Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great for all-around nature study, August 20, 2005
These binocs are perfect for anybody who is interested in all creatures, not just birds. We used them at the Everglades and were equally pleased with the views of birds, alligators, crabs, insects, etc. They have gotten me interested in butterflying, and for this purpose they are superb. I expect that in time, you will see rave reviews on butterfly websites. Being able to focus to 20 inches or so allows me to watch insects & spiders with as much detail as if my eye were just a couple inches from the object (if the naked eye could focus that close). The view is gorgeous. At close range, it is somewhat like looking through a dissecting microscope. Amazingly, the quality of the image is very good (for both near & far objects). I tried some truly bad binoculars ($100 cheapies, zoom binocs, etc.) while shopping around and the Papilio is definitely at a much higher level of quality. To me, the quality is not noticeably different from that of the $350 birding binoculars (8x32, etc.) that I have tried. Perhaps a trained eye could find a difference, but I don't notice any. A potential concern with close-focusing binocs might be eyestrain, but the Papilio is very easy on the eyes even at close range. I have been using these binocs intensively for three weeks, and I am still delighted with them. I was also concerned about the small (21 mm) objectives, but I have not found the image to be noticeably dark.
Basically, these binocs are a real treat to own and well worth the price. I hope that Pentax (and hopefully other companies) continue this line of product development. If an image-stabilized version of the 8.5x21 came out for $400, I think I would buy it and just keep the other pair around as a spare. Hand-shake is not especially an issue with these binocs (compared to any pair with 8-9 power), but with the gorgeous views you will want to really run your eyes over all the details in the image, so a stabilizer seems like the next step. Fortunately, there is a tripod hole. Actually, you could use these for doing fine crafts, but only if you are least 5'10" or so (i.e. with long enough arms), and even then it would be awkward for long periods. Hopefully they will come out with a model that focuses to a few inches; that would probably require a longer barrel so it would be less portable. It would also be nice to increase the field of view if possible; it is pretty hard to follow a flying insect with these. If you specialize in birding, you may object to the field of view and the smallish objectives.
Anyway, for general nature study, the only real complaint I can make about the Papilio is that, because of the special mechanism that slides the objectives closer together for close-focus, there is a protective sheet of glass right near the end to keep grit out of the mechanism. I am concerned about getting fingerprints on it or hitting it on something. The glass doesn't look very thick so I assume it's more breakable than objective lenses would be. The case is OK, but it is too much trouble to keep pulling them out every time a bird or butterfly shows up. Anyway, at this price, I wouldn't feel too bad just buying a new pair every few years if I should break this pair. In fact, at only around $150, they're cheap enough that you might want to order one even if you haven't had a chance to try one out in a store. Since close-focusing is the special feature, I recommend the 8.5 x 21 to get the big views of insects that you want. I haven't tried the 6.5 x 21 but I imagine it has a bigger field of view and is better for hand-shake.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great aid to the close-up photographer, January 9, 2007
This is one of the most useful devices I have purchased for aiding my close-up photography. I use it to scan a close up scene and pick out objects or features that I want to photograph. It works exactly as advertized. This means that it can be used to view objects from much closer than is possible with conventional binoculars. Of course, it also doubles as the latter, too. Strongly recommended.
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Butterfly Fun, July 2, 2006
My husband and I used the binoculars to do the Broward County yearly butterfly count. They are easy to carry, adjust with one hand, and show the butterfly beautifully to every last detail. I highly recommend them.
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