Recommend a monocular

As per the title, can anyone recommend a decent monocular to stick in my bag on dog walks?
It’s just for viewing birds/wildlife/planes/anything else interesting.
Budget is around £100-£150

We have one of these. Easy to carry/use and a crystal clear, bright image.
https://www.wexphotovideo.com/hawke-endurance-ed-10×42-monocular-1663098/?cpgnid=17651496465&adext=&account=853-353-2386&campaign=&group=&mkwid=_dm&pcrid=&kword=&match=&plid=&pgrid=&ptaid=&si=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4-PDjILt_gIVTuvtCh1Tbw9dEAQYASABEgL1ZvD_BwE

I have one of these:

https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-solo-tactical-rt-8×36-monocular.html

Bought for ranging and because I dislike binos, so it works well for me and the optics are very good. Maybe a touch over your budget (it was cheaper when I got mine I swear!), but it’s worth it.

bought one of these last month after some research (on here!) Basically the middle-of-the-road good quality but not bank-breaking option. 8×42 seems to be the sweet-spot. It’s pretty light, don’t notice the weight or bulk at all which is what I was after! Great to have on a walk or ride. Optics are really clear, took some great video/photos of mating frogs using my iPhone thru the monocular (need to buy or 3d print some kind of mount/adapter as was pretty wobbly with me just holding it!!)

EDIT: not sure if the amazon link is working? But it’s an Opticron Explorer 8×42, £150 off Amazon

Thanks a lot for this thread, now I have a monocular I never realised I needed before en route to me.

I can recommend the Hawke Endurance ED as well.
My wife has a Viking Cygnus ED & there are no complaints with that either.

I’d recommend the 8 x 42 as it’s easier to hold stable & also with the wider field of view you can locate your chosen target quicker too than with a 10 x optic.

This shop is local to me & has great service & prices;

https://www.birders-store.co.uk/hawke-endurance-ed-8×42-monocular.html

https://www.birders-store.co.uk/viking-cygnus-ed-8×42-monocular.html

I’ve had this for years,

Not much help as it’s unbranded (so propably not ‘professional’ quality but its dedent and pretty small, the appeture is about the size of a pound coin) and I can’t remember where I bought it, I think it was about £40

^ It looks identical to this though:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124243044630?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28

And has the same carry pouch.

SO its probably one of those things that’s sold under several different brand names.

I also have the Hawke mentioned above. Very pleased with it.

When I was looking into this the Opticron was the best for lightweight, compact, performance and reasonable price (£150)

https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/reviews/opticron-explorer-wa-ed-r-8×42-review

I’ll bet someone on here has an unused/unloved one at home they want to move on for a reasonable fee.

How did you know I wanted this exact recommendation but is anybody else having issues with every single html link?

^^^ not all of them but a lot, yeah. Wonder if STW HQ has made some “tweaks” 🤔 😂

I’m having the same issue with the links not working.

That aside, a question for those of you who have the Hawke……do you find the focus ring stiff, or very difficult to use with one hand? I’ve read a few reviews, generally very positive but the focus ring has been a negative for a few reviewers.

That aside, a question for those of you who have the Hawke……do you find the focus ring stiff, or very difficult to use with one hand? I’ve read a few reviews, generally very positive but the focus ring has been a negative for a few reviewers.

No, for me it is smooth & nicely damped.

I though this would be thread about monocles. I am dissapointed.

No problems with the Hawke focus ring, feels smooth.

That little monocular that mattyfez posted is very similar to one that Zeiss used to make, I can remember wanting one, but never had the money. Tiny little things, perfect for a jacket pocket, easy to mislay in a bag!

Edit: yeah, thought so, it’s a Zeiss Jena with poro-prism system, found one on eBay for around £152. Lovely little thing, but I’m not sure I can justify buying it. Sorely tempted, mind…

Yes very small and pocket sized.. I guess its a copy of the Zeiss one.

