Pentax 9X28 DCF-LV Binocular

I own Swavorski 8.5xELs,10x50SLCs, Leica Duovids, Celestron 7x50s and now the Pentax 9x28 DCF LV. My day of birding with these instead of the 8.5s was surprisingly fun. Here are the Pros and Cons.Pros:Well chosen power of 9x make the binos useful for many situations.Sharp center field suitable for serious birding and even looking at star clusters and moon. Edge performance not objectionable. These could be used as workhorse binos although 32mm objectives or more are better - all else being equal.VERY nice click stops eye cups and ample eye relief for eyeglass wearers like myself.Close focus for butterflies ~6ftVERY comfortable apparent field of view (don't feel like your looking in a tunnel) and actual field of view.No eyestrain after hours of birding - for which I'm sensitive.Cons:Stiff focus is noticeable and may cause a "misfire" focus from time to time.Light weight may not be a positive in some birders hands - but this is an issue for all small binos. I found balance and size fine for my hands which are average for a man.I'll be birding with these binos on bicycle. Seems a shame to leave them in a glove compartment. And they can slip in a water bottle cage. 5 stars.

I wanted a decent quality binocular that offers good optics in a compact form, under $300. I mostly use them for birding and take them travelling. These Pentax more than filled the bill. After spending some time learning about what specifications a good binocular should have and comparing many brands and varieties I found these binoculars to be the best for my needs and budget.They offer excellent optics and very importantly, they are very bright for a compact binocular. Very good in low light conditions. The image is sharp from under 10 feet to over a 1000 feet. High quality phase coated prisms and multi-coated lens allow for easy focus and clear image. Specs match or exceed many larger and more expensive binoculars. I was concerned with an exit pupil of only 3.1mm which is good for a compact binocular but is a little lower than larger binoculars offer. This spec measures the amount of light reaching the eyes. Most binoculars are either 8 or 10x power. These are 9x and I could not really descern a difference comparing them to a 10x. I should not have worried, Pentax has created a bright sharp image through their high quality lens and prisms. These binoculars are as bright as a friend's full size Leica binoculars!The construction is very sturdy and design allows for comfortable viewing and easy focus whether you wear glasses or not. They are also water and dust proof. Though they are slightly larger and heavier than some compact binoculars the superior optics more than offset this concern.I would highly recommend the Pentax 9x28 DCF LV to anyone seeking a high quality compact binocular.

If nothing goes wrong with Pentax products, they may work very well. But, if you have a problem, even a simple one, don't expect Pentax to stand behind what they sell. I purchased a pair of Pentax 9x28 DCF LV binoculars based on the mostly positive reviews. Mine have a problem with one of the rubber eyepiece covers. They're softer than the hard plastic dust covers, and one of them was "squished" completely out shape by the dust cover. Now my glasses bump against the hard eyepiece, so I can't use the binoculars. Even though I believe this to be a design flaw, I'm willing to pay for a new eyepiece cover. However, the Pentax people apparently have no customer service whatsoever. I wrote to a recommended address and was told to use another address. I wrote to that address and was told to call a phone number. I have called that phone number multiple times, where I'm told that "Lynn" is away from her desk, but she will return my call. However, Lynn doesn't call back. The paperwork received with the binoculars says there is one Pentax binocular service location in Texas, and it's right in my city; however, the people at that location say they don't service binoculars at all and don't understand why Pentax lists them. I am currently using a pair of Steiner binoculars and will never waste money on a Pentax product again.

Not worth the price.

I really can't rave about these glasses. They're dim, and have a narrow field of view. That's what you get, at 9x28. I use them in the car, swapping them with my wife to get quick looks at shorebirds. They're small enough not to be a lethal, blunt instrument at close quarters. Eye relief is excellent for me (tri-focals) and easily adjustable for my wife (contacts). They're stylish, small but NOT "compact." I will throw them into the beach bag this summer.

I was glad to have lost my $70 Nikon cheapie 10 X 25 binoculars so I could buy a pair with much better specifications. I also have agonized for years between buying 10X binoculars—which let you really zero in on a quarry—and 8X which let you find a quarry to zero in on. The 9X is the perfect compromise!As a glasses wearer, the twist-out eyepiece rings provide the necessary relief to the eye when viewing without glasses, yet allow you to see the entire field with glasses when the helicoids are screwed in. Image quality is excellent if not perfect—for that you need to spend hundreds more. So unless you are an ardent bird-watcher who peers through them for minutes at a time, these are a perfect solution. Plus they’re light and weatherproof.

Idéal chasse

Far better than I had hoped for. Light, very good optics, good field of view for such small binoculars and excellent light gathering. Better than a more expensive pair I have. Punch far above their weight and at a really good price. Would recommend without hesitation.

* Ideales Reisefernglas für Berge und Meer *Kompaktes und optisch sehr ordentliches Fernglas mit guter Randschärfe und guter Farbwiedergabe. Auch für Brillenträger ist das Glas sehr gut geeignet, wie ich aus eigener Erfahrung bestätigen kann. Bei meinem Glas (direkt bei Amazon bestellt) hat das Rädchen zum Scharfstellen ein klein wenig Spiel, so dass die Scharfstellung etwas besser sein könnte, es erfordert schon etwas Fingerspitzengefühl. Das ist der einzige Nachteil, der mir bisher aufgefallen ist.Ich habe das Glas mit dem  Eschenbach Fernglas trophy AS/D 8x32 B  verglichen und fand das Pentax-Glas in allen optischen Belangen besser, d.h. farbtreuer, "plastischer" und "randschärfer" in der Abbildung. Zu einem preiswerteren Glas, dem  Nikon Sporter EX 10X42 Fernglas  war der Unterschied noch deutlicher, d.h. das Pentax-Fernglas wirklich sofort augenfällig deutlich optisch besser.Dass mit dem Pentax das Ende der Fahnenstange nicht erreicht ist, sieht man erst, wenn man es mit einem Spitzenfernglas, wie dem  Zeiss Victory Compact 10x25 T*  vergleicht, das eben noch schärfer und schöner abbildet, aber eben doppelt so teuer ist.FAZIT: Nimmt man das Pentax 9x28 für sich alleine ist es ein wirklich gutes Freizeit-Fernglas mit sehr guter Preis-Leistung. Eschenbach Fernglas trophy AS/D 8x32 BNikon Sporter EX 10X42 FernglasZeiss Victory Compact 10x25 T*

these are very good binos for size - well made, great magnification and clear.must be best value for money binos.

Those are the very best binoculars I have experienced .... light weight and so easy to hold steady .... great imagine and superb for travelling or keeping in the car. Excellent value for money.