Pentax dcf SP (1 Viewer)

mads b · Feb 11, 2004

I’m in the market for a new pair of binoculars soon and I have been searching the net to screen for makes and models that might be suitable for me. I currently own a 15 y/o Swarovski SL 8x56 B, which is not bad but does suffer from a lot of flare when viewing in the direction of the sun at dawn or dusk – also it is very heavy. What I’m looking for is a pair of reasonably lightweight binoculars – heck, everything is lightweight compared to the Swarovski – with good quality optics, reasonable low light performance and waterproof, since it will be used for bird/wildlife watching around dawn and dusk plus hiking. My research so far has brought me to the conclusion that a Pentax dcf SP 8x43 might be what I need. I live in Denmark where Leica, Zeiss and Swarovski have always been THE binoculars you want to buy in order to get quality optics but I wonder, whether the Pentax might offer near similar optics but with a lower price tag, allowing me to buy a telescope as well for the money I would have to spend on a European brand binocular?
Have any of you tried out the Pentax and compared it to other binoculars?

iporali · Feb 11, 2004

mads b said:
I’m in the market for a new pair of binoculars soon and I have been searching the net to screen for makes and models that might be suitable for me.... My research so far has brought me to the conclusion that a Pentax dcf SP 8x43 might be what I need. I live in Denmark where Leica, Zeiss and Swarovski have always been THE binoculars you want to buy in order to get quality optics but I wonder, whether the Pentax might offer near similar optics but with a lower price tag, allowing me to buy a telescope as well for the money I would have to spend on a European brand binocular?
Have any of you tried out the Pentax and compared it to other binoculars?

I have looked through some older Pentax roof prism binos and remember they were nice but the field of view was quite narrow. I just checked the fov of SPs (http://www.pentaxusa.com/products/binoculars/bino_specs.cfm?productid=62615) and it seems like they still prefer sharpness over wide field. To me 110m fov sounds pretty narrow for 8x binoculars.

How about trying some good porros instead? Not waterproof, but light, easy to view and excellent fov. Eg Nikon 8x30EII.

Ilkka

Leif · Feb 11, 2004

I tried a friend's Pentax DCF WP 8x42. As Ilkka says, good sharpness, but a narrow field of view. Contrast and brightness were not class leading as expected given the price. Excellent eye relief. If you wear very thick glasses, then a wide field might be pointless anyway! Mechanically nice with good ergonomics, though the central hinge was unaccountably loose, meaning that the two optical assemblies flopped. Otherwise a nice package.

I think a few people on the Astromart forum have used the Pentax SP which is said to be a step or two up from the DCF WP.

gunvald · Feb 29, 2004

There is a review of the Pentax DCF SP line on the Optics for Birding site, see the review page at http://www.optics4birding.com/reviews.htm.

I e-mailed them some time ago and asked them what they thought about the DCF SP compared to the Nikon Venturer LX/DCF HG since they have reviewed both. This was their reply. Take for it what it is worth:

Hi Mikael,

The DCF SP line has put Pentax into a new league. I'd take the Pentax over the Nikon at the same price. The optics are just as sharp and clear, the close focus is half the distance, the eyecups, and objective lens covers are much better, and they are 10.1 ounces lighter. Now throw in the fact that they are $300 less...

gunvald · Mar 3, 2004

There is now a little review of the Pentax DCF SP line on Better View Desired:
http://www.betterviewdesired.com/Pentax04/index.html. The review also contains a very short note about the HR II series.

scampo · Mar 3, 2004

mads b said:
Have any of you tried out the Pentax and compared it to other binoculars?

You could import a pair of Nikon HG 8x32 from Warehpouse Express for a very good price at the moment. They have just come tops equal in a test run by the Finnish birding mag Alula.

trealawboy · Apr 16, 2004

scampo said:
You could import a pair of Nikon HG 8x32 from Warehpouse Express for a very good price at the moment. They have just come tops equal in a test run by the Finnish birding mag Alula.

What did the Nikon's come top with?

I'd also like to know if there are any other BFers out there, perhaps our American colleagues, who can comment on the Pentax DCF SP. Their spec seems good, but they are difficult to get a look at in the UK. Amazon have them for a very enticing price.

william j clive · Apr 16, 2004

trealawboy said:
What did the Nikon's come top with?

I'd also like to know if there are any other BFers out there, perhaps our American colleagues, who can comment on the Pentax DCF SP. Their spec seems good, but they are difficult to get a look at in the UK. Amazon have them for a very enticing price.

Bore Da bachgen Trealaw,

Have a look at the Astromart Forum for opinions of DCF SP owners, one of them rates the Pentax very favourably against the Nikon 8x32 SE, and he has now sold his Nikons. As the satisfied owner of SE's, that speaks volumes to me of the quality of the Pentax. The FOV is wider on both the 8x32 (131m) and 10x43 (110m) than the 8x43.

http://www.astromart.com/messages.asp?forum_id=73

Pob Hwyl

Clive

william j clive · Apr 16, 2004

Pentax 8x32 DCF SP

I have to say that I am finding it very difficult to resist the temptation to add the Pentax 8x32 SP to my 'stable' of binos! I mean, ordering from Amazon is so d@mned easy and the financial pain would be at least five weeks away.

