Pentax 9x32mm DCF BC (1 Viewer)

I tried searching this forum for information about the Pentax 9x32mm DCF BC , but could not find much. In the long Sightron "Blue Sky" II 8x32 thread this Pentax model was mentioned as a look alike. I think the Pentax looks cleaner. Does anyone use the Pentax 9x32mm DCF BC and would be comparable optically to the Sightron?

Thanks Tom

Try Eagle Optics website for specs and reviews. There are 3 reviews.

http://www.eagleoptics.com/binoculars/pentax/pentax-dcf-bc-9x32-binocular

Bob

Tom,

I can't tell you how it compares to the Sightron as we don't see it over here, but IMO it's sharper and has brighter and more vibrant colours then the LV 9x28 or BR 9x42 and sounds like it matches Frank's description for the BSII. We haven't quite been able to pin down for sure which company makes what for whom, but the finger seems to point to Kenko as the manufacturer, who have their own similar model and make the BSII we believe.

David

Nice summary David. I have yet to try the Pentax yet either. If I find one on sale somewhere then I will try to snag it and do a comparison.

I do have to agree though. There was one review of the Pentax that I read on one of the Optics Review websites. The reviewer's descriptions sounded spot-on with my experience with the Sightron. My guess is that it is basically the same binocular but with less exterior protrusions on the armor and probably Pentax's own choice of coatings. Just a guess on my part though.

My question is does it share the same horrible fov as the 9x28's which are pretty good for the price, the small fov which is their biggest weakness.

Nessus said:

My question is does it share the same horrible fov as the 9x28's which are pretty good for the price, the small fov which is their biggest weakness.

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The FOV is definitely a lot better than the LV as is just about everything else about it apart for fitting a jacket pocket.

David

I tried the Pentax 9x32 yesterday quickly in a shop. I compared them with the Kowa SV 10X42, Minox bv 10x42, the Kite Petrel 10x42 and the Sightron BSII (mine).
The Minox (good construction), the Petrel (good contrction but the field is a little bit short) and the Kowa (very bad body and the right eyecup was broken...) show a bad image with amount of CA.

The BSII and the Pentax are more alike than different : same apparent clarity, same eyecup and no CA in the center. The Pentax rubber amor seems more robust with a nice solid apparent construction. I think the Pentax (and the BSII) is a good value !

typo said:

Tom,

I can't tell you how it compares to the Sightron as we don't see it over here, but IMO it's sharper and has brighter and more vibrant colours then the LV 9x28 or BR 9x42 and sounds like it matches Frank's description for the BSII. We haven't quite been able to pin down for sure which company makes what for whom, but the finger seems to point to Kenko as the manufacturer, who have their own similar model and make the BSII we believe.

David

Click to expand...

David,

The Pentax is made by the Hoya Corp. in the Philippines. It is stamped on the right objective barrel under the top hinge.

I picked up one early this week and have been using it. So far I'm impressed with it. It's well made and it has long eye relief. I think it is the only binocular that I have ever used that I could push back into my eye sockets and not experience black outs. It's also quite bright for a binocular with silver coated prisms.

I will have more to say about it in a few weeks.

Bob

Bob,

I must admit I didn't consider the BC prism coatings at the time but see it's there in the product description that it's silver. I thought the contrast was better and the colours cleaner than the LV and BR. The BR has " Super reflective coatings" and the LV is blank on the subject. I only had a few minutes with it so I definitely look forward to your more considered appraisal.

David

Pentax DCF 9x32

I have just bought one, so no extensive experience with it, but here are some quick comments:
PROS:
*Open-bridge body with good ergonomics; easy to grip and it feels very good in the hand much as the SV 8x32.
*Sharp almost to the edge, very little pincushion distortion (once again, like the SV); yet comfortable panning (no "rolling ball" for me).
*FoV 6.7*--reasonable for a 9x: no "tunnel view" feeling
*Quite bright for a 9x32;
*Satisfactory DoF
*Light weight (Spec: 500g; can anybody weigh one as a cross check?)
*eyecups with 5 steps lock well in each position.
*no blackouts with the eyecups fully extended, and I have seen blackouts in many sets, such as the Conquest, so I am rather sensitive.
*smooth focuser (about 1.25 turns CCW); at both 0 and inf the focuser ends neatly with a metallic sound, so no spongy end of travel like for many other sets.
*The spec of -/+4 for the diopter correction appears to be correct (this is important to me; unfortunately few companies list this range, but Pentax does)
*The hinge and the diopter correction ring are stiff enough, as they should.
*Accessories (case, covers and neck strap) are minimalistic, which many might consider a minus, but personally I like them that way.


