Pentax Binoculars

None of the four Pentax models compared here costs more than $199. Pentax binoculars are now sold in the US through Ricoh Imaging, which groups them into lettered families: A, S, U, V and Z, plus the Papilio. They come from the three families at the affordable end, and each does one job unusually well rather than trying to be an all-rounder.

The Papilio II is the reason many people find the brand. Pentax's close-focus mechanism slides the two objective lenses toward the center as you focus near, so both barrels stay on a subject 1.6 ft away without the image splitting. Owners call it a hands-free magnifier for butterflies, flowers and museum cases. They also have firm views on the two powers. The 6.5x21 at $129 has a wide 394 ft field and is the one to have for insects that move. The 8.5x21 at $149 fills the view with slower subjects but has a 2.5mm exit pupil, so it dims sooner and shows more shake. Neither is waterproof. Ricoh also lists a weather-resistant Papilio III WR, shown as sold out.

The AD 8x25 WP at $179 is the sealed travel compact, and its standout figure is 21mm of eye relief, which owners who wear glasses say is almost unheard of in a pocket binocular. Its weak point, mentioned again and again, is a narrow 289 ft field. The SP 10x50 WP at $199 is the odd one out: a porro-prism 10x50 that focuses internally, which is what lets it be fully sealed and nitrogen-filled. Owners rate it highly for stargazing, with pinpoint stars, little ghosting on the moon and 20mm of eye relief. They also say its 37.4 oz weight, stiff focus and 18 ft close focus make it wrong for birding.

All four carry a 25-year limited warranty. The thing to settle before buying is the one this range forces on you: only the AD and SP models are waterproof.