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JMW
member
Reged: 02/11/07
Posts: 42
Loc: Nevada
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I was wondering what people think about the
Orion 10x42 Waterproof Monocular. I backpack
10-20 nights a year on weeklong plus trips.
The skies are wonderfully dark in the high Sierra.
I have been looking for a monocular with a larger aperture
and this is the first that I have seen in the 40+ range.
I keep my pack weight down and don't want to carry
binoculars since they all weight more than a few pounds.
Do you think a 10x42 monocular would be as good
enough for some extremely dark sky fuzzy spotting?
Jeff
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Stellarvue ST115T Refractor
Celestron CPC-925 SCT
Zhumell Z12 Deluxe Dob
Orion EON80ED Refractor
Televue Panoptic 41; Naglar 22T4, 17T4, 12T4, 9T6, 7T6, 5T6
Atlas Mount w/ EQMOD
DM-4 Mount with Sky Commander
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 14732
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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If you are going to go that route, go into the classifieds or Swap and Shop, and pick up an 8x50 or 9x50 finder scope. Cost less.
Some monoculars I've seen are not operating at full aperture. AND some have extremeely narrow field of view. A 9x50 celestron finder scope has about a 6° fov.
There's an 8x50 finder without rings right now for $20.
edz
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Teach a kid something today. The feeling you'll get is one of life's greatest rewards.
member#21
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JMW
member
Reged: 02/11/07
Posts: 42
Loc: Nevada
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The Orion monocular has a 5.9 degree field of view.
I have a Stellarvue F50 with has a 5.75 degree field of view
and weighs about a half pound more than the monocular.
I don't know if the finder would be as durable in the backpack.
Jeff
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Stellarvue ST115T Refractor
Celestron CPC-925 SCT
Zhumell Z12 Deluxe Dob
Orion EON80ED Refractor
Televue Panoptic 41; Naglar 22T4, 17T4, 12T4, 9T6, 7T6, 5T6
Atlas Mount w/ EQMOD
DM-4 Mount with Sky Commander
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Erik D
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/28/03
Posts: 3196
Loc: Central New Jersey, USA
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Something New! Price is attractive. I am aware of a Swift 10X40 costing more than twice that. Orion's own 8X32 monocular is $142. Looks very interesting but.....
Have you ever hand held a 7 or 8X monocular before?(one handed) It's more difficult than holding a pair of compact 8X32 binoculars.
Some years ago I was on a quest for good quality monocular to be carried on my international business trips. Ended up with a Celestron 8X25 monocular(~$50 when new) and a high quality vintage Japanese 7X25 with 10 deg FOV. The Celestron is very compact, fits in the palm of my hand but had uninspiring optics. The 7X25 is longer, 4,75 inch X 1.5 inch dia. It has sharp clear optics and focus to 3 ft.
I never felt relaxed viewing thru the monocular for more than 20 or 30 secs. A monocular weighing a few ounces was more difficult to keep steady than a pair of 8X25 subcompacts roof prisms weighing 10 oz.( I used to compete in bull's eye pistol target shooting. Steady holding is usually not an issue) One eye viewing with 10 deg FOV monocular did not give me the feel of viewing thru EWA optics either. When target rifle shooters use scopes in a match they wear a patch or use a shade to block the non shooting eye.
I preferred the view with a pair of Burgess Vireo 8X25 subcompact roof prisms($29) better than a premium priced monocular.
If you have a pair of compact 8X25 or 8x32 binos you can hold in one hand you may want to cover one of the objectives to see how it feels. I don't like it when I cover up one objective. It's like someone turn off half the lights in the room while I am reading. 1/2 of my sensory input is blocked.
I'd guess many on this forum have high quality telescopes in the house but prefer binoculars as our primary observing tool....
