Telescope Reviews: Difference in models.

Brian, I've had the 8X42 Vista, 10X50 Ultraview, and 20X60 Pentax PCF V (and WP). Not quite what you wanted to compare, but the same brands/models. I was very impressed with the fit and finish of the Vista, it is much better made than the Ultraview and a bit better than the Pentax. The Ultraview has a hard plastic strip across the prism housing where you place your fingers, and I found it somewhat uncomfortable. The plastic also tends to shrink in the cold exposing the housing underneath. The Vistas feel much better in the hand, although, being leatherette, they will not stand up to much abuse (no kids). Optically, the sharpness rank was as follows: 1. Pentax, 2. (close) Vista, and 3. Ultraview (third but still respectable). The eye relief on the Ultraview and the Pentax are both sufficient for eyeglass wearers. The 18mm on the Vista did not allow me to see the entire FOV, so I'm sure the 16mm on the 10X50 model would show even less with glasses. If you wear glasses, you can cross the Vista off the list. If you do not wear glasses, then you have to consider the eyecups. The VIstas have soft rubber eyecups, very comfortable. The Ultraviews I had were the older model, also with rubber eyecups, but the newer models have hard plastic push-up type cups. So do the Pentaxes. I'm not a fan of this style eyecup, particularly when the eyepieces are oversized. I find them uncomfortable because I have deep-set eyes and have to push them into my eye sockets. If you plan to use these for daytime too, the Vista has the best flare control and color rendition. Pentax has false color (may be less in the 10X model) and the Ultraview has more glare than the other two. Hand fit depends on your hand size. If you have small hands or if your wife/girlfriend is also going to use them, the Vista is the smallest and has the best hand comfort, both in terms of shape and feel (leatherette). The Ultraviews are bulky, better for big hands. The Pentax has better ergonomics than the Ultraview but IMO not as good as the Vista. The focus wheel on the Vistas is "backwards" compared to most binoculars. I found this a bit difficult to adjust to (if you are lefty, it should not be a problem). The focus tension was a little stiff but not bad, better than too mushy. The focus on the Ultraview was mushy. If you press your eyes too hard, they will shift. The Pentax focus locks. The right diopter on the Ultraview was also mushy, the Vista was good, and the Pentax has click stops, though one sample the clicks were barely discernable, the other had clear stops. The Vistas and Ultraviews are Japanese made so the quality consistency is better than the Pentax, which is made in China. I had to buy three Pentaxes before getting one that was mechanically and optically without problems. Finally, there's FOV. The Ultraviews, while not sharp to the edge, have a nice wide FOV compared to the Pentax and VIsta, and while not quite as sharp on-axis as the other two, they are still very good. If you are a beginner, the Ultaview is the way to go because of the wider FOV. If you would like the bins to double for birding, the Ultraview is also a good choice, though glare might be a problem when facing the sun. IMO, the Vistas are better for daytime use because of their superior color and glare control. NB: According to the Pentax technician I corresponded with, all Pentax PCF V bins contain field flattner lenses. So the 10X50 would likely have good edge sharpness, but like the Vista, with less FOV. The way to tell which 10X50 will work best for you is to either go to a store that carries all three (unlikely in England) or if you have a credit card, buy all three, compare them, and send the two you don't want back. Unlike telescopes, bins are very personal, in that, the way they fit your face, hands, the tolerance your eyes have for eye relief (the Pentaxes can cause "blackouts" from the high eye relief), whether or not you wear glasses, focus preference, and yes, even aesthetics, all enter the decision. I've bought respectable bins based on good reviews I've read (e.g., BVD review of the new Swift Audubon), only to find that the "fit" was not good even though the optics were great. If you can't afford to order all three, compare the specs and the criteria outlined above and decide what specs/features are most important to you. They are all very nice binoculars, but the nuances can make the difference of which one's a keeper. Brock

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Oscar Zoroaster Diggs
"O.Z."

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"And remember, my sentimental friend....a heart is not judged by how much you love,
but by how much you are loved by others."

Edited by brocknroller (11/29/03 07:40 PM)