While I’m very tempted by the Zeiss one, or the one you’ve got matty, I’ve got a monocular which I’ve had for a few years, a Vortex Solo 8×25; it’s pretty good, easy to hold, and focus, and the image is nice and bright, and pretty crisp.
The only thing it lacks is a threaded point to mount on a small tripod.

One thing worth mentioning is customer aftercare. Hawke are good, and will look after their endusers. Originally based in Woodbridge Suffolk. As long as you deal with them via their service centres they offer a lifetime “no fault” warranty.

Vortex, similarly offer a lifetime, no quibble warranty. Both will repair or replace if it’s irrepairable. No matter how it got damaged. And the warranty is transferable. SO just send it to them and they’ll fix or replace.

In terms of quality at that price point they’re going to be very similar.

Has anyone on here got one they want to sell?

@Scapegoat – I didn’t know that about Vortex, I actually bought mine on a whim from a camera and optics shop by Bath Abbey, so it’s worth knowing I can just pop in if anything happens to it. It usually just sits in a pocket in a bag I usually have with me when I’m out for a walk. I often forget it’s there and take my binoculars as well.

. I often forget it’s there and take my binoculars as well.

Optics humble brag 😉🙃

Optics humble brag

At least now I can see through whichever I’ve got with me properly! Made sure I left the binoculars at home today when I went over to Avebury for a walk up onto the Ridgeway. I’ve got several pairs of binoculars, a pair of little Pentax ones, my Avian ones, a pair of 10×50’s of my dad’s, and a cheap pair of 10×50’s I bought on holiday in 1969. Great in dim light, but too sodding big and heavy for walking with. There’s nothing much worth bragging about with any of mine; even the Avian ones only cost about £90. Difficulty justifying spending £8-900 or more on a new pair, tbh.
One issue with a monocular is actually carrying the thing; it does sort of pendulum wildly while you’re walking, I was just about able to get my arm through the loop on the lanyard, then get it over my head, so it hung down to one side, which was a lot easier to use. Never tried that before, so the bloody thing just swung all over the place – that was one reason I didn’t carry it, but now I’ve got that sussed it’s staying in my bag permanently.

The best optics are the ones in your pocket/bag when you need them!

We often go on local walks and see deer, owls and buzzards but don’t have the binos with us 🤦

As we’re off to The Gambia in a few weeks where there’s a ton of wildlife to observe at a distance and I’ve got dodgy eyes that are incompatible with binoculars I came back to this thread with interest.

And as Mrs BigJohn has a birthday coming up she thought a monocular would be good to have.

I’ve taken on board the recommendations but apart from price I get the feeling that weight is a factor that can’t be ignored. So here’s the list I’ve got. Oddly, my original preferences seem to be heaviest first.

Hawke Endurance ED 8×42 £109 558g
Viking Cygnus ED 8×42 £115 340g
Opticron Explorer 8×42 £145 330g
Vortex Solo 8×36 £108 270g

Any thoughts? It looks like the ED lens makes a difference so I’m currently thinking the Viking Cygnus will be what I plump for on the basis you’re more likely to stick a light one in your bag when you go out.

We have the Opticron Explorer ED 8*32 – it is excellent and noticeably better than the Opticron Discovery 8*32 binos we have.

I had a bad traumatic cataract and found the monocular invaluable. I had it removed last spring but I still use the monocular as it is so good and fits in my pocket

We all have different eyes though so make sure you can send it back if the one you choose isn’t right for you

When does a monocular become a telescope?

At 9.0421 inches

I’m not sure either but I don’t really see myself waving a metre long scope about with a 50 times magnification (and failing to spot the thing I’m trying to see).
I’m not saying I want to stay discreet…

As we’re off to The Gambia in a few weeks where there’s a ton of wildlife to observe at a distance and I’ve got dodgy eyes that are incompatible with binoculars I came back to this thread with interest.

as mentioned above I have the Opticron Explorer which is great but I picked up some Canon Image Stabilisation bins on Prime day last year and they are an absolute game-changer. Unless you want to lug around a tripod or can hold your arms as still as an SAS sniper they are so much better than non-IS bins that this feature trumps quality of optics for me all day long (not that Canon have terrible optics but you can certainly get better).

