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Meopta Meostar 12x50 HD review (1 Viewer)

David, now I own one since a day and a half :king:. I haven't been able to evaluate it properly. Snow's falling and it is too dark to try any experiments anyway.
I bought it because of your review and the fact that a real bargain came across my way.
It seems to be one of the quite few models that are a head taller than its rivals, so I figured it would accommodate very well to the company of the EDG 7x42 and the E II 8x30 in particular.
First impression: considerably smaller and lighter than I expected, not too hard to use hand-held due to its good balance. Easy view with plenty space for the eyes to roam the wide image. Edge sharpness adequate when refocused. Colour balance first seemed decidedly on the warm side, but then much more neutral than the 8x32 Meostar. Nothing really disturbing.
I certainly hope and believe I can make any meaningful use of it.

//L
 
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Lars,

Congratulation! Hope you are as impressed with it as I was. I imagine it will complement the EDG and EII perfectly.

David
 
Hi David,

I'm semi-seriously considering buying these (shame Meopta doesn't offer MeoStar B1 10x50 HD, I'd grab one immediately; the Swarovski EL 10x50 is too expensive for me).
I like the look of the MeoStar as well, with the bullet shaped barrels, the 50mm especially looks most aesthetically balanced in my opinion (and I like the fact they're made in my homeland...)

But the thing is, the MeoStar B1 series has been for a while, and with indications such as the MeoStar S2 spotting scope with MeoDrop hydrophobic coatings which are not advertised on the B1 series, or the MeoStar R2 riflescope with new (?) MeoLux AR coating boasting unbeliveable light transmittion figures for the whole instrument, I wondered if they are maybe planning something new (MeoStar B2?) that they're not telling us about yet, and that maybe you might have caught some fragments of info regarding that.

Did you try to se if the lens on this MeoStar repel water?
And what about diffraction spikes, did you happen to see any?

Many thanks.

Martin
 
David, well defined review.

I am new to the Meopta brand, and I recently procured a B1 7X42. It is a bit heavier than my other binos in similar format, but preliminary observations are being very impressed with the sharpness of edge of objects, and brightness(been cloudy here in the Northeast US for a few days), still getting used to it, hoping for some sun.

A.W.
 
Martin,

We know Meopta have been developing a replacement for the B1 for a while, and there is some expectation that we might see something this year. I might well be wrong, but I'd be surprised if they will replace all the model line in one go. I'm guessing the 12x50 HD might be around for a while yet.

I did not test the binocular lenses for water beading or anything, but as you know, it doesn't claim to have Meodrop coating. Sorry, I don't remember now what the roof spikes were like. I didn't do a lot of night testing, but I think I might have made a note if they were excessive.

David
 
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A.W.

Congratulations on the 7x42. A few years back I tried all the 7x models I could find. At the time, the colour balance of the Meopta was still fairly yellowish, but I believe has been rectified since then. It was a very likable binocular then. Yours should be better still, and an amazing bargain at that price. I'm sure they will serve you very well.

David
 
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Thank you David, hopefully I'll be able to try it out before I buy, chances are I'm not going to wait for MeoStar B2 50mm HD given my usual impatiance, unfortunately a classified ad for a 2012 Swaro EL 10x50 Swarovision just shown up at 42000 CZK (~1450 GBP) which is very tempting, but I can get an almost brand new MeoStar B1 12x50 HD for half of that ...
 
A little update. Not sure if this should really belong here, but oh well.

I've been looking up brick and mortar shops around Prague that sell Meopta, where I could try and potentially buy the MeoStar 12x50 HD, and I haven't been very successful.
Finding a shop that carries Leica, Zeiss, Swarovski, ..., not a problem, but our own domestic make - nope.

I tried one shop where I was sure they have some MeoStars in store. When I asked for the 12x50 HD, I was told "Only to backorder, non-cancellable. The standard B1 12x50 didn't sell too well, and in HD version it's not any better. Birders want the 10x42 HD, hunters want the 15x56 HD for long distance, 12x50HD is a sort of a hybrid that not many people want..."

