Pentax 62217 UCF II 8-16x21 Zoom Binoculars (Discontinued by Manufacturer)

This is a great product, it was smaller than I expected. It does a great job, very clear and light gathering. I like the way the variable zoom works, it is a knob just in front of the focus knob and works the same way. You are not looking for another lever to operate with your thumb just zoom and if needed refocus one simple move.Being lighter it can be a little difficult to hold at full 16x zoom, I find myself bracing my elbows on anything that is handy to hold it still. I looked at Nikon's, Bushnell and many others but this pair had great reviews and a very reasonable price I can see why now.If you want a wider view angle and bigger pair Nikon makes a good zoom at 10-20 power I can't hold binoculars still at 20 power and find 16x just about the max you can hand hold.If you have big hands - these maybe to small for you, I like them because they fit well in my hands and are very unobtrusive, when you use them its not like your staring at something obvious.Hunters - I would pass and get a bigger pair - water proofBut for casual viewing checking out something you want to see better - these fit the bill.

This is one surprisingly good binocular for well under $100Good optics (not in the league of German $2000 glass, but somewhat close)Well designed, easy to focus, easy to zoom and easy to adjust diopter for eye differential, it does not get a lot better than this.It also has pretty fairly close focusing capabilities, considering its magnification range (8-16x).Also fairly bright considering its reduced size. I have occasionally used at night with passably good results.It loses one star primarily for two reasons:1- In spite of its fine Japanese heritage (in engineering) it also, regrettably, reveals its Chinese heritage in the manufacture. My unit came with one of the oculars poorly assembled and at the beginning I noticed that it did not maintain the diopter settingconsistently. Once I figured the problem, I unscrewed the ocular and quickly and easily corrected the problem. Just plain sloppy assembly.2- This binocular has a very limited field angle, noticeably less than units of similar size and magnification power. Definitely not good for sporting events or other activities requiring a wide field of view.

I really wanted to like this pair of binoculars - they look good, are lightweight and compact, and the focus & zoom controls are very easy to use. The focus and zoom dials are next to each other on top of the binocs, making it easy to zoom & adjust on an image (unlike some zoom binocs which have the zoom adjust on the eyepiece). The diopter adjuster was also quite good: situated behind the zoom control, the diopter adjuster pops out when needed, then pops back in when you don't. I especially liked how smooth & easy the adjustment dials turned. As one should expect form binocs with a small objective lens, the field of view is fairly narrow, and when zoomed all the way in, the image darkens.In the field, the optics proved to be less than satisfactory: while the images were fairly sharp at 8x-12x zoom, when I panned over a scene, there was a sort of "bending" distortion. When I held the binocs steady on an object, I didn't at first notice the distortion; once I became aware of it after panning, I did notice it more and more, even while holding the binocs still. (Distortion like that isn't so good for my stomach...)All in all, these are decent, compact binocs with excellent controls and fairly sharp imaging. If you want quality optics, however, you probably need to spend a bit more $$$.

I bought these for a trip to Hawaii. They are good all purpose binoculars, come with a nice case and lens covers. Used them for viewing various landscape and birds in Hawaii and they functioned well, a tiny bit persnickety on the focus, i.e. seemed to have to adjust every few minutes, but that was probably from moving them around so much while using. I have astigmatism in both eyes, one worse than the other, so that probably didn't help. There are adjustments that can be made for that, but of course, I didn't read the manual before I went, so take that into account with my review. They have a very good grip and are lightweight which was my main concern. Might have wanted to have a more powerful set for what I was viewing, but the fact that they are easy to "take with" and not bulky or heavy was the plus for these binoculars.

It's a good Binocular for the price with the features as described in the item's description.Pros:*Small and easy to store makes it a good travel*Smooth and accurate focus.*Decent magnification brings the objects closeCons:-Looses focus when zooming in and must refocus (one star gone)-Does not cover the eyes with the provided eye piece and must press against eye socket.-Distance between Eye pieces must be adjusted very accurately or only a partial view is present-Narrow over all view even without zoom but this is OK in most casesThis item must be judged based on it's price, features and overall performance, It does as intended. In the field of optics and cameras there is always better available and the sky is no limit. I find it great for fun, outdoor trips, and getting a closer look at a show, exhibition or kids school performance.

This is a lightweight, durable binocular with clear optics, and fast to focus. No image stabilizer, so need to brace against a tree or something for really looking around and not ideal for all-day glassing. But for the price, this is a great set to throw in the pack and has held up many years now with little care and much abuse in the field.

I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of these bins.They look and feel well made, comfortable to hold, easy to locate subject, but above all superbly sharp and well focused image, even at maximum zoom. Even the carry case is well made and designed.Well, OK you would expect them to be better than the £8 12x25 ones from Aldi, but nonetheless these are well worth the £60 - only sorry I didnt get them years ago.Look no further.

good price and good for carrying in pocket, only problem with them was you need to hold them really steady while focussing, having said that I was managing by leaning on a wall or on the car. If you are looking for high definition at long distances the only real answer is large binoculars and a tripod. Would still recommend them as they are neat and easy to carry around.

These binoculars have great build quality ,feel great in your hands, very light so they can be held for long periods of time . Ideal for bird watching & then there's the zoom feature to shift from 8 up to 16 this gives you an extra view option which is nice because when viewing you always want to get just that little bit closer. Come with a nice case to.

I wanted a light weight all round binocular for when I am walking in the countryside or taking on holiday - these are excellent - and very good value for money.I received the bins speedily, and they were well packaged.Many thanks

Needed a zoom lense set of bins for holiday and work, as small as possible. These are VERY small but good quality and with a powerful zoom when you have locked onto what you want to see. Good value as well.