Impressed by my new Nikon Monarch HG 8X30 (1 Viewer)

[binomaniac]

I recently had a Nikon Monarch HG 10X42. I don't really like the 10x format because I can't keep it very stable but the price of 450 euros new in the original box with documents, warranty plus accessories was very tempting. I was very impressed with the image quality so I decided to sell it and look for a Monarch HG 8X 30 or 8X42 that suits me much better due to the higher image stability. I managed to find a new Monarch HG 8x30 at about the same price 460 euros. First impressions are more than exciting. Unfortunately, I still didn't have a sunny day, but more fog and rain. However, inside the house the image looks very close to NL Pure 8x42 or Noctivid 8x42 . I took some photos with the camera of my phone, through HG, NL, and Noctivid. The difference between small HG and heavy artillery is not as abysmal as you would expect given the huge price difference. I will try to attach the photos

 

[binomaniac]

Guess what s through the HG ?

 

[binomaniac]

From left to right, HG, NL and Noctivid. I'm a little disappointed with the quality of the photos as they looked much better and with less noticeable differences on the phone screen. Here you can see more clearly the superiority of the image in NL and Noctivid, the light in my room is quite weak and Nikon pays the price for the pupil of only 3.7 mm

 

[binomaniac]

And here the whole family together.

 

[binomaniac]

I know what you're thinking: This man has 6,000 euros in binoculars and doesn't have a decent photo camera, I'm sorry about that. Maybe I'll solve this problem in the near future.

 

[A2GG]

I guessed the HG correctly at first due to the overall color tone in the 1st image and then began second guessing my choice. I thought the Noctivid could be either the 1st or 3rd image.

I just used my HG 8x30 this morning after eating breakfast at a local diner. I went to the edge of a scrubby field down the road. I’m very satisfied with my Nikon HG and I’ve been using it solely for the past year and a few months now. I hope you get a sunny day soon. The colors are wonderful on a sunny day. Tomorrow we’re supposed to have rain all day here.

That’s a great little collection of bins you have there !

 

[A2GG]

And here the whole family together.

The Noctivid is the most handsome of the group IMO.

 

[binomaniac]

Hi Beth, Noctivid has the most beautiful design in my opinion too . Finally the fog cleared and a few rays of sunshine appeared, I had the opportunity to look out the window of my room with nikon HG 8x30 and the impression is that it will be my most used binoculars. Very small and light, incredibly stable so that the perception of resolution is even more pronounced, the focus wheel very fine and precise, the field of view very immersive and the contrast like Leica. It is true that you need to set the interpupillary distance very precisely, but once you have found the optimal position, the image becomes extremely relaxing. I just can't find anything I don't like about this pair of binoculars.

 

[pbjosh]

I don’t need to pile on, I’ve shared my (positive) impression here a good few times already. The biggest weakness is CA, but I don’t find it worse than premium Leica here. A definite step behind NL and SF but essentially nothing about it would limit your birding and it is a very enjoyable bin.

 

[binomaniac]

Regarding CA, I saw a slightly higher level of CA in Monarch 10x42, which is not a surprise to me because I know from experience that usually smaller-sized objective binoculars have a lower level of chromatic aberrations. The chromatic aberrations in this small 8x30 HG are at about the same level as those present in Noctivid. Of course, I haven't had a sunny day since I bought HG

 

[henry link]

Remember, all of these binoculars have the very same effective exit pupil of about 2mm and the very same effective aperture of around 16mm when digiscoping with a phone camera because the entrance pupil of most phone cameras is around 2mm.

I don’t think images like this are very useful for evaluating binocular performance. First, compared to the view at the eyepiece the resolution and contrast are degraded by the limitations of the camera sensor and then more degraded when posted, but then when viewed on a computer screen sharpness becomes falsely enhanced by the reduced size of the image on the screen compared to what the apparent size would be when viewed through a binocular. Photos are useful for a few controlled tests of certain things like magnified star-test patterns, distortion, color bias and and chromatic aberrations, but no photo made through a binocular is likely to be an accurate representation of what you would actually see at the eyepiece.

