Vanguard 6-12x25 Zoom Monocular

Comments about Vanguard 6-12x25 Zoom Monocular:

I love this minocular and would recommend it, but with many qualifications.

First, the specifications are off. This scope is not 1" x 4.5" as listed in the specs. Take it out of it's nice, nylon carry case and it measures 1.25" x 4.25". BUT to view through it you have to turn the front focus tube two and one quarter turns to achieve focus at infinity. That expends the scope to 5 inches long. 5 inches should be the stated scope length, not 4.25 inches. The 4.25 inches is a "collapsed storage length." Unfortunately, at 5 inches the scope will not fit in it's carry case, so plan on carrying it out of the case if you want it ready to use. It does come with a nice wrist strap.

Also, the scope does not have a collapsible rubber eye piece. The eye piece is rubber and comfortable to use, but does not collapse.

Another huge annoyance is all of the markings on the scope, to set the zoom range and focus, are rediculously small and hard to read. You will be writing over these with permanent pen, as I did, if you need to read them.

Finally, the "close focus tube," which slides forward, is rediculously loose. The front lens of the scope (objective) is mounted to this tube. It's hard to maintain optical quality if the objective lens is wiggling around on a loose tube. I overcame this problem by taping this tube to the small, rubberized focus ring with black plastic (electrical) tape. This defeats the close focus feature, but allows me to focus by turning a the joined focus ring and 'close up tube', which I can easily do with gloves. (The rubberized focus ring would otherwise be small and hard to operate.) So by taping the close focus tube to the focus ring I: 1.) stabilized the front objective lens, 2.) made the scope easier to focus, and 3.) kept dust and moisture from entering the monocular tube. I guarantee you will make the same modification. Even with the 'close focus feature' defeated, this scope focuses at two feet, with a field of view of 1.5 inches at that distance.

I also found the focus ring very stiff to turn, especially in cold temps. But I'd rather have it too stiff than too loose.

So what's to like about this scope. The optics are bright and clear, free of distortion and chromatic aberation. The metal construction feels solid. Eye relief is good enough to use with my glasses at the 6X magnification. (At 12X you will not be able to wear eyeglasses.) The 6X to 12X zoom range is about perfect, however holding this scope steady at 12X is really tough. (Some zoom minoculars have ranges like 10X to 30X. That's way too much magnification to hand hold.)

So while I've had to do some modifications to this scope, the end result is a sharp, solidly built monocular that I hope to enjoy for years.

Comments about Vanguard 6-12x25 Zoom Monocular:

I bought 3 different monoculars and this was my favorite. The only thing I didn't like was the big "made in China" sticker on the lens barrel (scratched that off). It was the easist to hold and focus and the clearest image. The size and weight was just what I was looking for. If you are going to use one of these things for long, I would recommend spending more money and getting a bigger one. Less hand shake and clearer view. However this priticalar unit is perfect and small enough that you can carry it in your pocket easily and perfect for an occasional viewing. Smooth focus and easy to figure out. Great for the [$] price!

Comments about Vanguard 6-12x25 Zoom Monocular:

The optical quality was good, considering the price. The zoom worked okay, if you used the front barrel and slid it in and out. The close-focus magnifying feature made it into a compact, low-power microscope.