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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Can you buy a good roof prism for $200.00 or are you jerking our diopter Frank? (4 Viewers)

Or how about absolute Zero! I do a lot of birding when it's minus 459.67

I'm keeping mine cause the stiffness has never caused me a problem. Were I a winter hunter I might feel differently.
 
I did leave my unit out on the porch yesterday afternoon...temps were in the high 20's F. The focusing did stiffen up slightly but no worse than many other bins I own. It is certainly smoother, even at the colder temps, than some of the porros I have on hand.

I do feel the need to again mention the amount of time that I have owned this bin...going on 4.5 months. It is looser, in regular room temps, than it was originally so I am left believing that regular use makes the focusing mechanism smoother in all temperatures. We are talking about a $200 binocular though so I don't expect it to offer the same type of cold weather performance as something like the Leicas with their lubeless design.
 
After comparing it head to head with the Kowa's at almost $500 I'm more convinced than ever that this is my best full priced binocular by far. I'm actually considering it in the 10x as I don't own that size outside of a small compact.
 
Chasing warblers at 20 deg F would be difficult. (In my neck of the woods that's not an issue @ 20degF!)

But chasing sparrows is very similar (high species diversity + complex physical environment = lots of quick views at varying distance), and is a real possibility at those temps in the midwestern states.

--AP
 
Speaking of focus, just thought i would mention that my pair of Pentax Papilio 8.5x21 maintain a focus movement that is both smooth and of consistent speed, from 95 through -5 degrees F.
 
Same with my Fury. Followed a Dusky Warbler yesterday and temperature was about 30°F.
The slightly increased friction was still pleasant as usual and the bin was very adequate when looking through the brush.
The Dusky was everywhere and nowhere, and although we were some 20 birders, we weren't always sure where it was.

//L
 
But chasing sparrows is very similar (high species diversity + complex physical environment = lots of quick views at varying distance), and is a real possibility at those temps in the midwestern states.

--AP

Agreed. In fact I recently had some fun following a few junco's in a thick patch of young cedars. It was cold but not 0degF cold. The stiff(er) focus on my Yosemite's made it tricky... the looser/smooth focus on the 7x36 excursion fit the bill perfectly.

You point is taken.
 
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Pentax hit a home run with these. I have a ton of fun with them without ever leaving the house. You don't get it till you look at your dogs nose from 18 inches with a full clear image.
 
Yes.

You sit there chanting the doxology of things beyond your grasp looking at your dogs nose!;)

Bob

Sorry! Couldn't resist that!
 
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Yes.

You sit there chanting the doxology of things beyond your grasp looking at your dogs nose!;)

Bob

Sorry! Couldn't resist that!

I am still impressed with the optics on these Sightrons. The coatings seem very impressive on them also. They work very well for stray light for a $200.00 binocular. It's weird how they can make an 8x32 so small and light when the EDG's are so much heavier. The EDG's must have a more complex eyepiece and of course the field flattener lenses add to the weight. The Sightrons are nice though. I think my focus is loosening up a tad the more I use them. I am keeping them for summer.
 
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I know that I'm getting looser the more I use them. Had them out for several hours today and came home very loose. I really wanted to find a reason to buy some Rangers in 8x but I just can't justify it. These bins are really good.
 
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Speaking of focus, just thought i would mention that my pair of Pentax Papilio 8.5x21 maintain a focus movement that is both smooth and of consistent speed, from 95 through -5 degrees F.

I had some Pentax Papilio 8.5x21's for awhile. Although it was cool the way you could focus close I didn't think there optics were that great for birding. Just average. Nikon Prostaff's for example were better. Sent mine back. Of course I am not a big fan of compacts anyway. I tend to think the REAL binoculars start with 32mm's. Here is a review on them I wrote for Amazon after having them for a week.

http://www.amazon.com/review/RIE4H8...07TSYCK&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode=#wasThisHelpful
 
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You sent them back because they weren't good for birding when you'd likely never use a compact for birding anyway? You sent them back because they are a unique close focus bin that is so good at close ups that it adds another whole dimension to binocular use? And because they are sooo poor optically for less than $100?


Good thinking.:t:
 
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I had some Pentax Papilio 8.5x21's for awhile....

I would agree with you in so far as i would never recommend them to a person who uses binoculars only for birding. I highly value them, but after using them for a few years I can state that there are two flaws for birding use:

1. Dim view, not just because it is 21mm is aperture. Of course for the price, one does not expect high-end coatings.;)
2. Focus is very shallow.

On the resolution/contrast/CA control end of things, they are playing pretty far above their price point.

What Pentax did, is pretty clever, especially for the price. They combined a compact binocular with essentially the Greenough design of stereo microscope.

But, if my use was only to ID birds, i would have returned them also.
 
Yes. That's pretty much my opinion on them. I didn't think to much of them. For looking at bugs maybe but not birding. They are built pretty cheap too. They are dim and I didn't think they were that sharp.

Actually, for the price they are built rather well. I thought they were not very sharp also. But i learned it was the shallow focus. Focused correctly, they punch pretty high on the scale. Given I have use of their special characteristics, I ended up learning how to use them.
Today, i brought them in from the car for cleaning. While doing so, near a window, i saw whitish grey flit through the trees behind the garage; got on it and focused...my little local Shrike was hanging out again.:t:
 
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