Pentax Papilio II 6.5x21 Binoculars (Gray)

From the moment that the box is opened, it is obvious that these binoculars are designed for the field naturalist. A snug rainguard style eyepiece lens cap that attaches to the strap is included, and the strap attaches by a secure clip-in mount. The strap is adjustable and comfortable. The binoculars are not quite as small as the more usual straight-tubed compact models, but they fit in a larger coat pocket easily, and are light and comfortable to hold. The distance between the eyepieces is easily adjusted to match the user, and they hold that position whilst in use. They feel like normal, full size binoculars in use - without the bulk. The optical performance is extremely good. They have a flat field of vision that is reasonably wide (the field width is slightly smaller than full size binoculars but still perfectly usable), there is no colour distortion, and the image is crisp right to the edge of the field. I have found the image of the 8.5x model to be plenty bright enough for normal viewing. The binoculars are suitable for birdwatching. I have tested them on overflying finches during visible migration and found the view allowed plumage detail to be clearly seen allowing confident identification of the species. The close focus is simply spectacular. They really do focus down to your hand! I have used them to study the structure of the antennae of flies resting on vegetation. I would recommend these binoculars as the optics of choice from all available on the market for observing insects. The only down-side is that they claim not to be waterproof. I have not tested this (for obvious reasons) but I did not notice any internal fogging when a light rain shower fell on them. The soft case that is provided fits snugly, can be applied whilst the binoculars are carried and provides good protection from showers. These binoculars are not only exceptional value, they are also of exceptional quality and would provide many hours of enjoyment viewing wildlife of all types.

These binoculars are incredible, my Dad has a pair of pretty expensive Swarovski binoculars 8x25 which made me get into looking for a nice pair of binoculars, after buying some cheaper ones 10x42 from Amazon, which really disappointed me with how dark and poor the image quality was despite looking great in there description, I decided to order a pair of these Pentax Papillio 6.5x21, I am so very happy and pleased that I decided to spend more money to buy these binoculars! The image quality is absolutely brilliant, so bright and sharp, and to be honest not really far off my Dads much more expensive Swarovski ones, I am really glad that I went for the 6.5 zoom, and not the 8.5, the image always looks so bright, and also the better field of view is very stable, and really good to find and track objects of interest. I really like how they feel, one handed operation is so easy, they feel great to hold and use. The strap is high quality, the eye cups go onto the strap so well, the twist out eye cups feel great to use. I love the design, its different from anything else out there. I love the case, the binoculars fit inside so well, I put cleaning cloths at the bottom and they sit in there so well, when the binoculars are in the case and it is closed with the strap on the outside of the case it is very easy to use them to carry the binoculars in the case so easily. The close up zoom is amazing, I was using it to read a OS map earlier today, and it made it a joy, I am a very fussy and I suppose been honest pretty hard to please customer, but I am extremely happy and delighted with my purchase from you, I can do nothing but recomend this extremely well made quality product, thank you very much.

Good magnification, clear bright objectives despite the small size. Close viewing, eye relief good enough. As bright and clear as some 50mm binoculars I've had. Good magnification (almost 12) but big enough field of view especially for 21mm objectives. Objective lenses well protected, focus easy, not too loose or tight. Will focus as close as 50cm. Very light and at well worth it at -41% off normal price. Happy with these lightweight bins. Wasn't a fan of the carry case, but I had a Digital camera case that was a good fit and would protect better.

Bought these for bird watching in my garden. The picture quality is good and the zoom make them ideal for close to medium distance viewing. Excellent short focus which I need as some of the birds come close to my window. Only downside/ compromise is that when you zoom in the view dims, this is to be expected as your reducing the light gathering capacity of the lenses but it's only slight reduction. They are lightweight and easy to handle. Comes with detachable strap and lens cap. The lens cap are loose which makes them easy to lose, shame they didn't attach them somehow to the binoculars. All in all they are good and are perfect for what I need.

