Nikon vs Vortex 10 x 42 Binoculars | The Birding Life

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  • Опубликовано: 17 дек 2024

Комментарии • 100

  • @shaunthomas7591
    @shaunthomas7591 3 года назад +3

    Awesome review ! I’m really stuck between these to binos and I’m not sure what I want I bird quite a lot I know they both really similar but I’m not sure which one edges out , I know the Nikon egde on the eye relief but I don’t need them as I don’t wear glasses
    Is it worth saving the extra money for the Nikons ? I’m only looking at getting them for a couple years just under 10 years
    Thanks for the help :))

    • @thebirdinglife6329
      @thebirdinglife6329  3 года назад +4

      Hi Shaun, thanks for your comment. If you don't need the eye relief then I'd say go with the Vortex which I believe have a slightly more premium build quality. Use the money saved to go somewhere nice for Birding or spend on photography equipment etc. Hope that helps. Calvin

    • @shaunthomas7591
      @shaunthomas7591 3 года назад +2

      @@thebirdinglife6329 thanks a lot Calvin , sounds like an absolute great idea and I’ll definitely go with that then !! Thanks a lot man super excited to get a pair and try them out in the field

    • @immanuelhassan9072
      @immanuelhassan9072 3 года назад

      you all probably dont give a damn but does someone know a trick to get back into an Instagram account?
      I was dumb forgot the account password. I appreciate any assistance you can offer me.

  • @rs3tuber425
    @rs3tuber425 2 года назад +23

    I have the Diamondbacks 10x42 but here is what I have to say, you need to compare Nikon Monarch 7 to Vortex Vipers and not diamondbacks. When comparing the diamondbacks you need to compared them with the Nikon Monarch 5. Both examples are tru apples to apples and oranges to oranges (Monarch 5=Diamondback) (Monarch 7=Vipers). Your review is equivalent to comparing the Vortex Vipers to the Monarch 5, the Viper will always win.

    • @ShaneZarechian
      @ShaneZarechian 6 месяцев назад

      well, what's better, vortex viper or monarch 7?

    • @54pjs
      @54pjs 4 месяца назад

      I compared the Diamondbacks to my regular Monarch 8x42 diamondbacks 10x42 wasn't impressed the Nikons were about the same hence 8x42 not 10x the vipers were maybe slightly brighter bun sharpness about same. The Nikons Phase coated prisms not the newest tech like Vortex HD / UHD I was expecting more.

  • @briankording2026
    @briankording2026 2 года назад +11

    I tried both bought the Nikon much more clear to me actually had the clearest of any in the store including ones double the price

    • @gpod70
      @gpod70 2 года назад +3

      Same here. I went to a specialty shop to get the Vortex Diamonback HD but left with the Nikon Prostaff 7S. That's why I recommend people shop in store rather than opt to buy online

  • @jasonmcintosh2632
    @jasonmcintosh2632 3 года назад +10

    I have a Nikon Monarch HG and a Swarovski 8x25 CL. The CL is pocket sized and extremely light weight. I spent a month at my cabin with both sitting next to my recliner chair looking out at the woods and bird feeders. At first I'd always grab the Nikon's since they're optics were a bit nicer, however at the end of the month I was exclusively using the Swarovski's because they're so small and light. You lose some brightness and some field of view, but I felt like I'd use them 10 times more than the heavier full sized Nikon's. In hindsight, I would have gotten a 10x25, but regardless, I highly suggest the smaller CL's over pretty much anything else. They won't be as nice at dawn and dusk, but every time else, they're better in my opinion.

    • @thebirdinglife6329
      @thebirdinglife6329  3 года назад +1

      Hey Jason, thanks for your message and those are two great pairs of bins. I agree with your comments about the Swarovski bins, the image quality is unreal which makes up for the smaller objective lense size. Your cabin sounds amazing too!

  • @sv1201
    @sv1201 2 года назад +7

    What happened to Nikon's no fault warranty for 25 years? Why didn't they fix the problem under warranty?

  • @alexgoriatchenkov
    @alexgoriatchenkov 2 года назад +7

    Hello The Birding Life. Couple things I note;
    the Nikon Monarch 7 10/42 in Amazon now $ 496, and Vortex Diamondback HD 10/42 is $ 249.
    Maybe more correctly was compare with Monarch 5th series ($ 299). And Vortex have unbeatable lifetime warranty and really nice support.
    Thank you for your opinion.

