Cabela's Euro/Meopta Meostar 10x42 (1 Viewer)

Last week I posted this in a reply to the "Meopta 8x32" thread:

OwenM said:

Actually, having just reread all the reviews at Cabela's, and seeing them referred to over and over as being equal to Swarovski SLC and ELs of the same power(and those being the most impressive binoculars I've personally looked through), I've about talked myself into ordering the 10x42 model.
The Cabela's labeled "Euro" version is on sale for $749 with free harness, lens pen, and shipping, and I recently got a $500 Visa gift card from my work, and $270 back from a friend that I hadn't even thought about, so they'd be "free"!
I think I'd get a lot more use from those 8x32s, though, if they were noticeably better than my Pentax SPs. The specs look great.

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Well, I decided to go for it, and received my "free" Cabela's/Meopta 10x42s a few days ago.
My initial impressions are that Cabela's owes me a harness and lens pen, since they weren't in the package, and that I will be saving up, or maybe selling a couple of things to pay for the 8x32s when they become available.

The Meoptas apparently have better coatings than the 8x32 and 12.5x50 Pentax DCF SPs that I love using, showing better glare control in direct light(or viewing an actual light after dark), and the view has a feel of greater depth due to better contrast and more lustrous color rendition...much more "3D-like". They don't resolve better detail of an individual object that I can tell, but the picture as a whole is very pleasing. I have not been dissatisfied with either Pentax, but the Meoptas are a step up.
-They're noticeably brighter, especially in very low light, than either of my SPs though they all share an ~4mm exit pupil.
-The weight difference is also definitely noticeable. The Meoptas are heavier in the hand. At first they felt like a brick compared to either of my SPs, even though according to the specs, they weigh only .4oz. more than the Pentax 12.5x50. I've quickly gotten comfortable with them, and the weight probably helps stabilize them. Unlike those 12.5x, I have no problem using them unsupported.
-To my mind, these are basically Swarovski SLC optics with a simpler diopter adjustment, less well-fitting armor(has some give on either side of the focus knob, and the fit at the end of the hinge could be improved), and stiffer mechanics overall. The focus knob, central hinge, etc. are already starting to smooth out after just a little use, but were extremely stiff out of the box.
-I can deal with them not having the SLC's nifty push-button diopter, and a few little fit/finish shortcomings for a savings of $800, or the ELs ergonomics for another $400 on top of that. I'd actually come up with the money for Swarovski ELs(got an extra week paycheck last month, rolled up coins, had the cash, $500 gift card and all that), but put the rest toward paying off my credit card after the view through the Meoptas was satisfying enough that my lust for the ELs was curbed. That was actually my criteria for the Meoptas. If I liked them enough to keep them instead of spending the money for the ELs, I would, and if I didn't, I'd send them back.

Aside from the weight, there were a couple of slight disappointments about the Meoptas.
-They do exhibit some CA on particular objects, such as distant treelines and rooflines, but I had to look for it off-axis, so it's really not a big deal to me. I've read the Swaros do, too.
-Just like the SLC 10x42s I recently tried, though to a lesser extent, they also have some reflections around the outside of the FOV in certain lighting conditions/eye positions, which do not affect the view itself at all, but can be a bit distracting. I think this might be an eyecup height vs. eye relief issue, since I can't cram my face into the eyepieces like I like to without getting some blackouts.
Again, not a major issue, since I instantly and automatically find the right eye position now that I'm accustomed to them, but I'm hopeful about getting some eyecups that extend an extra couple of mm-will have to check into whether or not I can get the ones for the 8x42 or 10x50 models(which have 2mm more eye relief) from Meopta, or if perhaps some of Swarovski's screw in eyepieces will fit.

The Swarovski Snapshot Adapter that I had bought to try on a Vortex Razor fits these perfectly.

Looking forward to those 8x32s, now!

OwenM said:

My initial impressions are that Cabela's owes me a harness and lens pen, since they weren't in the package

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Have to throw this in here. While typing up my post, and having reminded myself of the harness and lens pen not showing up, I sent Cabela's an email at 1:59pm with my order #, and letting them know about the missing items.
At 2:32pm I got a notification of an "order" with Cabela's being placed for them, and at 2:34 an email with a brief note and apology from a customer service rep. On a Sunday afternoon. That's service, right there.

The staff at Eagle Optics was nice enough to check and see if the Swarovski and Meopta eyecups were interchangeable. Close, but no cigar.
On the bright side, they gave me a number for Meopta here in the US, who sold me a pair of eyecups for the 8x42/10x50 model that extends out 2mm more for $10 plus shipping. Hopefully these will fit my face a little better.

Been using the Meoptas for a couple of nights just looking around at everything at my work, and they seem to do a great job handling reflections from high output light fixtures, and side light.

Owen,

Thank you for sharing your experiences with these bins. The 10x42 Meopta/Euros are probably my favorite under $1000 bin...and actually I only preferred the 10x50 Meostar and 10x50 SLCs to them overall (brighter image and higher level of comfort because of the larger exit pupil). Still, at $800 the Cabelas Euros offer excellent optical performance!

OwenM said:

The staff at Eagle Optics was nice enough to check and see if the Swarovski and Meopta eyecups were interchangeable. Close, but no cigar.
On the bright side, they gave me a number for Meopta here in the US, who sold me a pair of eyecups for the 8x42/10x50 model that extends out 2mm more for $10 plus shipping. Hopefully these will fit my face a little better.

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I got the longer ER eyecups from Meopta yesterday, and have spent some time this morning on the deck with the rising sun behind or beside me with them installed.
I do have to keep them firmly against my face, or get a bit of shadowing when I pan with them. With the sun behind me, or at 90* offset, I am seeing no reflections at all. The only time I get a bit of a glimmer or a small band of reflection(as stated before this is outside the FOV) is with the sun at ~45* angle. I believe this is unavoidable without flared eyecups, as it is a direct reflection of the sun on the lower inside of the eyecup, and all my other bins exhibit the same reflection at this angle.
I don't doubt whether or not this affects any given user will probably depend on their facial shape or dimensions, and how they hold their bins as a result, but adding that extra 2mm of extension on the eyepieces has apparently worked for me.
It was a minor issue, but now it's gone. A small price to pay, and worth a shot for anyone who might have a similar experience.

Flared eye cups, Steiner style, are unnecessary. Most brands have figured out standard screw out eye cups by now. There are very few reflections, except when there is direct sunlight from behind you.

My least favorite eye cups have been Zeiss Conquest 2 years ago. They were quite open, no lip on the inside, and let in a lot of stray light.