[squidge]

Hi, Anybody know when this model was brought out and if there were different versions made. I'm referring to the 10x32 model.
Thanks,

Ger.

[John Russell]

Originally Posted by squidge

Hi, Anybody know when this model was brought out and if there were different versions made. I'm referring to the 10x32 model.
Thanks,

Ger.

The 32 mm Meostars became available around the end of 2008.
There have been no major changes though, of course, there may have been improvements to coatings.

John

[Nixterdemus]

Cabela's in the states sells the Meostar and their version known as the Euro. 176 reviews w/1st coming in November of 2006 according to their site.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Hunti...3Bcat104217480


The earliest Meostar review is March 2007.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Hunti...3Bcat104217480

[squidge]

Thanks I was looking at the cabelas euro version but they were charging $292 dollars for postage.

The review for 2007 is by a FrankD so I presume its the same FrankD that posts on here. It is for a pair of 8x42 and I'm looking at 10x32 which I presume came at a later date. So I'm putting my money on John with the 2008 date for the 10x32.

The cabelas seems to have come out before the meostar as in the 2006/2007 reviews there is no mention of the meopta whereas in the 2008 it starts to get mentioned.

Thanks,

Ger.

[FrankD]

Squidge,

Actually, no, I believe the Meostar was out before the Euro as I remember thinking of the similarity between the two as soon as I saw the Euro in the Cabelas catalog the first time they advertised it. I could be wrong though. Maybe "Meopta Man" will chime in on this one.

The 32 mm models definitely did come out at least two years after the original 42 mm models so 2008 seems right to me as well. Keep in mind, though I never saw one, that Cabelas had a Euro 10x32 advertised at one point. I doubt I still have one of their catalogs from that time to verify it though.

[squidge]

Thanks Frank, I only went on the reviews as there was no mention of Meopta until 2008. Although it makes more sense that the Meostar was out before the cabelas.

It is looking like the 10x32 did not come out till 2008. I just wanted to know the release date because "if" I bought a pair I didnt want to find out there was a few versions of this bin.

Ger.

[FrankD]

Squidge,

As far as I know there was only one version of the Meostars. There was some discussion as to whether or not Meopta updated the coatings at some point because of comments surrounding the color bias between different samples but I never saw anything official verifying this issue.

[squidge]

Yep, seen those comments on whether they did or didnt update the coatings. As you said there is nothing concrete to support that they did update their coatings.

Cheers,

Ger.

[jgraider]

Originally Posted by FrankD

Squidge,

Actually, no, I believe the Meostar was out before the Euro as I remember thinking of the similarity between the two as soon as I saw the Euro in the Cabelas catalog the first time they advertised it. I could be wrong though. Maybe "Meopta Man" will chime in on this one.

That may very well be true, but we're going to see the Cabelas Euro HD before we see the Meopta HD.

[MeoptaMan]

Hi all,

Yes, the Meostar line was released prior to the Cabela's Euro.
The 10x32 was released at the end of 2007 and hit shelves early 2008.
The Cabela's 10x42 HD Euro is in stores now, and unfortunately, it will be a while longer before we are bale to release the Meostar B1 10x42 HD.

Thanks!

[CliveP]

Hi Squidge

I was wondering why the German flag (Drogheda) and then I realised. Merkal owns you! and probably us to!

[Sancho]

Originally Posted by CliveP

Hi Squidge

I was wondering why the German flag (Drogheda) and then I realised. Merkal owns you! and probably us to!

No, Clive, you guys are still using proper money. I'm going to trade in all my optics for Magic Beans tomorrow. I'd really like to see a pair of Meopta Meostar 8x32, though, and look forward to Squidge's assessment of the 10x32.

[squidge]

Originally Posted by CliveP

Hi Squidge

I was wondering why the German flag (Drogheda) and then I realised. Merkal owns you! and probably us to!

Ahh, but who owns Germany, I reckon its the Lizard people.

Yep I'm investing my money in optics instead of holding onto the euro as I think the optics are a safer bet.

[CliveP]

Originally Posted by squidge

Ahh, but who owns Germany, I reckon its the Lizard people.

Yep I'm investing my money in optics instead of holding onto the euro as I think the optics are a safer bet.