    • @bngr_bngr
      @bngr_bngr 2 года назад +1

      I would pick the ones with the best optical quality.

    • @stevangajic88
      @stevangajic88 2 года назад +1

      @@bngr_bngr good for you

    • @sv1201
      @sv1201 2 года назад +1

      Nikon Monarch 7 10/42 is $360 today on Amazon, dropped to even $349 earlier.

  • @cromdaleblvd4677
    @cromdaleblvd4677 2 года назад +4

    ive tried the new monarch m5 and i would say they feel more premium than the diamondback and are better ergonomically!!! the lens caps are better as well!!! the glass i couldnt notice much of a difference!!! the bincular adjustment is much easier with the m5 as well.

  • @tomallen6073
    @tomallen6073 2 года назад +3

    I have both the monarch 7’s and the vortex vipers, really just splitting hairs as far as image quality goes. I prefer the ergos of the Nikons better, better feel in hands for extended viewing sessions. You can’t go wrong with either. Love the 8.3 deg field of view on the newer model 7 over the 8 degree FOV on the previous version. Every little bit counts.

  • @slyfox720
    @slyfox720 Год назад +2

    Great review.. though leupold had a set I was interested in on Black Friday deal.. picked up the leupold bx-1 McKenzie hd

  • @jet305
    @jet305 Год назад +1

    Glad to see a Saffer review channel.
    As everybody already mentioned the difference in USD, in ZAR its R6500 for the Vortex Diamondbacks and R11999 for the Nikon M7.

  • @chrisdeschepper7038
    @chrisdeschepper7038 Год назад +3

    very happy to watch this. I was in doubt between the Nikon pro staff 7or Monarch 7 8x30 and the Vortex Diamond 8x32. I tried all of them saw minor differences between the 2 Nikons and the Vortex optically. But the big difference was the quality in build quality. The Vortex doesn't only feel metal, it is metal and the Nikons are all plastic. No doubt anymore I will choose the Vortex.
    I really would hate what happened with your Nikon, the lug braking off. you found a solution , but some day that might go wrong as well.

    • @commonsense5709
      @commonsense5709 Год назад +1

      Everything coming from Nikon brand are disposable throw aways after their short term warranty expire. Vortex covers everything for life including self inflicted damages and fire.

  • @Trombonauta
    @Trombonauta 2 года назад +5

    Is really the Nikon's +1.5 mm greater eye relief an advantage to be highlighted? 😖

  • @michaelbillings2317
    @michaelbillings2317 2 года назад +3

    Are you sure those are the Monarch M7 and not the M5? The reason I ask is that the 7 is not slightly more money than the vortex but more than twice as much. The M5's, however, are slightly more. Do most people buy the 7, at $500 US? Seems like a lot for a little extra field of view.

  • @Luke-sk8ic
    @Luke-sk8ic 2 года назад +2

    Thanx for your nice review! I was surprised about this comparison because here in Italy and I'd say also in Europe, the Nikon Monarch M7 is more closer, in price, to the Vortex Viper than to the Diamondback so I expected the Nikon was the winner, hands down!

  • @rickicoughlan8299
    @rickicoughlan8299 9 месяцев назад

    A couple of things you missed or perhaps this is something in more recent models . . . I have a pair of Nikon M7's which is in my stable of 'loaner' binoculars for people who come on my tours. I have learned that the diopter ring must be snapped up a little to operate and you can't do this with the eyecups set in the lowest position. This means that you need to raise the eyecups up a stop when setting them up if you use glasses. This might become a minor annoyance if you use these bins regularly. Another thing, I don't know about birding conditions in South Africa, but here in Australia you're going to miss so many birds if you get around with your bins packed away in some kind of pouch around your neck. I recommend holding your bins in one hand as you go so you can raise them straight to your eyes in an instant. I also recommend checking out the range of most birds which you're seeing and pre-focussing your binoculars on that range. This will vary according to the habitat, time of day, conditions, etc.. In this way you'll be ready in an instant and you'll see and identify far more birds and enjoy your birding a whole lot more. If you see a bird fly into a distant tree, quickly focus on the tree and then locate that bird with your naked eyes and when you raise your bins, it will be in focus and you'll have a great view. Thanks for the review and happy birding!

