Levenhuk Vegas ED 8x32 to Monaco ED 8x32 – Worth It for Birding? (1 Viewer)

[rnd2034]

Hey everyone,
I’m looking for some advice on upgrading my binoculars, which I primarily use for birding. I recently switched from Levenhuk Nitro ED 10x42 to Levenhuk Vegas ED 8x32, and the improvement was huge – the sharpness, wide view, and colors are incredible.

Now, I’m wondering if upgrading to the Levenhuk Monaco ED 8x32 would be worth it. On paper, the specs of these two binoculars look completely identical, so I’m not sure if I’d notice any real-world difference. Has anyone compared them side by side? Is the Monaco ED noticeably better in terms of detail, color accuracy, or low-light performance for birdwatching? Or is the difference too small to justify the upgrade?

Thanks for any input!

 

[mwhogue]

Pending input from members with direct experience, according to the specs I found there are two possibly significant differences. The Monaco has a five element eyepiece as opposed to four, and has dielectric coatings. These differences could make for a brighter image with less CA and less edge distortion.

About 12 years ago I was experimenting with various lower cost models to see which formats would be better for different applications. I got a 10x32 Monaco (@ $300 at the time ) , and two other Levenhuk models, an 8x25 dual hinge ($55) and a 10x25 singe hinge (@ $125) I don't remember the specific model names of either 25 mm model -- the 8x25 was maybe the "Rainbow" model. There was some problem either with the diopter or focus function on the Monaco and I could never get a good image. The dual hinge 8x25 performed about as expected at the price and the 10x25 was the sweet spot, very good performance and construction for the price.

Since you are currently happy with the Vegas model, but are getting the "upgrade bug" you might consider upgrading further into the $400 to $500 range. There are a lot of good bins out there now in that range, whether new, used or new old stock models on sale to make room for the updated versions.

Good luck with the Quest.

Mike

 

[rnd2034]

Pending input from members with direct experience, according to the specs I found there are two possibly significant differences. The Monaco has a five element eyepiece as opposed to four, and has dielectric coatings. These differences could make for a brighter image with less CA and less edge distortion.

About 12 years ago I was experimenting with various lower cost models to see which formats would be better for different applications. I got a 10x32 Monaco (@ $300 at the time ) , and two other Levenhuk models, an 8x25 dual hinge ($55) and a 10x25 singe hinge (@ $125) I don't remember the specific model names of either 25 mm model -- the 8x25 was maybe the "Rainbow" model. There was some problem either with the diopter or focus function on the Monaco and I could never get a good image. The dual hinge 8x25 performed about as expected at the price and the 10x25 was the sweet spot, very good performance and construction for the price.

Since you are currently happy with the Vegas model, but are getting the "upgrade bug" you might consider upgrading further into the $400 to $500 range. There are a lot of good bins out there now in that range, whether new, used or new old stock models on sale to make room for the updated versions.

Good luck with the Quest.

Mike

Thanks for the detailed reply, Mike! That’s really helpful insight, especially regarding the eyepiece design and coatings. I was indeed getting that “upgrade bug,” but after some thought I’ve decided to stick with the Vegas ED for now. Honestly, 400–500 € is already starting to feel like a bit too much for me to justify on a binocular — at that point, I’d probably start looking into thermal imaging options for evening use instead.
Appreciate the input

 

[Cest]

I couldn't find the Monaco online anywhere. It must be discontinued.

 

[rnd2034]

I couldn't find the Monaco online anywhere. It must be discontinued.

You are probably right. However, it is still available for 200 - 240€ in my country. I think it is because Levenhuk has warehouse here.

Ďalekohľad Levenhuk Monaco ED 8x32 | PENTA SK

Binokulární dalekohled se širokoúhlým střechovým hranolem s optikou s extrémně nízkými hodnotami rozkladu světla. Pětiprvkové okuláry o průměru 28 mm. Zvětšení 8x, průměr čoček objektivu 32 mm. Velké zaostřovací kolečko s drážkovaným povrchem.

www.epenta.sk