Pentax S-Series WP 8x42 Reviews
Clearly Great
By Denis
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2022-07-12
These binoculars are my first pair that I have ever owned, and I am very happy. Clear views and easy use of the dials. They feel good in the hand and aren't bulky. I would definitely buy these again.
Seems sturdy, lacks better cap
By Cynthia
Rated 4 out of 5
Date: 2020-08-08
Just got it out of the box. The binoculars itself feels nice in the hands but there is a problem with the lens caps. The oculars cap doesnt fit. It is loose and keeps falling. The objective ones are not attached to the binoculars so you risk loosing them.
Great for birding
By Michael
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2020-08-01
I am impressed with these binoculars from Pentax. They are sharp, bright, and have excellent eye relief. The field of view is good, contrary to what another review says. I find the diopter correction in the center easier to use than the type on the right eyepiece, and I don't have a problem with it moving - it actually clicks into place and stays there.
I was looking for a pair of 8x42s which were waterproof and NOT made in China. These are made in the Philippines and are the least expensive pair which meet my criteria. I do not in any way regret this choice.
The only criticism I have, and it is minor, is the case, It has no straps, belt loops, etc. It is always a problem knowing whether you should have a case with a strap for a camera or binoculars with a strap, it can get to be too much when in use. I plan to attach a small clip or carabiner to the case so I can clip if to my belt or pack when I take it off the binoculars. Otherwise it could get put down somewhere and lost, or stuffed in a pocket.
Excellent package overall
By Nathaniel
Rated 4 out of 5
Date: 2018-04-10
This is my third pair of Pentax binocs, the other roof prism pair being a set of DCF-HS 10x36s. The out-of-plane chromatic aberrations are reasonably well controlled, about on par with the DCF set. These are very bright, on the verge of obnoxiously so during peak daylight, and once in focus, the sharpness is hard to beat. I get the sense the only imaging performance improvement you'd gain by going up in their range is better control of out-of-focus detail... I don't see any way you can appreciably improve on the sharpness of a pair of 8x binocs.
Design issues are the only reasons I give these four stars. The location of the diopter correction, which is the other main improvement from moving either up or down in the range, is weird. I find that it's too easy to bump this protruding lever when stowing, which either then requires an adjustment or for me to flatten the hinge and reset to about where I think I should be. These are the only specs in the Pentax range that have this lever here, so maybe this issue only bothers me. The other is the ease with which the eye cups twist in and out... they could stand to be tighter. Construction otherwise is fantastic... very solid, well-placed hand grips, and I think once the focus knob breaks in a little, that'll feel fine too.
Regardless, and especially if you're looking for a pair to keep ready somewhere, this is a good buy.
Fantastic value, optics are far better the price suggests
By Roy
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2017-01-01
One of the best values in 8x42 roof prism binoculars, with optics that is far above the incredibly modest price. Very easy to handle, but the eye relief twist mechanism is mushy, and a little difficult to precisely set at a given position. I would have preferred a geared mechanism that provided like 3 or 4 crisp, clickable positions. But that's a nit - for the price, this is just amazing value. The eye relief is big enough that it should work for a lot of eyeglass wearers, but this is always a question of individual physiology. So I would highly recommend testing it to see how well it works for you ergonomically.
Excellent optics, narrow field of view
By Roy
Rated 4 out of 5
Date: 2017-01-01
Very well made binocular with excellent optics in terms of color, contrast and corrections for aberrations. Price is very reasonable, compared to high end binoculars that cost double the money. Handling is excellent. Main problem is the narrow depth of field of only 331 feet at 1000 yards (110 m at 1000 m). That is 10-20% less than other similar binoculars. So this is not the best binocular if you're looking for a wide field of view. But if the narrower FoV works, then you're getting $2000 quality optics at half the money. The eye relief is large enough that it should work for people who wear eye glasses, but as an eye glass wearer, it was marginal for me. As always, you have to check the binocular to see if the eye relief can work for you. Overall, I am clicking the Yes, I would recommend choice below for the Bottom Line, but with the qualifier that this binocular has enough good things going for it that it deserves serious consideration, but it may not work for all.
Best I've ever had
By Scott
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2021-06-22
This is my third pair of binoculars, ever. They have the brightest, sharpest, and best contrast imaging I've ever had. Great for birds and the stars in the night sky. The lens caps aren't the best, and the case isn't made with closed-cell foam. The binoculars are great, and the accessories aren't, but, who cares?
Great
By Isadore
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2021-06-03
I got these for birding and they are light and image is super clear. I tried them out at night for astronomy and was surprised at how well the worked for that too. Very happy with this purchase.