  • @heidifindeisen98
    @heidifindeisen98 2 года назад +1

    Is the vortex good for birding? Things I have seen they are better for hunting. I am a birder

  • @PeterKnagge
    @PeterKnagge 2 года назад +1

    Great review! However I believe you missed 3-4umms. Though you may have me on a technicality and call them arr's. Umm.

  • @cromdaleblvd4677
    @cromdaleblvd4677 2 года назад +2

    a better comparison would have been the monarch 5 vs the diamondback hd

  • @aitchessanon4312
    @aitchessanon4312 3 года назад +8

    A great comparison! I have the Diamondback HD (in 8x42) and the Nikon Monarch 7 in the smaller 8x30 variant. Obviously I won’t compare the optics as they’re too different in spec, though both are very good (though the Nikon suffers a bit from veiling glare - lens flare, if you like - which this size model is known to suffer from; it’s a cloudy mistiness when strong light hits the objective lenses at just the wrong angle. Quite probably your 10x42 may not suffer from this, and neither does my Vortex).
    One thing I’d like to correct - you said the Diamondback is “definitely not metal”. Actually it definitely IS metal - cast magnesium alloy to be precise, which Vortex are quite open about - it’s a common choice for binocular construction but usually found higher up the price scale than the area the Diamondback occupies. It is strong, light and has good stability in temperature variations. It can feel less cold in some circumstances than you may expect from metal, which may have misled you. Obviously the green grip areas are rubber, as usual, along with the focus knob covering (though it is metal underneath) and the eyecups, etc.). Some binoculars use aluminium alloy, which is cheaper but a little heavier, and less common now magnesium alloy is used more widely. The Nikons use glass-fibre reinforced polycarbonate I believe (certainly polycarbonate anyway) which is also a valid choice, though not quite as strong, as you have learned (the strap lugs are part of the main barrel moulding, hence the high cost of repair, though those on most mag alloy binoculars, including the Vortex, are also part of their barrel casting). The Nikons are surprisingly expensive binoculars to use this material.
    Interestingly, the Diamondbacks and models above them in the Vortex range (but not the Crossfires below them) are filled with argon gas rather than the usual nitrogen as on the Nikons. A few other brands use argon in certain models too. I believe argon is more expensive and as I understand it, the theoretical advantage is that its atoms are larger and possibly less able to micro-diffuse out (though it would take so many years with either gas in an undamaged binocular that it’s largely hypothetical).
    One thought: whilst it is good and standard advice for the majority of users to look for long eye relief and fully retract the eyecups if one wears eyeglasses (spectacles) it doesn’t apply to all spectacle-wearers, just the majority. I wear spectacles for strong myopia (shortsightedness) so cannot take my glasses off to use binoculars even if I want to, but I still have to extend the eyecups on most binoculars to use them with my glasses, or I get the side-effect of being too close to the eyepieces - so-called “kidney-beaning”, where sharply-defined black, curved areas blocking the view will quickly flick in and out of the image at random positions around the edges - basically a vignetting effect. Occasionally a smaller one will appear more centrally, with the characteristic kidney bean shape that gives the effect its nickname. Almost all binoculars do this to some extent for me if I don’t extend their eyecups a little, but I still see the full field of view when I do, as though I wasn’t a spectacle-wearer. My Nikon Monarch 7 8x30 pair is particularly prone to this (another thing they are infamous for and perhaps not a issue with the 10x42 you have) - the 8x30 combine an unusually wide field of view with the small exit pupil of an 8x30 and are really picky about eye alignment. Ironically enough the only pair I don’t have to extend the eyecups of at all is another pair of Diamondback HDs I have - the small 8x32 model - it is really forgiving but has a narrower field of view than the Nikons and also than the Diamondback HD 8x42 - I have to extend they eyecups a little on the 8x42 pair. Strangely, the Diamondback HD 8x28, which has a narrower field of view than the 8x32 (and of course the 8x42), does require me to extend the eyecups - it’s a bit of a lottery and shows how it’s hard to predict how one will get along with a pair of binoculars based on specifications versus actually trying them.

