Pentax DCF ED

[trealawboy]

Has anyone out there looked through or is using the Pentax DCF ED binoculars yet? Could anyone offer an opinion? How do they compare to the DCF SPs?


http://www.parkcameras.com/ProductDetails/mcs/referrer/Froogle/productID/6487/groupID/2/categoryID/4

[Tero]

Is there really a point to this ED glass, even at 10x? I can understand scopes.

[FrankD]

I guess that would depend on how well corrected color fringing is in the typical binocular system. I have seen some non-ED style binoculars that delivered fairly low levels of CA while at least one other ED style of binocular that displayed noticeable color fringing. My guess is that there is more to it than just the style of glass utilized.

Oh, and I would be interested in the comparison as well since the SPs reportedly had some type of ED style glass used in their design originally as well. ;)

[PCH BIRDER]

You could buy them a lot cheaper here:

http://www.eagleoptics.com/index.asp?pid=4888

Unless you have to pay a lot of duty on them. Would be worth checking into if you're interested.

[elkcub]

Is there really a point to this ED glass, even at 10x? I can understand scopes.

Tero,

Yes if the ED glass is properly designed into the system, no if it's only window dressing. Basically, there is a good prospect that it can reduce axial or transferse CA. This company knows how to do that I'm sure.

Ed

[Swedpat]

My personal opinion is that ED-glass on binoculars is more a selling argument than a real gain. At 10x or less your really have to seek for CA even at a budget binocular.

Patric

[MacGee]

At 10x or less your really have to seek for CA even at a budget binocular.If only. I've seen gross colour fringing on several high level binoculars, including the Nikon HGL and Leica Ultravid. And I didn't look for it—it jumped right out at me.

Michael.

[Swedpat]

If only. I've seen gross colour fringing on several high level binoculars, including the Nikon HGL and Leica Ultravid. And I didn't look for it—it jumped right out at me.

Michael.


Michael,

I don't think it's impossible to see colour fringing with binoculars, but the only binocular I have clearly noticed it was my former Pentax 16x60 PCF WP when I looked against streetlights and moon. And I just needed to change my eye position a bit to avoid it.

Last week I received the Pentax 8x43 DCF SP, a really great binocular.
I have until now not noticed any chromatic abberation during any circumstances. Therefore I really consider the new ED version of this binocular to be more of a selling argument in the competition. But maybe some people are more sensitive for CA than other, and you can notice what I cannot?

Patric

[ThoLa]

But maybe some people are more sensitive for CA than other, and you can notice what I cannot?

Patric


Exactly.
That's it.
Some people are sensitive to it, some are not.
Some people are distracted by distorsion, others seem to be immune.
Some complain about astigmatism, others couldn't bother.

You have to find your very own set of criteria or "sensitivities".

Tom

[MacGee]

But maybe some people are more sensitive for CA than other, and you can notice what I cannot?It may be the other way round, Patric. Maybe you have an ability to accommodate variations that I've either never had, or perhaps have lost through aging. I don't know if it's anything to do with the fact that I have plastic lenses in my eyes, and have lost whatever resilience the biological originals had. I also don't know where in the eye-brain process the CA accommodation happens; maybe someone could enlighten me.

Michael.

[ceasar]

I've had cataract surgery too. I have no problem with CA although I can find it if I look for it with my binoculars. The one most free of it is the Nikon 10 x 42 SE, in fact, I have to look hard for it under extremely bright conditions against a white edged house corner. After I had my implant surgery I noticed it in the perifery of my vision, but later it disappeared from there, or at least from my brain.
Bob

[MacGee]

The one most free of it is the Nikon 10 x 42 SEI've never seen it in porros of any quality. Nor have I seen it in BK-7 roofs, though my sample size there is admittedly low—to be exact, 1.

I only seem to see it in expensive roofs.

Michael.