Nikon 7430 Monarch 8 X 42mm All Terrain Binoculars Reviews

• Performance at a reasonable price

  
  By A1I9P3BWEMY7I7 on 2004-06-18
  I really like these binoculars. They are light, bright, work well with eyeglasses and I give five stars because they are excellent value. I bought these binoculars for a nature trip in the Amazon and I use them in the back yard, on hikes and occasionally at the symphony or opera. My sister, an ornithologist, told me to get the most expensive binoculars I could afford. To her binoculars are a professional tool but I really didn't want to afford a thousand bucks like she was suggesting. She also told me to try out binoculars in dim conditions and to get 8x42 rather than 10x42 because it is easier to find what you are looking for and easier to hold so that the view is not shaking.

  In the store I compared these with the same power Leica. The Leica was nice but a lot heavier. I could tell the Leica was better, but not three times the price better. It was dusk, overcast and drizzling (ideal conditions for trying out binoculars). For example, I was looking at the brick work under the awning on a building about a block away from the store. I could see more detail in the brickwork and felt more `there' with the Leica. In brighter conditions the difference is less noticeable and I like the lighter weight of the Monarchs.

  On the Amazon trip I has the opportunity to compare binoculars with other people. Most people had brought cheaper binoculars and I think as a result their wildlife watching experience was compromised. The only people who had brought comparable binoculars were avid bird watchers. They had Opticrons which are in the same price ballpark as the Leica. Again, they are excellent binoculars but not three times better.

  I like the hard rubber-armor construction. It does not become slippery when wet. They feel solid but light. I am not so nervous about dropping the binoculars as I would be with the Leica or Opticrons. The firm turn-and slide eyecups (like the Lieca) are a huge improvement over the fussy soft foldable rubber eyecups found on many other binoculars.

  Looking for binoculars is a lot like looking for Hifi speakers. As the price goes up, the quality improves. At a certain price point you can no longer tell the next price level is clearly better; it is mostly just different. That is a good place to buy, and is something of a personal judgement. Minolta has some binoculars that are priced between the Monarchs and the high end and I think the Monarchs are every bit as good.
  
  

• Tack sharp, lightweight and well worth owning.

  
  By A28ANQFNN4TZ9F on 2005-11-19
  I did alot of research before deciding on this pair. As an experienced photographer, optical quality was my top priority.
  I originally purchased them for hiking and long range mountain scanning in southern Oregon, and while initially perplexed between the 10X or 8X version; I found the extra sharpness of the 8X resolution negated the need for a 10X magnification, because they rendered so much detail.
  With the 8X, I spotted a fire lookout station that I'd never seen before, on a mountain 15 miles out of town. Quite remarkable. Added to that, was the research at Cornell University's Ornithology Center on the web. Birdwatchers extraordinaire; who called them a steal. I concur. I never thought I'd be so happy paying this price for binoculars, but it was a no brainer. Tack sharp, lightweight and well worth owning.
  
  

• Bargain of the century?

  
  By A3HBSO3ALJGOWV on 2005-09-30
  Bought these bins recently, they really are excellent, very easy to use, good feel, amazing light gathering and reproduction, and only 1 and 1/2 pounds. If you read Cornell Lab of Ornithology review, there is only 1 set of binoculars under 1000 dollars that beat these,(and they are 6x lenses not really suitable for general birding.)Everything about them feels and works like 1000 dollar lenses with two exceptions, the lens cap and raingaurd, the former in particular would be a disgrace on 50 dollar lenses, i am going to see if i can buy generic replacements. Lots of other web reviews also rave about them, and 98% of people would not tell the difference between these and top range Zeiss, Leica etc. And for 300 dollars you can take them anywhere and enjoy them.
  
