| The color fidelity of the Pentax 10x42 HRc high power binocular is good, thanks to its full multicoatings and phase- and silver-coated roof prism optics. Chromatic aberration is very minimal, on a par with binoculars considerably more expensive than this very reasonably priced Pentax. Astigmatism and geometric distortion are both well controlled. There is some minor curvature of field, so that the edges of the field are not focused as sharply as the center, but it is generally visible only at the far edges of the field. This Pentax is fully waterproof and fogproof, so a little thing like a sudden cloudburst slides off it like water off a duck’s back.
The Pentax 10 x 42mm DCF HRc is very light in weight for a full-size high power binocular (only 22.2 ounces), making it easy to carry for all-day birding sessions. Despite its light weight, it is well-balanced and easy to hold steady, with few hand tremors to mar the view (even during long unbroken observing sessions). It is a sensibly-priced high power binocular with features and performance that can give quite a few more-expensive binoculars a run for their money. It is a binocular that most long-distance birders would be happy with for years to come.
Features of this binocular . . . H-body roof prism with internal center focus.
Lightweight fiber-reinforced polycarbonate body with noise- and shock-absorbing black rubber full-body armor. Shallow thumb grooves molded into the underside of the body help position the hands to balance the binoculars properly for comfortable and shake-free extended observing sessions.
Sophisticated four element/three group objective lenses for sharp images.
Its equally sophisticated four-lens/three-group eyepiece design provide a good 6° field.
Fully multicoated optics for high light transmission.
A comfortably-large ribbed rubber focus knob makes it easy to focus while wearing mittens or gloves. Focusing is a trifle slow, but very precise, needing two turns to move from a surprisingly good close focus of 8.2’ out to the horizon and beyond. While the 8.2’ close focus makes this 10x Pentax usable for close-in birding, it is realistically at its best during medium and long distance birding.
Nitrogen-filled and O-ring sealed to be waterproof to a depth of 1 meter and fogproof in all temperature and humidity extremes. It shakes off sudden showers and extended sessions of salt spray-drenched shorebirding alike. The inert nitrogen filling also prevents the internal formation of fungus in high humidity climates, such as rain forests.
Phase-correcting prism coatings provide high contrast and resolution. This is particularly visible when looking sunwards, where more color and detail is visible in the shadowed areas of backlit or silhouetted birds.
Silver-coated prisms for high reflectivity and excellent light transmission. The inert nitrogen filling of the binocular helps keep the silver prism coatings from tarnishing.
Twist-up rubber-rimmed eyecups lock into place when extended and retract into the binocular body for eyeglass use. The eyecups have four built-in click stops to more precisely match the eye relief to your eyesight. The eye relief is specified at 18mm. While this is technically correct, the actual usable eye relief typically measures a few mm less due to the recessing of the eyepieces when the eyecups are in the down position for eyeglass use. A shorter eye relief than specified is typical of all binoculars. Vignetting will be minor for most eyeglass wearers.
Snap-in objective lens covers are provided to protect the optics when they are not in use.
A socket is built into the center hinge to let you connect an optional photo tripod adapter for extended no-strain tripod-mounted observing sessions.
The 18-position clickstop diopter ring that adjusts the right eyepiece is on the center hinge of the binocular in front of the focus knob. The ring allows you to match the binocular’s performance to that of your eyes. The diopter ring has a small plastic tab that projects slightly above the focus knob to help you set the diopter correction more easily. Some care should be taken when focusing, as this tab can be moved fairly easily, particularly when wearing gloves or mittens. You could accidentally change the diopter setting without realizing it. Some birders might prefer to clip off the tab to prevent this, as the ribbed diopter ring can be adjusted freely without the help of the tab.
An eyepiece rainguard is standard equipment, as is a wide woven neck strap and a lightly padded vinyl soft case. The case is designed primarily to store the 10 x 42mm HRc when it is not in use, so no shoulder strap is provided.
This Pentax binocular is covered by the Pentax “No-Worry" lifetime warranty. If a Pentax ever requires repair, even if the damage is the owner’s fault, Pentax will repair it or replace it (at Pentax’s option) to the original owner for a charge of only $19.95 to cover handling and return shipping. The “No-Worry" warranty does not cover cosmetic damage, theft, or loss. Replacement may be with a compatible model at Pentax’s discretion if the original model is no longer available. |
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