Pentax vs William Optics 10x50... HELP!

[Lemzo]

I'm really hoping you can offer some guidance and advice.

I'm currently in the market for a pair of 10x50 binos, which will be used for astronomy at least 95% of the time. Basically when I've only 20-30mins and want to grab a quick viewing session.

I have some light pollution close by but haven't found this to be a serious issue when viewing through my telescope.

I've read every review and post going and have narrowed it down to the Pentax SP 50mm WP or the WO 10x50 ED.

Unfortunately I don't have a reseller I can visit to try these models out in person and I need some advice on which one I should be purchasing.

I have concerns over the 1 year warranty with the WO's but anything I've read states they are built like a tank so this might just be me being overly cautious. Has anyone had any problems with theirs?

On the other hand, the Pentax offers a 30 year warranty, but no tripod adaptor and a smaller FoV.

I don't foresee weight being an issue.

Can anyone confirm if they have compared both these binos in person? How sharp are both these models across their FoVs? 

Is there any other advantages that one model has over the other which I should be aware off?

I've also got a budget of around £250 so to throw another spanner in the works should I be considering any other makes? I don't really want to go past 50mm.

I appreciate similar posts have been raised before but I'm ready to hit the buy button, I just need a push in one direction.

Thanks in advance.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

The WO 10x50 ED is a BA-8 variant, and if it is anything like the 15x70 BA-8 I have it should be great. Built like a tank, individual focusing, really good optics. I think the 1 year warranty doesn't meet EU requirements of at least 2 years. I would not worry, however. Any problem in manufacture should show up almost immediately

[BinocularSky]

Lemzo, I own the Oberwerk Ultra 10x50, which is the WO with a different brand name, and I have been lent a Pentax SP 10x50 (& 20x60) to review. I hope to publish the review next week or the week after (on my hols at the moment), but both are very good value for the price. I don't have my review notes to hand but relative advantages as I see them:

BA8: Wider FoV, slightly brighter, individual focus, better case, better lens caps especiaally eyepiece end (both ends tethered).

SP:  Considerably lighter, lockable centre focus, superb control of stray light.

I'll do a side-by side of sharp FoV next week if I get the chance - percentage-wise the Pentax sharp FoV is definitely better, but a bigger percentage of a smaller field may not be much of a difference.

If you can just hang on a few days... :-)

[Lemzo]

Thanks for the reply Michael, that's certainly what I was thinking. If there's an issue mechanically then I hope it would show early on.

[Lemzo]

That's great Steve. I'll hold off until I see you're review.

Enjoy the rest of your hols!

[MartinB]

I've got the WO 10x50 ED. They are very solid indeed with excellent optics. They are heavy. The objective caps are seriously naff in that they slot inside but don't fit tightly so drop out very easily, not a big problem really. That's the only fault I can think of really. I found them to be a massive step up in quality from my Bresser 10x50s.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I recognize the objective caps problem from my 15x70s. Same problem, but possible worse with bigger, heavier caps. It is the one drawback they have.

[Lemzo]

Thanks for the reply Martin.

[Chris]

+1 for the WO 10x50ED's. I've owned a number of 10x50's binos and these are by far the best I've owned in terms of both build and image quality. I will never part with mine

[Alfian]

I'll look forward to Sreve's review of the two. Are the new Pentax's better than the old ones? They should be given the price hike. If so they might indeed eclipse the mighty BA8s I have the WO 10x50 EDs and the Pentax PCF 20x60s. Based on comparing those two, construction wise, I don't think you will have any worries regarding the longevity of the WOs, which are built like the proverbial tank, but I would agree that the 12 month warranty is pretty measly. The weight of the WOs is quite something for a pair of 10x50s and could be an issue for some people. A bit of weight is good sometimes, it can steady things nicely, but I increasingly tend to pop them on a mono-pod which is no problem at all. Optically they never cease to impress. As said it will be interesting to hear Steve's verdict.

[Dinosour23]

Pentax - Great build, mechanical focus lock makes the I.F advantage of the BA8 less of an issue... Very sharp. 

BA8 - Not any sharper I think, but wider soft edges (6.5), kinda like a Nikon but with "Premium" coatings, I.F and rubber armor. 

A woard bout the rubber armor - It is held with regular ol glue.. Heat it or leave it in the car in the summer and it's done. Careful ! Perhaps not a problem in the UK but the pair I used was all melt down and disgusting.

Coatings of the BA8 "look" like they might be a tiny bit better but at the risk of being hanged I really think it's not all about transmission. Even if you gain 1% it is nothing compared to the real world problems of light pollution outside oceans and then what did you gain ?  A lower transmission can still cut deeper ? 

So it comes down to philosophy. 

I don't like compromises, if you can't give me a sharp 6.5, don't use 6.5. 

Pentax tells you " I can't give you 6.5 sharp at that price, take 5 sharp with good optics and build" and I appreciate it.  Cutting down the field stop expresses that philosophy.  It reminds me of the iPhone philosophy.  " I can't open it up to free song transfer, hacked menus, themes and mojis and still give you the same experience" while android give you folders, ability to start your car and have heart surgery from the menu. If you ask me, Androids are bugged up because they always try to please beyond the engineers intention. 

Hahaha, what am I talking about. OK ! So...

Fujinon, gives you both for example so they can charge for it, and that's OK too. 

Sir Steve will tell you if a 5 degree is still practical for most astronomical use. 

So perhaps you can pick your binocular to match your current phone. 

You've got an iphone - You're a Pentax guy.

Android ? Get the Nikon or WO. 

[Dinosour23]

Oh by the way, I hate my Pentax.

They don't fit my face like the Vintage binoculars with the smaller eyepieces.

