Pentax Papilio II 8.5 x 21 Compact Bak4 Prism Binoculars
Pentax Papilio II 8.5 x 21 Compact Bak4 Prism Binoculars by Fully Multi Coated and Aspherical Lens – Black
Discover a new way of seeing with PENTAX binoculars.
Bringing together technology cultivated through the development of a wide variety of cameras and lenses, PENTAX binoculars have been seeing the world since 1938. Experience the clarity made possible by trusted optical performance and revolutionary coating techniques.
| Weight: | 0.65 Pounds |
| Size: | 8.5×21 |
| Dimensions: | 11.6 x 5.3 x 11 centimetres |
| Brand: | Pentax |
| Model: | 62002 |
| Part: | Papilio II 8.5×21 |
| Colour: | Gray |
| Batteries Included: | 1 A batteries required. |
| Dimensions: | 11.6 x 5.3 x 11 centimetres |
| Origin: | China |
| Size: | 8.5×21 |
Binoculars are a very personal thing. Features that one person likes, another hates. W found there very good considering the price. Amazon’s generous return policy keys you try several different designs. These are well worth your consideration.
The good:
Very lightweight.
Good ergonomics (for smaller hands).
Smooth focusing and good dioptre correction (with clickstops).
Twist-up eyecups with intermediate position.
Directly tripod mountable (no adapter needed).
Very reasonable optical performance for the size and price. The photo doesn’t really do it justice.
The close focus is astounding for flowers, insects, art exhibitions etc.
Nicely implemented strap quick connection/disconnection.
The bad:
No indication that the binoculars are sealed or N2 purged.
The custom fit case is a little bit too small to get the strap into easily.
At 8.5×21 the view gets a bit dim in low light; but ye cannae break the laws of physics…
The ugly:
None
PS: the photo was taken using a Samsung Galaxy S9 handheld immediately behind the eyepiece with the binoculars on a small tripod. The view is through a double-glazed window. It’s really quite difficult to get the camera in the right position, so the view isn’t centred.
What amazing piece kit . I’d recommend this close focus binoculars. Great field off view .
These binoculars are great, the macro function is amazing, very clear image I strongly recommend
Bought these for bird watching in my garden. The picture quality is good and the zoom make them ideal for close to medium distance viewing. Excellent short focus which I need as some of the birds come close to my window. Only downside/ compromise is that when you zoom in the view dims, this is to be expected as your reducing the light gathering capacity of the lenses but it’s only slight reduction. They are lightweight and easy to handle. Comes with detachable strap and lens cap. The lens cap are loose which makes them easy to lose, shame they didn’t attach them somehow to the binoculars. All in all they are good and are perfect for what I need.
Great for those with an interest in insects like dragonflies and butterflies. Almost like having a mini microscope in the field with the details that can be seen. also, very light which makes them good for travelling. as might be expected not ideal for bird-watching mainly due to limited field of view. I always carry these in summer and switch to other binoculars in winter.
There are lots of good birding binoculars. But most only focus at 50m or so. The close focus of this bino at 0.5m is amazing. It is ideal if you want to look closely at birds in the garden.
We have these and the 6.5 version too. They are both good, I usually use the 6.5 but can tell only a minor difference between them. The ability to close focus is a game-changing feature. No more bending down to identify a beetle larva or butterfly, the image is so sharp and clear. I was in a group looking at spiders’ webs and could see every detail clearly from the back of the group. And just sitting looking at a patch of grass for a few minutes with them reveals so many little creatures I would otherwise have missed.
I usually use the 6.5 but can tell only a minor difference between them. The ability to close focus is a game-changing feature. No more bending down to identify a beetle larva or butterfly, the image is so sharp and clear. I was in a group looking at spiders’ webs and could see every detail clearly from the back of the group. And just sitting looking at a patch of grass for a few minutes with them reveals so many little creatures I would otherwise have missed.
Absolutely superb. The optics are much clearer and sharper than roof prisms in this price bracket. Although they take up a bit more space than the double-hinged, fold-away compacts, the Inverted porro prism design combined with full multi coating allows for a much better viewing experience. The easy-to-use, lockable diopter knob helps make focusing a lot more convenient without the need to constantly re-adjust. The build is both robust and lightweight.
A highly recommended compact.
Great set of binoculars, super clear vision, easy to use and perfect for watching the birds.