  

• great optics, questionable construction

  
  By A1GEB1OLIOSMQ6 on 2007-11-06
  I bought these to replace a pair of Pentax 8x42 WP's which I had scratched. For the money, I don't think you can do any better for optical clarity and resolution, in my amateur opinion. Not 'wow' better, but did seem a tad brighter than the Pentaxes. They are amazingly light and the overall ergonomics were good so I enjoyed using them. That 'quality feel' was lacking when compared to the Pentaxes, for whatever that's worth, and I don't think it was the lack of 'heft'. The twist out eye cups worked well when full out or in. The diopter ring was stiff and not so user friendly, it doesn't lock but won't likely budge anyway.
  So why only 3 stars? For it's price class it deserves 5 stars, but my example began fogging internally on an Elk hunt in otherwise benign conditions. A fluke? Others on the net have noted significant variability within the model line suggesting quality control issues with these Chinese made binoculars.
  I returned them to my local Cabela's and was refunded without question so did not deal with Nikon directly (25y warranty, FYI). If I can't find a better bin for similar money (considering Eagle Optics Ranger's, Vortex Vipers, Bushnell Elite e2, etc...), I may get another pair, after looking through several at the counter and doing my own 'testing' once I get them home. Hope that helps.
  
  

• Better Optics Make Better Birders. These Make You Better

  
  By ATGHFVQ2U1EFA on 2006-01-11
  After hinting for some time to my fiance, I was thrilled to receive these as a Christmas gift. I've used them over the past few weeks and have been thrilled with the quality of the optics. Scrutinizing some Bohemian Waxwings from 30 feet away revealed great detail and color richness. The adjustable locking eye cups are a great feature. The hard rubber exterior is strong and offers a good grip. The only negative review I have to offer is similar to others; the lens caps are cheap and are beneath the level of these fine binoculars. For the money I challenge anyone to find a better pair.
  
  
• Pleasantly surprised.
  By A1AR98F32BOAGP on 2006-07-07
  The image is bright and sharp. Only a thin edge of blur around the outer lense, but its barely noticable or in the field of view. They're extremely easy and quick to use. The focus wheel is smooth, fast, and precise. I prefer their lite weight, but I have to plant an elbow or lean against some thing to prevent shake. The bins are smaller than I imagined. They're easy to hold and feel secure in my hands. They are cheapest in online auctions. 2/3 the cost of most web sites. I'm extremely happy with these.
  
  
• lovely lovely viewing
  By AXP4I6Q8DWVRU on 2007-01-16
  i have been waiting for a pair of these for almost a year, and got them just 3 weeks ago. just a great piece of optics: the weight is right (not too light to shake easily, not to heavy to tire the arms), balance is great, clear with an amzing depth of field. if you are a freak of optic tests you might notice the slightest traces of both chromatic aberration (border of dark objects on light background in extreme contrast) and spherical (straight lines slightly curve at the edge of the view)- but you only notice if you look for it, and they only cost less than 300$!
  during the first week with my monarchs i saw some ducks and shorebirds- every detail of feathering was nice and naturaly colored. i gave a birder friend a little ride with them- it took him 3 seconds to "wow", and when i told him the price- he was amazed.
  i am so satisfied that i just carry them with me all the time. when i read the specs of the alpha binoculars by nikon and others- i cannot justify the extra money you must pay for slightly better optics (3 to 6 times!)
  the only downsides are the crappy objective caps (stitch them to the strap or you lose them the first time you go out), and the wide strap which i find too wide to support less than 700 grams. i put a narrower strap that fits nice under the shirt collar.
  i reccomend the nikon monarch 8x42 with all my heart to whoever is interested in viewing the nature.
  
  
• Excellent
  By AW1OL5GZ06FE1 on 2007-07-19
  I brought these about four months ago and love them. The main reason I brought them was for bird watching. I spent a bit of time researching, as I wanted a good pair of binoculars. They have a really nice fell and weigh 689grams with the strap on. I've dropped them once and there was no problem. Not long after I got them I took them with me on a Safari to Mali, Africa. The first evening I used them I was standing on a hill looking into a valley while the sun was going down. When I looked through the binoculars I could see all the villages around that were made out of mud and people where walking around their little village. Without the binoculars I could not see the small villages nor the people. The optic quality of these Binoculars is really good. They really bring the colour of the birds out. I showed my father in-law, the binoculars, who has been bird watching for 30 years and he said they were really good. For the price you pay the quality is great. Sure you could go and spend $2,000 on a pair but if you lost, broke or they got stolen then you would have a few teary nights. With these I wouldn't loose too much sleep if something happened to them. Besides the way how technology works the $2,000 optics will be < $500 within 10 years or so. I looked through a few pair of expensive ones and can't say that they deserve $2,000; yes they were better but not 5 times better. Unfortunately I couldn't buy these on Amazon as they don't send them overseas. If you live outside of the US and want to buy them go to Binoculars.com as they send them overseas at a reasonable price.
  
