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Pros - Outstanding image quality - Includes a DV-style hand strap for comfortable use - Fully weatherproof and shockproof Cons - Included tripod is good for little other than using the monocular as a spotting scope - Eyecup doesn’t have detents for different eye relief distances - Center focus wheel can’t be operated one-handed

Well hey there! We’re back to reviewing monoculars, and I’ve got one that’s really sparked my interest. The Yooeur 12×50 Monocular Telescope showed up on my desk, so I thought I’d put it through its paces. I’d never heard of Yooeur before, but they claim to have more than 20 years of experience building optics. How well does their monocular stand up to the competition? Let’s find out.

This model measures less than 6.5 inches in length, and weighs 1.2 pounds. It’s definitely hefty, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing – a bit more weight helps alleviate hand shake problems. The objective lens is 50mm in diameter, which I expected would bode nicely for light transmission.

What Do I Get in the Box?

Now, let’s talk about what you get in the box when you buy this piece of glass. Yooeur has thought of just about everything, and provides you with the following items when you buy the monocular:

• The Yooeur 12×50 Monocular itself
• A DV-style hand strap (this is a padded strap like you see on camcorders)
• A nylon mesh carrying case
• Eyepiece and lens covers
• A microfiber cleaning cloth
• A small stainless steel tripod

The hand strap and case are exceptionally well made, allowing you to carry your monocular safely either in your hand or on your belt/backpack. The lens and eyepiece covers include tethers to keep them securely hanging from your monocular, so you don’t have to worry about losing them.

The tripod is the only downside to the included accessories. I could have done without it, because it is quite small and not very stable. Still, it works out acceptably if you want to use the monocular as a spotting scope at the range.

How Much Magnification Do I Get?

With a 50mm objective lens, this optic allows for 12X magnification. The magnified image is sharp and quite clear, featuring great resolution and almost no chromatic abberation at all. The center focus wheel might challenge those of you who like to use your monocular one-handed, but it still works quite well.

This scope’s field of view is quite good, allowing you to easily make out 246 feet of terrain from 1,000 yards. Sure, there are monoculars with wider fields of view, but not by much at the 12X magnification level.

What Type of Optics Does the Yooeur 12×50 Have?

Whenever I see a budget monocular, I’m ready for it to have strictly budget optics. This variant surprised me greatly, because Yooeur has bypassed the cheaper BK–7 prism glass for the more robus BaK–4 components. It utilizes a standard roof prism design, and everything comes together to give you a fine view of your subject, indeed.

Going a step further, Yooeur opted to fully multicoat the optics on this monocular, providing you with excellent image and light transmission. The images are crisp with lots of detail, brightness, and contrast, and the scope even has some utility during lowlight conditions because of its wide objective lens. This isn’t an astronomical telescope, mind you, but you can still get a closer view at the terrain of the moon through it.

The focus mechanism works well, providing just enough resistance to prevent you from accidentally bumping it, but still allowing the wheel to turn smoothly. The only real drawback is that it’s a center focus knob that isn’t easy to access if you are trying to use the monocular one-handed.

What’s the Body Like On This Glass?

Almost all of this model is rubber-coated, providing you with excellent grip along with shock resistance. If you use the included hand strap, there’s almost no chance that you’re going to drop this sucker. The bottom of the monocular even includes a tripod mount, so you can use such an accessory for even better stability.

How Durable Is the Monocular?

The glass on the Yooeur 12×50 is both fogproof and waterproof. This means the lenses have been O-ring sealed to keep out dust and moisture, and the optical chamber has been nitrogen purged. The rubber exterior does a great job of protecting the monocular from bumps and falls.

The lens covers are well made and provide ample protection when you aren’t using the glass. One thing I really like about the included lens covers is that they have tethers to keep them securely attached to your monocular, so you don’t have to worry about losing them.

How Well Does the Yooeur 12×50 Monocular Telescope Work in the Field?

I’ve used this monocular many times, at sporting events and in the hunting field. I’ve also played around with it for backyard astronomy and birdwatching during the day. I have to say that it’s never let me down, and it’s become one of my favorite optics.