I got these bins in order to pursue my new interest in butterflies as well as birds. I have lots of binoculars before and I can say these are just exceptional. Easy to focus, very lightweight and a close focus which is like using a magnifying glass. A good feature is the diopter ring is on a click setting so it will not change accidentally. The case could be a bit more robust and eyecups would be a bonus but these are small quibbles.
This is a light weight close up piece of equipment that has transformed butterfly and insect identification.
I love how lightweight they are and great to see birds in flight. Very easy to use. Can also focus on bugs on flowers. Excellent value.
Great picture quality small easy to focus with dipter adjustme
These things are a little miracle. Just as normal binoculars, they are crisp and bright. No visible fuzziness at the edges and very accurate and easy to focus. They’re built well and have a reassuring heft to them.
Then, you add the incredible ability to close focus so you can look at wildlife and plants REALLY close up and what you have is an exceptional pair of binoculars. Honestly, if you can afford them (they’re not THAT expensive), I don’t know why you’d buy anything else.
Absolutely amazing!
very good for the price only one small glitch wont go in the carry case with the strap attached.
I had old style ones, these new ones just shows how much wildlife I’ve been missing in my garden.
Have to agree with all the other 5* reviews. These are remarkable & unique binoculars .
The only minor issue is that they are not pocket friendly if that is what you are looking for. Light but quite bulky. They are not dust proof so need to be kept in the case – then they will be the roughly the size of a large yogurt pot. To prevent fogging place them in the case before bringing indoors.
I think the neck strap and lens cover should always be used (as they will not be kept in your pocket) and the photo shows the correct way of fitting them- quite fiddly.
I use 2 elastic bands to stop the clips rotating – not pretty but stops tangles.
I am a botanist with interest in natural history generally, particularly entomology. These are brilliant at being able to look at what’s at my feet, so I can see if its worth getting on my hands and knees for a closer look. Very good for entomology, as you can get a good look before trying to move closer and scaring the insects away!
Bought to examine insects, plants, moss, lichens and other small items that can be seen up close. Half a metre is outstanding close focus. I chose the lower magnification of the two models as it’s less affected by wobbly hands.
The only little problem is that eyepiece covers don’t stay on very well.
The rubberised build feels resilient, although unlike some Pentax binos these are not categorised as waterproof. I like the range of user adjustment — you can adjust the eyepieces independently, and I think they’re good for spectacle wearers. In addition, there’s a concealed dioptre adjustment control – a couple of reviews complain of the absence of one but it’s definitely there but just not in the same place as on other binos.
The hinged width adjustment can also accommodate a wide range of face sizes. Even though these aren’t waterproof binos, the thing that should make them durable is the fact that all the mechanisms are internal and there are no exposed hinges etc.
The image quality is good for the price point, but you have to remember that the reason most binos are not zoom models are the inevitable compromises in the field of view — it’s narrower, plus there are other trade-offs. I am not a high-end bino user but find these UP8s fine for most purposes from landscape viewing and, at higher zoom, closer up observation of wildlife etc. The images are bright and unless at maximum zoom, sharp. It’s inevitable that sharpness will deteriorate at maximum zoom but it’s still decent if you can hold the binos steady enough. A standard tripod mounting hole is also provided.
Overall these are a good value and versatile pair of binos that seem well-made. Given the price point, my only minor bleat is that I wish there had been a lens cover for the objective lenses.
Compact and easy to use – great clear results all round – bought as someone recommended for looking at insects etc close up
Nice handy size to use when going to the races or bird watching. These will be great when we take them out with a camera too . Easy to put around the neck and keep clean. Good to put them away by placing back into the case.
Delighted with these, bought them to replace a cheaper pair of zoom binos that broke on me. These are a massive improvement over the old set at a really reasonable price, especially when it comes to eye relief as can comfortably use with glasses. They are perfect for giving crystal clear views over close range like back garden but also have impressive zoom capabilities- useful to mount them for zooming in to avoid shaking they can screw onto any basic tripod without needing to purchase an adapter.
Physically, they are identical. Optically, the 8.5x set sees a bit larger, not by much though, close up, they both magnify even greater. Generally, the image is duller in the 8.5x ones. Maybe about half a “stop” duller, if you are a photographer. Contrast is about the same, both really good. The feild is nice and flat, most of the way across it, for both versions. The 8.5x is the flattest.