  
• Excellent quality
  By A1PWYQBYRHG1EE on 2005-11-17
  I have used the ATB 8x42 for about five months now. Great great quality and I really like the overall ergonomics.
  
  
• Outstanding binoculars, but ...
  By A1I08AXD4IG48P on 2007-07-18
  The quality of these binoculars is outstanding, and they are especially useful for those of us who wear eyeglasses. However, the lens caps are a real pain - just wont' stay in place, and the case provided is too small to cram in the binoculars and the lens caps. We bought a separate case to solve that problem. A great product - Nikon just needs to spend a little money to upgrade the "accessories."
  
  
• probably the best you can get for that price
  By A3R7RFHDDXJW0K on 2007-07-25
  An excellent binocular. Great color definition, pretty bright an wide field of view, soft and rapid focussing central knob, good close focus distance and nice and practical lens caps. They also have a nice ruber covering which feels very good on your hands and may be an effective shock absorber. The case is also ok and another great feature: they weigh only 620 grams.
  
  I finally picked up these binoculars from the Eagle Optics Ranger Platinum 8x42, which I have used before getting a very nice impression, and I can say the Nikon Monarch 8x42 are at least as good as the E.O. Ranger Platinum. I think this is the best you can get for such an affordable price and I feel very pleased with these binos.
  
  
• Nikon Monarch ATB 8x42 Binoculars
  By A3FLQH1U7WM0GM on 2008-03-24
  I have been seriously birding since 1956. I have owned three pairs of porro prism binos...this is my first pair of roof prism binos. I am in my late sixties and have developed early stages of cataracts. These glasses provide an incredible amount of additional light. My wife and I each bought a pair for under $250 each. As reasonably good binos go these are outstanding. We have birded throughout the US and also internationally. We are looking forward to having our new binos when we travel to Cape May.
  
  I recommend these Nikons, without reservation, to whomever is considering upgrading their optics. Good luck spotting the LBJs (aka Little Brown Jobs).
  
  
• Impressive
  By A304JAKRYZLJSY on 2007-06-15
  I bought these binos after extensive internet research. While not an optics expert, I really like these. Images are very, very sharp and plenty bright. Lightweight and fairly compact. Only downside is the rear caps are completely useless. Bought them for my wife for birdwatching. Highly recommended if your budget allows.
  
  
• Perfect Choice for My Needs
  By A15PUPJG9HD6N7 on 2008-02-29
  Wanted something to get a sharper look at the birds that feed just outside my kitchen window. I wear glasses and have terrible astigmatism. I know nothing about binoculars so I just looked through every pair I could get my hands on. After that experience the meaning of many of the binocular specs I had been reading about became (literally) clearer. I was pleased at how much more light these let in than the tiny pair I thought I wanted; yet these are satisfyingly compact and feel just right in my hands. I could easily get a large, bright circle of view despite my glasses. I could focus right up close. The image was very sharp. I don't have a sense of the utility of their depth of field, given my inexperience. I normally patronize local merchants when I can, but at a hundred dollars less, I jumped on these when I saw that Amazon had them. I am very happy with my choice. I agree however that the eyepiece lens caps have to be some kind of an inside joke. It's like the caps are left-over parts from some entirely different product.
  
  
• Natural balance
  By AHSKJ866FHDC1 on 2008-04-23
  A great value for waterproof glass. The one attribute for an 8x that comes from the elegance in design here; balance. At this magnification, it's important to have stabilization, and with this 8x42, comes naturally. The optical quality is Nikon, alright.
  
