30786 Explorer WA ED-R 10x42 Monocular, 47 mm*138 mm*54 mm

This monocular is worth every penny. Clear image, robust and waterproof. The ED version is what I purchased and it’s ideal. Big enough to let enough light in for low light use, small enough for a decent pocket and easy to operate. Yes the focus wheel requires patience as it’s slower to rotate than others but that’s really not an issue to me. Makes you feel it’s more sturdy than anything else. Hardly stops you operating it. Really pleased I bought this for wildlife use and the 8x magnification is more than enough to make it really useful. The case isn’t anything to get excited about but it does the job. Made a veg tan leather one for mine so the finished package is now complete. All I need to do now is not lose it like my last Opticron! If you’re lucky enough to be able to afford one, I certainly recommend getting one.

As there were no reviews at the time of writing, I will try to make this as comprehensive as possible. I am not without some experience in optics currently owning binoculars and scopes from Swarovski and having had products from Barr & Stroud, Minox, Steiner and Zeiss in the past. Over the past year my ‘quest’ has been to find an optic which had as much quality as possible in a convenient, comfortable, lightweight pocket form at a more affordable price point. In this Opticron Monocular I have found that combination. Most importantly for me is the optical quality and this exceeds by some margin the optics in any similarly priced pocket binoculars I have experienced. True, it is not as an immersive experience as a binocular but for casual observations this product is more than adequate. The image is bright and clear even in dark shadowed areas of woodland. The field of view is good so objects are easily targetted and distant views are panoramic rather than tunnel vision. Focussed images are pin sharp extending to about the last 10% of the field of view with a natural reproduction of colour. Depth of field is also good with only small tweaks needed to maintain focus on a moving object. Colour fringing is only detectable if you really look for it in high contrast situations but for all practical situations unnoticeable. The image is flat for the most part with only slight curvature towards the edges. The biggest criticism is the presence of reflections in a ring in the dark border just beyond the edge of the image. Ergonomically the monocular is nice to use. It can be held steady in one hand but benefits from using both hands. This is a must when focussing as the rubber focus ring is quite stiff, loosening up a little after some use. However it is broad and ridged for easy grip. This is contrast to the body which is smooth metal. I have not found this a problem with grip though some may be concerned over lack of rubber armour; there is none at all. If this optic is likely to experience rough or careless handling then it may not be for you. The lack of armour though does keep the bulk down and contribute towards ease of carrying, as does the weight. It feels like a solid piece of kit which belies its low 260g mass. The eye cup twists out and stays put. It is comfortable around the eye and can gently rest on the bones around the eye socket. Again, there is only one big criticism, the strap attachment. It is rather obtrusive and in my opinion, ugly. I removed the rattly metal attachment ring and connected an after market hand strap (by Ringke which is very good). Accessories include an eyepiece lens cap which is good and an objective cap which is bad. The eyepiece cap fits snugly but the objective cap just gets left in the bottom of the case when the monocular is taken out. I have just left this off as when not in use the objective is protected by the case anyway. The case itself is OK. A magnetic closure would be better than velcro and I feel the belt loop needs to be a little more robustly secured but otherwise its fine. You also get a nice lens cleaning cloth and a quality strap (but you need to keep attachment ring to use it). For me this monocular fits my requirements almost perfectly. Sort the reflections and the strap attachment, which I think could be done for the price, then it would be a 5 star review instead of 4.

I bought this to carry around on my dog walks. It's a bit weighty but in a good way, it feels solid and well made. The focusing is very stiff, it may loosen with time but better than being sloppy! The image is very bright and sharp, star gazing is fine, showing what the naked eye can't see. A little expensive but worth it, quality feel and image. Avoid the cheap crappy ones, this will last forever.

Excellent product for a close up of things in the distance. Good for looking at birds and wildlife. Can also see into neighbours windows a good 1/4 mile away

This is perfect for birdwatching. It’s lighter than binoculars and easy to acquire the target - especially if you are in a car/van. The optics are excellent and let in plenty of light. My only slight issue would be the stiffness of the focus but you get used to it

Smallenough to fit in a pocket, top quality optics, solid manufacturing so what more could you want? Not cheap however and doesn't come with a phone adaptor or tripod mount. Both of those will cost you significant amounts of extra cash. But if you want the best you have to pay. The one thing that I really couldn't handle though was having to use both hands in order to focus. If that's not an issue to you then go for it. I returned it though just because I needed something I could work one-handed.

Very good monocular. Magnification is great and it is very robust. Carry case is a bonus.

Should have returned it. VERY stiff focus ring that I assumed would free up with use but no. Optics are just ok, but you always feel you've not quite nailed the focus. Bulky for a monocular.

The monocular is simply super, I’m very pleased with the purchase and recommend it to everyone, the visibility is perfect, clear, the assembly is high-quality, the strap and case are of excellent quality.

The delivery was on time. The unit is lightweight and easy to use. The construction is high-grade. I suggest not going with the 10x42 because with the 8x42 it can already be a little shakey if you don't brace your arm. I struggled with this choice as there are so many units to choose from online. I am extremely satisfied with my final choice of the 8x42. It is light, has great magnification, no distortion, and excellent low-light visibility. The eye cap can be easily lost as it is not secured. I resolved this by threading the supplied strap through the eye cap and now it is secure. All in all a great high-quality unit.

It is a nice item and works well on sports events to have a closer look at small details.

Excellent optics. Extremely clear view, especially at night. I live near the airport so it’s great for the occasional plane-spotting, esp when there’s an airshow on. Well made, good quality. Slightly on the heavy side if in your pocket but apart from that and the stiff-to-turn focussing wheel, it’s great. Better than the Steiner bins that I have.

Well built, Optics excellent