Other distortions or astigmatisms are well controlled. There is no sense of dizziness, once removed from one’s eyes. So all well aligned. The controls are all smooth and have useful resistance when required. The body covering is comfortable and lightly padded. It is also a dust magnet!
Overall, they are unique and great quality for the price. Close focus of 50cm is amazing, just what I need for plants, fungi and insects. I would use the 6.5x in duller places, deep forest walks, cloudy days, museums, indoors events, mushroom forays, close quarter birding. The 8.5x are best for open areas, fields, coast, rivers, outdoors generally. Especially, as birds are likely to be farther away in open areas. Fortunately, open areas are also brighter so it balances out nicely. Unfortunately, I reside in a often cloudy, rainy country and struggle for light.
You really cannot go wrong for around 100 or so. My choice was to buy the 6.5x magnification set first, they magnify well in all enviroments, Close-ups is what these are all about, so brightness trumps magnification, if only buying the one pair.
Physically, they are identical. Optically, the 8.5x set sees a bit larger, not by much though, close up, they both magnify even greater. Generally, the image is duller in the 8.5x ones. Maybe about half a “stop” duller, if you are a photographer. Contrast is about the same, both really good. The feild is nice and flat, most of the way across it, for both versions. The 8.5x is the flattest.
Other distortions or astigmatisms are well controlled. There is no sense of dizziness, once removed from one’s eyes. So all well aligned. The controls are all smooth and have useful resistance when required. The body covering is comfortable and lightly padded. It is also a dust magnet!
Overall, they are unique and great quality for the price. Close focus of 50cm is amazing, just what I need for plants, fungi and insects. I would use the 6.5x in duller places, deep forest walks, cloudy days, museums, indoors events, mushroom forays, close quarter birding. The 8.5x are best for open areas, fields, coast, rivers, outdoors generally. Especially, as birds are likely to be farther away in open areas. Fortunately, open areas are also brighter so it balances out nicely. Unfortunately, I reside in a often cloudy, rainy country and struggle for light.
You really cannot go wrong for around 100 or so. My choice was to buy the 6.5x magnification set first, they magnify well in all enviroments, Close-ups is what these are all about, so brightness trumps magnification, if only buying the one pair.
It does all of that, but I was surprised to see how well it worked at a distance, watching shore birds for instance. This is my first pair of top quality binoculars, and the difference between cheap Chinese binoculars and these is quite striking. If you can save up and buy these then do so.
I bought the 10X but the 8.5X have a wider field of view, and are cheaper. I’m considering buying them as well.
The optical performance is extremely good. They have a flat field of vision that is reasonably wide (the field width is slightly smaller than full size binoculars but still perfectly usable), there is no colour distortion, and the image is crisp right to the edge of the field. I have found the image of the 8.5x model to be plenty bright enough for normal viewing. The binoculars are suitable for birdwatching. I have tested them on overflying finches during visible migration and found the view allowed plumage detail to be clearly seen allowing confident identification of the species. The close focus is simply spectacular. They really do focus down to your hand! I have used them to study the structure of the antennae of flies resting on vegetation. I would recommend these binoculars as the optics of choice from all available on the market for observing insects.
The only down-side is that they claim not to be waterproof. I have not tested this (for obvious reasons) but I did not notice any internal fogging when a light rain shower fell on them. The soft case that is provided fits snugly, can be applied whilst the binoculars are carried and provides good protection from showers.
These binoculars are not only exceptional value, they are also of exceptional quality and would provide many hours of enjoyment viewing wildlife of all types.
Nothing to dislike , the quality of image at such a close distance is amazing, focussing on a small insect at one meter away you can see such detail a human eye would never imagine .
Bought to use as a general purpose binocular while waking in countryside. This is ideal, a lightweight, good magnification and despite being 8×21, useful in low light. No chromatic or spherical aberration. Waterproof
Dont lose the cover for eyepieces as this is not attached to binoculars. Also great for observing insects at a distance. Very pleased with buy, especially as was on discount.
Looking for a binocular for close up views of butterflies, dragonflies ,etc then look no further this is the one to get.
These are great binoculars for small invertebrates and plants – close focus at half a metre that enables you to see every detail. They are OK for bird watching and larger wildlife but wouldn’t match dedicated binoculars. Light and just about fit in a pocket. Case is too small though.
