I do a lot of hiking and cross-country skiing, and I am looking for a good pair of waterproof binoculars to carry always with me. I want binoculars that I can always have with me, as "permanent residents" of my backpack, for trail scopingh and wildlife viewing. Weight is thus very important. Right now I have a pair of Olympus Roamer 8x21 that are surprisingly good and light (5 oz!). I am looking for a pair of waterproof binoculars for when the weather is not good, and for kayaking.
The two models I am most looking at are the Nikon Prostaff 8x25 and the Pentax DCF SW 8x25. I have read the warnings about cheap roof prisms... the Pentax have phase coating (unlike the Minox ones), and are 10oz. Their field of view does not seem fantastic though: 288 ft at 1000 ft. The Nikons are better, with 330 ft, but weigh 12 oz, which is borderline (if the weather is not great, I might be tempted to leave them home to travel lighter, defeating the purpose).
Does anyone have advice on how the Pentax compare optically to the Nikons?
Are the Pentax a good substitute for the Leica 8x20, which are what I guess I should be getting if price was no objection?
The two models I am most looking at are the Nikon Prostaff 8x25 and the Pentax DCF SW 8x25. I have read the warnings about cheap roof prisms... the Pentax have phase coating (unlike the Minox ones), and are 10oz. Their field of view does not seem fantastic though: 288 ft at 1000 ft. The Nikons are better, with 330 ft, but weigh 12 oz, which is borderline (if the weather is not great, I might be tempted to leave them home to travel lighter, defeating the purpose).
Does anyone have advice on how the Pentax compare optically to the Nikons?
Are the Pentax a good substitute for the Leica 8x20, which are what I guess I should be getting if price was no objection?
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