    • @thebirdinglife6329
      @thebirdinglife6329  3 года назад +1

      Thanks you for your excellent feedback. There's not too much I can add other than my review is formulated based on what I deem important. Thanks for picking up the corrections in the video.

    • @summerlinpublic5673
      @summerlinpublic5673 3 года назад +1

      The Vortex diamondback 8x32 has a better FOV than the 8x42.

    • @aitchessanon4312
      @aitchessanon4312 3 года назад

      @@summerlinpublic5673 I just checked the specs and so they do, by just a few feet! Strange, because using both models, I find that the 8x42 gives me the wider field of view. I have the interpupillary distance set the same on both pairs, so that's strange... I like how compact the 8x32 ones are, and how forgiving they are of eye position, but they aren't quite as contrasty as the 8x42 pair I have - perhaps just individual variation there, though.

    • @summerlinpublic5673
      @summerlinpublic5673 3 года назад

      @@aitchessanon4312 I am trying to decide between the 8 by 32 and the 8 by 42 and having a hard time choosing the 32 would be much smaller and more portable but not sure in what I'm giving up on the 42S. During the day same amount of light I do not mind them being a little darker an hour in the morning and an hour at night for the 32 so I'm leaning in that direction I just want to make sure that optically they were both pretty much the same.

    • @aitchessanon4312
      @aitchessanon4312 3 года назад +1

      @@summerlinpublic5673 Deciding which pair of binoculars is preferable is a very personal thing as we all have different tastes and often our particular eyesight, facial configuration and so on makes different pairs suit different people. The 8x32 are built to the same standard as the 8x42 and have the same features, like dielectric coating on the prisms, which makes them as bright as possible. I was just now comparing the two (but indoors, as it's night here now) and my particular 8x32 pair actually focus around 2 feet closer than my 8x42 pair do (but individual pairs of any binoculars can vary, so that may or may not apply to all of them) - so that's unusually good for the 8x32 as the 8x42 are already good in that respect. The field of view at indoor distances looks very similar. I personally find that even at twilight I can get on fine with 8x32 binoculars - my eyes adjust to the lower light enough to compensate for the smaller objective diameter. The eye relief is a bit shorter on the 8x32 pair, which is kind of good for me, as unusually for a glasses-wearer, I have to extend the eyecups on most binoculars to avoid vignetting and so-called "kidney beaning" which comes from having your eyes too close to the oculars, so I like that the 8x32 work for me with the eyecups fully down - I have to extend them to the first click stop on the 8x42. A slight advantage the 8x42 have more me is a slightly more contrasty, "punchier" image quality, but it's not a huge difference.
      The 8x32 is impressively short in length - it's still quite heavy-feeling (though it is lighter than the 8x42) because it is just as solidly-built (the 8x42 is quite light for its class). The 8x32's thumb dimples on the underside aren't as pronounced as the 8x42's, so are not quite as easy to plant your thumbs into by touch.
      I assume you're choosing between the HD versions (the current models) rather than their identical-looking non-HD predecessors (sometimes referred to as the 2016 models) - those had different coatings and a different grade of glass, though the differences in use were very subtle indeed. With the HD models, the 8x32 comes in a hard, zip fastening black case whilst the 8x42 comes in a beige and black soft padded "Glasspak" case which closes with an elastic toggle over a little metal hook. The case has external net pockets, plus a matching chest harness that the case can be mounted on if desired (there is also the option of a normal strap included) - the harness doesn't come with the 8x32. On the previous generation, the 8x42 also had the hard black zipper case and no harness.
      I hope those thoughts might help you in your decision. Good luck!

  • @Forest_Knight
    @Forest_Knight 2 месяца назад

    the real comparison should be Monarch 7 v Vortex Viper. or Monarch 5 v Vortex Diamonback

  • @rickyeng56
    @rickyeng56 2 года назад +1

    You should focus more on the optic quality.

  • @havana335
    @havana335 2 года назад +3

    Couldn't hear half of what you said cause of the wind noise. Unreal.

  • @hakuuna_matata
    @hakuuna_matata Год назад +1

    Just ordered my Nikon 😉

  • @raivkka4313
    @raivkka4313 Год назад +2

    Was about to hit the buy button for the Nikon but their refusal to repair their cheap plastic is an automatic No-Go. I keep searching.