I see Opticron do an IS monocular now for £300, I’d definitely try to test it if budget allows (no idea if actually any good though!)

Any thoughts? It looks like the ED lens makes a difference so I’m currently thinking the Viking Cygnus will be what I plump for on the basis you’re more likely to stick a light one in your bag when you go out.

I’ve had the Hawke Endurance ED 8 x 42 since Xmas and it’s a good piece of kit, but is – quite obviously – a pair of binos minus one tube. so is as bulky or weighty as you’d expect. I’m finding it fine for shoving in a pocket when walking (as opposed to birdwatching-walking, where I’ll always have binos with me) or in a bar bag when on the gravel bike, but I might be tempted by a smaller one for bikepacking, where space is a little more critical. The Havke feels like a quality item (as do my Hawke binos), whereas I looked at some other makes which felt plasticky and poor quality. The added weight of the Hawke monoc may simply be because of this.

When does a monocular become a telescope?

Monoculars are very obviously just one ‘eyepiece’ of a binocular. A spotting scope or telescope will be bigger, have greater magnification, etc. I do, however, feel like Lord Nelson standing on a beach, monocular to the eye, staring at gulls. ‘Stand firm, my boys, the French are on the horizon…’

I’ve got the Hawke Endurance ED 8×42 and am very happy with it. It’s very well made but I knew your weight for it was incorrect. Just checked and it’s actually 320g. I would definitely go for an ED glass option as a noticeable benefit is a reduction of colour fringing on trees, foliage and subjects in bright conditions, which I suspect will be common in the Gambia.

Useful! I grabbed the weights from the websites if the sellers.
We’ve got an old fashioned camera shop in Stafford (right opposite the old fashioned fishmongers where I might get tempted to spend far too much money today) so I’ll pop in and try a few out. Seems like they keep some in stock.
Question is, how much am I prepared to pay over the Amazon price to keep bricks and mortar shops alive?

If you need image stabilisation for medical reasons then fair enough but you really shouldn’t need it on 8×32 or 8×42. It’s not like you’re a sniper looking 2km across the valley. You’re mostly looking at stuff fairly close to you.  Getting good quality optics without gizmos would be my preference

Question is, how much am I prepared to pay over the Amazon price to keep bricks and mortar shops alive?

I’d pay 10% to any shop vs Amazon but if it’s a proper specialist I’d pay 20-25% to keep them running. We need independent shops with passionate experts working in them. Optics, HiFi, bike shops etc.

If you need image stabilisation for medical reasons then fair enough but you really shouldn’t need it on 8×32 or 8×42

yes probably a bit much on 8x magnification – my bins though are 12×36. I wouldn’t want those in non-stabilised format! I’m sure a dedicated birdwatcher would scoff but they’re excellent as a “jack of all trades” set of bins if you only want one. I even took them to the local wildlife park last year, something I’d never thought of doing before, as the animals aren’t that far away. But they were awesome for it – could see mega detail on the animals including flies crawling over the buffalo as the image holds totally still. Also great for astronomy if you can’t be bothered with tripod/telescope, can see loads of detail on the moon etc!

Well I nipped into Peter Rogers this morning (before also nipping into Parkers opposite and getting some beautiful fresh halibut and tuna for tonight) and saying Hello to John and Richard in Henry Burtons bike shop, also opposite).

I tried out a few monoculars and finally settled on one I hadn’t got on my list, a Hawke Endurance ED Marine. 7×42. In comparison with the Hawke 8×42 Nature Trek it seemed just a little bit of a crisper and brighter image. There wasn’t a lot of difference but I knew that if I got the Nature Trek I’d wish every time that I’d gone for the ED lens.

And it’s so important to keep the specialist shops going. Buying the right thing for you after trying a range of items, and after describing what you want is always cheaper than buying the wrong thing.

Nice!. Only you have your eyes and being able to try the optics is, excuse the pun, literally eye-opening.

I thought they were all the same until I went to the RSPB reserve binos day and I couldn’t believe the differences in similar spec and price binos especially in low light