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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Meostar 7x42 versions (1 Viewer)

Ah, that does make sense! If they used the 0, they would waste a number place, when it's not really needed for the early years. Gee, it's good to have people around who think! ; ) Thanks again Lee!

Don't thank me just yet! I have asked Meopta about this too but my contact is likely to take longer to reply this time.

Lee
 
So I have a 7X50 and the 7X42 B1s. IF the serial number rule is correct the 7X50 was made in 2014(sounds about right, I believe I bought in 2015) and the 7X42 was made in 2016(again, about right, purchased last year).

From the pics you can see the differences. Main difference I can see is the case and objective covers. Eye cups on both only have two positions, IN and OUT.
 

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Barry,

The relatively high weight of the 7x42 B1s is not without its positive aspects. Prism size has a significant impact on binocular weight and when manufacturers skimp on the prisms the inevitable consequence is vignetting. If everything is to scale on the cutaway I linked in post #7, the prisms of the old 7x42 SLC are enormous. When I hold mine at arm's length and turn it to left or right the exit pupils are still the shape of a 3/4 moon just before they occlude. The 7x42 B1 is not quite as good (it's 50 g lighter) but the exit pupils are still the shape of a gibbous moon. Many lightweight bins will show an almond-shaped exit pupil just before occlusion. I think this is what Swarovski mean by "Randpupille" or edge pupil, so perhaps we could adopt this term on Birdforum.

It would be interesting if you could do a comparison of the edge pupils of the 7x42 FL and the 7x42 B1 holding one on top of the other. The Zeiss will occlude later due to its larger FOV but i would hazard a guess that just before the Meopta occludes its exit pupils are larger.

Regards,
John

Well, John, I did as you asked, and found there was little difference to see by eye. They both appear very large just until they occlude, then they slim down just about the same before they disappear by the turning of them.
 
Well, John, I did as you asked, and found there was little difference to see by eye. They both appear very large just until they occlude, then they slim down just about the same before they disappear by the turning of them.

Thanks, Barry. A little surprising that as, all other things being equal, I would have expected the A-K prisms of the Zeiss to weigh more than the S-P prisms of the Meopta.
Perhaps the composite body of the FL plays a significant role in the weight saving. Zeiss at the time regarded it as the ideal material but bowed to customer wishes for a magnesium alloy body on the HT and SF.

John
 
Thanks, Barry. A little surprising that as, all other things being equal, I would have expected the A-K prisms of the Zeiss to weigh more than the S-P prisms of the Meopta.
Perhaps the composite body of the FL plays a significant role in the weight saving. Zeiss at the time regarded it as the ideal material but bowed to customer wishes for a magnesium alloy body on the HT and SF.

John

I imagine you're right on the money there, John! Otherwise why would they do it?! It sure makes a substantial difference compared to the Meopta, for example. I am trying out harnesses now, for the B1, which I believe is the way to go for them. Less handling time means less soft tissue fatigue.

As Chill4X4 (Chuck) has recommended, I will probably end up with the Rick Young harness. I just tried the Tract harness, and it doesn't work that well with them for me.

Personally I like the body design of the FL better than the newer Zeiss' binos. It just seems less fragile with a larger hinge, to me. But to each, his own, and I would rather have an FL, even if the optics are superior in the newer ones. But at such a price difference, they better be! I'm fine with the FL view though. Or the Meopta-different, but one as nice as the other in view. I may be leaning to the Meopta even, maybe for the extra warmth in the colors, I don't know for sure. But I think the Zeiss FL is just a little better instrument, where you don't have to think about anything other than focus, and that is so easy on them, that the Meopta trails behind there, without a doubt. Just a little too much effort, but they are smooth, at least! And in time the B1 might loosen enough to be more competitive with the FL in that regard. Both are fine binoculars, for sure though.
 
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Hi Barry. Your thread inspired me to dig out my Meostar 42's for their serial numbers. Here's what I found...

7x42 B1: 805xxx (bought on Amazon about 3 or 4 years ago)
8x42 B1: 122xxx (bought from Eurooptic about 3 years ago)
10x42HD: 145xxx (bought from Cameraland about 2 years ago)

....
Your pic with the three binos brings me to an idea:

MEOPTA obviously knows how to confuse binocular holders wives!

If hubby has worked out a good strategy to avoid showing off more than one pair of binos at the same time his wive will never know that there are actually three or even more of them. Size, color and appearance are the same. To convert this to a woman's mind which never would allow two pairs of shoes in the closet that come even close to a look alike the confusion will be perfect.
 
I doubt it!

Yeah, you and Daffy Duck concurr; I'm convinced. More likely the wife has already figured this out, and she didn't strain doing it! ; )
 
Yeah, you and Daffy Duck concurr; I'm convinced. More likely the wife has already figured this out, and she didn't strain doing it! ; )

Absolutely right. She will have noted how they get used in different ways, taken to different habitats and from their smell will have calculated their fields of view and close focusing distances. You are kidding yourself if you think otherwise.:-O:-O

Lee
 
Hi Barry. Your thread inspired me to dig out my Meostar 42's for their serial numbers. Here's what I found...

7x42 B1: 805xxx (bought on Amazon about 3 or 4 years ago)
8x42 B1: 122xxx (bought from Eurooptic about 3 years ago)
10x42HD: 145xxx (bought from Cameraland about 2 years ago)

I'm not sure how the 7x42's anomalous serial number jibes with what Meopta told Lee. It certainly does not seem like a 1980 binocular. If it is, then Meopta beat everyone else to the market with phase coatings, because this unit is phase coated! Or maybe it's from the future?

Let's talk about accessories. Pic 1 below shows all three binoculars. 7x42 on the left, 10x42HD in the middle, and 8x42 on the right. The 7x42 and 8x42 share the same rainguard, with angled sides. In my experience this rainguard tends to fall off easily. The 10x42 HD, the newest of the three, has a rainguard with straight sides. It pushes on, and stays put. I like this design better.

Pic 2 below shows the objective caps for the 7x42 (left) and the 10x42HD (right). The 10x42HD has the oft-discussed caps tethered to the tripod socket via wire. I don't like this style because the caps tend to fall off, often aided by the stiff wires that would rather be straight. The 7x42's caps are individually tethered to each tube. This style works quite well, with the caps staying put until I want them off. I'd suggest that Meopta return to this style. In fact my 8x32 B1 has caps similar to this.

Pic 3 below shows the stock cases provided with the binoculars. The one on the left came with the 7x42. It is green cordura with minimal padding on the interior. The one on the right came with both the 8x42 and the 10x42HD. It is green wool with similar minimal padding on the interior. I prefer the cordura case. The wool case is already starting to show a bit of scruffiness and "pilling" just from ordinary use. The cordura case, by contrast, is basically in like-new condition even though it is older.

Just was doing some research on Meopta and found this thread. FYI, the 805XXX series serial numbers indicate the binoculars were made in 2008.
 
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