    • @MrRottman43055
      @MrRottman43055 Год назад +1

      Vortex has a 100% repair or replace lifetime warranty. No matter what happens to them and no receipt required. And they are great binoculars.

    • @szunajjanosik4358
      @szunajjanosik4358 6 месяцев назад +1

      Bo w cenie lornetki vortex są wliczone dwie dlatego dają dożywotnią gwarancję ,przecież tam użyta optyka jest przeciętna.

  • @pt109che
    @pt109che 5 месяцев назад

    Thanks for the review. I can attest that Vortex warranty is excellent. I dropped a Vortex 8x32 monocular and damaged the eyepiece, sent back and it came back with a repaired or new eyepiece. They also put a new eyepiece rubber. Interestingly we use Nikon Monarch 8x42 for work alongside the Vortex.

  • @bıçaklar_Aletler
    @bıçaklar_Aletler Год назад +1

    Vortex Diamondback Hd👍

  • @54pjs
    @54pjs 4 месяца назад +2

    How about comparing apples to apples Diamondback to Nikon M5? Fair M7 should be Viper compare? This is a very Biased review IMHO

  • @rumsin300
    @rumsin300 3 года назад +2

    You mentioned in your video that you had contacted Nikon for help regarding the broken polycarbonate strap loop and they told you that you are on your own and that they can not help you?? That is absolutely not true. They have a no question asked warranty policy all of their binoculars and rifle scopes. I would contact them again

    • @thebirdinglife6329
      @thebirdinglife6329  3 года назад +1

      Yes that was my experience unfortunately....the customer service possibly differs here in South Africa as I dealt with the Nikon distributor.

    • @aitchessanon4312
      @aitchessanon4312 3 года назад +2

      @@thebirdinglife6329 Here in the UK Nikon's binoculars have a rather limited warranty cover too, in both length and scope - I think the US gets the best service from them but sadly it is not the same worldwide.

  • @stormcaptain8493
    @stormcaptain8493 3 года назад +7

    Vortex wins every day, they have a lifetime unconditional warranty

    • @narutobroken
      @narutobroken 2 года назад +3

      Agreed, a friend dropped his off of the top of a lookout post smashing them. He got a replacement two weeks later for free

  • @joshua4177
    @joshua4177 4 года назад +1

    Vortex Optics "Integrated Glaspak Binocular Harness" @thebirdinglife
    #TBLChristmas2020

  • @dardobartoli
    @dardobartoli 2 месяца назад

    Every Vortex I've ever used gave me eye strain/headaches

  • @dougs.9486
    @dougs.9486 2 года назад +3

    Come on guy!!! You were comparing apple to oranges! Like comparing a $1000 Sony tv to $600 LG . Have to compare same price range... Let me compare an $250 Onkyo receiver to a $600 Pioneer

  • @rickyjohnson9594
    @rickyjohnson9594 2 года назад

    Got par vortex and a par bush and loom vintage Japan supper clear glass

  • @rcb361
    @rcb361 3 года назад +4

    Nikon $200 more. Lifetime Vortex warranty.

    • @cromdaleblvd4677
      @cromdaleblvd4677 2 года назад

      better comparison woul would have been the nikon monarch 5

  • @havana335
    @havana335 2 года назад

    You should learn from Optica exotica.

  • @bigvee401
    @bigvee401 Год назад +1

    the wind noise is torture

  • @douglasstemke2444
    @douglasstemke2444 Год назад

    Both have terrible eye relief for eyeglass users. I have Pentax 10x42 that have 21mm eye relief. I don't consider anything with less than 18mm

  • @doejane4315
    @doejane4315 8 месяцев назад +1

    Umm counter is cute 😂 but you have a coooool accent! Good review/comparison though. Thanks

  • @thomaspersson688
    @thomaspersson688 Год назад +1

    U cant compare nikon is much more expensive

  • @Ajajambo
    @Ajajambo 3 года назад +5

    Next review just focus on the binoculars not yourself 😁, also the Vortex diamondback shouldn’t be compared to Monarch 7 not a fair comparison. Should have been Vortex viper vs Monarch 7. Monarch 5 would have been more suitable against the diamondbacks HD cheers

    • @steviesteve750
      @steviesteve750 3 года назад +2

      Agree. the 7s are around 50% more expensive than the diamondback.

