Asahi Pentax binoculars (1 Viewer)

Does anyone out there have experience with porro prism binoculars (8x30 etc) produced under the name Asahi Pentax. I believe Asahi is the original Japanese name for this company who later bought/adopted the Pentax label.

I've spotted snippets of information here and there and the specs seem good, perhaps comparable with similar Zeiss and Nikon's of the time.

How good are they?

trealawboy said:

Does anyone out there have experience with porro prism binoculars (8x30 etc) produced under the name Asahi Pentax. I believe Asahi is the original Japanese name for this company who later bought/adopted the Pentax label.

I've spotted snippets of information here and there and the specs seem good, perhaps comparable with similar Zeiss and Nikon's of the time.

How good are they?

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I've seen a pair, and they are indeed as good (or better) as the Zeiss of that time. They are not however, $200 good (as some of them sell on ebay.)

Otto McDiesel said:

I've seen a pair, and they are indeed as good (or better) as the Zeiss of that time. They are not however, $200 good (as some of them sell on ebay.)

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Otto - I own an Asahi Pentax 8 x 30 individual focus produced for the Japanese military in the late '50s (with a fairly non-distracting recticle in the right telescope). A very similar glass was re-issued in the early '60s without the recticle as a "Marine Model". Specs are 8.5 degrees and approximately 23 oz, with conventional violet tinted coating. Build quality is fantastic, similar to 1940's Bausch & Lomb, with extensive baffling and massive prism clamps. The binocular produces startlingly crisp views with amazing depth of field. As you would expect, eyerelief is minimal (to be charitable) but the binocular is eminiently usable. I cannot think of any glass, new or used, selling for $200 that even comes close.

chartwell99 said:

I cannot think of any glass, new or used, selling for $200 that even comes close.

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You are right. I was thinking that, if i have $200, i'd rather save another $100 and get a Nikon EII. But yes, looking at what is available today, they are $200 good.

For those not using eyeglasses, long eyerelief is a nuisance.