My odd old eyes - WO or Pentax?

[Chiz]

For the last year or so I've been making do with a pair of Lidl £15 binoculars. Excellent value for money, but it's time I upgraded to something a bit better.

My eyes are just over 50 years old (like the rest of me) and my right has always been stronger than my left. I wear glasses which do a good job of correcting my vision, 12 months ago moving to varifocals. My short-sightred vision isn't that bad - I can just about pass the driving test without glasses (though I never drive without them). When using my telescope I often take off my glasses to look through the eyepiece.

The cheap equipment has served me reasonably well, but I've always had a bit of trouble getting things properly focussed for both eyes - either with or without glasses. Earlier today I read the very useful "Re-setting the Right Eyepiece Dipotre", which might help but I think better optics are the way ahead for me.

I'm considering the Pentax PCF WP II and the William Optics 10x50 and would like some advice, especially given my particular eyes.

The reviews of both seem very good and have long relief (18mm & 20mm) which should suit me with or without glasses. If my eyes were equal then I'd almost certainly go straight for the Pentax option, but the independent focussing of the William Optics makes me wonder if it would give me better results.

I'd be grateful for any advice, opinions or recommendations.

Thanks,

Chiz

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Both have good eye relief, which the main issue for people with glasses (like me). The WO has a very good rep, and a much wider field of view, which I rather like (my 10x50 even tough 7.0 deg FOV). Even though the edge sharpness might e a bit lower (I am not sure about that), it is much easier to find things, I find.

[BinocularSky]

You probably wouldn't be disappointed with either, provided you can bring them to focus (which, if you are short-sighted, means being able to focus them to what would be "beyond" infinity for someone with normal vision). It would be worth checking what the extra focus travel is in the Pentax and what the range of right-eye dioptre adjustment is (I think it is +/-2). The WO have, I think +/-5 in both eyepieces (but please check first!) -- if that is the case, they would possibly be better for you. The wider field that Michael mentioned is another advantage.

I notice that the WO is out of stock at FLO, but you may be able to get it from somewhere like TS if you wanted (it's the TS-MS Marine).