Clive

trealawboy · Apr 16, 2004

william j clive said:
I have to say that I am finding it very difficult to resist the temptation to add the Pentax 8x32 SP to my 'stable' of binos! I mean, ordering from Amazon is so d@mned easy and the financial pain would be at least five weeks away.

Clive

Diolch yn Fawr Clive

The reviews and Amazon price tag is very tempting. I have a pair of Zeiss 10x40 BGAT at present. Nice bins, but they don't focus very close by modern standards, they also show too much CA and take too long to focus.

I've decided on a pair of 8x. It's been a toss up between the Swarovski EL 8x32, or the Nikon HG DCF 8x32, but there are features on both these that I don't like, though they are both optically excellent.

I'm tempted to wait for the new Zeiss Victory FL, or even for Nikon to bring out a lighter model. Optically, Nikon are supurb, but there's the weight issue, and the 8x32s don't sit right in my hands.

The Pentax bins look great value at about £300 so its very tempting, but I've always liked to look before buying. Amazon are great traders, but they have an 'unopened' policy on the return of goods.

Hmmmmm!

scampo · Apr 16, 2004

trealawboy said:
What did the Nikon's come top with?

I'd also like to know if there are any other BFers out there, perhaps our American colleagues, who can comment on the Pentax DCF SP. Their spec seems good, but they are difficult to get a look at in the UK. Amazon have them for a very enticing price.

I don't have the test report - someone posted the information a short while back. I think it was the Leica Ultravids.

RCMann · Apr 17, 2004

I've got a pair of Pentax DCF 10x43 DCF SPs (wife's bins) as well as a set of Nikon Venture LX 10x42s. I like the Pentax, but I love the Nikons. They're both pretty much equally sharp, but the color on the Nikons seems truer, and they feel great. I don't really notice the extra weight of the Nikons, and when both are at hand I always grab the Nikons. They are a great, great set of bins. Costwise, I got the Nikons as 'refurbished', and they only cost $75 (US) more than the Pentax. BTW, I contacted Nikon about refurbished, and they're normally demos-and even though they don't have the vaunted 25 year warranty, it's irrelevant because Nikon has a no-fault lifetime repair/replacement policy of a $10 flat fee plus shipping. Get the Nikons!

Atomic Chicken · Nov 4, 2004

Greetings!

I thought I'd throw in my 0.02 worth to this discussion... owning both binoculars being discussed.

I have a pair of Nikon HG 8x32, and a pair of Pentax SP 10x50. I have to disagree completely with the optics4birding.com statement posted by gunvald:

"The DCF SP line has put Pentax into a new league. I'd take the Pentax over the Nikon at the same price. The optics are just as sharp and clear, the close focus is half the distance, the eyecups, and objective lens covers are much better, and they are 10.1 ounces lighter. Now throw in the fact that they are $300 less..."

The Pentax SP, while truly EXCELLENT optics for the price, are not at the same level as the Nikon HG optics. The Pentax exhibits noticably higher levels of chromatic aberration, and is not as clear from edge to edge. Sure, I'm comparing an 8x binocular with small objective lenses to a 10x with 50mm objectives, but that just makes the difference between the two more noteworthy. I am VERY happy with both my purchases, I use these two binoculars for different purposes and they both excel at their assigned tasks. However, to say that the Pentax is as good as the Nikon at a lower cost just reinforces what I've thought about optics4birding all along... they are far from an objective source when it comes to binocular optics.

Best wishes,
Bawko

iambirding · Nov 10, 2004

pentax dcf sp 8 x 43

i love my pentax dcs sp 8 x 43. i've had them for 8 months. light sharp ultra bright. sharp edge to edge until i recently noticed that the lenses are all scratched and i have always used the proper cleaning materials. pentax states they they are scratch resistant coating- beware. pentax said they are not sure if it will be covered under warranty.

every one loves the nikons but they are heavy and the close focus is 10 feet. the new ones are just lighter. and 300 dollars more.

also- i spoke to an ornothologist that has lots of experience and says the the new pentax has better technology than the sawrovski slc. i also believe there are few people that really can tell the difference between optics and remember you can identify a bird if you have pentax or nikon. i think there are alot of us that spend alot of money on birding and convince ourselves that they get what they pay for, is that true? we may never know...

bottom line pentax is great. warranty on pentax takes 4 weeks to get back binos. also i heard nikons warranty can be difficult. i heard swarovski is just a matter of days. i believe pentax and nikon are very similar. but if i had to choose again i would get pentax. if money was no object get both. back up. hope this helps.

ranburr · Nov 10, 2004

iambirding said:
also- i spoke to an ornothologist that has lots of experience and says the the new pentax has better technology than the sawrovski slc.

