Deth

Fitness and everything else

Vanguard DM-8250 Monocular Is Just About Perfect For Me

My old trusty Vanguard DM 8250 telescope finally has the rubber eye cup thing tearing to a point that it’s becoming harder to see now. These are a mid-priced monocular but have worked really well for me. The best one I ever had was the old specwell one I used throughout high school. Eventually, it wore out after I’d say 8-10 years of daily use. After that, I found another one online and ordered it. That was very clear and all, but much larger than I had anticipated. It still broke when I dropped it enough times. I’ve tried various cheaper ones along the way, and they never worked well for me. They were dark or didn’t magnify enough for, lied about the close focusing distance.

They are the perfect size for my needs. It easily fits into my pocket. The old specwell one I had was better in all ways, but was larger and also cost quite a bit more. Size wise the DM 8250 is much more convenient for my needs. It’s a nice, comfortable size to hold for long periods of time like watching TV or just watching thing outside. It has a slightly bumpy rubber coating on the outside, which I tend to wear the bumps out of eventually from using it so much. This isn’t a complaint. It’s just how much use I get out of these things.

It focuses sharp enough for me at a distance and even up to very close focus. I could almost use it to read something on a table in front of me. The close focus ability is certainly adequate for me to use it to read prices and other information of items on store shelves. It focuses down to about a foot or so for my eyes. Everything is bright enough as long as it’s not dark out. It can work for TVs in darkish restaurants and the like.

There are really only two issues I have with this particular model of telescope (both of which are really non issues as in my opinion it’s wear and tear from my use.) First the fold down eye cup rubber piece tends to eventually start to come apart It would probably last longer if I put it in its case with the lens covers on it when I put it in my pocket, but that’s too inconvenient for me. I like to be able to pick it up and use it immediately. If I could find replacements, they’d be basically been as good as new for me. I do keep my old ones just in case I can find replacements, since other than that they work fine. Just light coming around the sides interferes with my view when looking through it..

The other problem I have with them and again if I stored it in the case it comes with this would probably be greatly reduced, is if I drop it enough times eventually one of the lenses or something inside works it way back into position to be usable. That’s a Carl issue, though, and not due to the quality of the monocular. Dropping or knocking anything off a table enough times will break it. It feels like a pretty good build quality with metal parts, so I can’t complain at all about that.

The rubber eye cup thing is almost completely torn on my old one, and I’m looking for a new one, and sadly can’t seem to find any for a reasonable price. I sincerely hope they didn’t stop making them! If I see them for a decent price, I will buy some as backups!