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Opinion of Pentax DCF SP 8x32 (1 Viewer)

thisdudeisgood

The Dude Abides
Ive owned a pair of these for around 2 years and can report that they are a very well made and bombproof binocular giving a superb image for the price, it is obvious when you pick them up that you are holding build quality on a par with the best of the best. Very rugged and durable. Mine look almost new despite hard use on camping trips etc. Magnesium chassis shrouded n thick green tactile rubber, superb!

For a non ED binocular the CA is very tiny and I can't notice any most of the time even when looking for it, I would say that the negligible CA is the most remarkable thing about this binocular. Contrast and sharpnes are spot on and the field of view is very generous, nice and bright for an 8x32, phase coatings on prisms etc. Very neutral colours that I feel display very true to life images. The anti fog coatings do what they say and are very tough. Ive had mine over two years and still not a scratch to be seen despite some rough use. I used to own a pair of Trinovid 10x32 BN but found the very small eye lenses steamed up whenever the weather was humid or I was sweating, I also found the coatings on the Trinovid quite delicate. I dont get this problem with the DCF SP. If you are considering buying a pair of these I think you will be very pleased with them, the overall image is very close indeed to a Trinovid of a similar size although in my opinion not quite as pleasing but very close. For the money of the DCF SP surely this must be amoung the best images you will get.

The 3 criticisms I have is firstly the rain guard is hopeless, hard cheap plastic that is very loose and very badly designed, it does become irritating over time. The second is the depth of field is not the best, compared to a leica 10x32 BN I once owned there is substantially more adjustment of the focus required to get the view you want. Lastly and most importantly I would say that the main flaw with this otherwise superb binocular is how it handles stray light. I find that as soon as autum arrives and the sun gets low and lighting conditions get more difficult out in the open the dcf sp shows a great deal of flaring that is very distracting. If you get yourself back into shade or the sun behind you then the problem goes away and in the summer the flare problem is much reduced. All round this is a super binocular and a pleasure to own and use. If you manage to get a well cared for used example then you would be getting a glass that is very nearly as good as a Trinovid for not a lot of £ or $.
 
I have to strongly disagree with the poster of this thread.
I purchased a DCF SP 8x32 two years ago and a Celestron Ultima DX 8x32 at the same time and kept the best of the two: the Celestron (which cost me £83 brand new).
The Pentax sold at the time for around £330 and I think it was very overpriced as far as optics is concerned.
I found sharpness and field curvature to be similar in both glasses but the Celestron had very little CA whereas the Pentax had in my opinion too much, very obvious anyway.The views in the Celestron were also brighter in difficult conditions and the 8.2 deg FOV of the celeston won hands down.
The excess of CA of the Pentax makes them very ordinary, and the sharpness is no better than that found in a £100 porro.
There is absolutely no way the pentax can be compared to Zeiss or Leica 8x32 binoculars in terms of optical quality, anyone would be able to see the difference straight away/ I really don't understand the hype around this binocular range, yes it is built like a tank but the optics are not in the same league.
I'm glad I kept the Celestron because for the money it is outstanding and beats the Pentax regardless of the price difference.
 
I thought the SP was great and agree on most parts - awesome build quality, fit and finish.. But I did see more CA in it in adverse conditions (high contrast, cloudy days, etc) than the OP. Regarding depth of field between a 10x32 and 8x32, the 8x will (not theoretically in any sense) have greater actual depth of field. I wonder if what you experienced in greater depth of field was either a difference in focus speed or possibly diopter mismatch or some very unusual viewing conditions?
 
Hi Matt

I agree with you that the depth of field with an 10x42 is not comparing equals. I think the focus knob works well, smooth. However its been a while since I checked the dioptre setting. I will adjust this and see if it makes a difference.

Stargazer at no time did I mention Zeiss, I said the Pentax was for the money very close to but not as good as the Leica 10x32BN. I also said the leica is superior but in my opinion the difference is not so huge as to merit the massive price difference. I paid £699 for the Leica and £185 for the pentax (made in Japan). Ive no idea about Celestron, are they not a budget chinese made binocular?
 
I have the Pentax 8x32 ED and can definitely say it's very close to alpha, at least in comparison with a Zeiss 8x32 FL. Neither is quite as good as a Nikon 8x32 SE, although the Zeiss is brighter.

But the Pentax holds its own alongside the Zeiss, at least with ED glass. The Zeiss is a tiny bit sharper in the center, the Pentax has a warmer color. The Zeiss is smaller and lighter--a real treat--but the Pentax has that oft-mentioned "tanklike" feel which has its merits as well.

I'd recommend looking for an ED bargain. Even at the going rate of $800, the Pentax is, I think, a great bin, but since they aren't selling very well bargains pop up. I found mine for $560, about $60 more than the SP.

I may end up selling the Pentax, but only because the Zeiss is more compact. I could be quite happy with either one, and that should tell you how good the Pentax can be, at least the ED version which is all I have experience with.
 
I have the Pentax 8x32 ED and can definitely say it's very close to alpha, at least in comparison with a Zeiss 8x32 FL. Neither is quite as good as a Nikon 8x32 SE, although the Zeiss is brighter.

But the Pentax holds its own alongside the Zeiss, at least with ED glass. The Zeiss is a tiny bit sharper in the center, the Pentax has a warmer color. The Zeiss is smaller and lighter--a real treat--but the Pentax has that oft-mentioned "tanklike" feel which has its merits as well.

I'd recommend looking for an ED bargain. Even at the going rate of $800, the Pentax is, I think, a great bin, but since they aren't selling very well bargains pop up. I found mine for $560, about $60 more than the SP.

I may end up selling the Pentax, but only because the Zeiss is more compact. I could be quite happy with either one, and that should tell you how good the Pentax can be, at least the ED version which is all I have experience with.

I know that this original post was about the 8x32 DCF SP (which I have not seen). But, I heartily 2nd the above quote. I have the 8x32 ED as well and it is a fantastic piece of glass. I compared my sample extensively with a Meopta 8x32 and the 8x30 SLC Neu and to my eyes felt the Pentax ED was definitely better. The only optic that I have looked at and tested extensively that slightly and only slightly beat it was an 8x32 Swaro EL (2009). And it was definitely splitting hairs. The Pentax 8x32 ED sample that I have also was to my eyes every bit the equal to the venerable 8x32 Nikon SE. In fact after that observation, I sold the SE and kept my 8x30 Nikon EII instead. I thought the EII was better than the SE and realized the SE was now obsolete to me since the Pentax ED was to me its equal in a more stout package.

Below is another link to a BF discussion of the Pentax DCF ED:

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=172850
 
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