An eye on Monoculars (UPDATED)
The subject matter of this video will be familiar to anyone who saw the last Patreon update.
Since then though I’ve been on, and returned from, a seven night Norwegian fjord cruise on which I got to test the effectiveness (or otherwise) of these and I can now report back with my findings.
https://youtu.be/MJoOLWwpKws
I don’t know if this will end up being the final thumbnail - but it’ll do for the moment.
Now that I’ve managed to get this new video completed, I’m going to set about answering the emails and messages which accumulated while I was away. I’ll also start assembling the contents of the next Patreon update video. Which I suspect will be largely holiday related, but there’s other things to talk about too.
I hope you’re faring well - I know from the comments some people have been going though some unpleasant stuff, so for them, I hope things improve, hang in there and for everyone else, I hope you take time to enjoy the moment.
Oh, and I haven't had time to update the Patreon credits this week - I'll get to that on the next video.
Right that’s it - it’s back to work for me. Take care.
UPDATE: 11th July - the Nikon Monocular I ordered from Japan just turned up in time to add in an extra minute featuring it at the end of the video.
The updated video is the one now embedded and linked to above.
Comments (37)
So after several weeks, eBay finally gave me a banger of a saved search email. I received my Bushnell ‘Minocular’ 8x20 and I love it. Paid around $30US. Great quality. Very convenient for looking at my birds feeding. I found a site that had some specs on it at monocular.info. Thanks Techmoan.
Yes I linked to monocular.info in the YT video description. Seems to be the goto for monocular info. I’ve got a saved search on the Leica…I’m prepared to wait as long as it takes to get a good deal…and if not it doesn’t matter.
I've carried an optical monocular in my bag for years, primarily for reading flight departure boards in airports with my poor eyesight. I've always thought a digital device might be the perfect travel gadget; a telescope with stabilization which takes photos & video and can act as a remote spy camera over wifi, and modern CMOS sensors can see colour in very low light. And with a switchable hot-mirror filter, it could see near infrared.. I wonder if anyone makes this (that isn't marketed as a camera)..
I happened to watch the updated version; it feels more complete with the third item. 👍🏻Nicely done overlays as segue to post-unboxing.
I really liked the look of those Olympus binoculars. I was lucky to see this video as soon as it was posted to Patreon and grabbed a pair for myself off eBay. They are all gone now. I got the 6 x 12s but now I am wondering if I should have got the 8 x 15s
Being significantly visually impaired since birth I’ve had my fair share of monoculars over the years and wholeheartedly concur with your dismissal of the focusing knob on the rectangular model. I can recommend a company called Specwell for anybody interested. They make cylindrical black metal monoculars, and the focusing wheel encompasses the whole body of the thing so you get a very fine degree of control over a very large range. I can read a book with mine if I wanted to (not that I do given the limited view at that range). According to google they still exist although I got mine well over a decade ago so your mileage may vary.
Thanks for this. I have very limited neck movement and am a wheelchair user. When I tried binoculars could not get on with them. Was not aware of monoculars. Will be useful for birdwatching or even just out on regular walks. Off to look for a decent one!
Only last night I was reading about the Minox spy camera in a print magazine, so it's slightly spooky to see you review the monocular. I've never considered a monocular but I think it would be an extremely nice thing to carry. Thank you.
Glad to see you're reviewing these, I have a similar eye condition so have never been able to use binoculars. You should also look into birdwatching telescopes, you don't just have to use them for looking at our feathered friends. My parents spent about £150 on a fantastic one a few years ago, I've borrowed it more than once just for regular sightseeing.
Well if you do decide to do a video please take me up on my offer and I will send you several units that you may not have, give the video more content! 🙂
Hi Matt. Really enjoyed your last few videos. Actually I dint think you ever did one I didn't enjoy or learn from. I especially enjoyed your Sony S2 reviews and it got me thi king, could you do a similar thi g with Sonys top of the range discman players. I'm talking about the all metal construction ones. Great pieces of retro engineering when Sony wat it's zenith. I know you have a D50 and a D88 but there are others that are absolutely beautiful in appearance, feel and functionality. I would be more than happy to contribute some of my allmetsl discmans if needed. You have used stuff from me in the past, and they went down really well as far as views went. These all metal beauties are becoming increasingly harder to find and also appreciating in price. Anyway, just a thought. If you are interested in the idea and would like to use some of mine along with whatever you posess please let me know. Regardless, keep well and keep up the tremendous varietyof content. Andrew.
I do have one very nice top(ish) of the line metal Sony. I don’t know if I could make a video about the range with just the one, however I do have vague plans to include it in some kind of video featuring personal CD players at some point, because it is a very nice object.