I've been using the Pentax Papilio II 6.5x21 binoculars for a few weeks now, and they’ve opened up an entirely new world for me - a “macro world” that even many passionate nature lovers might overlook. Stand just 12 to 18 inches from a wildflower - especially roadside plants like hogweed - and start hunting around. What seems like empty space comes alive. The tiny flies you barely notice with the naked eye suddenly reveal intricate facial features and delicate wing patterns. Bumblebees become giant creatures. You’ll spot flashes of metallic bronze, glossy emerald greens, deep reds - colours and details you’d normally walk straight past. It’s like discovering a hidden country most people never visit. While I wouldn’t try compare these to my Zeiss 8x40s for birdwatching, the Papilio II shines in a different way, though they certainly have birdwatching capability! They really excel in close-range observation and are perfect for discovering the overlooked, intricate beauty of insects and flowers. It’s a completely different and deeply rewarding experience. For younger nature lovers or those new to binoculars, these are a fantastic starting point. They’re bright, lightweight, easy to handle, and the close-focus capability makes even a quiet birding day enjoyable, since there are always insects to observe. They will certainly spark curiosity in both the young and the young at heart! I would wholeheartedly recommend the Papilio II 6.5x21. They may not look like traditional binoculars, but they perform exceptionally well in this price range and are arguably the go-to choice for macro observation. Well done, Pentax, these are brilliant. A final note: My review is based on the 6.5x model only. Personally, I see little reason to choose the 8x version, especially for close-up work. With 45 years of birding behind me, I’ll gladly carry these along on my walks as they’ve added a whole new layer of enjoyment to my time outdoors. ​ Magnification:​ 6.5x Value for money:​ 10/10 ​ Ease of adjustment:​ 8/10 ​Clarity:​ 9/10

Bought two of these for gifts. Husband and son in law. Excellent quality and light/ small enough to go in a pocket on hikes. Worth spending a bit more for this quality. I’m hoping someone buys me a pair.

Back in 2008 I was in search of a lightweight pair of binoculars to use on hill-walking and backpacking trips when carrying my big beautiful Swarovski 10x50s felt like too much of a neck-aching burden. I tried out a number of models and having grumbled about their limitations, particularly their inability to focus on objects closer than about 3m, was eventually pointed in the direction of the Pentax Papilio (thank you Owain, blessed be thy name). As their moniker suggests, these are aimed primarily at butterfly-watchers rather than birders, and they can focus down to about 50cm. This makes them absolutely unique – effectively you have a combination of a conventional pair of binoculars and a low-powered binocular microscope that you can use to examine insects, flowers etc in detail without having to catch or pick them or crouch down in discomfort. Moreover this in-depth observation can be done without disturbing small creatures. It isn’t surprising really that the presence of a massive and potentially hostile object looming over it should have an inhibiting effect on the behaviour of your typical invertebrate. However what did come as a revelation was the remarkably short distance one has to move back to release these inhibitions. At 0.5 – 1.0m distance most invertebrates seem to have the self-confidence to ignore you as a potential threat. I guess time is pressing, life is short and it isn’t worth wasting valuable minutes by stopping what you are doing when the world is full of massive objects most of which are indifferent to your existence and pose you no direct threat particularly if they keep still and, even if they move closer, can probably be evaded. So, instead of freezing and trying to avoid drawing attention to themselves, these little creatures carry on with their normal activities – exploring, feeding, grooming, stalking, signalling, courting, egg-laying, fighting – and do so with energy, flexibility and character. An undisturbed insect or spider has an expressiveness in the way it waggles its antennae, cocks its head, drums its feet etc that is hard to reconcile with the robotic, knight-in-armour rigidity it has when trying not to be noticed. This is the magical world that the Pentax Papilio opens up. The secret of its magic is that as you focus in on objects close to you the objective lenses move away from the eyepieces and move closer together, thus maintaining the stereo view. The smoothness of this movement is ensured by housing the objective lenses within the body of the binoculars, protected from the outside world behind a single fixed oval sheet of plain glass. If ever you have a spare moment, it is very satisfying to turn the Papilios around, play with the focus wheel and watch the slickness of this operation! Apart from this, they also function as perfectly decent lightweight travel binoculars, and they are great for surveying aquatic mammals too as you can scrutinise pawprints and droppings without having to slither down risky riverbanks or contort yourself into undercut tree roots and bankside cavities. Papilios are available in two magnification – 6.5x and 8.5x. Normally I would think 6.5x was not powerful enough but given that the diameter of the objective lenses is only 21mm (small even by pocket binocular standards) I opted for these rather than the 8.5s because of concerns that the higher magnification would not give a bright enough image. Recently, one of my nearest and dearest expressed an interest in having a pair of Papilios for herself, so I went back to the Internet to check out current prices. At £66 my Papilios had been an absolute snip in 2008, but prices have doubled since then. However Pentax were also claiming advances in the construction sufficient to justify badging them as Papilio IIs. The main difference seemed to be that all the lenses were now multi-coated. I am no optics nerd, but I gather that the practical implication of this is that the image should be brighter and clearer. Given the slickness of Amazon’s return procedures these days, I ordered both the 6.5s and the 8.5s so I could try them against each other. The 8.5s were noticeably more powerful and gave a more detailed image at distance and, in very good light, at close range also. However I felt that at close range in anything other than very good light, the 6.5s had the edge as the greater brightness of their image more than offset the lower magnification. There was less difference in the width of the field of view than I would have expected, but it did seem as if the depth of field of the 8.5s was slightly less than that of the 6.5s so it was a little trickier to keep them in sharpest focus. Ultimately then, while I felt I would be happy with either model, I plumped for the 6.5s again because so much of my use is likely to be in less than ideal light - the gloom of cloudy Britain or of dawn, dusk and overhangs. If I was living in sunnier climes I would probably go for the 8.5s. The Papilio IIs were noticeably brighter and seemed sharper than the original Papilios, so I hope my nearest and dearest will be happy with my well-loved used pair while I relish the new ones!

