Nikon Monarch ATB (10x56) Binocular
- Binoculars Type: Binocular
- Max Magnification: 10x
- Zoom Ability: Without Zoom
- Lens Coating: Fully Multi-Coated
- Night Vision: Without Night Vision
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NIKON MONARCH 10x56 ATB BINOCULARS
Pros
These are an excellent set of binoculars.
Cons
None.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
These are an excellent set of binoculars selling at a very reasonable price.
NIKON MONARH 10x56 ATB BINOCULARS
With so many thousands of different types and brands of binoculars on the market today, selecting the right pair for yourself can seem like an impossible task. Unless a person really knows a lot about a certain subject or product that they are considering buying, I have always found that sticking to a good name brand is often a wise thing to do, and this applies to purchasing a pair of binoculars as well. One of the obvious reasons for this is that a name brand tends to become a name brand by earning their recognition and reputation by producing a quality product. However, it is still quite possible to purchase a model of a product that has a good name brand, and still not end up with a pair of binoculars that really suits your individual needs, tastes, and desires. That is why it is good to read reviews and to personally try out a pair of binoculars before committing to a purchase. With this in mind, I shall today be reviewing the Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars.
In searching for a pair of binoculars there are a number of factors to consider. The Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars are part of the Nikon ATB or All Terrain Binocular series. These binoculars are designed to be very rugged and to perform well even under the most demanding of situations. They are an excellent choice for bird watching as well as for hunting and nature viewing, and they work very well even under low light conditions.
I would like to discuss some of the features of the Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars that make them so appealing for certain uses. The Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars have a magnification factor of 10 times. That is what the "10" in the descriptor "10x56" refers to. A magnification of 10 is just about the upper limit that one can hope to have in a hand held set of binoculars. Once you go above a magnification of 10 times, the hand shake of the user causes a noticeable wobble of the image, and this is a factor that must be considered in making a purchasing decision. Even a person who has very steady hands will find it very difficult to keep their hands steady enough to avoid shaking when the object that they are viewing is quite distant. This is something that is pretty much universally accepted among people who are familiar with binoculars. As such, if you are considering purchasing a pair of binoculars that has a magnification above 10 times, I would obviously recommend a pair that has an image stabilization feature, or that can be mounted on a stabilization device such as a tripod. A nice plus is that the Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars are able to be mounted to a camera tripod, but you must buy an optional adapter if you want to choose to do so.
A feature that I like about the Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars is that the objective lenses are 56mm. For the novice reader, the objective lens is the lens that is at the wide end of the binoculars, and is not the part that you look through. All other things being equal, a set of binoculars with larger objective lenses will enhance the ability of the binoculars to give a sharp, bright, clear, image, especially in lower light conditions. A point to bear in mind, is that in bright good light, a pair of binoculars with a significantly smaller pair of objective lenses, such as 36mm, will produce a bright image as well. It is in less well lit conditions that having a larger set of objective lenses helps the object that is being viewed to appear to be brighter. The Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars also have a very good field of vision, which is 315 feet at 1000 yards, and the close focus distance is 32.8 feet.
However, when it comes to getting a bright, sharp, clear image, in low light conditions, the most important feature that a pair of binoculars can have is the quality of the coating on its optics. Light tends to be reflected off of glass. That bit of information will come as no surprise even to the novice reader. However, the more light that is reflected by the optics of a pair of binoculars, the less light is available to reach the eye of the observer, and thus the image being observed will appear to be less bright and less defined the more the percentage of light is being reflected. How is this tendency to reflect light dealt with or compensated for, the novice reader may ask? The answer is by coating the lenses, as well as the other optics inside of the binoculars. The better the coating, the less light that will be reflected, and all other things being equal, the brighter and clearer the image in the binoculars will appear to the observer.
The above cited information is very important to keep in mind when purchasing a pair of binoculars. The Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars have coatings not only on their lenses, but also on the mirrors which capture and reflect the image in the binoculars. A pair of binoculars with fully multicoated lenses, such as the Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars have, will mean that all of the surfaces of the glass that come into contact with the air are multicoated with antireflective materials, and thus a higher percentage of light reaches the eyes of the viewer.
The Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars have a phase coated roof-prism design. This means that the internal prisms of the binoculars are coated with a material that compensates for the phase shift that comes about from using a roof-prism design. Phase shift can reduce the contrast and resolution of the image being viewed. The Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars do not suffer from this problem because of the phase coating, and thus there is no degradation of the image due to the image being out of phase.
The Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars are also fully waterproof and fog proof. I so well remember standing next to a person in a store who was discussing buying an inexpensive pair of binoculars for bird watching, and listening to him explain to the salesman that this was not an important feature for him because he had no intention of watching birds underwater or in the rain. Remarkably, the salesman agreed. Trust me on this point. You must consider having binoculars that are fully waterproof and fog proof. Here are a few reasons why. Imagine it is a hot day, and you are drinking a glass of cold ice tea on your deck. You will quickly notice water vapor condensing on the outside of your glass. That is what happens when warmer moist air comes in contact with a cooler surface. Think of what could potentially happen on the inside glass surfaces of your binoculars if they were cooler than the surrounding air. Fog and condensation could potentially build up and obscure your vision. The Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars are completely tightly sealed, and are completely fog and water proof, and thus you will not encounter that problem.
Another set of features that I like about the Nikon Monarch 10x56 Binoculars is that they have eyecups which are easily adjusted, and feel comfortable for a person who wears glasses, such as myself. The focus wheel in the center is also large, and easy to operate even if you are wearing gloves. Trust me this is a very important feature if you plan on using these binoculars in cold weather. Taking your gloves on and off again every time you need to focus is a real bother, and it is one that you will not have to deal with if you choose to buy the Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars.
To sum it up, I really like the Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars. Yes, to some people, the large size of the objective lens may be cumbersome. I did not find that to be the case. These binoculars weigh in at about 40.7 ounces. To some, this may seem heavy for a pair of binoculars that can be used for bird watching, as carrying them around all day can for some people present a problem, and some people may feel that they are front heavy. In my opinion, these binoculars are so well balanced and easy to use, that any additional weight did not seem to be an issue, and the mildly heavy front also did not seem to bother me. A friend of mine who is a hunter owns these binoculars, and he has often told me that to his mind, there are no better binoculars than the Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars, as they are very sturdy, rugged, and easy to clean in the field by pouring water from his canteen on them and wiping them down with a cloth should they happen to get dirty.
I would not consider myself to be a hunter or a birdwatcher. I am more of a nature watcher. In my opinion, the Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars are good for a person who is interested in observing many different aspects of nature, including the heavens at night. The wide objective lenses allow more light to be accessed, and this is helpful when looking at close celestial objects, such as the surface of the Moon. They are easy to sight, and looking at high flying fast moving birds from a distance, like hawks and eagles is a joy. Observing small animals in the forest or field, and being able to see them going about their routines from a distance is a pleasure. The Nikon Monarch 10x56 are a very nice set of midlevel roof-prism binoculars that are durable, family friendly, and should give the owner many years of use. However, I want to be very clear that it is extremely important that a prospective buyer try out a number of different types and brands of binoculars before making a purchasing decision. Buying a pair of binoculars is like buying a pair of shoes. They must feel comfortable to you.
Thank you for taking the time to read my review, but now if you will excuse me, I must get back to practicing my guitar. Good luck, and good viewing.
With so many thousands of different types and brands of binoculars on the market today, selecting the right pair for yourself can seem like an impossible task. Unless a person really knows a lot about a certain subject or product that they are considering buying, I have always found that sticking to a good name brand is often a wise thing to do, and this applies to purchasing a pair of binoculars as well. One of the obvious reasons for this is that a name brand tends to become a name brand by earning their recognition and reputation by producing a quality product. However, it is still quite possible to purchase a model of a product that has a good name brand, and still not end up with a pair of binoculars that really suits your individual needs, tastes, and desires. That is why it is good to read reviews and to personally try out a pair of binoculars before committing to a purchase. With this in mind, I shall today be reviewing the Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars.
In searching for a pair of binoculars there are a number of factors to consider. The Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars are part of the Nikon ATB or All Terrain Binocular series. These binoculars are designed to be very rugged and to perform well even under the most demanding of situations. They are an excellent choice for bird watching as well as for hunting and nature viewing, and they work very well even under low light conditions.
I would like to discuss some of the features of the Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars that make them so appealing for certain uses. The Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars have a magnification factor of 10 times. That is what the "10" in the descriptor "10x56" refers to. A magnification of 10 is just about the upper limit that one can hope to have in a hand held set of binoculars. Once you go above a magnification of 10 times, the hand shake of the user causes a noticeable wobble of the image, and this is a factor that must be considered in making a purchasing decision. Even a person who has very steady hands will find it very difficult to keep their hands steady enough to avoid shaking when the object that they are viewing is quite distant. This is something that is pretty much universally accepted among people who are familiar with binoculars. As such, if you are considering purchasing a pair of binoculars that has a magnification above 10 times, I would obviously recommend a pair that has an image stabilization feature, or that can be mounted on a stabilization device such as a tripod. A nice plus is that the Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars are able to be mounted to a camera tripod, but you must buy an optional adapter if you want to choose to do so.