I reckon (from ze deutsch rechnen) China could be the lizard folk and they're taking control of me. I've stopped buying Leica and started collecting Hawkes although I would rather have had the dosh to afford the former.

Even the Meopta skoda of optics is getting beyond me. I like Skoda (or German VW really) btw.

Looking forward to your 10x32 thoughts. I certainly like mine and I know why. Its that almost strange type of bright mattish kind of colour that they can produce. It just really gets me and the Hawke aren't far behind. I'm sure Meopta are there abouts also.

[squidge]

I had two vw polos but they gave me awful trouble so I went for a far eastern car.

Looking forward to the Meoptas alright.What's your genuine opinion on your Meopta warts and all.

Cheer's Ger.

[CliveP]

Sorry, I guess you haven't followed my tribulations with my Leica 10x32 HD and yes they are mighty fine nontheless. I see a pair on ebay for £899.

If I didn't already have one and I had the cash I'd buy one again.
I sold my very nice EL 8x32 to afford them.

[squidge]

Sorry, I just went through that thread. For some reason I hardly ever look at the leica thread. But I did look though a pair of leica ultra hd 8x32 and was really impressed however the price was way too steep.

I dont think I would ever spend over a grand on a pair of bins. Although when you add up the price of all the bins I have or had it surpasses my limit big time.

Looking forward to the 10x32 format as you dont hear much about that size. Glad you got sorted eventually, I had a dodgy swarovski eyepiece and had a little communication problem with them a while back but the eyepiece was fixed eventually so alls well that ends well.

cheers Ger.

[CliveP]

Providing its a decent quality as has been said by Ceasar who uses a Nikon EDG 10x32, I prefer the 10x32 over any binocular I have ever owned which must be around 20 by now. For one bin to do it all I think its the best.

I expect the Meopta should be right up there and I imagine you could be very pleased. The 10x compresses the perspective more and therefore does not look as natural as an 8x but then you do get closer to things and the 32mm 10x normally have good wide fov. I find 8x better for overall scenic viewing or obviously close in viewing and now I have a Hawke 8x56 and 8x25. The big Hawke does very well for all applications but its obviously a bigger lump to lug around but I like its handling and the view is very good and it does seem very sturdy.

The Meopta will do you for a while until you decide you want to change again and maybe stay with the 10x32 but one of the more expensive ones. I bought used and that of course saves quite a lot. I'm glad I at last feel that my collection is complete. One Alpha and a few relatively cheap but nontheless very good alternatives.

[squidge]

Thanks for the opinions on the 10x32 format. There will not be any upgrading anytime soon as I think I've reached my quota of binoculars. Maybe room for one more but definitely not an alpha or even a mid range bin.
I'm waiting to see what this new Opticron Ed-x is going to be like although I've a list the length of my arm of binocular wants. Only drawback is lack of funding which is never really that helpful when it comes to wanting binoculars.
I'll wait for the Meopta to arrive before I start thinking about the next bin, Oops too late

Cheers Ger.

[Nixterdemus]

No harm intended, but I ran across this in a Meopta search. Not to stir the pot as much as I thought you would enjoy the sales spiel.

I 'aven't the foggiest, yet I'd wager it has something to do w/Cabella's selling Meopta and their namesake line Euro. I'd speculate that Optics Planet was squeezed out of the circle.

http://www.opticsplanet.net/meopta-brand.html

"Meopta is a brand of optics that is manufactured in the Czech Republic. OpticsPlanet carried Meopta scopes and binoculars for several years, and while they are good products, at this time we recommend that our customers go with similarly priced optics from more popular brands that are manufactured in Germany, Japan or the USA, such as the Zeiss Conquest, Nikon Monarch, Vortex Viper or Leupold VX-3 series of products. These are some of the most excellent lines of hunting optics in the world, offering the best values you can find in mid-priced scopes and binoculars. We highly recommend them as a superior alternative to Meopta Optical products!"

To claim superior along w/the addition of an exclamation mark exposes a coup de grace faux pas and a good laugh. Reminiscent of bravado ads from the middle of the 20th century.