  
• Fantastic midprice binocular
  By A1JFIXQWBBNHWV on 2008-06-11
  I started looking at the Monarch when I was originally shopping for a quality binocular to assist me when doing bird photography. I bought a Leica Ultravid 10x42 at that time. I later bought the 8x42 Monarch to use whale canoeing and for knocking around, and they are very impressive for the price.
  The image quality is excellent edge to edge (not exceptional like the far more expensive models, but truely excellent). They are very light weight and well made. They are easy to adjust (I need slight diopter adjustment for my eyes and can quickly reset them when sharing them with other people). The eye cups are easy to adjust and also easy to remove and clean (like when they get full of peanut skins and shells at a baseball game).
  I normally keep these in my car and they come in very handy.
  
  If you are looking at less expensive models, seriously consider spending a little more for the Monarchs. Ifyou are looking at more expensive models, these are worth considering also. They pack a lot of optical quality and most of the build quality of the top models into these for a very attractive price.
  
  
• Fantastic value! Excellent Binoculars!
  By APNRQ9HKCL8MR on 2008-10-25
  I purchased the Monarch's to replace an aging pair (30 years old). The first thing that came to mind when I first used them was...WOW! The clarity is outstanding...especially for the price.
  
  Many prior reviewers complained about the lens caps. I personally find them very functional and not at all what was portrayed. Perhaps I have an upgraded model, but the objective lens caps are attached to the barrel and one needs to simply unsnap the covers and twist them towards the middle of the binoculars where they sit nicely until you wish to put the covers back on. The the one-piece eyepiece cover (that everyone seems to complain about) has a serpentine plastic piece between each lens cover that applies a small amount of pressure to keep the lens covered when the binoculars are at rest on your chest and easily removes for viewing. If the user wishes, he can unhook the right-hand side of the cover and let the piece hang on the left-hand strap (otherwise it will be hanging in front of your nose!).
  
  As other reviewers have noted, I now see things that I would have missed before. These binoculars are fantastic. Jupiter has been visible all summer (the brightest "star" in the night sky excepting the Moon) and I can actually see a few of Jupiter's moons. I needed to steady the binoculars on a door frame, but what a sight!
  
  For birding and other casual use the 8x42 are perfect. I personally don't think I would have been happy with the 10x42's as they would have produced a little too much jitter while viewing (I'm not as steady as I used to be).
  
  And for those of you who criticize that the glasses are made in China, just peel the label off. There, now they're made in Japan.
  
  I highly recommend these binoculars. I am EXTREMELY pleased with these Nikon's. If you have the chance to purchase these, DO IT -- You won't be sorry.
  
  
• Fine binocular and great value for the money
  By A2F549OXODAPNA on 2008-01-07
  My wife and I have been birders for many years and I wanted to get her a great binocular without breaking the bank. I googled binocular reviews and found The Cornell Ornothology Lab which is part of Connell University. They rated the ATB Monarchs the best bet in a mid proced set. I've used a very expesive German binocular and you know what, these are better for less than 1/3rd the cost. Very good light gathering in low light conditions and sharp as a teck from 6' to infinity. I highly recommend these.
  
  Jeff
  
  
  
  
• Nikon Monarch ATB 8x42 Waterproof Binocular
  By A3L9QBSMVEWBLP on 2008-02-23
  Excellent optical quality, sharp edge-to-edge. Bright, no chromatic aberration is noticable. Easy to carry, handle. Excellent value! It delivers 85% of the quality of a very high end item for 1/4 the price. Recommend highly to birders and other nature-lovers.
  
  
• great buy
  By A2NNUWPC9MKQ0H on 2008-03-08
  Just back from Peru, with time spent in both jungle and mountains. The Nikon Monarch ATB binoculars performed exceptionally well in all light conditions. No fog up in humid conditions of jungle or cloud forests. Attached lens caps were a real plus. Compared them to the guide's $2,000 pair and feel I got a better bargain.
  
  
  
• You get what you pay for
  By A2QP5OZNBBE104 on 2008-05-31
  These binoculars are probably at the sweet spot price quality wise. For the money you probably won't find a better pair of binocs. And if you pay more the quality won't be that much better for the extra cash. These things are NICE!
  What really impressed me was my son's reaction. He's in his twenties, been in the Army, traveled the world, and is very perceptive and sensitive to quality. That said, he's quick to criticize some of my suggestions/purchases. So he was visiting, sitting out in the back yard one morning, and I handed him the Nikons. He views a bird in a tree and says, "These are really nice!"
  My bottom line: if you can afford them, buy 'em.
  
