I wanted a good pair of binoculars for some time as an aid to the localization of birds and small mammals in my photography outings. I was looking for something very portable and light with high quality optics. I owned several pairs of binoculars through the years by Tasco, Skyline and Bushnell but they were either too big to be considered portable or the optics were simply disappointing and outdated.
As I am a Nikon shooter, I thought I would try their well reviewed Nikon Monarch 7. After reading the many online reviews I chose the 10X30 simply because I wanted something small as stated (my photography gear weighs enough already and I wanted a minimum of added weight) and something that was optically very clear and sharp. I chose the 10X because I thought the added reach would get me closer to small and distant birds vs the 8X variation.
The binoculars come with a good carrying case (pouch) that has a belt loop of course. A sturdy and comfortable strap is provided as well. They offer a good grip with the weatherized rubber exterior. They are waterproof, fogproof and feature the same famous ED glass coating that goes into almost all modern day Nikon camera lenses. I like the front rubber Nikon caps that are permanently attached to the binoculars themselves. They are easy to remove, stay on the binoculars so you can't loose them and they provide a tight seal on the front objective when pushed in. If there is one drawback to the Monarch 7's it's the very clumsy rear eyepiece caps. These don't seal the rear eyepiece and they are always loose as if they were not intended to fit on these binoculars at all. I could easily see myself loosing those caps somewhere. I would have much preferred single eye caps for each eye piece that actually stay on as the front caps do. Maybe on the next update !
After going through the instructions on how to adjust the binoculars for personal eye sight variations (I recommend the video tutorial by Nikon on youtube), I tried them out on my first hike and found the optical clarity to be outstanding for such a small objective. I've had them for about a year now and I'm still in awe every time I use them. Contrast, sharpness and color saturation is such that I will never use my other binoculars again ! I have found them to be an invaluable aid to spot small and bigger birds at a distance so I can find interesting subjects to photograph or just observe.
They are not cheap but once you use them a few times you will understand why and quickly get over the initial sticker shock. They are optically built like Nikon's finer lenses and that alone is worth the expense. I suggest you look at the online prices often. They can vary a lot.
Specifications:
Length: 119 mm or 4.7 inches
Width: 123 mm or 4.8 inches
Weight: 440 grams or 15.5 ounces
Waterproof if submerged in water up to 1 meter for 10 minutes