Home > Consumer Reviews > Pentax 10X25 UCF X ll Binoculars with case

These binoculars are very compact and light. Even more importantly for me, they are very good for spectacle wearers. The model supplied is actually the revised model - 10 x 25 UCF X II.

Although they are very lightweight, it can still be tiring to hold a pair of binoculars for long periods. This revised model now includes a built in tripod socket. I have used them on a camera monopod, and the results are superb.

I chose this pair of binoculars as they were the Which magazine 'Best Buy' when they tested the original model, and now they have been improved, I am sure they will retain their place as a 'Best Buy', especially at the Amazon price.

It's difficult to go wrong with binoculars from well-respected manufacturers like Pentax, and these are no exception. Boasting a 10x magnification and 25mm objective apertures, they give a very clear and bright picture coupled with a fairly good if not fantastic field of view. They're compact yet not too small to be unmanageable, and oh so futuristic-looking, in fact I'm pretty sure I saw the Stargate SG-1 team using them (or ones very similar) in one of the later series - if that isn't endorsement enough, then I don't know what is.

Included in the box is a soft leather case with belt loop, a handy inclusion that makes carrying them that little bit easier, although being fairly chunky they don't lend themselves to being carried on the belt as well as a sub-compact pair might. They are very light though, and you soon forget that you're carrying them around, unless of course you happen to sit on them. If you do have an unfortunate accident involving the binoculars and some hard object, it probably wouldn't matter too much as their rubberised construction makes them feel able to take a knock without too much drama.

I don't like to find too many faults with things I like, and I like these a lot, but in the interests of a useful review there are a few things that you might like to consider. Firstly, I personally tend to prefer binoculars with a zoom function, as fixed magnification can be a bit of a pain, and although the eyepieces come with lens caps, the objective lenses don't so are more prone to collecting dirt. The location of the dioptre control also makes it a little too easy to press in by accident when you put the binoculars in their case, so you can lose your setting if you're not careful.

However these are small issues and they shouldn't put you off if you're considering buying a pair. They're small, they're tough, they look great and they have lenses from one of the world's top manufacturers, and whilst they don't have the bells and whistles of more expensive binoculars, like image stabilisation, that really isn't what they're about. In fact, I think the only real reason you might have for not buying a pair (and this is the reason I give them 4 stars and not 5) is the lack of a zoom lens, but that really is a matter of personal preference.