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Bushnell ellite 8X42 vs Monarchs 8X42 |
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BIGBEAR1
Optics GrassHopper Joined: March/04/2009 Status: Offline Points: 6 |
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Posted: March/08/2009 at 22:14 |
I have the Nikon monarchs and wanted to know if the Bushnell ellite 8X42 vs Monarchs 8X42 are a big enough jump to appreciate the difference?
The Ellites cost double?
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lucznik
Optics Master Joined: November/27/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1436 |
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As long as we are talking about the split-bridge Elites (not the somewhat-lesser Elite IIs), then YES! It is definitely a jump worth making - at least to me. YMMV.
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What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?
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rifle looney
Optics Master Joined: November/21/2008 Status: Offline Points: 2553 |
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Those Monarchs are really good ...but I would say YES! don't have any but I know my KAHLES are better and the ELLTES are right with the KAHLES.
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spf2
Optics Apprentice Joined: February/02/2007 Status: Offline Points: 169 |
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I might in in minority here. I used monarch for quite some time. When I compare it to other binoculars, I couldn't understand what's the big deal about monarch. Optically, I found Bushnell Excursion more attractive and brighter for a lot less. Again, Monarch has been around for quite a well. I am wondering whether we are still worshipping monarch based on yesterday's standard.
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rifle looney
Optics Master Joined: November/21/2008 Status: Offline Points: 2553 |
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Have you viewed through just one pair of the Monarchs ...they could have been a bad example there is always one in the bunch. The ones I peeped through on a recent hog hunt in snowy weather looked real good....IMO
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spf2
Optics Apprentice Joined: February/02/2007 Status: Offline Points: 169 |
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That's the one I have for many years. There is nothing wrong optically. I liked it a lot when I bought it. After trying a pair of Bushnell excursion, I just found excursion is better in my opinion. Maybe I should compare excursion with a newer batch of Monarch as mine is several years old already (maybe they are secretly making improvement).
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Fraser
Optics GrassHopper Joined: August/17/2008 Location: Colorado Status: Offline Points: 16 |
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I have owned both and vote for the elites. They are much better IMO than the monarchs.
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Buy the best you can afford. Period!
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skilly1979
Optics Apprentice Joined: February/18/2008 Status: Offline Points: 84 |
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spf2 i agree with you i always go to cabelas about 10 miles from me and look at all their binos and the monarchs dont impress me at all, the excrusions and legends are better in my own opinion.
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JGRaider
Optics Master Joined: February/06/2008 Status: Offline Points: 1540 |
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I'm one of those that thinks the monarch binos give the monarch line a bad name. I thinkt he riflescopes are very good, but the monarch binos leave much to be desired. The elites on the other hand are very, very good.
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Klamath
Optics Master Joined: May/20/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1308 |
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I have had the Monarch 8x42 for a number of years (actually two Monarchs). When I first got it, I was pretty happy with it. But after awhile some of its deficiencies started to show up. First it is too focus fiddly because it has pretty poor depth of field. It needs a bit more fov and better color contrast to stand out from the crowd. When it came out in 2000 or so, it did stand out for quality and price and became sort of a mid price classic and Nikon sold a pile of them. But Nikon has sat on their laurels with that design and the competition has passed them by.
The Elite is a noticeable step up. So is a Viper. So is a Pentax SP. So is a ZEN ED. Edited by Klamath - April/07/2009 at 13:12 |
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Steve
"Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted". William Bruce Cameron |
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Acenturian
Optics Journeyman Joined: September/07/2004 Status: Offline Points: 543 |
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Hi all...been awhile
If your talking about the Bushnell Elites not the E2 (or whatever the cheaper version is called) I would say it is a definite step up perhaps a couple steps up above the Monarchs. The cheaper version of the Elites would be a better comparison to the Monarch.
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If You're In A Fair Fight, You Didn't Plan It Properly
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claytonkolb
Optics GrassHopper Joined: December/01/2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 22 |
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Don't get the Bushnells! Customer service sucks and they are not that great of bioncular for the money. Rain coating doesn't work, they don't focus well, and not well built. Go for a Vortex or high end Nikon in the same if not cheaper price range.
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John Barsness
Optics Optimist Joined: January/27/2009 Status: Offline Points: 785 |
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The Bushnell Elites (not the Elite 2's) have long been one of the better bargains in optics, and a definite step up from the Nikon Monarchs. The Monarchs were a very good buy when they appeared, but other brands have matched or surpassed them for the price since then.
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zz5573zz
Optics GrassHopper Joined: March/21/2009 Location: PA Status: Offline Points: 2 |
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Optically, the Elite E2 and the Elite are identical. The only difference is in the construction and focusing system. I'm not sure why everybody thinks they are different optically. Same glass, coating, prisms etc. Call Bushnell if you have doubts.
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triple play
Optics GrassHopper Joined: December/31/2008 Status: Offline Points: 14 |
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I recently got an outstanding bargain in the 8x e2 and have been really inpressed by them.
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kristoffer
Optics GrassHopper Joined: August/07/2009 Status: Offline Points: 9 |
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My girlfriend got a pair of 8x42, they are easy to view in and light weight. She likes them. However when I look through them the extremely short depth of field is very annoying, I have to refocus all the time. And I don´t like the CA in them. I think when my gf will take a look into my zen ed2 7x36 she will sell the monarchs right away.
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SLIVER
Optics GrassHopper Joined: July/24/2009 Location: UTAH Status: Offline Points: 35 |
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I recently purchased the Bushnell Elite 10x43 and have been very impressed. They are higher quality than my old Leupold olympic 10x50, and far better than my buddies Monarch's. When I was shopping around I looked through the Elite, and the Elite E2. The E2 was not even close to as clear and bright as the Elite. Must be the reason that the Elite is $600 ish more than the E2.
Maybe they have the same coatings and stuff, but not anywhere close to as good of a pair of bino's IMO.
Get the Elite's, I haven't had problem 1 with them and am very happy with the purchase.
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))--SLIVER-->
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nksmfamjp
Optics Apprentice Joined: January/06/2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 117 |
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Personally, I have the Bushnell 7x42 Discoverer's. I think the Elite E2's replaced them. I like mine a lot. I now have enough money to buy a significantly better bino, but I'm not sure if I could tell the difference enough to be worth it. I think the Elite's are supposed to be a step better than mine, so that would make them pretty good. I think Bushnell is under rated because they are willing to make $50 bino's also, which are crap. So, yea, I would say buy these with confidence. When I bought my Bush Disc 7 x 42's the only other bino that got real focus from me were the Nikon Monarch 8x36's and 8 x 42's. Both agreat bino's in my opinion. I must be eye stupid, because at half of the Elite price, I think these would be a great buy. The key differences in my opinion are really refinement. for example, I like center diopter adjustment and good lens covers. I had to make my own lens covers!!! Elite E2's are also good glass, but maybe the frame is not as rugged or light as the Elite. I like the 8 x 36 glass because it is basically cheater 32 or 33 mm glass! Size wwill blow coatings out of the water if the binos are of decent to high end quality. In summary, I think both Monarch and elites are good buys. IMHO, at the $100 price point , $50 more can buy a lot of optical improvement. At the $300, it might cost another $300 - $400 to get as much imprrovement. At, $1000, I get lost in the details!!! |
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gferrett
Optics GrassHopper Joined: August/31/2009 Location: N. Idaho Status: Offline Points: 39 |
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Hi guys;
Those are all good binoculars but imo Leica are tops and i don't mean by a little.
Woops he must own a pair.
ferrett
If you know how many guns you have you need to buy more |
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