    • @Michael-si2ln
      @Michael-si2ln 3 года назад +2

      Right if you're going to compare monarch 7 they should be compared with viper Not diamondback

    • @davidlupke8018
      @davidlupke8018 2 года назад +1

      I am in agreement. Viper HD is a better comparison and additionally, the Vortex warranty is the best in the industry. They would have repaired or replaced your damaged binoculars without question or hesitation. I have a pair of discontinued Vortex that I dropped on pavement damaging them severely and Vortex completely rebuilt them like new. Nikon Monarch optics are excellent but the Vortex warranty is superior.

  • @fredbaker3822
    @fredbaker3822 4 года назад +1

    Great review Thanks for the the review! Well done it was Great! SA looks lovely!
    Cheer Fred
    p.s i am going to buy some vortex 10x42!

    • @thebirdinglife6329
      @thebirdinglife6329  4 года назад +3

      Thanks for the feedback Fred, you won't be disappointed in them 👍👍

    • @ryanscheepers1955
      @ryanscheepers1955 4 года назад +2

      GlassPak integrated carry bag harness system @thebirdinglife
      #tblchristmas2020

    • @richardsteyn1531
      @richardsteyn1531 4 года назад +1

      GlassPak integrated carry bag harness system @thebirdinglife
      #tblchristmas2020

  • @brucekent7442
    @brucekent7442 3 года назад

    Vortex looks a lot like Vanguard binos expect. For the name Its difficult to say.

  • @Matt-dz2vx
    @Matt-dz2vx 2 года назад

    Came for the review, stayed for the umm counter (which you massively undercounted 😅)

  • @KevinMcWhorter
    @KevinMcWhorter 8 месяцев назад

    He missed a few umm’s 🤣🤣🤣

  • @UC241
    @UC241 3 года назад +1

    Too much shaking. Better to use a stable support.

  • @jdp243regularguy8
    @jdp243regularguy8 2 года назад

    At 9 min 45 sec it seems like he says the F word. ☺️

  • @commonsense5709
    @commonsense5709 Год назад +1

    I thought Nikon went out of business after they screwed over all their customers over their lifetime warranty which they no longer honor. I wouldn't trust Nikon after that.

  • @Michael-si2ln
    @Michael-si2ln 3 года назад +2

    They are not called Nik-on they are called Nikon Ni-Kon. Thank you for your reviews

    • @aitchessanon4312
      @aitchessanon4312 2 года назад +6

      Always a tricky one, the pronunciation of Nikon! Not quite sure how you are saying it should be pronounced - this video has it pretty close to correct; the Japanese say it similarly but perhaps very slightly more emphasis on the second syllable - slightly closer to "Nee-KONE" but more subtle than that. On the other hand, the commonly-encountered US pronunciation of "NEYE-kon" is actually incorrect, even though it's very well-known and widespread, so acceptable in the territories most familiar with it being said that way. Whereas I should probably be pronounced "pedantic"! 🤣

    • @Matt-dz2vx
      @Matt-dz2vx 2 года назад +2

      Yep. Who cares.

  • @zororosario
    @zororosario 2 года назад +1

    Quite Bunk of Nikon to not repair their plastic junk! Shameful service 😒.

  • @world.damyan83
    @world.damyan83 2 года назад

    Umm Counter 😂😂😂

  • @michellegilbey8867
    @michellegilbey8867 3 года назад

    Sd

  • @SpYucaipaSoCal
    @SpYucaipaSoCal 3 года назад +3

    Your mic is junk. Volume is up and down and wind noise made me leave your video unfinished unfortunately.

  • @عبداللهالغريب-ب3غ
    @عبداللهالغريب-ب3غ 3 года назад

    لم تركز على المشاهدة من خلال المناظير الى في اخر دقيقة دون بيان الفروقات بالمشاهدة اترك الترجمة لك امل ان ارى تقييم اخر غني المشاهد من خلال المناظير والشرح على المناظير وفي الختام تعطينا ما لم نستطلع تمييزة من فروقات اثنات استخجام المناظير

  • @trident8872
    @trident8872 7 месяцев назад

    Nikon monarch is the best, Diamond back is a crap