Nikon Monarch 3 Binoculars

Nikon Monarch 3 10x42 Binoculars

The Nikon Monarch 3 binoculars (http://goo.gl/SmDR9) are Nikon's entry level binoculars for their "Monarch" series of bins. In this line there are the "5" and the newly announced "7" models. They are marketed as a waterproof rugged binocular and range in price from around $250-$300. I paid $289 for mine. Buying things online in Canada doesn't usually land you on the lower range of prices... They come in a 8x42 and 10x42 version. I have a 10x42. with the 10 referring to the magnification and the 42 being the diameter of the lens.

KEY FEATURES:
- Water and fog proof
- Phase-correction High Reflective Silver-Alloy Prism Multi-coatings
- Multicoated lenses
- Multi-setting Click Stop Eyecups
- Rubber grip coating
- flip down lens covers (very nice)

But I don't just want reiterate technical terms that you have probably read on others reviews. I'm gonna get down to what I like and don't like about them. and I'm gonna throw in some pics too. it's always nice to see some actual photos of a product instead of ones by the manufacturer that vary sometimes from the actual appearance.


now I know these are one of nikon's cheaper pairs but I was expecting a little more out of these guys. from the reviews I read before I bought mine i thought I was getting more than what I got. I use mine mainly for birding and nature observation.

CONS:
- not the sharpest picture
- eyecups are delicate
- cheap components?

I found myself constantly disappointed with image sharpness and often playing around hopefully with the diopter as though that was the reason they were not sharp enough. However, sharpness is relative. compared to my old $30 Bushnells from Walmart, the image quality is exceptionally better. but my problem comes from switching between my Nikon Prostaff 5 60 mm spotting scope ( review coming ) and to my monarch 3s. I find the spotting scope is significantly sharper then the bins. so when switching from sharp scope, to not so sharp bins, it only makes me perceive the bins as being even less sharp. And the prostaff 5 60 mm is I believe the cheapest scope they sell. So cheapest scope sharpness in its class > entry level binocular sharpness in its class. But like I said, it depends where you are already coming from with sport optics.

Take note of lack of screw

My second beef is the eye cups. while they are actually really nice and have four fixed convenient lengths to extend to, one of mine broke on a summer backpacking trip in Banff. we were talking a break on the trail and I set them down on top of my pack, cups still fully extended. my friend bumped my pack and they fell off the pack (2-3 foot fall) and presumably landed on the extended eye cup. It was wobbly and as I investigated, pulling off the rubber cover to check the damage, I lost one of three tiny screws to the forest floor. c ya. I now really have to fidget to extend or retract it. And also if you get grit in the mechanism it may make a grinding feeling and noise when extending. not that that's necessarily gonna affect performance, but it like it smooth.

Broken Diopter Dial

These other two things are minor but make the bins feel poorly constructed. My Nikon cover for the pivoting area in the middle has also fallen off. It is most likely slowly bio degrading int the wildness somewhere. and the diopter ring has separated from it track. I know what your thinking " ya whatever you can still slide it down and adjust" but see now the problem is that I don't know where the dial is adjusted to in relation the markings, - , neutral , and + on the bins. I haven't looked into warranty yet so I can't comment on customer service. Sending away for repair is great if you like being without your bins for weeks at a time.
none of these problems have affected the actual image quality per say but it makes them feel cheap and poorly constructed. being advertised as rugged waterproof outdoorsy binoculars, they should be able to stand up to more abuse, and not to mention that I only bought them 5 months ago.

PROS
- waterproof
- rubber grip is really nice
- smooth focusing dial
- convenient lens covers
- overall feel and handling

time for some positivity now. the waterproofing is nice. I have been able to hike around in the rain and not had to worry about putting them away or hiding them in my jacket. The rubber coating does feel damn fine. the big smooth focusing dial is a pleasure to use and the flop down lens covers will keep you from constantly losing and looking for where you put them. the overall feel and handling is nice too. With the rubber coating, nice weight ( but not too heavy at 1.5lbs ) and ergonomic profiling, they are a pleasure to use.

THE VERDICT

would I recommend the Monarch 3 Binoculars to someone else? only if you want a decent pair of affordable bins. even if you are moderately serious about you picture quality and usage ( although birders are probably more picky- we like feather detail) I would recommend skipping the 3s and either buying the Monarch 5s in the $350 range or the 7s in the $550 range. The latter have better coatings to increase brightness, colour and sharpness. and the 7 has ED (extra dispersion glass) which is a feature usually reserved for more expensive binoculars. I personally will buy the 7s when the funds are available. Although I suspect that maybe the only difference is in optics and that the body construction and parts will be the same. With improved sharpness however, the rest of the cons are not enough to dissuade me. and by the way, if you are American you will for sure be able to find these bins for a better price somewhere online. us Canadians get screwed like that.