Nikon Monarch 5 10x42 Review: High Quality & Top Selling Binoculars!

nikon monarch 5 10x42 binoculars — Image Credit - Nikon

Magnification: 10X
Power Variability: Fixed
Objective Diameter: 42 mm
Close Focus Distance: 7.8 feet
Dimensions: 5.7 x 5.1 inches
Weight: 21.6 ounces
Field of View: 288 feet/1000 yards
Eye Relief/Exit Pupil: 18.4 mm/ 4.2 mm
Optics Coatings: Fully Multi-Coated
Glass: BaK-4
Prism System: Roof
Focus System: Center
Waterproof/Fog-proof: Yes/Yes
Eye cups: Turn & Slide
Tripod adaptable: Yes
Rangefinder: No

Best Uses: Hunting, For the Range, Birdwatching, Wildlife Observation

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Nikon Monarch 5 Binoculars Review

This Nikon Monarch 5 10X42 topped the 100 Best Seller's List on Amazon for the Nikon line, and this binocular is very deserving of its spot for its ED glass, Eco-Glass, and Dielectric High-Reflective Multilayer Prism Coatings. It's rubber armored body and HighPoint design with its all-weatherproof abilities make it a binocular worthy of being obsessive about.

Although it's one of the pricier options available from Nikon, hunters don't seem to let the price tag get in the way of their obsession with this binocular - and you shouldn't let it either.

Reviewers have been singing the praises of these binoculars.

The older Monarch 5 is the most popular Nikon binocular, and this came as a surprise to me especially when the Monarch 7 series is quite impressive.

But, there's nothing like a tried and tested optic that really gets consumers going these days, and this is why it deserves a hot spot on among our reviews.

So what makes this Nikon binocular so popular and why should you spend approximately $300? - that's the golden question right? Here's the Q&A to see if your hundreds are best spent here along with everyone else's.

Pros:

High quality glass
Excellent quality coatings
Tripod adaptable
Fully weatherproof

Cons:

Price

Nikon Monarch 5 10X42 Binocular Q&A:

What kind of glass does the Monarch 5 have?

The entire Monarch 5 series binoculars have Nikon's ED (Extra-Low Dispersion) glass lenses that helps to keep chromatic aberrations to a minimum - this means less color fringing for you. When spending in the mid-range price on a binocular, it's pleasing to see this quality of glass thrown in.

With the special glass lenses you'll have natural-looking images, as close as possible like that of the naked eye. Contrast will be bright and sharp and resolution will be pure and deep.

What kind of light transmission quality does this 10x42 Monarch binocular have?

Unlike other companies that make hunting binoculars that often market their light transmission capabilities with a percentage, Nikon hasn't done that with the Monarch 5. This may not be indicative of a bad thing.

You see, to measure light transmission quality, manufacturers will often give you a percentage that only applies to the brightest conditions at the brightest time of day, say at noon, to say they can provide up to 98 percent light transmission.

Instead, Nikon tells you that you can reach maximum light transmission for your atmospheric conditions because of the quality of the coatings on the lens.

These Monarch's have fully multi-coated Eco-Glass lenses applied to all air-to-glass surfaces. This is to allow as much light as possible to reach the eyepiece while also minimizing light loss, reducing glare, and preventing reflection.

Bottom line: the better the coatings, the better the light transmission you'll have for a brighter, clearer picture. Don't get sucked in by marketing tactics.

What is Dielectric High-Reflective Multi-layer Prism Coating?

This particular Monarch 5 binocular has the roof prism system that requires special coatings in order to be a high-performing optic.

The dielectric high-reflective multi-layer prism coating gets applied to all the lenses and prism surfaces (where light reflects and bounces off to another surface) to ensure that light loss is kept to a minimum. Why?

Each time light touches and leaves a surface, you lose just a little bit more of light. These coatings help to keep the integrity of the light passing through - this all adds to color richness, color depth, and color fidelity.

Nikon 7577 MONARCH 5 10x42 Binocular (Black)

All Monarch 5 binoculars are now built with Nikon's premium ED (Extra-low dispersion); Glass for a sharper, clearer and more brilliant field of view.
Almost an ounce lighter than its predecessor, the new Monarch 5 is even easier to bring along on your next adventure.

What is the eye relief on the Monarch 5 10x42?

This has what I would call the perfect amount of eye relief. It has 18.4 mm of wiggle room to offer the user. For people who wear glasses, this is going to be some great news. You're not going to have to remove your specs or fool around with the eye cups too much to get the perfect field of view.

Are there other magnification models in this Monarch 5 series?

There is also the 8X42 and the 12X42 to add in this particular series. While the 12X42 seems impressive, the 8X42 was also specifically mentioned in Amazon's 100 Top Best Seller's List. That one model has loads of reviews and a fantastic rating to match.

Needless to say, but I'm going to say it anyway, the Monarch 5 binoculars are in high demand - it doesn't seem to matter what power ranges you want.

From what we've learned about the Monarch 5, its strengths are all in its image quality. The optical systems in place to provide exceptional brightness and excellent clarity makes this 10x42 binocular a superior optic in the field.

Noteworthy Features:

Turn and slide rubber eye cups are easy to find that custom fit for a full field of view
BaK-4 prisms for optimal glass quality
Specially integrated Roof Prism System for optical superiority
Fully weatherproof and fog-proof for all-weather use
ED glass for to control color fringing for the best image quality possible
Dielectric High-Reflective Multi-layer Prism Coating and Eco-Glass coatings for excellent light transmission and picture quality
Lighter than most standard sized binoculars
Nikon's HighPoint design for ultimate brow and eye cup comfort
Rubber armored body for non-slip grip and repeated and heavy use
Backed by Bushnell's No Questions Asked Lifetime Warranty Promise

Our Verdict on the Monarch 5 10x42 Binoculars

To glass it up, you either love the Monarch 5 or you hate it. Fortunately, it seems that it's rare for a Glasser to hate the Monarch. They say they just didn't see the quality expected for the price. On the contrary, the majority of buyers love the Nikon's Monarch 5 binocular. It's sleek, clean, and it glasses as expected: clear, sharp, and true to color. We like the Monarch so much we even gave it a spot on our 'Best Binoculars for Under $500 list'.

But, if you like the sound of having bigger for cheaper, go with the Nikon Action Extreme 10x50 ATB which you can check out. It's been fully outfitted to trek any harsh terrain that you can handle.

In the Monarch 5 price range, you could also justify heading over to Zeiss. They have the Terra ED 10x42 binocular that you wouldn't believe is so cheap. Well, it's not so cheap but for a Zeiss it is so check it out!

Nikon checks in with the crowd to ensure their variety truly caters to the activity-specific needs of their buyers. Did they accomplish this with the Monarch 5? The masses rated and said "heck yeah!" Do you?

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