Great binoculars. Amazingly close focus. For the price they are excellent.
Compact close focus binoculars great for looking at flowers, insects etc. The small (21mm) lenses mean that setting up the binoculars becomes more critical. It’s easy enough to do but might make sharing irritating. The cleverness of the construction means that the binoculars are neither airtight nor watertight so they might be prone to fogging. It’s a trade off that I find acceptable.
Purchased these Binoculars due to their close focussing capabilities.
Already have a top end pair of binoculars but these are amazing for close up viewing, almost like looking through a macro lens.
Great value for money
They are lightweight, fit easily inside of a large pocket and surprisingly powerful for the cost.
I did a lot of research before I bought these and they seemed a very decent buy for the money.
There’s a bit of fiddling sometimes with the focus and getting the eyes settled on the front of them but otherwise they are very good value for money.
I purchased these as part of my carp fishing gear, as winter fishing approaches and finding where the fish are holding up is so important. They are very easy to use with glasses or without! Focus is easy to adjust, Compact and light weight. Very impressed so far. Only negative is the outer lense mists up a little when cold and pick up to use. But light cloth removed mist straight away with not much smudging. Maybe they could supply a little lint free cloth with purchase. Bar that, very good and would recommend
Lightweight, easy to use, operate well when wearing spectacles. Very good for nearby targets such as butterflies, as well as more distant targets such as birds. Useful for long walks, when heavier binoculars might become an encumbrance.
They are great binoculars they were a birthday present & first time out with them I saw a wasp spider & watched it catch it prey in amazing detail, I wanted them for watching butterflies they are the best I’ve ever tried for looking at things in detail close by, even ants by my boots. Highly recommended.
To say that you can focus up close is an understatement.
These Binoculars are fantastic,
I use them around the pond and you get to see things that you did not know were there.
Dont forget to turn the eye pieces as it makes focusing much easier.
I own a normal Celestron to see the moon but my eyes make it hard to use as I see big black balls moving over my vision all the time.
This one is amazing! I can actually see a full view with no black dots and it’s easy to swivel the knob to focus in on close and far away things. There is also no sway!
To give u an idea, if I focus in on my leg I can see a very crisp outline of a cat hair and can see the fibers of my trousers.
Flowers and insects are amazing and I can see the insects in my carnivorous plants.
Definitely recommend
I rate these highly. Light weight and small so easy to carry. Easy fingertip focus. You can focus on your boots or the tree tops. You can get up close say 500mm and still be in focus but the enlargement is fantastic. I was looking at some wild flowers close up and you can really see what’s going on.
I own both, I started with the 8.5 and then bought the 6.5 for my father at Christmas.
They are virtually identical in size and weight. Both are comfortable to hold and to use, lightweight, yet robust and premium in feel. The focusing mechanism is precise and easy to use, yet a bit long, as you would expect, given the extreme focus reach. Good pouch and strap provided, protector solely for the eyepieces, but the front is recessed enough and protected by a glass screen.
I initially got the 8.5 because I wanted to look at very small insects and the extra magnification made sense… and it does… but…
The 8.5 has a noticeably darker, narrower field of view and is is a bit harder to handhold as the extra magnification also magnifies shake. I have pretty steady hands, so this is not a problem, but when standing on uneven terrain looking down the whole body may wobble and it becomes slightly uncomfortable to hold steady to look at close subjects.
The 6.5 loses a bit of magnification in exchange for a larger field of view, a brighter view, better handholdability and also larger exit pupils, a technical term to mean the disc of light coming out of them is larger, so unlikely to cause a phenomenon known as blackout if your pupil is larger than the disc of light produced by the binocular. This may be good for younger people with on average larger pupils, darker conditions or in general just to produce a brighter picture… which the 6.5 delivers on. I think the 6.5 may be superior for those with shakier hands or who want to follow moving objects/critters, less so for looking at distant objects (birds?) for which the 8.5 is more appropriate.
It must be said that at close range, like many macro lenses, the magnification is actually much more than the nominal one… so both get around 10x or more at 0.5m minimum range and that is why in terms of macro they are both just fine, the 8.5x edging it just for particularly tiny insects or features and the 6.5x being better for darker days, handholdability and moving subjects.
Both have a tripod/monopod standard screw mount at the bottom, so with a monopod in the field any shake due to standing on uneven grid can be mitigated considerably.
