Pentax Papilio 6.5x21 binoculars
 
It is rare to look through a set of optics and be so surprised that they are really are like opening a door to a new world. But the Pentax Papilio’s are just that. As their name suggests, they were designed specifically for watching butterflies and other insects. From extensive field testing at home and abroad this summer, I can verify that they do their job very well. Perhaps the most astonishing aspect is the close focussing, which at 0.5 metres (that’s 1.6 feet!) is so much better than anything else on the market, it is at first hard to believe what you are seeing.

Intimate details on an insect in the field are in sharp focus that you have only stood a chance of seeing before by examining a captive animal with a hand lens. It is almost like having a mobile binocular microscope!

Sure the field of view is fairly narrow (but what can you expect on a 6.5x21) and there is a slightly disturbing barrelling effect when panning which takes a bit of getting used to. But then these binoculars were not designed to replace the more substantial binoculars we all use for birdwatching. They are as light and compact as their price, and it is easy to see how the birder who also as an interest in insects (and there are a great many of us) will want a pair of Papilio’s to keep handy in a pocket or bag. The Papilios are a real step forward - for those close-up moments in the field when conventional binoculars had you taking several steps back!
 
Martin Davies