This review focuses on the differences between the two versions of this marvellous binocular. I own both, I started with the 8.5 and then bought the 6.5 for my father at Christmas. They are virtually identical in size and weight. Both are comfortable to hold and to use, lightweight, yet robust and premium in feel. The focusing mechanism is precise and easy to use, yet a bit long, as you would expect, given the extreme focus reach. Good pouch and strap provided, protector solely for the eyepieces, but the front is recessed enough and protected by a glass screen. I initially got the 8.5 because I wanted to look at very small insects and the extra magnification made sense... and it does... but... The 8.5 has a noticeably darker, narrower field of view and is is a bit harder to handhold as the extra magnification also magnifies shake. I have pretty steady hands, so this is not a problem, but when standing on uneven terrain looking down the whole body may wobble and it becomes slightly uncomfortable to hold steady to look at close subjects. The 6.5 loses a bit of magnification in exchange for a larger field of view, a brighter view, better handholdability and also larger exit pupils, a technical term to mean the disc of light coming out of them is larger, so unlikely to cause a phenomenon known as blackout if your pupil is larger than the disc of light produced by the binocular. This may be good for younger people with on average larger pupils, darker conditions or in general just to produce a brighter picture... which the 6.5 delivers on. I think the 6.5 may be superior for those with shakier hands or who want to follow moving objects/critters, less so for looking at distant objects (birds?) for which the 8.5 is more appropriate. It must be said that at close range, like many macro lenses, the magnification is actually much more than the nominal one... so both get around 10x or more at 0.5m minimum range and that is why in terms of macro they are both just fine, the 8.5x edging it just for particularly tiny insects or features and the 6.5x being better for darker days, handholdability and moving subjects. Both have a tripod/monopod standard screw mount at the bottom, so with a monopod in the field any shake due to standing on uneven grid can be mitigated considerably. You wont go wrong with either, consider offers/discounts, your particular use case and and test both if you are in doubt before buying... but in either case you really wont be disappointed and will certainly fall in love with this unique binocular.