Author Topic: I've ordered a monocular.  (Read 4746 times)

pdstsp

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Re: I've ordered a monocular.
« Reply #15 on: 12:09:12, 17/02/21 »
Steady on Daveyboy - no need to be unpleasant  :(

pauldawes

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Re: I've ordered a monocular.
« Reply #16 on: 13:04:50, 17/02/21 »





Unless your prepared to spend a lot of money, for optical performance and precision, its far better to buy a 8x20 compact binocular, than buying a cheap monocular.


Unlike the small compact binocular market, where you can spend an affordable amount of money, and achieve great performance, its entirely the opposite when you look at monoculars.


To achieve an acceptable image quality, you unfortunately have to spend a lot, to achieve it.


Which specific small compact binoculars give “great performance” for an affordable amount?

Daveyboy

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Re: I've ordered a monocular.
« Reply #17 on: 13:15:28, 17/02/21 »

The general topic of this thread was in regard to budget monoculars however, once again DA saw this as an oportunity to make the thread all about him and his perceived superior knolwedge rather than to contribute anything meaningful

For a more balanced view of what is currently available across a range of price points you might like to take a look at the following article


https://www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/monoculars/best-monoculars-for-birdwatching.php

pdstsp

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Re: I've ordered a monocular.
« Reply #18 on: 13:30:24, 17/02/21 »
You might not agree with DA, but, as I said, I just don't see the need to be so unpleasant.  DA has given his opinion that is all.




gunwharfman

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Re: I've ordered a monocular.
« Reply #19 on: 15:45:00, 17/02/21 »
All I know is that I just want something small and light so that I can recognise the shape of a cow and/or to check if anyone is around when I choose to wild camp. From experience I know I will rarely use it so I'm happy to see shapes and movement, if I get any kind of clarity I'll just treat that as a bonus. I think I'll order the £22 version of it later today.

Dyffryn Ardudwy

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Re: I've ordered a monocular.
« Reply #20 on: 15:55:52, 17/02/21 »
Dear Daveyboy

Its perfectly clear that you have no concept, on why the likes of Leica and Zeiss come top of the ratings for anything to do with optics.


Money will be better spent, on an affordable pair of compact binoculars, say a 8x20 magnification.


Stay well clear of a monocular, because they have a very limited capability, and you only have to look at the optics market, to realise there are not many to choose from, because they are not high on the list of most customers.

I spend the best part of a year, testing and considering which monocular to buy, its a very small market, as most people stay well away from them, due to their limited magnification and limited choice.

A monocular is totally different to a pair of binoculars, and the difference in performance between an affordable one, and the Leica or Zeiss is significant.

Just read any of the reviews on monoculars, and unfortunately you have to pay a lot of money to get acceptable quality.

They all have such tiny magnification, that the quality of the optical glass is crucial, and cheap affordable ones, just cannot afford to use Schott glass, or high end optics.

Also, any small compact binoculars, from say, Praktika or Pentax produce great results, and there are many costing not a lot of money.


Their also extremely portable and compact, and take up very little room in your rucsac.


Some will even fit inside your chest pocket, so their size can be ideal for the walker.


When an optical device, has only one barrel to use to focus on the subject, the clarity of view is certainly brought into question when inferior glass is used.


If you do not believe me, then visit a good quality camera shop, and look through a few of them.


Its far less critical with binoculars, which is why a moderately priced compact binocular produced great results.

You only have to look through optical glass produced by either Swarovski or Leica, to realise why they are the chosen optics of professionals.



Their expensive for a reason, because they are the best at what they do, and no argument or criticism here, will change that.
« Last Edit: 16:14:08, 17/02/21 by Dyffryn Ardudwy »

veracocha

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Re: I've ordered a monocular.
« Reply #21 on: 19:26:20, 17/02/21 »
You can get decent quality at half the price or even much less than the alpha stuff mentioned above. I do agree, a compact set of ED glass binoculars will be a much better and more used item than a monocular. It isn't just the image that will be of vastly improved, it will be a much easier, relaxed view that immerses you into the picture all day long. I use my 10 x binoculars for looking at butterflies & insects at 6ft as well as the hikers over a mile away. 

Little Foot

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Re: I've ordered a monocular.
« Reply #22 on: 21:19:37, 17/02/21 »
So, I take it the monocular costing £2.65 from Aliexpress won't be any good then?  ;D

Dyffryn Ardudwy

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Re: I've ordered a monocular.
« Reply #23 on: 11:35:02, 18/02/21 »
I forgot to add, using a monocular is not that easy, being a sub miniature telescope.
Its a difficult instrument to hold steady, because of its small dimensions, and when your using one eye to focus on a object, it can be a challenge to keep it steady.

A monocular with average optics, will be a huge disappointment, as the image quality will be lacking any clarity or depth of field, whilst a pair of decent compact binoculars, will provide a clear image.

I suggest a pair of 8x20 magnification  compacts, then you will have an instrument that will be a joy to use, and you do not have to spend the earth on a pair.
« Last Edit: 11:44:52, 18/02/21 by Dyffryn Ardudwy »

gunwharfman

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Re: I've ordered a monocular.
« Reply #24 on: 11:59:07, 18/02/21 »
Your Ali Express suggestion reminds me of the time when I was a 60s student and tried to earn a bit of cash by selling electric central heating systems door to door for a bloke called Charlie Virgin. His daughter hated her surname. I was a complete failure at selling but I do remember him telling me that if he offered to sell a system at a low price, (he would still make his profit within his quote), the potential customers wouldn't believe him. Customers tended to believe that central heating was expensive to install so he usually doubled the price and his customers would then buy.

