Nikon Monarch ATB 8×42 100% Waterproof Fogproof Shockproof All Terrain Binoculars are the best hand-held hunting binoculars out there! Incorporating precision-aligned optics for extended viewing, the latest Nikon ATB Monarch 8 x 42 Binoculars have a rubber-armored, ultra-rugged, roof-prism design, with multicoated lenses for bright, clear images. Nikon 8×42mm Monarch ATB Binoculars includes a 25-year limited manufacturer warranty. Nikon Monarch ATB All Terrain Binocular has been redesigned with phase-correction coating and fully multicoated lenses for bright, crisp and clear imaging with ergonomic styling and easily operable controls. Tough rubber armor and rugged construction of Monarch ATB – All Terrain Binoculars make them perfect for the deer stand or duck blind. Extra long eye relief and twist out eyecups accommodate eyeglass wearers.

Product Features

Technical Details

• Focusing System: CF
• Magnification: 8x
• Objective Diameter: 40 mm
• Angular Field of View Real: 6.5
• Angular Field of View Apparent: 52
• FOV at 1000 yards: 340 feet
• Close Focus Distance: 8.2 feet
• Exit Pupil: 5 mm
• Relative Brightness: 25
• Eye Relief: 19.5 mm
• Size: 6.5 (L) x 5.1 (W) inches
• Weight: 26.3 ounces

Reviews:

Performance at a reasonable price

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 8×42 rather than 10×42 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.

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?, September 30, 2005

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 binocular, excellent warranty, March 30, 2009

First- the negative point. My first pair fogged up on the inside after a couple of weeks. I took them back to the store where I got them, but could have sent them back to Nikon just as easily, thanks to the excellent warranty. Point is- save the box and receipt. It is worth noting that I haven’t heard of anyone else who had theirs fog up, I suspect that I had the bad luck of getting the one bad pair. Nikon has a no-fault 25 year warranty anyways. Covers are pretty bad too, but they had to cut costs somewhere to make binoculars this good for this cheap and better to cut corners in the covers than in the optics.

The good… pretty much everything else about them is perfect. For the price, you probably won’t find anything better. I used some similarly priced Eagle Optics for a while (2 summers as a field biologist) and I like these a bit more. I have used a few pairs of Leica and Swarovski that are way outside of my price range: they are pretty similar optically (but great eyepiece covers…) $2,000 binoculars are better than these, but not all that much better, and certainly not $1,750 better. If you are in the under $500 budget- these are probably the best you can get. My mom has the 10×42 monarchs, they are just as good. 8×42 will inherently have better low light ability, better field of view, better depth of field, and less problem with shake; 10×42 will inherently have better magnification/detail. If you aren’t sure what you are looking for or are a beginner birder, get 8x as they are a bit more versatile and easier to use (wider field of view). 8x will excel in the forest, with fast birds, at dawn or dusk, and anytime you may have shaky hands (while hiking up hill, for instance). The 10x are probably better for shore birds, hawks, and small birds that are still. Which ever pair you get, you’ll probably like them.