I would have to disagree with this. The Swarovskis have a clearer view and will give a significant advantage in low-light conditions. The swarobright lense coatings are superior to the Pentax coatings. What your friend may be pointing out is that Pentax uses ED glass in their binos where Swaro does not.

ranburr

Raybo · Jun 5, 2005

ranburr said:
I would have to disagree with this. The Swarovskis have a clearer view and will give a significant advantage in low-light conditions. The swarobright lense coatings are superior to the Pentax coatings. What your friend may be pointing out is that Pentax uses ED glass in their binos where Swaro does not.

ranburr

$ to $ the Pentax is still a great bin.

Almost a "G" note more for the EL's is not worth it for a few % points of bragging rights (I went to Wolf Camera and tested out a few pairs, and as far as roofs go the Nikons are better than Leica and Swarovski anyway :news: ) . I'll stick with the "bang for the buck" optics, and Pentax happens to be one of them.

Good viewing,
Raybo

Swedpat · Jun 5, 2005

mads b said:
I live in Denmark where Leica, Zeiss and Swarovski have always been THE binoculars you want to buy in order to get quality optics but I wonder, whether the Pentax might offer near similar optics but with a lower price tag, allowing me to buy a telescope as well for the money I would have to spend on a European brand binocular?

Mads,

My experience is it it's the same in Sweden. Without a doubt there is, especially among birdwatchers "holy brands", and it's a status symbol to have the "right brands" manufactured in "the right" countries. A leading birdwatching store here in Sweden even reject the Nikon HG binoculars, they are not good enough! Of course, they are made in Japan...
But surely, this kind of attitude has to be abandoned, even the chinese already produce high class binoculars and will soon be a true competitor in the High end class.

Regards, Patric

Lewie · Jun 9, 2005

Pentax and Nikon

I have a pair of Pentax DCF SP 10x50 and a pair of Nikon Premier LX L 8x32.
I love them both. The pentax is maybe a little sharper, but it should be since it is a 50 and has more magnification. The Nikon is brighter and has more contrast. The biggest difference is the focusing; Pentax has a slow focus and
Nikon has a very fast focus. I much prefer the fast focus of Nikon. It takes time to get used to it, but once you do you can get on the bird so much faster. Though I love them both, the Premier has the better optics, in my opinion.

The Pentax does have a narrow field of view, but that does not bother me, since I often have more trouble finding the bird in the FOV than putting the binos on the bird. A wide FOV sometimes makes me just search the FOV more.

I have tried very hard but have not found any chromatic aberration in either
binoculars, doing everything people say they do to get CA. Maybe it is just me.

Both have great eye relief. Neither Leica or Swarovski seem to have any interest in selling binoculars to persons who wear glasses. I tried a pair of Leica 8X42 with a claimed 14.5 of eye-relief. I could see only half the field,
and I have fairly thin glasses. I have used binos with poor eye relief, and I hate it. Since I wear glasses eye relief to me is more important than FOV.

Keenan · Jul 6, 2005

I am fortunate enough to live within driving distance of a candy-store of optics, Anacortes Telescope and Wild Bird. I went there recently looking for a good pair of 10x binoculars to go along with my 8x43 SP's, and was allowed to take, I don't know, Ten thousand dollars worth of binoculars outside to glass over some birds they have at a feeder roughly 20 yards away. After falling completely in love with a pair of Nikon 10x42 SE's (the clearest optical image I've ever witnessed) I compared Leica's, Swaro's, and Nikon LX's to the Pentax's I'd brought, and I honestly like my Pentax's better after the comparison. Blissfully ignorant of things like CA, I tend to look solely for clarity, contrast, and lack of glare. Some of the optics I wouldn't buy if they were only a couple hundred more than my SP's, and most of them were 700 to a thousand more than the $430 I paid on Amazon.

Also, I originally started looking at Pentax's because I was so impressed by their lifetime warranty that I once used on one of their lower end DCF 12x50's whose prisms came loose. I was initially concerned, and assumed that "cheap" binoculars were simply thrown away when they went bad, but after receiving a reply email that essentially said "send them in, we'll fix them" I felt almost as good with their warranty as I do with my Leupold warranty for my target-rifle scopes.

I know it's often said that their FOV is narrow, but it is clear to the edges, which makes for comfortable viewing.

jasonsailing · Jul 6, 2005

ranburr said:
I would have to disagree with this. The Swarovskis have a clearer view and will give a significant advantage in low-light conditions. The swarobright lense coatings are superior to the Pentax coatings. What your friend may be pointing out is that Pentax uses ED glass in their binos where Swaro does not.

ranburr

I'm not sure it's correct that the Pentax uses ED, do you have a source that says it is?

I would agree, though, the Pentax are nice but not in the same optical class as the Swarovski.

Jason

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