  
• Nikon Monarch Binoculars
  By AYE1YPW1G4XO3 on 2008-01-12
  Before buying these Nikon binoculars as a Christmas gift for my girlfriend, I asked the advice of my birding friends. Among them are people who travel to foreign countries to bird watch for hobby and for science, who work for U.S. Fish and Game, and for a local environmental NPO. All recommended these binoculars.
  There was a single mild dissent, however. One expert suggested that Nikon's Monarch 10 X 42 was a better choice than these, the 8 X 42's. Nevertheless, as my girlfriend is a novice to field binoculars, I worried the extra magnification would result in an unsteady image for her. (On a walk, siting a white-throated swift, my intuition was confirmed.) But consider them both.
  
  
  
• Nikon Monarch ATB 8x42 Waterproof Binocular
  By AQWVJE14CLOVF on 2008-07-08
  i am truly impressed by this product. i have been an avid birder/bird watcher for years. not until i bought the Nikon Monarch ATB 8x42 Waterproof Binocular did i realize that i was out in the field with less than adequate binoculars. the clarity is phenomenal. i am able to spot birds quickly with less focusing. i truly recommend this binoculars to anyone interested in wildlife viewing.
  
  
• Great binoculars
  By A1X19153NZYH0Y on 2008-02-11
  They are fairly light, comfortable to wear around your neck, and their optics are excellent. In short, I doubt if you could beat their quality for anything like the money.
  
  
• Excellent product
  By A1LUB4NZSCSXS1 on 2008-03-21
  After a lot, really... a lot, of research i finally decided on these binocs and very happy i did. They are much smaller than i imagined and the clarity is incredible. A Coworker has a $1500 pair of binocs and i think these are right up there with regards to quality and much lighter which is important. Spending ~$300 was more than i wanted but i think these will last me a lifetime and well worth it.
  
  
• Extremely poor packaging on the part of Amazon.
  By A1G3EUTWZRCLQ1 on 2008-04-16
  The binocuar box was simply placed in a larger box by Amazon with no packaging material or protection. The binoculars appear damaged from the USPS throwing the box around during shipment based on the condition of the shipping box. I'm unable to view thru both lenses of the binocular without getting a black encrochment. I attempted to provide feedback to Amazon thru their webpages but was unable to do so.
  
  
• New eyes!
  By A2IA2NIQ1I6ZB6 on 2008-04-18
  Our new Nikon Monarch binoculars exceeded our high expectations. Images are crisp and easily focussed. Using them is like getting a new eyeglass prescription.
  
  
• Second Purchase
  By A26JNRFM7YWUUN on 2008-05-11
  I bought the first pair last year before going on vacation. My wife and I were so pleased that this year I bought a second pair so that we each have one. Nuff said.
  
  
• Incredible optics!
  By A2V7FJJOCJ0YFO on 2008-05-22
  The optics are exactly what you would expect from Nikon. The image is exceptionally sharp. They are also very lightweight and easy to focus. A great value for the money! I would highly recommend them.
  
  
• Bright and sharp
  By A1QS6D4TOUN3WW on 2008-05-27
  These binoculars deliver very good performance for the price. Their size and weight are easy to hold and carry. The eye cups provide progressive, effective relief. Objective and eyepiece covers are funky, but work well when installed. The image is bright and well-aligned. Focus is very good, but suffers from a bit of spherical aberration across the field of vision. All together, the binoculars work well and are a pleasure to use.
  
  

• Nikon 6121 Prostaff Bino Harness
• Nikon 8177 Tripod Adapter
• Nikon Blue/Black Soft Neck Strap
• Nikon Tan w/Emerald Green Logo Optics Strap
• Nikon Forest Green Neck Strap

• Nikon 6121 Prostaff Bino Harness
• Nikon 7072 Lens Pen Cleaning System
• Nikon 8072 Microfiber Cleaning Cloth
• Op/Tech Bino/Cam Harness, Elastic Version for Cameras & Binoculars - Black
• National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Fifth Edition