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Monocular vs Binocular – Which Should You Use

Monocular vs binocular
Written by Toby Daniels
Last Update: August 23, 2021

The opportunity to see beyond the bare eye has always been an essential factor for peoples. From captains of various ships to commanders of battlefields have been using some spotting devices for a very long time. With the technological advancement, long distance spotting scopes have become more powerful and cheaper for mass people to use. With powerful binocular and monocular, hunting, bird watching, sightseeing, hiking, and outdoor exploring have become more fun.

However, being quite similar, people get confused before buying long distance spotting scope. The common question here is Monocular vs Binocular, which one to choose? From hundreds of different products, it is difficult to select the right type of product.  Now, if you want to know the answer, read our opinion!

Monocular vs Binocular for Hunting: Which Is Better?

What Are Monocular and Binocular?

Like the name, monocular is a single lens optic device that is used for long distance viewing purposes. A monocular is lightweight, small and compact. They can fit in your pocket and your handbag easily. Monoculars are little similar to the telescope with very less power and functionalities. A monocular is not as popular as a binocular. However, there are different monoculars with varies in strength, size and prices available to choose from. From bird watching to hunting, the monocular is being used by people with a variety of tasks.

Binoculars and monoculars are quite similar, except for the fact that binoculars use two lenses rather than one. It is more comfortable and practical to use as you will use both of your eyes to view the distant object. That’s why binocular is more popular than monoculars and can be found in a variety of designs, sizes, and prices. Binoculars are produced from high quality, pricey optics to cheap, low-quality optics. ( Click here to learn more about how binos work). The price can be ranged between low to very high based on the type of optics and built quality. Binoculars are used widely among outdoorsmen and for military purposes.

Now, to choose between Monocular Vs Binocular, you need to know the pros and cons of both monocular scope and binocular scope. Let’s have a look in below sections to find out more!

Features of Monoculars

When we talk about monoculars, the first advantage that appears in our mind is the easy portability. Monoculars are compact, lightweight and easy to carry. Compared to the binoculars it is half in size, while can be same powerful. Monocular use only one lens and it is cheaper to produce. For this reason, the price is comparatively low, and you can get a high quality monocular for a less cost than a comparable binocular. Gosky, Vortex, and Bushnell monocular are some powerful monoculars to choose from. Some key facts of monocular are provided below;

Features of Monoculars

  • Compact, lightweight
  • Cheaper compared to binoculars when quality is considered
  • Fast and easy to use
  • Can be easily carried
  • Easy to hide in pockets and handbags
  • Cons of A Monocular:
  • You cannot have broad angle viewing experience
  • No options for tracking moving objects
  • Can cause eye strain after long time usage
  • Lower in power and variations
  • Not suitable for long time usage
  • Narrow viewing angle

Features of Binoculars

Binoculars are comfortable and appropriate to use for a more extended period. Your eyes will remain rested while using binoculars. Compared to monocular, your eyes face less stress which eventually reduces eye fatigue and headaches. Mostly used optic device means widely produced with lot varieties to choose from. Bushnell, Nikon and Zeiss are some very good quality binoculars manufactures to choose from. Some significant advantages of binoculars are given below;

Features of Binoculars

  • Available in more variety of designs and powers
  • Two-eye, full three-dimensional viewing
  • Wide viewing angle
  • Can track moving objects
  • Can also be lightweight and compact in design
  • Provide more accurate details of objects

Some cons of binoculars compared to monoculars are;

  • Can be much more expensive compared to monoculars
  • Heavier than monoculars
  • Less portability options compared to monoculars

Monocular vs Binocular Vision: What to Choose?

It is difficult to choose between binocular vs monocular, as both monoculars and binoculars have some pros and cons. However, to answer this question entirely, one thing is needed to be clear, “Why would you use it?”

If you are going to use it for exploring around a bit and for hiking purposes, then monoculars will be best suited for you. Being an explorer, you need smaller and lighter products while keeping the power almost similar. You also tend to move, so you will not be focusing for a very long time. This makes the perfect use of monocular.

On the other hand, for hunting related purposes, you need to watch your surrounding for a longer time than an explorer. In this case, you need a binocular because one-eyed monocular can cause stress to your eye if used for a long time. The weight will not be a much of factor because a hunter does not need to move a lot. The similar thing goes for bird watching, sightseeing purposes.

So, monocular vs binocular, what is more suitable? The answer is; it depends on the reason and situation. For most cases, a binocular should be the ideal choice, as binoculars are more powerful and comfortable to use.

Final Words

Monoculars and binoculars both serve the same purpose. But, you need a binocular when you need stare for a longer time. By using a binocular, your eyes will remain calm, and your vision will be less harmed. It provides a comprehensive view of an object and puts less stress on your eye. That’s why a monocular is never an alternative for binocular. Binoculars are also comparatively more potent than monoculars. For bird watching, sightseeing, hunting, astronomy and surveillance purposes a binocular is a better choice.
For monocular, it is only applicable when you need to stare, and you need something tiny and light. However, small monoculars are less powerful can’t show objects clearly for longer distance.

So, what do you think? Monocular vs binocular, who is the winner? Well, it appears that binocular is the winner. However, it wise to consider long-term facts to make the final choice. Try to buy good quality optics as it will provide detailed and precise image quality that we desire. Good Luck!

About the author

Toby Daniels

A Camouflage Hunter

This is Toby saying hello to biking dudes. A commuter and a stunt perforer (an amateur) best describe me. Although I’m not an MTB specialist like my buddy James, I tried every kind/style only to see what suits me and gives pleasure. Out of curiosity, I took a short course on biking mechanism, troubleshooting, and maintenance at Broadway Bicycle School. Thus, my experience combines my working knowledge to make me feel it right to share my expertise with others and cooperate with my fellow commuters. Let’s look at some of my articles.

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