Meopta Meostar S2 30-60W first impressions (3 Viewers)

[AlphaFan]

Kabsetz post #9 in the linked thread describes it as barrel distortion (angular magnification distortion)

Is really Meopta S2 82 + 30-60x as good as the Nikon, Leica, Kowa and Swarovski..?

I am considering to order a Meopta S2 82 HD with 30-60x eyepiece to test it against my Nikon ED82. My wish is to have a spotting scope with high optical quality and a zoom with a field of view equivalent to Nikon's fixed eyepieces. I have a friend who is interested in buying my Nikon ED82 with...

www.birdforum.net

To add some perspective - I’m slightly sensitive to globe effect while panning - the ELs make me uncomfortable while the NLs and SFs do not. However, I found total distortion from the 30-60xWA while panning more pronounced than any binocular. In addition, the distortion is far more pronounced at 30x than at 60x. In contrast, I can pan to my heart’s content with the 20-70x eyepiece without noticing any similar effects.

 

[tenex]

As for the focus drive the question is if it is really too coarse (and it seems to be a single speed drive) or whether you are experiencing the same "jerkiness" that Lee complained about in his review of the S2 (and which went away after some use).

I find the focus on ours to be perfectly smooth, and its speed useful up to around 60 or 70x (not coincidentally), though higher mags with 1.25" eyepieces definitely become a challenge. Also of course the exit pupil gets small... and on the other end, while at lower mags one can dramatically improve on the FOV of the standard zoom, it's hard to do much better than the WA one (if you have that) given vignetting due to the design, limiting the overall usefulness of the astro adapter. Still with only one scope, it's fun to do what one can.

 

[Royfinn]

To add some perspective - I’m slightly sensitive to globe effect while panning - the ELs make me uncomfortable while the NLs and SFs do not. However, I found total distortion from the 30-60xWA while panning more pronounced than any binocular. In addition, the distortion is far more pronounced at 30x than at 60x. In contrast, I can pan to my heart’s content with the 20-70x eyepiece without noticing any similar effects.

Distortion from the 30-60xWA is certainly noticeable. I wouldn't stand that kind of distortion from binoculars, because panning is bread and butter in migration watch. With scope, panning is usually slow and distortion does not bother that much. In fast action I don't pay attention to distortion. Distortion is more of an annoyance - it does not stop identification.

 

[AlphaFan]

Here is a video review/comparison of both eyepieces - discusses the merits of each as well as the distortion in the 30-60xWA

 

[tenex]

Here is a video review/comparison of both eyepieces - discusses the merits of each as well as the distortion in the 30-60xWA

Complete waste of time, as 99% of these are. He spends the first 4 minutes talking about these as if they're two different scope models rather than interchangeable eyepieces. Then he does a sloppy "comparison" of panning behavior in which only the right field edge is visible but he pans up and down which shows only jiggling as he moves the scope!

 

[AlphaFan]

ordered our S2 with 30-60 in January but never saw the WA, receiving a 20-70 instead as a loaner, which we're still using due to ongoing shortages (apparently Meopta can't get some materials). It is very good, though I wish I could see and compare the WA before thinking of canceling it.

Did you ever receive the 30-60WA eyepiece?

 

[tenex]

No, still not! I don't know what's going on, as some other dealers do seem to have them in stock now (still? again?). And of course no one within a thousand miles has one I could just go look at, so we keep waiting. Which as I said is not as frustrating as one might imagine, because the 20-70 has easily sufficed, even for a year now. I think I might have bought this scope even if there was no 30-60.

 

[forent]

In the name of "simplify your life" I have boiled down my optical equipment to 1 bridge camera, 2 binos and 1 scope - the angled Meostar S2 HD with only one zoom eyepiece. I had ordered the 30-60x WA as well as the 20-70x and, by specs and many raving reviews, expected to keep the 30-60x, especially for its possibly record-breaking wide field of view. But to my surprise I easily preferred the 20-70x:

• it's really not that narrow (I've owned the tunnel-like Nikon 25-75x MC II in the past; the difference is huge),
• the lower 20x magnification with the larger 4.1 mm exit pupil is beneficial in critical lighting and provides a sufficient field of view to find targets simply,
• the higher 70x magnification is both usable and useful (BTW a 3.5x zoom range is just phat),
• the eye placement is - to me; YMMV! - slightly easier with less blackouts,
• last not least: I just could not bear the - again: to my taste! - brutally distorted edges in the 30-60x from 30x up to 35x.

