The Nocs Field Tube 8×32 monocular is adept at moon-viewing and planet-spotting. Since it fits easily into a pocket, it’s a great travel companion – far easier to contend with than a big and bulky pair of binoculars – and is waterproof and fog-proof. Designed to be easily gripped in all kinds of conditions, it can be held steady with one hand and focused with the other.
However, with 8x magnification and a 32mm objective lens, the Nocs Field Tube 8×32 is not ideal for general astronomy at night. Although it’s possible to go stargazing with them to a limited extent, its narrow aperture does not collect enough light to reveal the night sky in all its glory. Will impressive lunar viewing and planet-spotting be enough to lift the Nocs Field Tube 8×32 into our best monoculars guide?
Nocs Field Tube 8×32 monocular review
Design
★★★★
- Waterproof and fog proof
- BaK-4 prisms
- Twist-up eyecups
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The Nocs Field Tube 8×32 is a monocular with BaK-4 prisms, seven lens elements arranged into five groups, and fully multi-coated optics to ward off ghosting, lens flare and chromatic aberration. It’s got scratch-resistant lenses and a waterproof and fog-proof design.
It is available in Corsican Blue, Coral Red and Banana Slug Yellow and has a standard 1/4-inch tripod thread on its undercarriage. The product we tested had a specification of 8×32, meaning 8x magnification and a 32mm diameter objective lens.
Specifications
Design: Roof prism
Magnification: 8x
Objective lenses: 32mm
Eye relief: 15mm
Weight: 8.09oz/229.4g
Dimensions: 5.03×1.77-in/128×45 mm
Durability: IPX7 (waterproof and fog-proof)
An otherwise identical product is available with 10x magnification, with additional color options for Ponderosa Green, Paydirt Brown and Oxblood Maroon. The Nocs Field Tube 8×32 can focus to just 7.4 feet, which is closer than many of its rivals.
We used the Nocs Field Tube 8×32 while hiking during strong sunlight and later in the evening as dew affected a camera we were also using. Not so the Nocs Field Tube 8×32, which remained completely usable throughout the night.
Performance
★★★
- Good views of the moon
- Easy to hold steady
- Average low-light performance
The Nocs Field Tube 8×32 worked well in our tests, but when it comes to astronomy, its performance is limited by its physical construction. We tested it in the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) Dark Sky Reserve while waiting for the Perseid meteor shower. We were impressed by its convenience and how easy and quick it is to focus. Pointed at a waxing gibbous moon during the day, we could easily make out the lunar maria and several prominent craters. As dusk set in and the moon significantly brightened, we could see even more detail amid sharp views, although during darkness, the bright orb appeared to have a very slight purplish fringe. That indicates chromatic aberration, though it’s not a severe issue.
During the same test, we were able to use the Nocs Field Tube 8×32 to sweep the northeastern sky a short time after sunset, hunting for Venus in the horizon’s haze. That was a total success, with the monocular picking up the bright planet, which had proved invisible to the naked eye.
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As darkness set it, we used the Nocs Field Tube 8×32 to sweep across the star fields of the Milky Way, with mixed results. It did help unlock a layer of stars invisible to the naked eye, but at just 32mm aperture, there’s not enough light to invite proper study of celestial objects during darkness. We were able to detect two of the summer night sky’s most famous ‘fuzzy blobs,’ the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and the Great Globular Cluster in Hercules (M13). A well-trained eye was necessary to locate them, for neither was impressive nor bright, but this monocular’s ability to offer steady enough views to find such faint objects is impressive.
The Nocs Field Tube 8×32 proved a good pocket-friendly option for studying the moon and planets close up, but its lack of aperture limits its appeal at night.
While its 8x magnification may not make it the most powerful optical device for this setting, it was delightful to use. We noted that the image stabilization of the monocular worked effectively at this magnification, reducing the common issues associated with image stability.
Functionality
★ ★ ★ ★
- Easy to focus
- Lens caps are not attached
- Non-slip outer casing
The Nocs Field Tube 8×32 is a simple product that’s extremely easy to use. The advantage all monoculars have over a pair of binoculars is that they’re quicker to focus, with only one eye to focus for, but this product is easier than most. Its top-mounted focus wheel is relatively easy to operate with the same hand it’s being held by, if you get the finger placement correct, though we found it best to hold it in one hand and operate the focus wheel with the other. The wheel itself has just the right amount of resistance to allow it to stay in position.
The twist-up eyepiece can be clicked into two outward positions for eye relief, with a twisting action with enough resistance to make slippage unlikely. Its build quality is excellent, with a tough rubber covering that’s both hard-wearing and soft to the touch. The objective lens is of similar construction, with the lens set back by about 5mm.
There’s a simple wrist strap in the box, but a neck strap would be better. Sadly, for a product that’s all about pocket-friendly convenience for use in the great outdoors, its lens caps are entirely detachable. The rubbery eyepiece cover does have a small loop that could be attached to the main body’s strap pass-through. The objective lens cap is less a cover and more a plug, though it, too, has a pass-through that suggests that it could also be attached to the main body. Alas, the box contains nothing of the sort.
Knowing the Nocs Field Tube 8×32 is waterproof was useful in Wales, where a downpour happened without warning during our test. We also liked its non-slip outer casing, which made it easier to hold with wet hands. However, we weren’t impressed by its case, which is little more than a small drawstring bag offering no extra protection. It’s big enough for the product and fits well, but it’s of little practical use.
We were left wondering if the Nocs Field Tube 8×32 shouldn’t come with a solar filter since solar viewing would add an extra dimension to this impressively compact yet intrinsically non–astronomical product.
User reviews
Other users report little difference between the Nocs Field Tube 8×32 and more expensive binoculars if you use it on a bright day. The plastic construction is praised for making the monocular easily packable and portable for excursions, such as hiking and traveling.
Should you buy the the Nocs Field Tube 8×32 monocular?
Buy it if
✅ All-weather use: You want a monocular that’s fit for all-weather: As well as being waterproof, it’s also fog-proof.
✅ You want a small optic for observing the moon: It gives a good, clear and colorful image of the moon, both during the day and at night.
Don’t buy it if
❌ Exclusively astronomy use: You want a monocular exclusively for astronomy: It doesn’t let enough light in for deep-sky objects.
❌ You want a custom-fit hard case: The Nocs Field Tube 8×32 ships with a disappointing drawstring bag.
The Nocs Field Tube 8×32 is an excellent all-round performer, well made and designed to be easy to use and to travel with. It gives wonderful results during the day and with the moon, while also being helpful in locating planets and brighter objects in the night sky.
Its 32mm objective lens is too small to collect enough light from the night sky, making star clusters and star fields of the Milky Way a little indistinct and lacking in brightness. However, if you’re after an all-around good quality monocular for wildlife and a spot of moon-viewing, it’s hard to beat the Nocs Field Tube 8×32.
If the Nocs Provisions 8X32 Field Tube monocular isn’t for you
If you’re after a monocular that lets in more light for a broader range of astronomical uses, consider the lightweight Opticron Explorer 8×42, which offers the same magnification but has a much wider objective lens. For closer views of the moon and other celestial objects, consider the higher magnification and wider objective lens of the Hawke Endurance ED 10×42 Monocular, or the even larger Celestron Outland X, which boasts 10×50 optics.