Customer Reviews

Pentax PF-80ED-A 80mm ED Waterproof Angled Spotting Scope w/Case (requires eyepiece)

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

 

 

I've owned this Pentax PF80ED for four years now and I've found it to be a relative bargain in the world of high end spotting scopes.

It's a matter of personal preference, but I have always preferred fixed power eyepieces over zooms. Fixed eyepieces are almost always better optically than zooms (though zooms are continually improving), though of course you are stuck with only one magnification unless you choose to swap lenses in the field.

I was using the fixed XW14 eyepiece for several years which offers 37x with the angled version of this scope. Eventually I decided I'd like the option of a brighter image and wider field and I recently started using the XW20 eyepiece which offers 26x. I've found that for most birding applications, 26x is more than adequate. It is an excellent eyepiece- wide, very sharp and bright- and will show you all the detail you need 90% of the time. Atmospheric distortion and vibration are also minimized at this magnification.

Certainly there are times you might want more magnification and the XW14 eyepiece will fit the bill (and of course you can always opt for the zoom eyepiece). Eye relief of these XW eyepieces is very good- about 20mm, which is more than adequate for those who wear eyeglasses as I do.

I also like the position of the offset focus wheel (as opposed to a centrally positioned or ring type mechanism) on this scope which is easy to reach- even though I am a lefty- and very smooth in operation. The scope and eyepieces are well made. Weight is the only negative. The scope, eyepiece and a tripod are on the heavy side, but equal to or not much more than other comparable high end scopes. A very decent nylon case is included which can be left on while the scope is in use.

This is a very nice spotting scope with a wide array of eyepiece options. Optical quality is excellent and at a very reasonable price (comparatively anyway). There are now several spotting scopes available that can outperform this Pentax (mostly at the high end of the magnification range), then again they cost 2-3 times as much. I wouldn't hesitate to make this purchase again. The PF-80ED offers excellent optical qualities, easy handling and a very decent price.

I bought this Pentax after extensive research online, to find a scope which would show me 6mm holes in a 500 yard target. There are very few out there which do this, and I could not afford several $thousands for the Swarovski/Leica models. So the Pentax was the only option for me, affordable and MIGHT do the job. I took a punt.

Well, happy to say it does the job brilliantly. At 500 yards the image is crystal clear, no chroma, bright and sharp. I can see not only 6mm bullet holes, but the tiny blowback marks around each hole plus scratches on the plate. It's simply magnificent.

At the target range, I had it sitting on a small Velbon tripod next to my rifle. The Pentax has the ability to roll the body through left to right on the tripod, so it was easy to position with a sideways tilt to enable me to look through the nicely-angled eyepiece at the target, then transfer my eye to the riflescope and shoot, and then back to the Pentax to see how I did, all without changing the position of my body. The same can be done when lying prone in the field. It's really easy when self-spotting, but also helpful if you are spotting for a mate and you need to zoom out quickly to locate the target, and then zoom in to watch the projectile. Under good conditions you will see the shockwave of the bullet as it travels.

However, I do need to add a rider. To get this kind of quality at that distance, you need an equal quality eyepiece to go with it. The 20-60x zoom that came with the package is out of this world and in my mind superior to that offered by either the Leica or Swarovski eyepieces. Put together, the image is breathtaking.

I'd also add that this is under near-perfect optical conditions. No wind, no mirage, and a stable and solid tripod. When mirage starts to boil up, then the image becomes blurred and much less useful. However, no scope will give you a clear image under those conditions, so I don't repine.

Apart from the optical quality it's also an excellent field scope in that the lens is filled with anti-fogging gas and it's very sturdy construction, as you would expect. It's light enough to cart around on top of a moderately heavy tripod for a kilometre or two over hilly terrain. And I'm smallish and not very strong, so a big person wouldn't have any trouble.

All in all, a brilliant buy and one I would recommend to anyone who wants a high-end scope of apochromatic quality and performance but without the scary price tag.

Note: I didn't buy this for birdwatching, but for target shooting and long-distance small vermin spotting. I can't evaluate it as a birding scope, but if you can see a baby rabbit at 700 yards clearly enough to show its fur markings, I'm guessing you can identify at least some birds with it.

I was upgrading from my Alpen 80mm scope and did a considerable amount of research since it seems rather difficult to compare/touch/view spotting scopes (not many people carry a diverse/quality selection). The review on Better View Desired allowed me to take the leap and make this purchase without ever seeing this piece of equipment (PF-80ED-A). Their point that why don't manufacturers/designers make a scope around a quality eyepiece as opposed to the objective lense. I have read numerous articles on the quality of the Pentax eyepieces (I now own the SMC zoom,XW7,XW10 and XW14 eyepieces)and those reviews convinced me this was the right decision. I now own my "scope for life" and can't imagine EVER wanting/needing to purchase another spotting scope AND I have looked through a fair number of other brands that cost considerably more and are from most of the big European names. On a recent birding group outing (estimated 25-30 attendees), I had my scope set up and one of the more knowledgable/experienced birders looked through my Pentax and said "this is the best view/scope out here". I mount it on an Induro tripod with a Manfrotto head. I am a very particular person when it comes to products of any sort and I stand by my claim that this scope is fantastic even when you don't compare it price-wise to many of the more expensive European counterparts. My binoculars of choice are the old but reliable Nikon Superior E 8X32. Happy birding!

How much better can the glass get or the coatings used be, to justify well over a thousand dollars or more for the same aperature. This scope produces excellent quality views, is easy to focus and comfortable to use.

I bought this scope because I like to bird watch, Target shoot and astronomy, I did a lot of research And this scope seemed to fit. Since my purchase I have sold two of my higher price telescopes.Yes the optics are that good and it is a much easier package to set up. It might be a little large for packpacking but I'm sure the views would be worth it.

I like the product, but i find it a little expencive