Binoculars weighing a few pounds? I purchased a pair of Leupold Olympic 12X50 Roofs in 2005 for international travel. They weigh 25.7 oz. I have taken them on half dozen trips across the Pacific since.
http://www.eagleoptics.com/binoculars/leupold/leupold-olympic-12x50-roof-prism-binocular-black
You can consider the Oberwerk 12X50 Sport RP if you are on a light budget. I am willing to bet you can hold 12X50 compact roof prism binoculars steadier than 10X42 Monocular.
ERik D
PS. My Leupold 12X50 RP have 4.8 deg FOV, my Obwerwek 12X60 Porro Prism have 5.7 deg fov. Guess which one I use more? It's the quality of the view, not the numbers alone.
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StarStuff1
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 04/01/07
Posts: 981
Loc: South of the Mason-Dixon Line
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The Nikon Monarch series has a couple of light weight waterproof binos in the 8 and 10x36 and 8 and 10x42. All in the 20-21 oz weight range.
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Tools that make objects very far away appear much closer than they actually are.
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tpatnode
member
Reged: 01/03/09
Posts: 73
Loc: Southern Pines, North Carolina
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I agree that a lightweight compact or subcompact bino would be a better choice than a monocular. I have a 10x30 Lomo Little Mak monocular and a pair of Bushnell H20 8x25 binos. The views through the binos are much nicer, although they do weigh more. I keep the binos around my neck when hiking and kayaking so that they are accessible at all times.
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Erik D
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/28/03
Posts: 3196
Loc: Central New Jersey, USA
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Prompted by this discussion I went looking for the 7X25 Japanese monocular I have not used for several years. Took it with me to work this morning. It of all metal construction. Marked "7X25 WALTERS 10 deg WITH EXTRA SHORT FOCUS" Japan Telescope Inspection Institute inspection is still affixed. The optics are clear, sharp. The objective and eye lens looks like they have never been touched. But holding it to my eye still feels like I am viewing thru a 1 inch diameter metal tube. I do not have the same feel as looking thru a telescope with 70 deg aFOV. Not the relaxed viewing experience of looking thru a pair of compact binoculars.
I will have to take out the tape measure and check the FOV against a pair of binoculars with known FOV.
I also took out my Celestron 10X42 Regal Roof Prism this morning. Covered one objective to simulate the view thru 10X42 monocular. I did Not enjoy it. Furthermore, I found that 1/2 of a 10X42 binocular is fairly large object. Over 6 inch long, 2 inch dia.
Asking price for the Orion 10X42 monocular is $50. That's the good part. Now let us assume we join a pair of them to make 10X42 binocular. What kind of quality can we expect from a pair of 10X42 Roof Prism waterproof binocular selling for $100?
ERik D
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Tony Flanders
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/18/06
Posts: 3469
Loc: Cambridge, MA, USA
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Quote:
Have you ever hand held a 7 or 8X monocular before?(one handed) It's more difficult than holding a pair of compact 8X32 binoculars.
I don't agree. I use my 8x32 monocular quite a lot, and for most purposes, I prefer it to small binoculars. The key to holding it steady is to use two hands. You *have* to use two hands with binoculars, so everyone does. It never so much as occurs to most people to do the same with a monocular.
As for one eyes versus two, that's a personal thing. I like using two eyes, but it's not a big deal to me. Obviously, you *do* need extra aperture and/or magnification to compensate -- it would be unreasonable to expect an 8x32 monocular to show the same deep-sky objects as 8x32 binoculars.
On the other hand, for quick looks, I find one eye much more convenient. Only one thing to adjust instead of three (or more).
On yet another hand (how many do I have?), if I already owned a 50-mm monocular (the Stellarvue finderscope), I wouldn't go rushing out to buy a 40-mm monocular.
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Tony Flanders
First and foremost observing love: naked eye.
Second, binoculars.
Last but not least, telescopes.
And I sometimes dabble with cameras.