Well, I would, since I'm not really a full time birder and definitely not a hunter. So they let me try the 10x42 HD and the 10x50 (and also a Kowa Genesis 10.5x44 which I found impossible to adjust for my IPD due to wide eyecups and short eye relief but that's irrelevant now), and I already have a 8x42 Vanguard, and for my hands a 42mm is kinda smallish (large hands + narrow IPD = not ideal grip) and figured I don't really need another 42mm bin.
I liked the 10x50. I liked the design of it very much, except for the focuser, which was too stiff and way too slow. The image was great.
I said to them, if Meopta made 10x50 HD MeoStar, I'd want one.
So, for comparison, they let me try a 10x50 binocular that is HD - a Swarovski EL fieldpro. They shouldn't have done that.

Like I said, the image of the MeoStar was great. For not having HD lenses, it didn't show a lot of CA, but it was there. Then I switched to the Swarovski and - it was gone. No CA. I looked really hard and searched for it and indeed, I found some when looking at the edges of a black handle on a white van standing outside, but it was so tiny.

The focuser on the EL - smooth as silk, ideal rate. Why can't all focusers be like this? (I $u$p€ct I know why).

I wasn't able to tell a difference between the color cast, but I could see a difference of the sharpness, which with the EL was absolute to the very edge, whereas the image of the B1 started becoming blurry at about 80-90% of the distance from the center to the field stop.
Very good, but not perfect.
The store interior wasn't ideal for testing for globe effect, but I couldn't see any with either.
They had some cardboard box lying around, so I tried to see if it would look orthographic through the binoculars. It did with both. I guess I'll have to live with the fact most binoculars do that.
However, I remember that with the EL, when looking at window blinds, they all looked straight as arrows. I don't remember how the B1 fared in that comparison, because honestly I was too immersed with the EL. Can you blame me?

One more thing I tried, I lit the flashlight on my phone and propped it up so I could look directly in it's rather bright light.
Ï could see diffraction spikes with the MeoStar, quite clear and about halfway across the FOV.
I tried the same with the EL, and there they weren't.
No diffraction spikes at all. Not even a hint. The lit LED looked exactly the same as if looked at directly, with a little halo around that you'd see with naked eye as well, with 2 very faint internal reflections, one of them yellowish and the other one purple, like the AR coatings tint. I'm not sure if the MeoStar showed any internal reflections, but they were rather overshadowed by the diffraction spikes, which can't really be called an improvement over the EL (tried the same at home with my Endeavor. Tiny internal reflections, drowned out in the diffraction spikes).

I'm not sure if I'd describe the EL 10x50 as something giving me a wow effect. It's more like, they show what you want to look at, only from closer, and nothing else.
So, I was poised to buy the MeoStar, but unless I get a chance to try the 12x50 HD MeoStar and find it much better than the standard 10x50 (that is, no diffraction spikes even from a bright light source and a better edge sharpness), it's not going to happen, and I will have to have the Swarovski.

So now I'm kind of screwed because a) it's more than twice as expensive and b), call me crazy but I don't like the look of the field pro. I think the buttons on the sides of the barrels for strap attachment look inappropriate and the objective covers that when removed leave behind a gap with a bare wire are absurd (what was wrong with the 2nd gen Swarovski lens cap attachment anyway?). The 2nd gen, in my opinion, was a lot more aesthetically pleasing than the field pro (though not as much as the MeoStar, with its bullet shaped barrels, central hinge and strap loops neatly flush with the barrels) so my only chance is somehow gathering sufficient amount of money and going after that 2nd gen 10x50 SV in the ad I found yesterday, and hope someone doesn't beat me to it.

I didn't think I was quite ready for an alpha bin, but I guess I have no choice, really.

Apologies to my fellow countrymen producing binoculars in Přerov. You're great, but our neighbors to the south are better at it.