[squidge]

Yep, Looks like throwing the toys out of the pram alright. I'm surprised they didnt add in a pair of these http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct...6s8xnaKv9geGAw as an alternative to Meopta.

Ger.

[squidge]

Review of 10x32 is put on hold due to technical difficulties.

[squidge]

Right my tecnical difficulties are over as my money is back in my account.

I've been looking for a pair of 10x for a while and eventually settled for a pair of Meopta meostar 10x32. I looked up marchwood who are distributors of meopta's and looked at the various shops that stock meoptas. I came across one called Photo express lakeland in cumbria and found they had a brand new pair of Meostar's for £529 on ebay. I thought this price was very good for a pair of Meoptas but being an official stockist of meoptas plus being a brick and mortar shop I thought they must be genuine.

I emailed the shop in question and asked various questions about the binoculars and was assured they were genuine uk stock that was boxed with gurantee etc. I waited a couple of days and rang the shop. I spoke to one of their sales people and asked some more about the bins. After going to check to see if they did have a pair to sell he came back saying that they had and that they were brand new in a sealed box. I bought them across the phone using a credit card.

I received the bins a couple of days later which was a quick delivery. They were packaged well in a cardboard box. I took the meopta box out of the cardboard box and I noticed that the seals had already been broken on the box. I opened the box and the bins were in a plastic bag inside the cloth case that comes with the binoculars. I took out the bins and immediately noticed that there was no new bin smell from the rubber armouring. Then I took off the eye guards and immediately noticed a glue like substance on the middle of both eyeglasses. I cleaned this off and noticed that there was either mould or coatings coming off the inside of the eyeglass.

I looked throught the bins and noticed a slight haze to the view. I checked the bins again and I noticed that the rings that retain the eyeglass were different. One was perfectly smooth and the other was rough. The neckstrap had an old sort of feel to it with the meopta label peeling off and one of the air pockets was completely flat.

I rang the shop and informed them that these bins were not new. They tried to insist that they were new but I informed them that I collect optics and that these binoculars were not new. I was then told that a demo pair must have been given instead. (how does a demo pair end up in a sealed box with glue and different eyerings). I was told to post them back and was told I would get a refund. I wasnt offered another pair even though there is two brand new pairs of 10x32 available on their website.

I posted them back registered and when they arrived the shop were supposed to ring me to arrange the refund with the cost of postage included.The bins were signed for and I waited a day and no phonecall. I rang them and was told the person I dealt with was out of the shop and would be back later. I told them to ring me back. This went on for a couple of days of me ringing the shop with no call back. I then rang my bank to inform them that there might be a problem and they said to give the shop one more try and then get back to them and they would take over. I rang the shop the following day and they finally asked for my credit card details.

I'm glad to say I received my refund today although the postage wasn't refunded. The whole episode cost me over 35 euro which I can ill afford but I'm just glad its over. I got the impresssion if I had not persisted in getting a refund I would still be looking for it this time next year.

As for the Meoptas if they were brand new then assembly and quality control are seriously lacking at their factory. If they were a pair of demos then that raises so many other questions. Maybe a badly repaired pair of demos I think would be getting closer to the truth imo. If I were Meopta I wouldnt like it if bins like these were being passed off as brand new from official stockists.

Ger.

[CliveP]

That sounds bad but I'm confused.

You seem to say that the box seal was broken and then later suggest it was sealed?

Either way thats one of worst experiences I've heard. Luckily I have never had such a problem and I'm far more trusting in ordering than you seem to have been.

I wouldn't order anything from that crowd now.

[squidge]

Originally Posted by CliveP

That sounds bad but I'm confused.

You seem to say that the box seal was broken and then later suggest it was sealed?

Either way thats one of worst experiences I've heard. Luckily I have never had such a problem and I'm far more trusting in ordering than you seem to have been.

I wouldn't order anything from that crowd now.

Sorry for the confusion Clive. I was being a bit sarcastic when it was suggested to me that a demo pair were given instead. As in how does a demo pair end up in a 'sealed' box when I was originally told the box was sealed when I asked if they were new. The seals were definately broken before I received them.

Just glad its over now, infact not only has it put me off Meopta but it has put me off buying bins full stop. I've decided to go for a lense for my camera instead.

Cheers,

Ger.