First off, I was not looking to buy a 10x mag, or indeed a Meopta.
There is a shooting shop a mile from my house which I have never been to, as I'm not into shooting, but passing it once again the other week, I wondered what they had as far as optics were concerned.
Well the answer is..... Vortex mainly.
I checked Vortex out when Focus Optics were up and running..... quite impressed but i went Zeiss instead.
So sat there all alone in the cabinet was a Meopta Meostar 10x42HD. Discounted.
They offered me a look, so I said I wasn't particularly interested in 10x format, but out of interest .... why not.
Well, one look through, and I was blown away. This may be because my expectations weren't much I guess.
Half an hour later, I put them back, thanked them and went on my way.
An hour later I was back with my current bins for comparison.
A further hour later, I plonked them on the counter, and asked what they would let them go at.
They were on at £899, discounted to £699..... I chanced my arm, and got them for £500.
Ok.....
.... No technicalities or charts here.... I just looked through them for a while !!!
Very solid Binocular. I like the weight/density of these, and is why they are steady enough for a 10x. My previous 10x's, a while ago now, weren't. But for whatever reason I am able to hold these very steady indeed.
For me, 700grams versus 900 grams is neither here nor there. I know it is to some folk, but they feel like a mini tank, and I like that very much. Great feel.
I have CL 8x25 for when I want lightness.
The view to me is quite warm and colourful after my Zeiss, quite a beautiful view, superb resolution and good clarity towards the edge, plenty good enough for me.
The eyecups, and focuser, are as good as anything I have previously tried. Superb quality there. Good Job.
The strap is awesome, really well made, and is detachable, which I like, well padded, and just WORKS !
The bag is individual taste, Im not so keen on the 'woollen' material, however it all fits nicely, and closes well.
Right....Here we go...
The caps that these come with beggars belief. They must have fallen out of a christmas cracker. Flimsy, tied together with a fine cord, and held in place by the front hinge screw.
NO!... Have it again..... NO!!!! Absolutely NOT on a £1000 bino.
Really poor. Someone need sacking for that!
They WILL NOT stay on, and if it is breezy they swing and flap about, and momentarily obscure the view. Utter CRAP.
I bought some Opticron ones which fit perfectly, and are significantly superior, but the objective lenses on the Meoptas are close to the end of the barrels, so when they push on, the inside recessed part can touch the lenses. I'm going to pad out the inner part of the cover, so it sits 3mm further out. Hopefully sorts it.
I don't like objectives being this close to the ends, but I am very careful with my stuff, so I should be able to manage this!!
The collimation was also out.... Very annoying......but then so were my Zeiss and also my Swaros. Both very slight, I guess 'within tolerance' but NOT spot on as it should be.
I am very susceptible to collimation, so I sent them to Action Optics. They were re-aligned, as they confirmed it was slightly out..... but also they found a few of the screws (not sure which ones) slightly looser than they should have been, so these were tightened accordingly, and waterproofed !!
So this leads me to thinking their quality control isn't good enough. Mine are sorted now, but this shouldn't be required on brand new optics.
Bit disappointing really, but all now taken care of.
But the view is, to my eyes, easily comparible with the Alpha brands. I own, or have owned all three Alphas, and Nikon SE's, but only having two at present. The quality of the optics wants for nothing, very impressive. I will never wish I was holding something else, they are superb. From memory, quite Leica-ish in their view, as I only have Zeiss and Swaro now. But I have always been a Leica fan, and these remind me of them, including the build.
There is no flat field, of which I'm not a fan anyway.
CA is very very low.
Glare is handled very well, much better than my Swaros.
Build (apart from the afore mentioned) appears rock solid, weighty, and they just feel GOOD.
So these are added to the stable. I really like them.
I was not looking to buy, but I was so impressed with these, that I did!!!
I will let my Zeiss go, as they do not get used much, as epic as they are, and this will fund these Meostars and the Habichts I've been wanting for ages
That statement alone should tell you all you need to know about my thoughts on the optical quality of these Meoptas.