Martin
 
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Martin,

Thanks for the comparison, but I wouldn't be too hasty in casting judgement. In some ways the 12x50 HD is a very different beast to the 10x50, but I couldn't say if it would be enought to sway your opinion.

As I mentioned at the start of my review, Meopta have been hampered by what they can offer in Europe by their contract with Cabela's in the US. I don't know the details but it meant they can only offer the 10x42, 12x50 and 15x56 as the HD versions over here. The Cabela's Instinct Euro HD has had a recent cosmetic overhaul, but I really don't know if it's had the other improvements I noted. I know it's a considerable source of frustration to Meopta that they are unable to offer a standardised specification across their range. Hopefully that will be resolved with the new model when it arrives. In the mean time, I think you need to treat each option as a totally different entity.

When I first tried the 12x50 HD at the UK BirdFair I did reacquainted myself with some of the others in the range. The main thing I was noting was differences in colour rendition, sharpness and CA. There were some variation in the focus, hinge and dioptre tensions, but generally there were a bit stiffer than some other brands. Personally I like a fast and fluid focus, but that can be a bit of a lottery, even in presteige brands. That day, I rated the 12x50 HD the best on the stand for colour and sharpness. The 10x42 wasn't far behing but it was a bit of a step down to the 10x50 in my opinion. The CA difference was also obvious to me. We know from the forum comment that individuals do vary a lot in their sensitivity to these parameters so your priorities may differ from mine. I did go over and have a look at the Swarovskis again. Without direct comparison it's difficult to be confident about how they matched up. They were good on sharpness too, but they didn't better the Meopta. The colour was different. I'd guess the Swaro was a shade stronger in the blue making it a bit cooler, but curiously I didn't think they were as strong in the violet or deep red as the 12x50 HD.

The Optics maquee at BirdFair looks out over a reedbed and lake so not good for checking AMD, but it was clear the Swaro 10 and 12x50 are flatter designs than the Meopta. They needed more refocusing with that vista than the Meoptas would have.

You would hope for twice the price Swarovski would offer a better product. I'm not persuaded they do on sharpness, colour and CA. I'm sure there are more lenses in their flat field design, but that's not a priority for me either. The focus might be smoother and lighter, but I can assure you it isn't always the case. It does have a wider FoV and lower weight, but those wouldn't be show stoppers for me. The main advantage of the Swarovski from my perspective would be their warranty, aftersales support and resale value, but I suspect that those might be better for Meopta in Prague than they have been in the UK.

I don't do astronomy, so roof spikes and flat views are not up my list of priorities I'm afraid. If that is important to you, wouldn't you be better off looking at porros?

David
 
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I've been looking up brick and mortar shops around Prague that sell Meopta, where I could try and potentially buy the MeoStar 12x50 HD, and I haven't been very successful.
Finding a shop that carries Leica, Zeiss, Swarovski, ..., not a problem, but our own domestic make - nope.


Martin

Hi Martin

Meopta certainly has a dealer in Prague and they list the B1 12x50 but I do not know if they keep it in stock:

SUPRA Praha
Mochovská 23/310, Praha 9
Tel.: +420 284 820 939
E-mail: [email protected]

http://www.supra-dalekohledy.cz/

Lee
 
Martin,

I don't do astronomy, so roof spikes and flat views are not up my list of priorities I'm afraid. If that is important to you, wouldn't you be better off looking at porros?

David

I certainly would, trouble is porro binoculars have either moving ocular bridge in which case they can't really be fully watertight and terribly rugged, or individual focusing, which makes them great for astronomy and hardcore military use, but unwieldy for everything else. Internal focusing porros are scarce and the only ones I found didn't look really convincing.