 

[binomaniac]

Hi Henry, thanks for the info. I had no idea about the issue with the 2 mm exit pupil, and as far as the image quality of the photos was concerned, I noticed that the accuracy of the photos decreases dramatically when they are enlarged on the computer screen. Probably with a more decent camera the images would have had a much better quality and could have been more conclusive.

 

[ZDHart]

Nice choice, Binomaniac. I've quickly come to love (and often prefer) the x32 form factor myself - especially with high grade binocular models. My 32s tend get much more use than my 42s, but they're all excellent.

 

[lmans66]

I had the MHG 8x30… nice optics. I wasn’t a big fan of the slow focus for bird watching…. Best of luck to you though as we all hv our needs….

 

[Paultricounty]

I recently had a Nikon Monarch HG 10X42. I don't really like the 10x format because I can't keep it very stable but the price of 450 euros new in the original box with documents, warranty plus accessories was very tempting. I was very impressed with the image quality so I decided to sell it and look for a Monarch HG 8X 30 or 8X42 that suits me much better due to the higher image stability. I managed to find a new Monarch HG 8x30 at about the same price 460 euros. First impressions are more than exciting. Unfortunately, I still didn't have a sunny day, but more fog and rain. However, inside the house the image looks very close to NL Pure 8x42 or Noctivid 8x42 . I took some photos with the camera of my phone, through HG, NL, and Noctivid. The difference between small HG and heavy artillery is not as abysmal as you would expect given the huge price difference. I will try to attach the photos

I really don’t think that’s a very Scientific test. Might’ve been more interesting to actually tell us your observations outdoors in cloudy, overcast low light conditions. That might’ve shown a much bigger observational difference. I have the Nocs, NL 42 and the 8x42 HG, in my eyes there is a clear step up in almost every category on the Leica & Swaros. Nikons are nice, real nice but fall a little short of the others IMO.

 

[binomaniac]

Today was a sunny day, I went to the bank of the river that passes through the city, it is a large colony of ducks more than 120 specimens. People who cross the river feed them from the bridge. I took with me NL 8X42 and HG 8x30. The superiority of the NL became more evident in natural light but I was impressed by how well the little HG holds, very immersive and with an extremely palpable image. Of course, the more neutral colors in NL compared to the colors with a brown tint in HG, are immediately noticeable and this together with the more generous pupil of the 42 mm binoculars creates the impression of superior transparency in NL. Even so, I can say that I am very satisfied with what the little HG offers in terms of optics, ergonomics and maneuverability. Once you have established the exact interpupillary distance, the image becomes unusually relaxing for an 8x30 binoculars. I recently had a Meopta Meostar 8x32 and a Swarovski SLC 8x30, excellent binoculars, with which I used to observe the duck colony. However, I don't remember Meopta or SLC putting a smile on my face like HG 8x30 did today. Very satisfied for now.

 

[eronald]

My impression is all the medium priced Nikons are actually made by Kamakura, and yield a very fair price and solid performance. My dealer says that if I want something that won't need service I should get a Monarch.

Edmund

 

[blisskrissy]

My impression is all the medium priced Nikons are actually made by Kamakura, and yield a very fair price and solid performance. My dealer says that if I want something that won't need service I should get a Monarch.

Edmund

Can you share your dealer? I'm looking to buy a pair of Monarch HGs

 

[mwhogue]

And here the whole family together.

Binomaniac, Thanks for that picture of a well curated selection of bins. Can't believe I didn't notice earlier the drop dead gorgeous Kilim in the background. Those natural green dyes in particular are spectacular needless to say.

Mike

 

[eronald]

Can you share your dealer? I'm looking to buy a pair of Monarch HGs

Sure, it's a well known specialty Astronomy shop right by Hotel de Ville in Paris.
They are old-fashioned, slow, very knowledgable, and impeccably honest.

Nature

Jumelles, Lunettes terrestres, Microscopes, Météo

www.maison-astronomie.com

Edmund