You wont go wrong with either, consider offers/discounts, your particular use case and and test both if you are in doubt before buying… but in either case you really wont be disappointed and will certainly fall in love with this unique binocular.
You are paying a premium here for the close focus ability. If you are buying for bird watching, or long distance viewing there are undoubtedly better and cheaper options available.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00SKO4A8Q/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_0
Superb binoculars that really open up your wildlife observation options , they have crystal clear image quality and are built to last . I would still have been over the moon with these bins even if the asking price was twice as much there that good , but be warned if your at all scared of spiders be very careful of what you point them at lol . Honestly though these binoculars are worth twice the price and are so unique that if your into insect watching you really cant do without a pair !
I needed a small pair of waterproof binoculars that will fit into an outdoor jacket pocket and these fit the bill quite nicely.
I went for the 8 x 25mm model so as not to compromise too much on light gathering ability/magnification, and these give a pretty good image even in low light.
The WP model is nitrogen purged and waterproof, and currently on sale for the same price as the non- waterproof model, making them something of a bargain.
Eye relief is good, and can be adjusted using the twist out eyepiece caps for spectacle wearers.
I prefer to remove mine when using binoculars, but the option is there.
The centre focusing is very smooth, and the diopter adjustment for the right eye is actually achieved by a separate focusing knob on the front of the binoculars, rather than twisting the right eyepiece, and works very well.
OK, the optics aren’t quite Carl Zeiss quality but they’re very good indeed, and the build quality is excellent.
If you’re looking for a quality pair of compact waterproof binoculars at a reasonable price you can’t go wrong with these.
I absolutely love these, being small they go in a pocket nicely for bird watching and definitely offer enough magnification to help identification but not so much that it’s too hard to follow the bird.
I can also focus on my bird feeders about 6 meters away which is a bonus.
They’re also great for scanning difficult to reach places like off limits fields, steep banks and dangerous edges for flowers and butterflies, and if you can get right up to something they focus so close you can watch insects in amazing detail!
They’re lovely and bright too, much better than looking down a camera lens. Really very pleased.
The secret of its magic is that as you focus in on objects close to you the objective lenses move away from the eyepieces and move closer together, thus maintaining the stereo view. The smoothness of this movement is ensured by housing the objective lenses within the body of the binoculars, protected from the outside world behind a single fixed oval sheet of plain glass. If ever you have a spare moment, it is very satisfying to turn the Papilios around, play with the focus wheel and watch the slickness of this operation!
Apart from this, they also function as perfectly decent lightweight travel binoculars, and they are great for surveying aquatic mammals too as you can scrutinise pawprints and droppings without having to slither down risky riverbanks or contort yourself into undercut tree roots and bankside cavities.
Papilios are available in two magnification — 6.5x and 8.5x. Normally I would think 6.5x was not powerful enough but given that the diameter of the objective lenses is only 21mm (small even by pocket binocular standards) I opted for these rather than the 8.5s because of concerns that the higher magnification would not give a bright enough image.
Recently, one of my nearest and dearest expressed an interest in having a pair of Papilios for herself, so I went back to the Internet to check out current prices. At 66 my Papilios had been an absolute snip in 2008, but prices have doubled since then. However Pentax were also claiming advances in the construction sufficient to justify badging them as Papilio IIs. The main difference seemed to be that all the lenses were now multi-coated. I am no optics nerd, but I gather that the practical implication of this is that the image should be brighter and clearer. Given the slickness of Amazon’s return procedures these days, I ordered both the 6.5s and the 8.5s so I could try them against each other. The 8.5s were noticeably more powerful and gave a more detailed image at distance and, in very good light, at close range also. However I felt that at close range in anything other than very good light, the 6.5s had the edge as the greater brightness of their image more than offset the lower magnification. There was less difference in the width of the field of view than I would have expected, but it did seem as if the depth of field of the 8.5s was slightly less than that of the 6.5s so it was a little trickier to keep them in sharpest focus. Ultimately then, while I felt I would be happy with either model, I plumped for the 6.5s again because so much of my use is likely to be in less than ideal light – the gloom of cloudy Britain or of dawn, dusk and overhangs. If I was living in sunnier climes I would probably go for the 8.5s.
The Papilio IIs were noticeably brighter and seemed sharper than the original Papilios, so I hope my nearest and dearest will be happy with my well-loved used pair while I relish the new ones!