Olympus Pathfinder EXPS-1 8x42 Porro Prism Binocular

by Olympus

Product Details

Product Manual [212kb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 7.8 x 3.5 inches ; 1.7 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00005A7IV
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Item model number: 8 X 42 EXPS 1
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,864 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: February 9, 2001

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Get close to the game from a stadium seat with the Pathfinder 8x42 EXPS I. Designed for powerful performance outdoors, this binocular brings in the play with crisp, high-index, standard Porro Prisms in a rugged body that can focus as quickly as the game changes. Ideal for astronomy, bird-watching and hunting too.

Product Description

The Pathfinders provide premium-level porro prism performance from Olympus at attractive prices. They're chock full of features: high index prisms, fully multicoated ashperical lenses and fantastic ergonomics enveloped by rubber armor. These are great choices for a birder or big game hunter who wants serious glass on a budget. All of the Pathfinder series have a tripod thread and accept the optional tripod adapter (#108951) for extended periods of glassing. The 8x42 is great for everything from stadium sports to birdwatching.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Poor quality control or may just be Amazon packaging for shipment, May 11, 2010

By 

Pat Blaney (California, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Olympus Pathfinder EXPS-1 8x42 Porro Prism Binocular (Electronics)

These are not Olympus' low-priced line. Only the roof prism Magellan line is more expensive, so these are in the high-end porro prism line for Olympus.

I really like the design of the binoculars. They feel quite solid, come with quality lens caps, and have plastic eye caps that turn out into place instead of rubber eye caps. I'm sure these will outlast any rubber eye caps.

However, in the pair I received, the two sides are out of alignment. What appears in the center of one the field of vision of one eye is well to the side of the field of vision of the other eye. This shouldn't be and makes it very difficult to look through them for more than a minute at a time. Also, it seemed to take a lot of effort to avoid having part of the field of vision obscured by the edges of the lens.

This may not be a manufacturing defect. I ordered two pairs of binoculars from Amazon (two different models), and the packing was woefully inadequate. The only concern seemed to be that the smaller box not be able to slide around inside the carton. The binocular boxes were in full contact with the cardboard box and therefore subject to the impact of any handling by UPS. It's very possible that Olympus quality control did ensure that the sides were properly aligned at the time of manufacture, but that they assumed that, if shipped, the box containing the binoculars would be padded on all six sides inside the shipping carton.

I'm also suspicious that I was shipped a set of binoculars which had already been returned by another customer. While everything was there, the box looked like it had been previously opened. It's possible this was just caused by rough treatment during shipping.

1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nice product, February 19, 2007

By 

Gmaz - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Olympus Pathfinder EXPS-1 8x42 Porro Prism Binocular (Electronics)

I am very happy with the binoculars. Very sharp and clear. I don't know much about binoculars but I am satisfied with how it works.