CONS:
*The green armor covers the entire chassis and ensures a satisfactory grip, which is good; however this armor is like a magnet for dust and lint which makes cleaning not only often necessary but also a bit hard.
*Similarly the lenses are somewhat difficult to clean (no
"easy to clean" hydrophobic coating, hence no analogy with Swaro here)
*There is some CA even in the center, but at an acceptable level (and I am rather sensitive to CA)

At $250 the DCF 9x32 is highly recommended---a very usable set (the "poor man's Swaro"(?), or as a "car set" for those possessing a Swaro).

Peter

Hi Peter,

I can't argue with anything in your report except I would say that it has a generous FOV for 9X. It is right up there with the FOVs of Alpha 10x32s and IMO, for all practical purposes, 9x isn't very much different than 10x. I've owned a couple of 10x32s in this price range and they were not very good at all compared to my Nikon 10x32 LX L. Also I'm not susceptible to CA and I haven't seen any while using this binocular.

This little 9x32 has nothing to be ashamed of. It has a history of good reports. I believe that Sports Afield gave it a Binocular of the Year award the year it came out. Mine says it is made in the Philippines and it has been compared favorably here with the now nearly legendary Sightron Blue Sky 8x32 in looks, performance and price. That binocular is also made in the Philippines.

I purchased mine four months ago and I'm surprised at how good it is for its price. :t: It stays in my car.

Its eye relief is stated to be 16mm. I usually have to brace a binocular just under my eye brows to get the right eye relief and to avoid blackouts but with this one I can even stick it back in my eye sockets without getting blackouts which I can't do with any other binocular I own.

Bob

Pentax DCF 9x32

Hi Bob: Thanks for your prompt and useful comments. My other binos have larger FoV (EII 8x30--8.8*, EII 10x35--7*, SV 8x32--8* etc) that's why I said the FoV of the DCF 9x32 was "reasonable" but I meant that in a positive way---I was concerned that it would be a bit on the narrow side (for me) but I agree with you that with an AFoV close to 60* the DCF is quite easy to use. Two other facts that I forgot to mention in my previous comments:

*Eyecups are comfortable: their rubber covers are pretty soft and, more important, their external diameter of about 37mm is smaller than that of other binos (such as Zeiss FL,
Leupold Mojave etc for which the diameter is some 41mm and the eyecups for many IPDs but the larger values would push against the nose bridge).

*Glare and stray light: these are well controlled.
They both exist: there are false pupils due to internal reflections, and they cause glare from light entering the objectives, and there are reflections in the oculars from back or side light. However neither is disturbing while using the set, and in fact I have seen worse in much more expensive binos such as the SV 8x32.

Peter.

Peter,

The 9x32 does control glare very well and it is excellent controlling "veiling" glare when you are looking at something in the general direction of the sun.

Back and side lighting can be problems in many if not most binoculars. Slip on horned eye cups like the ones that come with the Nikon EDG binoculars help out here. I find that these particular eye cups also fit on my Zeiss 7x42 Victory FL. And something as simple as a long billed baseball cap turned to the side can correct also this problem.

False Pupils are present in many alpha binoculars. I've seen them in Zeiss FL and TerraED and my Nikon 10x32 EDG and Swarovski's SLCs and even in the CL Companion and the little CL P but not in my Leicas.

I am told that they are outside the cone of light which hits your pupils and will have no effect on your view. Even the 2x extender I have for my 7x42 SLC has big false pupils along with the ones the binocular has. I don't know why they are there but their presence doesn't seem to bother the people who manufacture them.

Bob

Pentax DCF 9x32

Thanks for your comments, Bob. You have concluded it well, nothing to add on my part.