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Erik D
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/28/03
Posts: 3196
Loc: Central New Jersey, USA
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Quote:
I don't agree. I use my 8x32 monocular quite a lot, and for most purposes, I prefer it to small binoculars. The key to holding it steady is to use two hands. You *have* to use two hands with binoculars, so everyone does. It never so much as occurs to most people to do the same with a monocular.
On the other hand, for quick looks, I find one eye much more convenient. Only one thing to adjust instead of three (or more).
.
I DO agree. Tried the two hand hold by wrapping my left hand around the right holding my 7X25mm monocular. It does help quite a bit to steady the view. However, still feel like I am looking thru a tube. 10 deg FOV of the monocular seem about 1/2 that.
I took out my 7X50 Celestron Nova binocular marked 525 ft/1000 yard to compare. Stretched a tape measure across the top of the fire place mantel about 30 ft away. Rest the monocular on top of a tripod head to read the scale from edge to edge. Found that the binocular and monocular have nearly identical coverage. TFOV is about the same. The feeling of tunnel vision is caused by using one eye only.
I do enjoy using one eye for telescope viewing or mounted higher power spotting scope. Just don't care for hand held low powered monocular. The feeling of being "connected" is lost.
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"Only one thing to adjust instead of two or three"?
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Not so for me.
Nearly all of my binoculars are set for my correct IPD and -4.0 right diopter adjustment setting then left alone. The only thing I have to adjust before viewing is the focus wheel. To me it's much easier to adjust the focus wheel on a pair of compact binos by using the index or middle finger without having to shift grips of either hand. Since I have two dozen+ bino in the house I rarely have to share binoculars or change settings when we have visitors.
I do NOT care for the double hinged sub compact roof prism. That configuration Does require multiple adjustment. I shop for single hinged compact reverse porro such as the Bushnell Custom Compact 7X26, the Pentax UCF. Stokes has the single hinged 8X25 Meadowlark and other 8X28 roof prism models. They do not fold as compact as the double hinged roof prisms but are much quicker into action.
I can hold the single hinged Meadowlark 8X25 with one hand nearly as steady as using both hands and still have my index finger free to focus. For me compact binoculars with center hinge offers more griping surface. Two EPs offer additional contact points against my eye sockets. 4 inch X 3.75 inch with eye cups retracted. The Vortex Spitfire 8X25 is the same binocular with a racy name. Vixen also has a single hinged 8X25 roof. The Bushnell Custom Compact 7X26 is the best subcompact I own. Price is nearly 4X of the Stokes 8X25. I prefer the Bushnell Custom 7X26 over pricier double hinged 8X20 Leica or Zeiss roof prisms. I also have a compact Eagle Optics P Ranger 8X32 Roof. ~18.5 oz. Excellent optical quality in a slightly bigger package.
We all have our quirks. Yours may be different. ;-))
ERik D
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stevenf
member
Reged: 10/11/09
Posts: 31
Loc: Vancouver, BC
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This Orion monocular looks very interesting to me. I prefer a monocular over small binoculars (count in the 'not agree' camp  ) I have a cheap 7x18 and a 10x21 and have no problems holding either of them one handed in a bobbing sea kayak. But since I'm not backpacking, and weight isn't as much of an issue, a finder might be better.
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Meade ETX-60BB
Meade ETX-90EC UHTC
Skywatcher ST80
Orion ST120
Skywatcher 90mm Mak
Meade 9x63 binoculars
Celestron Explorascope
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Tony Flanders
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/18/06
Posts: 3469
Loc: Cambridge, MA, USA
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Quote:
Just don't care for hand held low powered monocular. The feeling of being "connected" is lost.
I know exactly what you mean. With two eyes, I feel drawn into the image. With one eye, I'm sitting off at a distance, studying it. However, their are pluses and minuses on both sides of that equation for me.
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Tony Flanders
First and foremost observing love: naked eye.
Second, binoculars.
Last but not least, telescopes.
And I sometimes dabble with cameras.
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