Customer Reviews

Pentax 12x25 Binoculars 88047

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I purchased these I had very low expectations due to the incredibly low price. I was very pleasantly surprised when I recieved them. Although very light weight, they are quite well made. I travel a lot a needed a light weight, easy to pack pair. These fit the bill nicely!

Bought these from another seller for less than a third of the current listed price. Attracted by the 12X magnification and the price. This is my initial review as I haven't field tested it yet. I found that it is a battle to get it and to keep it focused. Once focused it is fine. But you have to be prepared to fight to get there. First the mechanics are very sloppy. So when you are adjusting the main focusing knob there is a lag. Consequently you can't initially tell if you are going in the right direction or not. Once the main lens (the left one) is focused, you have to adjust the right one. Then when you change the main focus (which you have to do for a different distance) you will have to change the right one again as it doesn't stay coordinated with the left one. Plus all my adjusting knobs are tight, hopefully they will loosen over time.

So my initial thoughts that these might be useful for activities with a fixed distance (such as the theater) but would be frustrating for regular sports or travel which require constant refocusing. There are much better choices for the latter two activities with other binoculars. I certainly would not have paid the full listed price for these. I can see why Pentax didn't put their name on this. They didn't design or produce it. They just distribute it.

It is a very high quality product which is a surprise to me. I purchased it at a very low price and never expect this is a such good binoculars. There is no "pentax" at the body. Don't know why they don't do it.

I saw these on sale, but was concerned about quality, but decided to get them after reading mostly-positive amazon reviews. I've got to say you get what you pay for. I have an decade+ old pair of perfectly usable Simmons 10x25 binoculars to compare against. I was hoping that manufacturing standards have come up that cheapos are as good as my decade old middle-tier pair. Nope.

I was also attracted by the 12x. I used them with family in a stadium, and the optics on this are clearly worse. It is harder to focus, and just isn't as sharp a focus, because there remains a slight halo at perfect focus, and more washed out color tinge. I rubbed my eyes a few times thinking if it was me, with crud in my eyes. Nope.

These aren't a toy, but it isn't something I am satisfied to own, taking up storage space. My final conclusion is I wish I paid for a higher end or nothing at all, since I will only use it a few times a year, and my old one at 10x optics is better.

I bought it for very low price. It does not surprise me that the build quality is so-so. Optics quality is acceptable but definitely not as good as those big ones. Bottom-line is that it is a good choice if you need a low end cheap binocular.
BTW, there is no Pentax brand mark it it, which makes me believe it is generic.