The Habichts..... Well.... I just want them..... warts n all !!!
There is a shooting shop a mile from my house which I have never been to, as I'm not into shooting, but passing it once again the other week, I wondered what they had as far as optics were concerned.
Well the answer is..... Vortex mainly.
I checked Vortex out when Focus Optics were up and running..... quite impressed but i went Zeiss instead.
So sat there all alone in the cabinet was a Meopta Meostar 10x42HD. Discounted.
They offered me a look, so I said I wasn't particularly interested in 10x format, but out of interest .... why not.
Well, one look through, and I was blown away. This may be because my expectations weren't much I guess.
Half an hour later, I put them back, thanked them and went on my way.
An hour later I was back with my current bins for comparison.
A further hour later, I plonked them on the counter, and asked what they would let them go at.
They were on at £899, discounted to £699..... I chanced my arm, and got them for £500.
Ok.....
Very solid Binocular. I like the weight/density of these, and is why they are steady enough for a 10x. My previous 10x's, a while ago now, weren't. But for whatever reason I am able to hold these very steady indeed.
For me, 700grams versus 900 grams is neither here nor there. I know it is to some folk, but they feel like a mini tank, and I like that very much. Great feel.
I have CL 8x25 for when I want lightness.
The view to me is quite warm and colourful after my Zeiss, quite a beautiful view, superb resolution and good clarity towards the edge, plenty good enough for me.
The eyecups, and focuser, are as good as anything I have previously tried. Superb quality there. Good Job.
The strap is awesome, really well made, and is detachable, which I like, well padded, and just WORKS !
The bag is individual taste, Im not so keen on the 'woollen' material, however it all fits nicely, and closes well.
Right....Here we go...
The caps that these come with beggars belief. They must have fallen out of a christmas cracker. Flimsy, tied together with a fine cord, and held in place by the front hinge screw.
NO!... Have it again..... NO!!!! Absolutely NOT on a £1000 bino.
Really poor. Someone need sacking for that!
They WILL NOT stay on, and if it is breezy they swing and flap about, and momentarily obscure the view. Utter CRAP.
I bought some Opticron ones which fit perfectly, and are significantly superior, but the objective lenses on the Meoptas are close to the end of the barrels, so when they push on, the inside recessed part can touch the lenses. I'm going to pad out the inner part of the cover, so it sits 3mm further out. Hopefully sorts it.
I don't like objectives being this close to the ends, but I am very careful with my stuff, so I should be able to manage this!!
The collimation was also out.... Very annoying......but then so were my Zeiss and also my Swaros. Both very slight, I guess 'within tolerance' but NOT spot on as it should be.
I am very susceptible to collimation, so I sent them to Action Optics. They were re-aligned, as they confirmed it was slightly out..... but also they found a few of the screws (not sure which ones) slightly looser than they should have been, so these were tightened accordingly, and waterproofed !!
So this leads me to thinking their quality control isn't good enough. Mine are sorted now, but this shouldn't be required on brand new optics.
Bit disappointing really, but all now taken care of.
But the view is, to my eyes, easily comparible with the Alpha brands. I own, or have owned all three Alphas, and Nikon SE's, but only having two at present. The quality of the optics wants for nothing, very impressive. I will never wish I was holding something else, they are superb. From memory, quite Leica-ish in their view, as I only have Zeiss and Swaro now. But I have always been a Leica fan, and these remind me of them, including the build.
There is no flat field, of which I'm not a fan anyway.
CA is very very low.
Glare is handled very well, much better than my Swaros.
Build (apart from the afore mentioned) appears rock solid, weighty, and they just feel GOOD.
So these are added to the stable. I really like them.
I was not looking to buy, but I was so impressed with these, that I did!!!
I will let my Zeiss go, as they do not get used much, as epic as they are, and this will fund these Meostars and the Habichts I've been wanting for ages
That statement alone should tell you all you need to know about my thoughts on the optical quality of these Meoptas.
The Habichts..... Well.... I just want them..... warts n all !!!
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