Totally with you on pocket cameras. I loved my Panasonic LX-10. It was the perfect compromise between the quality of a "real" camera and the convenience of a phone, for just $500. But it's a little bit broken after years of use, and there's no linear path to getting it repaired. I'd like to replace it with something more modern. But in the intervening years, the market for middle-ground pocket cameras has vanished. I'd need to spend $1000-$1500 to get something that can fulfill the LX10's role today.
What a pity that nobody makes old-school telescopes. Particularly for your shipboard usage. There's something about collapsing the sections back together before re-pocketing it that's as satisfying as ending a call on a clamshell-style phone.
I love the look of those Olympus binoculars, such a bubble era design
Decided to buy one as I've always found binoculars uncomfortable. Thank you.
After your Patreon update I went hunting for a monocular and ended up with that Carson. Oops, you really do get what you pay for. Group buy on the Nikon?
Great in-depth analysis of each one. I appreciate the multiple locations used. Good examples of scenery to zoom in on. The sound effect at the end added some fun. Nicely done.
Listening on headphones that sound effect startled me. I took them off to try and work out what alarm had gone off.
fantastic review. My monocular is an ex-Russian Navy monocular I bought from Bull Electronics back in the late 90s. It was manufactuered by Zeiss back in the 70s and the build quality is something else.
Your mention Bull Electrical / Electronics takes be back. Their adverts usually also included bits of Swingfire missiles and Army Tanks! However, the only thing I recall buying was a pack of six random DC motors, which included a tiny one that would fit in the nose of an Airfix model.
I've always had a soft spot for the monocular- so this subject was right up my alley. I was in love with that Minox until you mentioned the focusing issue. Thanks for all the information. I will be looking into several of these.
ah yes!! California prop65 make an appearance.
Yes what the heck is that all about? Being in the UK it’s not something I’m familiar with. If they now have to label everything that might possibly give you cancer they’d be better off labelling the two or three things that might not.
Welcome back. The Techmoan effect struck again! I just ordered the Nikon 6x15 to give as a birthday gift for the missus. She has a pair of binoculars that she loves to use, but getting it out and set up takes so long. This will be much better for her. Thanks for the gifting tip. Of course, it could have been worse: for a minute, I was scouring the internet for a Sony HX99... before my better senses kicked in. Thanks for a great video.
Shopping tip: The 6x version of the Minox monocular was available in metal or a nearly identical, less expensive, plastic version. The plastic version is marked “MD6x16 E” and has the lanyard cord permanently attached to molded lugs. The metal one is marked “MD6x16” and has the lanyard attached via removable swivels, as with Mat’s 8x. Loved the ocean wake background in the studio!
I'm off up the fjords myself in August. Cheers for giving me something else to buy... balls. I really want one.
I’ve been looking at monocular thingies for years, and definitely appreciate this video on them. Thanks Matt.
Great as always, welcome back. You look refreshed and ready to go. Would love to hear about the cruise. It looked fun.
Having a similar problem with my eyes, the review was really useful to me. I just bought the Nikon, thank you for providing the handy links... 5-star service by Techmoan! I hope you enjoyed your holiday, I've just returned from Norway as well :-)
Eye Captain! I love the video and your witty commentary (especially the ending). I'm very pleased to hear how well your magnifi-cent gadgets performed while on holiday/vacation, for the most part. That Canon one is less than opti-mal; horrible incremental focusing mechanism and abysmal digital zoom. 🫤 The location shots on your ship balcony are so picturesque. Do you think Norway would adopt me? I do have Nordic ancestral blood in me. 😀 Random comment: I can close my right eye only for a really long time with no discomfort. But I cannot close my left only, if I try both eyes close. I''m looking forward to your monthly rambling videolog. Take care 🤍
I bought that Canon to make a video about it quite a few years ago now, but it’s so useless any video I would have made would have been too negative. I finally got to lump it in with these ones so I don’t feel that buying it was a total waste of money. Those Norwegian fjord villages are beautifully picturesque, but I’d imagine a long cold winter in one wouldn’t be too much fun
Given the popularity of giant stadium music shows... Is there not a real market for these just so ticket buyers can actually see Taylor Swift, all the way over there in the distance..... (yeah, they have giant screens etc)
When we saw Robbie Williams at Lansdowne Road from our seats near the back they could have just put a video of Robbie on the screens (which they actually did for Kylie in "Kids") and put anyone of the same height and build on stage.
I hope you had a good holiday. Did the monoculars reveal any Norwegian blue parrots?
They weren’t there, but they wanted to be.
Welcome back