Leica 8x20 Monovid Review (1 Viewer)

[Tringa45]

Thanks for sharing your insights, @ Tringa45! I am, indeed, curious to hear what "real" binocular users and birders think of the use of a monocular in the field, especially the Leica 8x20 Monovid that I chose for my applications!



You are correct about the limited close focus / magnifier capabilities using the threaded objective attachment lens. However, for my field application purposes, the Monovid, when looking through it "backwards" acts as a field "loupe" for examining soil particle grain size/composition and for viewing magnified views of small vascular plant structures (flower parts and other critical identification features). I do carry a vintage Carl Zeiss Jena loupe that I have had for many years (that I picked up for field geology use), but in a pinch the Leica Monovid works great as a magnifier loupe and that means there is one less thing I have to worry about carrying, accessing, loosing when conducting fieldwork. For me, that holds great value.



Of course, I can't argue that a monocular, ANY monocular, even one with superb optics as the Leica Monovid, likely cannot compete with even the most compact of binoculars given that humans just see much better using two eyes! That is how our eyes and brains work. But for me and my applications, I am perfectly comfortable using the "mono" view and the Leica sure does seem to perform well in my experience. I did try a few compact 8x20/25 binoculars, but the size, weight, ease of field use, and superb optics of the Leica works great for me and my field activities. Even for casual birding / nature observation when I am in the field, I have experienced no limitations with the Monovid where I said to myself, "Boy, I sure wish I had a pair of binoculars". Perhaps, I am just well-accustomed to "mono" viewing having been an amateur astronomer for 30+ years, so much so, that daytime mono viewing with the Monovid and/or my TeleVue Ranger are 2nd nature to me.

I know this is a birding community and I have not put the Monovid through the paces of attempting to target and follow a bird in active flight. I can't even say that I would be proficient at that activity with any pair of binos. Yet, thus far, target acquisition with the Monovid has presented no problems for me, even in wooded areas where shadows and overwhelming shades of green dominate the field. I have found that the Leica optics color rendition and super sharp / high contrast optics have enabled me to distinguish between similar plant species at a distance that I would have had to otherwise taken extra time to examine up close and personal.

Super optics, size, weight, ease of access and use, ruggedness, water/weather proof qualities of the Leica Monovid have made me a "Team Mono" member!

Thanks for your insights, Bobby.
I did not mean to imply a preference for compact binoculars. In fact I rather dislike them for their small exit pupils and difficult eye placement.
Small monoculars though do have a niche and those with lower magnification can have acceptable exit pupils and be quite comfortable in use.
I really like the 3x12 Zeiss but in common with the Monovid it today has a rather inflated price.
Here is a thread I started a couple of years ago Zeiss 3x12 Monocular. Note the date!

John

 

[fazalmajid]

Apart from compactness a monocular has the potential to perform one function better than any binocular and that is the ability to provide magnified views of objects at distances under 1 m, insects for instance.

Or aquarium fish.

The Minox Macroscope is a porro monocular that has close-focus to 35cm without accessory lenses. It is not particularly compact, however. The Vixen Artes 6x21 will close-focus to about 40cm (officially 60cm) and is reasonably small with excellent optics.

 

[lmans66]

A Monocular isn't for every 'eye' and certainly not as a main birding / nature optic. It is for those rare times when you are on a bike and want to take something light, or hiking, or just about casually doing something and want something but not even a small 8x25 binocular etc. I use mine occasionally. It is surely a 'first world' luxury,

 

[mwhogue]

A Monocular isn't for every 'eye' and certainly not as a main birding / nature optic. It is for those rare times when you are on a bike and want to take something light, or hiking, or just about casually doing something and want something but not even a small 8x25 binocular etc. I use mine occasionally. It is surely a 'first world' luxury,

Agree, neither monos nor pocket bins suit everyone. But for those who prefer to always have something rather than nothing along for the ride, there are ultra small options of both available.

Mike