A feature that I like about the Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars is that the objective lenses are 56mm. For the novice reader, the objective lens is the lens that is at the wide end of the binoculars, and is not the part that you look through. All other things being equal, a set of binoculars with larger objective lenses will enhance the ability of the binoculars to give a sharp, bright, clear, image, especially in lower light conditions. A point to bear in mind, is that in bright good light, a pair of binoculars with a significantly smaller pair of objective lenses, such as 36mm, will produce a bright image as well. It is in less well lit conditions that having a larger set of objective lenses helps the object that is being viewed to appear to be brighter. The Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars also have a very good field of vision, which is 315 feet at 1000 yards, and the close focus distance is 32.8 feet.
However, when it comes to getting a bright, sharp, clear image, in low light conditions, the most important feature that a pair of binoculars can have is the quality of the coating on its optics. Light tends to be reflected off of glass. That bit of information will come as no surprise even to the novice reader. However, the more light that is reflected by the optics of a pair of binoculars, the less light is available to reach the eye of the observer, and thus the image being observed will appear to be less bright and less defined the more the percentage of light is being reflected. How is this tendency to reflect light dealt with or compensated for, the novice reader may ask? The answer is by coating the lenses, as well as the other optics inside of the binoculars. The better the coating, the less light that will be reflected, and all other things being equal, the brighter and clearer the image in the binoculars will appear to the observer.
The above cited information is very important to keep in mind when purchasing a pair of binoculars. The Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars have coatings not only on their lenses, but also on the mirrors which capture and reflect the image in the binoculars. A pair of binoculars with fully multicoated lenses, such as the Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars have, will mean that all of the surfaces of the glass that come into contact with the air are multicoated with antireflective materials, and thus a higher percentage of light reaches the eyes of the viewer.
The Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars have a phase coated roof-prism design. This means that the internal prisms of the binoculars are coated with a material that compensates for the phase shift that comes about from using a roof-prism design. Phase shift can reduce the contrast and resolution of the image being viewed. The Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars do not suffer from this problem because of the phase coating, and thus there is no degradation of the image due to the image being out of phase.
The Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars are also fully waterproof and fog proof. I so well remember standing next to a person in a store who was discussing buying an inexpensive pair of binoculars for bird watching, and listening to him explain to the salesman that this was not an important feature for him because he had no intention of watching birds underwater or in the rain. Remarkably, the salesman agreed. Trust me on this point. You must consider having binoculars that are fully waterproof and fog proof. Here are a few reasons why. Imagine it is a hot day, and you are drinking a glass of cold ice tea on your deck. You will quickly notice water vapor condensing on the outside of your glass. That is what happens when warmer moist air comes in contact with a cooler surface. Think of what could potentially happen on the inside glass surfaces of your binoculars if they were cooler than the surrounding air. Fog and condensation could potentially build up and obscure your vision. The Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars are completely tightly sealed, and are completely fog and water proof, and thus you will not encounter that problem.
Another set of features that I like about the Nikon Monarch 10x56 Binoculars is that they have eyecups which are easily adjusted, and feel comfortable for a person who wears glasses, such as myself. The focus wheel in the center is also large, and easy to operate even if you are wearing gloves. Trust me this is a very important feature if you plan on using these binoculars in cold weather. Taking your gloves on and off again every time you need to focus is a real bother, and it is one that you will not have to deal with if you choose to buy the Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars.
To sum it up, I really like the Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars. Yes, to some people, the large size of the objective lens may be cumbersome. I did not find that to be the case. These binoculars weigh in at about 40.7 ounces. To some, this may seem heavy for a pair of binoculars that can be used for bird watching, as carrying them around all day can for some people present a problem, and some people may feel that they are front heavy. In my opinion, these binoculars are so well balanced and easy to use, that any additional weight did not seem to be an issue, and the mildly heavy front also did not seem to bother me. A friend of mine who is a hunter owns these binoculars, and he has often told me that to his mind, there are no better binoculars than the Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars, as they are very sturdy, rugged, and easy to clean in the field by pouring water from his canteen on them and wiping them down with a cloth should they happen to get dirty.
I would not consider myself to be a hunter or a birdwatcher. I am more of a nature watcher. In my opinion, the Nikon Monarch 10x56 ATB Binoculars are good for a person who is interested in observing many different aspects of nature, including the heavens at night. The wide objective lenses allow more light to be accessed, and this is helpful when looking at close celestial objects, such as the surface of the Moon. They are easy to sight, and looking at high flying fast moving birds from a distance, like hawks and eagles is a joy. Observing small animals in the forest or field, and being able to see them going about their routines from a distance is a pleasure. The Nikon Monarch 10x56 are a very nice set of midlevel roof-prism binoculars that are durable, family friendly, and should give the owner many years of use. However, I want to be very clear that it is extremely important that a prospective buyer try out a number of different types and brands of binoculars before making a purchasing decision. Buying a pair of binoculars is like buying a pair of shoes. They must feel comfortable to you.
Thank you for taking the time to read my review, but now if you will excuse me, I must get back to practicing my guitar. Good luck, and good viewing.