Hence the 30-60x WA went back to the dealer and I happily kept the 20-70x. With this eyepiece, the scope held it's own against my former Swarovski ATX 30-70x95: 95% performance for half the price IMHO.

 

[tenex]

Well, our 30-60x WA eyepiece finally(!) arrived, and I've been able to compare it with the 20-70. I have to say I'm glad we got to experience that one too. But few would find owning both worthwhile, so a possibly difficult choice arises, depending on individual priorities.

Both are optically excellent, equally sharp (these samples, to me) throughout their range both centrally and more broadly. I felt no significant difference between the two in eye placement and ease of use (without spectacles); full extension of eyecups matches eye relief well. Both eyepieces have AMD at the edges on the low (20/30x) end; the "rolling ball" effect is evident when panning with the 30-60, and there's even a bit in the 20-70 if you're hypersensitive. We don't mind it.

The 30-60 has exceptional FOV throughout its range. The 20-70 is potentially more versatile, offering lower magnification with a larger exit pupil if needed, as well as an extra 10x at the top end; FOV feels a bit narrow to me at 20x, but more adequate by 30x and great at 70. These eyepieces are impressive achievements; don't make a hasty decision from a spec sheet, try both.

We're sending our 20-70 loaner back; we have little use for 20x (and its limited FOV), and 70x is only a modest improvement over 60. (We also have an astro eyepiece giving 88x when we need it.) The 30-60 will just suit us better; I even prefer the more limited throw of its zoom ring. But the 20-70 might be ideal for someone else.

 

[tenex]

I felt no significant difference between the two in eye placement

Correction: that was my initial impression. I will now agree that eye placement is a bit more finicky with the 30-60 eyepiece, although it doesn't seem difficult to manage. (They have the same listed ER, but the 30-60 eyecup may be a bit too shallow for some reason, which is a common problem for me with high-ER binoculars.) As to the RB effect, I find I don't even notice it in use, perhaps because it's only in peripheral vision while panning.

 

[tenex]

Complete retraction: while we don't find RB a problem, the 30-60W eyepiece soon turned out to be unusable for us. Both my wife and I (with quite different vision) were getting constant blackouts, not due to eyecups or relief, but because it's intolerant of any deviation from exact centering of the eye. This is true in any circumstance and only gets worse when attempting to pan or at high magnification (small EP). It does have a lovely view, but we can't easily get it. We're going back to the 20-70.

I do wonder how we were blindsided by this, how forent's recent remark in #28 here could be the only hint of this problem on BF. There are so many good reviews of the S2 here, and while a surprising number (to me) seemed to be using 20-70, some had 30-60W as well. I had the impression they were equally good, much as I said above, and one could take either based on personal preference. But that is not our experience. Now I'm curious how anyone who uses or reviewed the 30-60W managed it. Perhaps it works better with eyeglasses?

 

[Bill Atwood]

Complete retraction: while we don't find RB a problem, the 30-60W eyepiece soon turned out to be unusable for us. Both my wife and I (with quite different vision) were getting constant blackouts, not due to eyecups or relief, but because it's intolerant of any deviation from exact centering of the eye. This is true in any circumstance and only gets worse when attempting to pan or at high magnification (small EP). It does have a lovely view, but we can't easily get it. We're going back to the 20-70.

I do wonder how we were blindsided by this, how forent's recent remark in #28 here could be the only hint of this problem on BF. There are so many good reviews of the S2 here, and while a surprising number (to me) seemed to be using 20-70, some had 30-60W as well. I had the impression they were equally good, much as I said above, and one could take either based on personal preference. But that is not our experience. Now I'm curious how anyone who uses or reviewed the 30-60W managed it. Perhaps it works better with eyeglasses?

I do not recall having a blackout issue with the 30x-60x. I wear glasses, but often use scopes without them. Sold the eyepiece because I preferred the extra 10x of the 20x-70x.

 

[artur]

We also have an astro eyepiece giving 88x when we need it.

What is the astro 88x eyepiece that you have that is compatible with the Meopta S2 ???

 

[tenex]

Hi artur, there's an adapter for S2 allowing use of most 1.25" astro eyepieces, and a 5mm gives 88x. (I have Nikon NAVSW) More magnification is possible but increasingly limited by atmospheric seeing.
Meopta s2 82 hd + astro eyepieces

 

[forent]

Complete retraction: while we don't find RB a problem, the 30-60W eyepiece soon turned out to be unusable for us. Both my wife and I (with quite different vision) were getting constant blackouts, not due to eyecups or relief, but because it's intolerant of any deviation from exact centering of the eye. This is true in any circumstance and only gets worse when attempting to pan or at high magnification (small EP). It does have a lovely view, but we can't easily get it. We're going back to the 20-70.

