I thought I would.

I still have not sewn a carring strap setup for them, and that is half the problem. They do not fit in my pocket and they do not come with a nice strap or a very nice case.
Hopefully I will sew up a strap soon.
They are very nice optics with a few quirks in my monocular. Excess play in focus wheel, huge focus wheel, carry bag is too loose and whimpy.
Regards,
John