Damn Apple. 

[Lemzo]

Thanks Dinosaur23, great reply!

[BinocularSky]

The objective caps are seriously naff in that they slot inside but don't fit tightly so drop out very easily, not a big problem really.

They are also tethered, unlike the Pentax ones (which fall off just as easily as the BA8's ones fall out), so they won't get lost.

Sir Steve will tell you if a 5 degree is still practical for most astronomical use.

(Less of the "Sir", please, dinosir! )

I actually like 5* - this is why the 10x50 charts/drawings, etc. on my web site are all 5* FoV. You can't really see all of the 6.5* in a 10x50 binocular at once anyway; it might help a bit with star-hopping if the bino is mounted, but that's about it (and, as I keep saying, anyone who can't figure out how to get something from the edge of the FoV to somewhere near the middle in a hand-held binocular, probably ought to be finding a different hobby ).

[BinocularSky]

I spent a long time this morning side-by-siding the Pentax SP and the United Optics BA8 10x50s. I really don't think its possible to say that either is clearly better than the other. Lemzo, you asked about sharpness: without actually using a camera through the lenses and measuring star-image sizes, you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference in size between the sharp true fields of view: in the SP it's about 90% of 5*, in the BA8 it's about 70% of 6.5*. Other things:

* The BA8 seems brighter, but I couldn't count any more stars in the "quadrilateral" of the Pleiades. Odd. Kept comparing, BA8 kept seeming brighter.

* When the Moon was about 10% eclipsed, I just put the eclipsed bit in the field of view to see what colour I could distinguish. The superior stray-light control of the SP made it far easier to distinguish colour than in the BA8.

* I found the BA8 to be more tiring to hold (not surprising, given that it's so much heavier) but that I could hold it more steadily for short periods: probably an inertia thing.

* I discovered that the tethered rainguard of the BA8 fits the SP: if I ever got an SP, I'd get a BA8-type or similar rainguard for it, the supplied one being so mind-numbingly bad!

Both are, IMO, very good binoculars in that price bracket. I'd be equally happy with either.

Also, Lemzo, you may be interested to know that the discontinued  Pentax 10x50 PCF WP II is now heavily discounted on Amazon UK.

[Lemzo]

Many thanks for your comparison Steve, much appreciated!

With your estimates on the FoV then they both come down to approx 4.5. degrees so not much difference. TBH, these will my first pair of binoculars so I probably wouldn't notice the WOs being any brighter than anything else. Although, as ever, I want the best bang for my buck!

Interesting comment about the stray light in the SPs, was stray light an issue in the WOs or just more so than the Pentax?

I've just seen the price for the discontinued WP II and it's very tempting. What have Pentax really added which justifies the price increase? And in your opinion is it worth it?

Thanks in advance.

[Charic]

Many thanks for your comparison Steve, much appreciated!

With your estimates on the FoV then they both come down to approx 4.5. degrees so not much difference. TBH, these will my first pair of binoculars so I probably wouldn't notice the WOs being any brighter than anything else. Although, as ever, I want the best bang for my buck!

Interesting comment about the stray light in the SPs, was stray light an issue in the WOs or just more so than the Pentax?

I've just seen the price for the discontinued WP II and it's very tempting. What have Pentax really added which justifies the price increase? And in your opinion is it worth it?

Thanks in advance.

.......We all do!

I had the same binoculars on my radar for about a Year, along with other well known brands, one of the was Strathspey?

I wished I`d looked a little earlier at these bins as their good, I like them.

http://www.strathspey.co.uk/index.html

You could  return them if not happy, but the only way you will know if binoculars are suitable, is to put them to your face.

[Lemzo]

Thanks Charic.

My biggest difficulty is that I'm just not going to get the opportunity to try them out before I buy them.

And as usual, when you've the funds ready to go, I've an itchy buying finger which I'm trying to tell to be patient!

[Charic]

....shops or internet, the rules have changed. You can return goods if your not satisfied, they don't have to be broken or faulty.

Have a text with Flo, or call them for some advice. I know I was offered some good advice, and the option to exchange should I not like the brand purchased?

[Lemzo]

Thanks Charic. I think I'll give them a call and discuss the options

[BinocularSky]

I've just been told that the Pentax SP 10x50 price at The Binocular Shop (FLO) has been reduced to £149. If it's of interest, I have just put up my review of it (Information section of my website).

[Victoria1410]

I've just been told that the Pentax SP 10x50 price at The Binocular Shop (FLO) has been reduced to £149. If it's of interest, I have just put up my review of it (Information section of my website).

Hi Steve,

Sorry but it seems to be coming up with a 404 error at the moment... (http://binocularsky.com/errordocs/404.php)

The other two in that section work though 

[BinocularSky]

Sorry but it seems to be coming up with a 404 error at the moment... (http://binocularsky.com/errordocs/404.php)

Thanks for letting me know. I eventually found the error: a missing quote-mark in my HTML. Should now be OK (you may need to reload the reviews page in case the old one is in your cache)

[Victoria1410]

Thanks for letting me know. I eventually found the error: a missing quote-mark in my HTML. Should now be OK (you may need to reload the reviews page in case the old one is in your cache)

It's working now    thank you

[Alfian]

I've just been told that the Pentax SP 10x50 price at The Binocular Shop (FLO) has been reduced to £149. If it's of interest, I have just put up my review of it (Information section of my website).

Thanks for a good review Steve. When they were first released I read comments implying that they were essentially a cosmetic revamp of the old PCF WP ii binos but it looks like they are certainly more than that. They look like very good value indeed. Regarding the carry case and /eye piece covers, the 20x60 PCFs are very similar and though not a deal breaker, its disappointing on what is a good quality bino.