I'd love to have an overbuilt porro such as the Fujinon FMT-SX 10x50, but it's close focus distance isn't great, according to Holger and allbinos it isn't sharp to the edge anyway (I believe Holger stated at his website that he doesn't use this anymore as the MeoStar B1 10x50 took it's place), so then I'd have to have another pair of binoculars, perhaps the MeoStar 12x50 HD for everything else, which comprises nature observation, tourism, aircraft spotting, air shows and military shows, and occasionaly bird watching, where I'd prefer the promptness and ease of use of central focus, and lower weight.
And if the Swarovski can be the jack of all trades, and I can get one at the same cost as the combined cost of MeoStar B1 12x50 HD and an adequate astro porro bino, why not have the Swarovski, with the added benefit of hydrophobic coatings, finer roof prism system with dielectric mirrors as opposed to silver, sound brand name (|>|) that may keep the value better, and a flat field without globe effect?

I really wanted the MeoStar, and I still do and I want to like it for many reasons, but I have to be rational. Finding a place that lets me try out the 12x50HD without them having to order it for me (and me having to buy it then, like it or not) has so far been a bust. Unless I'm able to find one, I can't dish out over 1000 € without being absolutely positively certain I know what I'm going to get; I'm not buying a box of chocolates. Not to mention my worry, what if 12x is way too much for me to hold steady. It may be okay for terrestrial observation, for sky observation 12x seems like too much to hold without tripod (and binoculars ment to be hand held mounted on a tripod are really awkward to use for objects close to zenith ... I'd need something like those parallelogram stabilizers).

Considering all that, plus the CA difference that I honestly can tell between MeoStar 10x50 and EL 10x50, and am unable to compare yet with the 12x50, 2nd hand 2nd generetion Swarovision seems like a much safer bet. That is, unless I get my hands on the MeoStar 12x50 HD and erases all of my doubts.


Martin
 
Hi Martin

Meopta certainly has a dealer in Prague and they list the B1 12x50 but I do not know if they keep it in stock:

SUPRA Praha
Mochovská 23/310, Praha 9
Tel.: +420 284 820 939
E-mail: [email protected]

http://www.supra-dalekohledy.cz/

Lee


Hi Troubador,

That's exactly where I went to yesterday, where they told me the thing about low sales of 12x50, standard or HD, hence them not keeping this particular model in stock. Only to order, non-cancellable. |=(|

I appreciate your effort though. Thank you.

Martin
 
Hi Troubador,

That's exactly where I went to yesterday, where they told me the thing about low sales of 12x50, standard or HD, hence them not keeping this particular model in stock. Only to order, non-cancellable. |=(|

I appreciate your effort though. Thank you.

Martin

Hi Martin

As I posted the details I had a sinking feeling that this would be the case. Sorry it didn't work out. Meopta only list the 12x50 HD on their website, and no 'standard' one.
Let me see if I can find one near Prague.

Lee
 
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Raubtier,

It is truly a shame that you cannot try the 12x50HD. As with all binocular purchases, it is important to try-before-you-buy.

When I first started looking at high(er)-end bino's, I first acquired the Vortex Razor HD 12x50, which was the first binocular to introduce me to CA... and how annoying it can be. I swapped those out for the Meopta 12x50HD, and I have not been able to find any CA every since. Something else I noticed was the narrower FOV, but, to my eyes, sharp from side to side. I just did your test looking at my phone's LED light and the diffraction spikes extended to about 25% of my view. Mind you, I can see diffraction spikes looking at the light through naked eyes (I need to see an optometrist...), so take it with a grain of salt.

I agree with you that with 12-power binos, its hard to get all-day-use out of them because they are simply too powerful without a tripod. I do primarily long-distance viewing so it was only natural for me to invest in a proper tripod set up as seen in the picture. The Outdoorsmans Tripod System is the best available mounting system in my opinion and I just added the Manfrotto MVH500AH fluid head which made panning an absolute delight. Interestingly enough, I do not find it uncomfortable looking up at the stars with this setup, and I do a fair amount of stargazing. Stars are pin-point sharp with these binoculars. I have no experience with the 10x50 Meostars unfortunately.