I do wonder how we were blindsided by this, how forent's recent remark in #28 here could be the only hint of this problem on BF. There are so many good reviews of the S2 here, and while a surprising number (to me) seemed to be using 20-70, some had 30-60W as well. I had the impression they were equally good, much as I said above, and one could take either based on personal preference. But that is not our experience. Now I'm curious how anyone who uses or reviewed the 30-60W managed it. Perhaps it works better with eyeglasses?

Sorry to read of your blackout issues with the 30-60x.
I've had similar problems while panning but I'm short-sighted and maybe therefore extremely susceptible for blackouts - unfortunately, many binoculars and scopes drive me mad for this single reason. The longer the eye relief and the wider the field the worse it gets, I think. But because I suppose that blackouts are a far bigger issue for me than for the majority of users I tried not to exaggerate my findings.

 

[tenex]

Blackouts are not a typical issue for me/us, which is why I'm so surprised at this result. Thanks to the kindness of Meopta USA I have both eyepieces in hand this afternoon, and can compare them more carefully. (I unwisely rushed this before, because the 30-60 arrived when we were about to leave on a trip.) There seems to be just enough difference in eye comfort between them to cause us real problems. Even at 70x with its smallest EP I find the 20-70 easy viewing; even with the 30-60 at 30x, I don't. This has been frustrating, but we'll still have a fine scope in the end.

 

[artur]

Write when you thoroughly test both eyepieces. I have a 20-70x eyepiece but I'm going to buy another 30-60x.

 

[tenex]

Being too close to the eyepiece is the most common cause of blackouts, and after more careful examination and comparison, I'm now fairly sure that my own sense of finicky eye positioning with the 30-60W is entirely due to eyecup height (contrary to my earlier impression in #31). With eyecups down, when I hover in the right position I can view either eyepiece equally well... but we don't actually use a scope this way. So our difficulty with the 30-60W seems to involve two factors:

1. The eyecup is a bit too shallow for me/us, which is puzzling because both eyepieces have the same stated eye relief, and same measured eyecup extension. But I have had this problem with some higher-ER bins before, and found that just a millimeter or two can matter. (Anatomical variation is surely involved here, and eyeglasses would presumably avoid the problem.)

2. Overall I/we find single-eyed viewing less comfortable and a poorer connection with an instrument, which exacerbates #1.

If the eyecup was just a bit deeper, I'm fairly sure I'd keep the 30-60W for its FOV as originally intended. But it's not, so we'll happily return to using the 20-70, which also gives a pleasant (simpler) impression in use, when focusing, panning etc.

 

[Royfinn]

Even at 70x with its smallest EP I find the 20-70 easy viewing; even with the 30-60 at 30x, I don't. This has been frustrating, but we'll still have a fine scope in the end.

I have 30-60 eyepiece. I find that 30x is quite easy for me to use. With 60x eye placement is very critical and blackouts are hard to avoid, so the 60x has limited value especially with targets like flying birds.

 

[artur]

Being too close to the eyepiece is the most common cause of blackouts, and after more careful examination and comparison, I'm now fairly sure that my own sense of finicky eye positioning with the 30-60W is entirely due to eyecup height (contrary to my earlier impression in #31). With eyecups down, when I hover in the right position I can view either eyepiece equally well... but we don't actually use a scope this way. So our difficulty with the 30-60W seems to involve two factors:

1. The eyecup is a bit too shallow for me/us, which is puzzling because both eyepieces have the same stated eye relief, and same measured eyecup extension. But I have had this problem with some higher-ER bins before, and found that just a millimeter or two can matter. (Anatomical variation is surely involved here, and eyeglasses would presumably avoid the problem.)

2. Overall I/we find single-eyed viewing less comfortable and a poorer connection with an instrument, which exacerbates #1.

If the eyecup was just a bit deeper, I'm fairly sure I'd keep the 30-60W for its FOV as originally intended. But it's not, so we'll happily return to using the 20-70, which also gives a pleasant (simpler) impression in use, when focusing, panning etc.

Perhaps the problem could be solved by a rubber ring on the shell. It would be more comfortable for the eye socket and the pupil distance would increase by 1-2mm. It is easy to do.