You seem to have the same experiences I had 10 years ago when comparing the 2. I thought the 8.5's were a no go due to ER and the smaller exit pupil. I have the same black out/kidney beaning issues with most small 8x20 roofs as well, preferring 8x25's.
The question going thru my mind the last couple of days is I wonder if anyone knows whether the coatings have been upgraded on the Papilios since 2016 ??
Although I have 2 pairs of 6.5's, with one in unopened box, this blue model has attracted my attention (blue being my favorite color). Only info I could find was that WWF wildlife federation in India teamed up with Pentax in 2016 to produce the blue 6.5 and a green 8.5.
If the coatings are the same as current models, I would gladly pay the extra $25 to own this blue wonder.