However, I too have been exposed to the products made by your southern neighbors. In the search for the perfect all-around bino, I am looking with great interest at the 10x50 EL. The weight doesn't bother me and the difference between 12x and 10x for me was quite drastic. I actually am a great fan of the aesthetics of the EL's. The view just popped a little more with the Swaro's when I compared them to the Meopta's. I can't really describe it. Roger Vine over on scopeviews does excellent reviews (http://www.scopeviews.co.uk/) and he is a huge fan of the EL's (he goes into depth in his reviews of binoculars in the night sky). I wish he reviewed any Meostar HD to see how they stack up.

In the meantime, I am perfectly happy with the Meostars on a tripod, but at some point in the near future, I can see myself selling them and saving money to invest in the EL's.

Forgot to mention that I also have an 8x42 Meopro HD which I got on sale and have been really pleased with. They have awful glare, but a good set of eyeshields took care of that.
 

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Thanks Troubador, but please don't worry too much about it, I'll be going to my hometown soon and I remember there was a hunting good store which had Meopta. They may not have a website or e-shop, so I'll try and see.

There's a guy in Czech rep. selling few months old Meostar 12x50 HD at 20500 CZK, which is about 720 GBP with current exchange rate, he lives quite far from me but I'll give it a try.


Samolot,
It shouldn't be that difficult I imagine, as I used my Aculon 16x50 for everything before I bought the 8x42 Endeavor, mainly for airshows and aircraft spotting, where the 16x came in handy and I managed, and with 12x being halfway between 16x and 8x, it should be okay. But for astro, it's just too much. And
I too looked at Roger Vine's website in hope of finding Meopta review. Pity there isn't one, but the EL 10x50 SV just seems perfect all round.

"the difference between 12x and 10x for me was quite drastic"

Is that good or bad?
 
Should have clarified: In term's of handheld stability, I noticed a significant, drastic, difference between 10 and 12x. The view is much stabler with 10x hence why I would consider it a good all-around binocular *for me*.

I take the 12x50 HD with me on hikes, and looking at objects that are closer is easy enough to enjoy the sharp detail delivered through the meoptas. When I look at objects far away, and up in the night sky, the 12x's need to be mounted.
 
I think it's a rather low price for a pair of binoculars bought in August last year. Over here they cost between 27-30 thousand CZK new, which is equivalent to 1300 - 1450 US dollars.
 
Just a quick comment on how my 10x42 and the Meostar HD 12x50 compared for stability.

Of all the binoculars I own I feel my 10x42 is the most balanced in the hand. While the amplitude of the shake is greater than my 7x36 for example, it seems less than others I own, but for the most part the oscillation frequency seems the same. However when I read a line chart hand held vs. using a tripod, the percentage reduction in detail is pretty much the same at 40-50% (depend on my caffeine levels at the time ;)). With the 12x50 I needed to change my grip to get a reasonably steady view, but the amplitude still seemed much higher than with the 10x let alone the 7x. However the weight seemed to have reduced the frequency a little. The net result was an identical percentage reduction in detail hand held to the other two, meaning I was getting the full benefit of the increased power. That was in daylight. It seemed worse at night, but I wasn't able to quantify it.

David
 
and the objective covers that when removed leave behind a gap with a bare wire are absurd (what was wrong with the 2nd gen Swarovski lens cap attachment anyway?).

Martin

The FP comes with wire covers that snap in the little gap, thereby closing the gap. You just didn't see it in the box. Or the dealer removed it. There is no absurdity.

Also, there was nothing wrong with the 2nd generation lens caps. This does not mean that any company cannot do something different if it desires. Manufacturers are always trying to come up with some new innovation every now and then, in order to keep an product line from becoming stagnant. You might have noticed at some point in your life that automobile models change every now and then. Binocular manufacturers are no different.

The anchoring loops of the 2nd gen. lens caps will eventually loosen up, allowing the caps to be lost if the owner is not careful. It might take a number of years to loosen, but they will if given enough time. The new system allows for an attachment method that is less likely to loosen over the years. Time will tell if this is truly the case.
 
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