Nikon 7298 MONARCH 10x42 All-Terrain Binocular (Camo)

I wanted a binocular for general viewing, one of my priorities being getting the most magnification without compromising the ability to use them handheld. These binos fit the bill. The 12x42s provide a sharp and brilliant view, and are, at barely 22 oz. easy to hold with a minimum of the "shakes". In addition, the higher 12X and the greater apparent field of view (the apparent diameter of the image circle seen when looking thru the glasses) adds to the unique visual experience, compared to the 8X and 10X Monarch ATBs with their less apparent field of view (but larger true field of view), and it's probably not too far off the mark to compare the sensation of observing thru these binos as similar to but better than watching a large screen 3D HD TV. They appear to excel in subdued lighting situations, as in early morning and at dusk. These are not just an ordinary pair of binoculars.Low light performance seems very good for a 12x42 bino. At dusk I can train these on a black hole in the woods 200' distant and see a surprising amount of detail in the trees. Sharpness of the image is impressive across the field of view, except for a small area of softness at the top and at the left and right edges of the fov that do not, however, distract from the overall viewing experience (not noticeable unless you specifically look for it).Contrast in these binos is inherently high, and there is some false color in contrasty lighting situations. Construction of the Nikons seems sturdy enough. Achieving best focus requires some care, as the binos can seem to be slightly out of collimation if focus is off.Regarding complaints about the loosely fitting eyepiece cover falling off, instructions in the owner's manual (fig. 1, page 13) show the neckstrap threaded thru both sides of the eyepiece cover. If these instructions are followed correctly, the cover will not fall off, and will always be in position to protect the eyepieces until viewing an object; then, all one need do is lift the cover off the ep and pull it back toward the viewer. I think it's a great solution that resolves the lost eyepiece cover problem while keeping the optics protected until ready for viewing.A nice padded black belt case and a wide black canvas neckstrap with the gold Nikon logo are included.Since these binos are so contrasty and bright,they are great for stargazing. Comparing them to an older pair of porro 7x35s and a roof 10X42, the Nikon was the clear winner. My suburban skies are not that dark, but globular cluster M13 in Hercules was found immediately, as were the brighter galaxies M81 and M82. Under darker skies the 12X42s provide a major "wow" factor, with the night sky becoming alive with glittering celestial objects.

I'm really impressed with these binoculars. I read through so much information regarding these binoculars that in the end, I wasn't sure what to go with anymore. I've had decent binoculars before, (10 year older Nikon model, unfortunately lost so can't give model number)) with bright images, good field of view, no image distortion etc, but these surpassed my most hopeful expectations in a smaller, tighter design.Thanks for all the Amazon reviews on this product. Clear, informative and accurate.The brightness of the image is amazing. In the end, I'm glad I paid for the dielectric coatings, they're much brighter that I had expected. During daylight the brightness is basically what you see with your naked eyes, if you're taking off your sunglasses to use them, beware. At night, well, I saw the moons of Jupiter when it came up last night.I almost opted for the 8X magnification due to the supposed hand shake issues associated with the higher magnifications, however set properly, (focus, eye cup width, etc,) the 10X are relatively easy to hold with a great field of view and rock steady with a support. That being said, 12X magnifications would require a support to utilize properly so keep that in mind. Also, 8X would be a touch weak, but that's probably just me.Basically, when I looked through these binoculars I wanted to see visual magic. And I do.I'm very happy and if I wasn't living outside the US, they would have been cheaper without the duty charges, but still, would do it again.In the end, a good solid product exceeding my expectations with a very fair price. I know I shouldn't but I'm giving them 5 stars for the value/price ratio.Also a great thanks to Adorama Camera who somehow got them from the US to Thailand in only 4 days. 11/29/12 (thailand time 18:55 PM) to arrival at my house by 11:35 AM on 12/03/12 Thailand time.Recommended vendor & product.

I bought these as an early Christmas present for my wife an avid birder who has been using a small pair of opera glasses really.I have no information to add to Thomas McFarland's review and the FAQ in the product description they were both very helpful to me in choosing.I chose the 10x42 because a) my wife has very good distant vision and can spot small birds very far away and b) she is also very good at quickly getting something in the field of view of the glasses.These binoculars are very bright (42 is a good size aperture), excellent image quality, almost no color distortion all the way to the edge, and relatively light weight. They focus easy and adapt quickly from one person to another.She has been using them for about 2 weeks (I think that's about 5 outings) and is very happy with them.And when Mama's happy, I have a chance to be happy.Update: After over 11 years of daily (maybe she missed one or two but I doubt it) use, the focus knob was slipping and the view was not as clear due to dirty or misaligned interior optics. So we sent them to Nikon for service. I'm not sure why but they decided to replace them rather than refurbish them. FOR FREE except shipping to them.I have been impressed with Nikon cameras and optics since my dad got our first Nikon SLR in the mid 1950's but this kind of lifetime guarantee is an unexpected but very welcome example of the kind of people we want to do business with.