I have never owned a good pair of binoculars and after using these off and on for a couple weeks I am wondering why I waited so long (I am in my 60s). The optics are excellent and I am astonished how easy it is with these 8x42s to follow a bird or flock of birds in flight. I still have a lot to learn about birding but I feel I now have the right equipment to pursue this. Low light performance is really impressive. The one minor complaint I would have is the low quality ocular lens cap, which has a tendency to pop off. Overall, outstanding pair of binoculars.

These binos are great for archery. I was running the 10x42 swaro EL's but were just too big and bulky for my archery AZ mule deer hunts. I wanted something small, light, and with great glass. I was going to go with the 830 Swaro CL but then I found the monarchs. At 1/3 the price, it boasts a larger field of view than the CL's and come with outstanding clarity. The focus knobs are tight and responsive. While yhe monarchs may not be quite as bright or clear as the cl's in low light situations, they are pretty darn close. I needed a binicular that was small enough to be unnoticeable when stalking through the desert on my hands and knees, yet clear and powerful enough to determine what is ahead of me during my stalk. This is not a binocular that I would reccomend for ... MoreThese binos are great for archery. I was running the 10x42 swaro EL's but were just too big and bulky for my archery AZ mule deer hunts. I wanted something small, light, and with great glass. I was going to go with the 830 Swaro CL but then I found the monarchs. At 1/3 the price, it boasts a larger field of view than the CL's and come with outstanding clarity. The focus knobs are tight and responsive. While yhe monarchs may not be quite as bright or clear as the cl's in low light situations, they are pretty darn close. I needed a binicular that was small enough to be unnoticeable when stalking through the desert on my hands and knees, yet clear and powerful enough to determine what is ahead of me during my stalk. This is not a binocular that I would reccomend for big country glassing as there are better hmmmm options. For my needs, I believe this is the best bang for my buck. At the end of the day, if you want to drop 2X+ the swaro CL's are a great bino, grab em! The Monarchs provide 98% of what the cl's offer in this sweet little package.

Review of Monarch 7, 8x42Primary binocs: Pentax dcf sp 8x32. Zeiss Fl 10x42My old trusty Pentax were losing their edge so I got the Nikon M7sI really love these at dusk and dawn, and in the deep woods. They are excellent in low light. I like how they fit my hand and how the focus (depth of field) racks with a single finger on the focusing wheel. Better even than my more expensive Zeiss which are a tad bit sharper.The M7s provide a nice sharp, wide view too. They do not handle a lot of light quite as well but are still good. They loose a little contrast and the light sometimes bounces around in the barrel in an unhelpful way. I?m more familiar with flare in camera lenses. Each lens has its own way of handling direct light. I carry binos for a couple hours a day ... MoreReview of Monarch 7, 8x42Primary binocs: Pentax dcf sp 8x32. Zeiss Fl 10x42My old trusty Pentax were losing their edge so I got the Nikon M7sI really love these at dusk and dawn, and in the deep woods. They are excellent in low light. I like how they fit my hand and how the focus (depth of field) racks with a single finger on the focusing wheel. Better even than my more expensive Zeiss which are a tad bit sharper.The M7s provide a nice sharp, wide view too. They do not handle a lot of light quite as well but are still good. They loose a little contrast and the light sometimes bounces around in the barrel in an unhelpful way. I?m more familiar with flare in camera lenses. Each lens has its own way of handling direct light. I carry binos for a couple hours a day so size is important. These are decent weight for 8x42s. Overall it?s nice glass, excellent in shade and low light. They don?t loose to much on the Zeiss and actually pull focus better.