The Opticron Oregon 4 PC Oasis 10x42 is an easy-to-use monocular that instantly lends itself to one-handed use. Its good low-light capability and quality lens make it a very capable monocular for the price.
Reasons to buy
+
Quality rugged design
+
Ease of use
+
Nitrogen-filled, waterproof construction
+
Close focus to 5.9 ft (1.8 m)
Reasons to avoid
-
-Slightly heavier than some rivals
-
Larger lens cover has a short strap
-
Neck strap could be longer
Why you can trust Live Science
Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best ones for you. Find out more about how we test.
Founded in the UK in 1970, Opticron is a family-owned business with over 50 years of experience in consumer optics. The Oregon 4 PC Oasis 10x42 is a budget-conscious monocular that promises good optics and attention to detail, giving the user an easy, convenient, yet high-performing piece of equipment.
Key specifications
Magnification: 10x42 Objective lens diameter: 42mm Field of view (m@ 1000m): 105mm Close focus: 5.9ft (1.8m) Eye relief: 18mm Weight: 11.75 oz (334g)
The 334g weight means the Opticron 10x42 is not the lightest in its class, but this wasn’t an issue during our tests. Bird hides often have shelving at chest height where you can rest your elbows to steady the optic, which dramatically reduces image shake and wobble — although this was never too severe an issue for us in the first place.
The PC Oasis 10x42 has a roof prism design with BAK- 4 fully-coated optics. This enables the Opticron 4 to work well in low light conditions, with excellent visual clarity.
The Oregon 4 is a well-constructed, rubber-cased optic with a top-mounted external focus wheel.
It has BAK-4 coatings, a helpful step up from the BAK-7 prisms often included on units at this price point. Phase-corrected prism coatings with Opticron’s high-light transmission coatings make for excellent clear images. These features give the monocular a very capable, quality feel that makes you want to use it.
There is little need to worry about undue shake or wobble at this magnification. Still, it's worth noting that there are no fixings for a monopod, so to steady the image, observers may find it necessary to use the shelves in hides as described above or lean against posts or other solid structures.
The neck strap is made of tough nylon with padding on the neck area, which makes it handy for traveling. It's shorter than we would like, as we found hanging the device over a shoulder and the neck much better for climbing over stiles. This stops the unit from hitting your body while it swings about. There is an included belt hoop on the carry case, though, which may be an option.
Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter now
Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox.
Performance
The Oregon 4 offers a 10x magnification.
(Image credit: Matt Morris)
Excellent light-gathering ability
Sharp optics thanks to superior glass quality
Close focusing down to 5.9 ft (1.8 m)
In use, the Oregon 4 is a very capable and convenient monocular. The external, top-mounted focusing wheel and the comfortable weight made it very pleasant to use at our local bird hide. We found ourselves popping it in our pocket while visiting churches and other areas of interest to investigate gargoyles and other features on buildings when outside. Its low light capability makes using it inside a breeze, too.
The Oregon 4's rubber casing is well applied and feels pleasingly secure in the hand, giving an impression of solidity and quality. It could withstand a few knocks and drops and still be in one piece at the end of the day, making it suitable for use as a family monocular or to hand over to children, who might need to be more careful!
As mentioned, we found the shoulder strap relatively short when traveling with it, and a too-short cord attaches the larger of the two lens covers and can ride up and obscure the vision. It's easy to push back out of the way, but it kept happening, which had become quite annoying by the end of our time with the device.
Functionality
The belt bag is included.
(Image credit: Matt Morris)
Nonslip rubber armor
Objective lens cap attachment cord is too short
Heavier than some other monoculars in its class
The Opticron Oregon 4 PC Oasis 10x42 is perfect for putting in your pocket and going for a hike and some serious hide-based birdwatching. It is helpful for many pursuits where a monocular may be a handy addition to a rucksack or pocket, such as watching sports or sitting in a back garden watching a busy bird table.
The close focus of 5.9 ft (1.8m) was helpful when we set ourselves up in the garden. We used it to focus on a bird table only a few feet from us, enabling us to get great results from the visitors to the table as they were feeding.
The lens and prism coatings also helped extend our viewing into twilight when other monoculars may have struggled.
The Opticron Oregon 4 comes with an adequate-quality strap-mounted chest bag/pouch. The unit is built so well that this bag is purely for carrying — it offers no natural protection from being dropped or the weather.
Should you buy the Opticron Oregon 4 PC Oasis 10x42?
A sturdy shoulder strap is included.
(Image credit: Matt Morris)
It performed very well in all the situations in which we used the Oregon 4. If you are looking for a reasonably priced monocular yet still delivers, this could be the one for you. It has sharp optics, is good at low light, and has rugged construction, enabling it to cope with most situations. It's straightforward to use, and the external focus wheel quickly captures those elusive subjects, even with sturdy gloves on. It's worth trying out.
If the Opticron Oregon 4 PC Oasis isn't for you
If the Oregon 4 is too heavy or the objective lens covers and neck strap is likely to be an issue, consider one of its rivals.
The Bushnell Legend Ultra 10x42 is almost twice the price of the Oregon 4 but has a tripod attachment and hydrophobic coatings.
How we tested the Opticron Oregon 4 PC Oasis 10X42
An adjustable eyepiece means there is no problem when wearing eyeglasses.
(Image credit: Matt Morris)
When starting our test of the Opticron 4, we visited our local bird reserve, where we found it to be an excellent performer. The top-mounted focusing wheel was an absolute pleasure, with a smooth, one-handed operation, enabling you to quickly focus on birds in flight.
We also tested the Opticron 4 in a cathedral, where its low-light capabilities came to the fore. While in the cathedral, we also noted the convenience of the monocular design, which lends itself to discreet use.
We also took the Opticron to our vegetable plot, where we felt OK hanging the unit from a post while we worked on the beds. Having it to hand like this made it possible to grab it quickly when spotting things of interest, but we could only do this because the Opticron 4 felt like it could handle a little rain and wind without cause for concern. It's built to very high standards and could easily withstand a few knocks without too much of an issue.
Matt Morris is a keen astronomer, wildlife watcher and photographer living in Somerset, UK. He started stargazing and birdwatching at the age of 10 with his father who took him to bird hides and nature reserves around England. This sparked his interest in cameras and optics, a passion that has now spanned the better part of four decades and led to his being featured in several national photography magazines for competition-winning photos. Matt has had deteriorating eyesight in one eye over the last few years due to being Type-1 Diabetic. This has led him to develop a special interest in optics, spurring his passion for bird watching and wildlife spotting.