I bought the cheap setup for my Mum and she loved it! She wouldn't get rid of her coal fire though, she just couldn't cope without a grate to clear out each day. We only persuaded her otherwise when she was 85.

Charlie only ever worked in the afternoons or evenings, in the mornings he stayed in his house and gave his three tropical fish tanks his undivided and loving attention. He was the stereotypical 'Dell boy' totally generous with his money and was great fun to be around.

Like on Ebay there are dozens of cheap monoculars but I have no idea what to look for, so I've ordered the £20 one again from Amazon, they now suggest they have them in stock.

jimbob

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Re: I've ordered a monocular.
« Reply #25 on: 12:39:18, 18/02/21 »
GWM have you noticed that on Amazon and Alie express there are a huge number of identical looking things, with the same chinese/English descriptions, but with different company names and widely varied prices.
 It cannot be a coincidence. It seems the same monocular can retail from 10 quid to 300 quid on Amazon.

As for the superiority of Leica etc then that may have been true when they designed and produced their own lenses. A quick search shows they haven't done so for a while now. They admitted recently that they have used a mass manufacturer for some time. It is suspected that they use the same chinese manufacturer as Panasonic and Canon. The experts on testing the actual lenses have pointed at Panasonic, at least insofar as they are the same design, materials and design.

 So in Leica you're probably buying the name nowadays. Though even their mass produced lenses probably go through much stricter quality control than "yakkihakkikino" cheap as chip lenses.

 I have used the zoom on my phone camera a few times to see if I can see something a bit clearer. It is OK but not really as good as a monocular would be by a very long chalk  for your purposes.
« Last Edit: 14:18:07, 18/02/21 by jimbob »
Too little, too late, too bad......

GoneWest

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Re: I've ordered a monocular.
« Reply #26 on: 13:14:26, 18/02/21 »
...
 I have used the zoom on my phone camera a few times to see if I can see something a bit clearer. It is OK but not really as good as a monocular would be by a very long chalk  for your purposes.

Zooming a phone camera might enable you to see the individual pixels more clearly; the image not so much!

Daveyboy

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Re: I've ordered a monocular.
« Reply #27 on: 13:34:47, 18/02/21 »
Despite what DA would have you believe there are a multitude of good quality monoculars availble at all different price points. There is certainly not as big a variety of monoculars as binoculars but that is only because the reduced demand for monoculars and NO OTHER REASON


1)     Monoculars are actually easier to manufacture than binoculars
2)     The same quality of optics are available in Monoculars and their equivilant Binoculars when using the same manufacturer
3)     There is actually a wider range of magnification sizes available in Monoculars than Binoculars given that the former are also used as both gallery scopes by the fine art sector and                      portable field microscopes - and that without even considering spotting scopes, which are also monoculars.


DA's claim that "A monocular with average optics, will be a huge disappointment, as the image quality will be lacking any clarity or depth of field, whilst a pair of decent compact binoculars, will provide a clear image" is absolutely false for the reasons outlined above.  
The smaller the model the lighter the weight, of either type of optic, the harder it is to hold steady because the weight of the unit contributes to how easy it is to steady the unit. I used to use a 8 x 25 model and needed 2 hands to steady the unit but changed to an 8 x 42 because as well as better light gathering abilities the unit was heavier and easy to hold steady with one hand.

 
It stands to reason that a £20 unit, of either type, is never going to match a £100 - £200 unit in terms of clarity or build quality but if you only want it to spot the odd cow/signpost/stile in the distance then why spend more. Conversely if you spend all day, most days using your choice of optic in either a proffesional capacity or as a dedicated birdwatcher then an investment of several hundred pounds for your equipment makes far more sense.  

 
I suspect however that the majority of users of either type of optic lay somewhere in between the 2 ends of the scale and that is why there are an excellent range of both types of optics available and different price points and for DA to claim that only Lecia or Zeiss make decent monoculars is completely non sensical because I can absolutely guarantee you that the like of Opticron, Hawke, Bushnell etc sell vastly more units the both of the aformentioned brands.

 
As the saying goes you pays your money and you takes your choice and if whatever unit you purchase meets your needs then it is the right unit for you - regardless of price  






jimbob

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Re: I've ordered a monocular.
« Reply #28 on: 14:25:35, 18/02/21 »
Zooming a phone camera might enable you to see the individual pixels more clearly; the image not so much!


like I said not too good. But better than my old eyes.

Have you seen what the latest Huwaeui phone does with their camera in order to get true zoom, they have used the lenses in the camera from top to bottom using leading periscope technology, means you can get more tiny lenses into the physical camera. That uus added to ever more powerful imaging software, which in itself can be updated if better software comes along. Who knows what the future brings, maybe a phone which can just warn you that here are cattle in the field ahead,   long before you get there, and advice on how to divert safely...
..
. Ah, I can but dream.
Too little, too late, too bad......

veracocha

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Re: I've ordered a monocular.
« Reply #29 on: 14:35:07, 18/02/21 »
As the saying goes you pays your money and you takes your choice and if whatever unit you purchase meets your needs then it is the right unit for you - regardless of price


There's a saying in the optics world; "the best binocular/monocular is is the one you have with you"

 

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