The easy DIY eyecup mod for the Meostar 32mm you’ve been waiting for! (2 Viewers)

[eitanaltman]

So like many, I love the optics of the 8x32 Meostar, and I love the ergonomics too EXCEPT for those blasted teeny weeny eyecups.

I also happen to love Leica Ultravid eyecups, and as I posted last year in this thread I discovered the rubber part of the UV eyecup is not adhered on, but rather just tightly gripping around the rim of the barrel. In that thread I found that it fit nicely as a replacement for the harder more plasticky eyecup of the old Trinovid BA/BN.

I had previously used the rubber bicycle inner tube mod on the little Meostars, but never was in love with it. Having recently acquired another 8x32 Meostar (actually a Cabelas Instinct EuroHD, ie, a B1.1) I noticed that those little eyecups are fairly similar sized to the inner rim of the UV eyecup barrel.

So this past weekend at the San Diego bird festival the Leica rep was kind enough to give me a spare pair of UV eyecups, the longer style that comes with the 10x42 (the rubber eyecup is shorter on the 7x42).

Here’s the UV eyecup next to the Meostar with the rubber inner tube mod on the eyecups:




And here’s some looks at the stock Meostar eyecup vs the UV barrel with the rubber cover pried off:






You can see the similarity in size between the inner barrel of the UV and the outer diameter of the Meostar eyecup. Also I tried to show the inner grooves of the UV rubber eyecup cover.

Long story short, the UV rubber eyecup slips right over the stock Meostar eyecup! Voila! No damage or modifications to the stock Meostar eyecups needed. The 32mm Meostar with the proper sized, lovely textured eyecups of the Leica Ultravid, and no junky looking DIY feel at all!






The outer sleeve is a bit loose so you can wiggle it slightly but it’s not falling off accidentally (the inner lip at the base grips under the lip of the Meostar eyecup perfectly). A little spot of adhesive would remedy that if you care. I’m now curious to try the shorter rubber eyecups from the 7x42 to see if they are a bit tighter of a fit, but these work just wonderfully and 100% resolve the eyecup / eye relief issues of the Meostar for non eyeglass wearers!

This was the only meaningful (to me) flaw of these binoculars, after cycling through a bunch of other mid level 8x32’s the Meostars always had my favorite view (most similar to that of my 7x42 Ultravid) and now the ergonomics are perfect too. I have attained “plop them in my eye sockets and enjoy the view with zero fuss” nirvana, no more weird balancing acts on the underside of my brow! and for those who prefer to not shove them all the way into the eye sockets, the extra girth and extension of the UV eyecup makes it much more practical to retract the eyecups and rest them against the rim of the socket / underside of the brow.

A few more shots of the fully assembled setup with eyecups up and down:

 

[jgraider]

Good stuff! I used to do the same thing with large, long o-rings that fit just like that. Perfect!

 

[yarrellii]

Now this is hugely interesting, I wasn't aware of this thread until I saw it on your sale-ad (pity I live the wrong side of the Pond, otherwise I'd buy those in a whim.
I wonder if this would also work with other narrow-gauged eyecups (Retrovid 7x35, Swarovski CL 8x30, etc.), because it really looks classy and comfy at the same time.

 

[Upland]

Great idea. I wish the bino companies would make an extender eyecup for their glasses. I have gotten rid of lots of binos because the eyecups were too short and narrow. I know I’m not the only one because I hear the same comments a lot here.

 

[yarrellii]

Great idea. I wish the bino companies would make an extender eyecup for their glasses. I have gotten rid of lots of binos because the eyecups were too short and narrow. I know I’m not the only one because I hear the same comments a lot here.

Same here, couldn't agree more. I understand that it's probably not feasible in a pair of cheap 100 $ binoculars, but when you're talking about something in the region of 1000 $ and more, I don't see why manufacturers can't simply offer it as an option, even at a slight extra cost. I surely wouldn't mind paying extra 30 - 50 $ to get the fit just right in a brand new pair of 1000 $ binoculars. Most (if not all) of the +1000 $ models do in fact have un-screwable/replaceable eyecups, which seems an ideal starting point to offer different eyecup configurations, the same way some shoe manufacturers offer their models in narrow, regular and wide.

 

[has530]

This is great! I got these on the Cabela's deal a while ago and loved them except the tiny short eyecups and just got the UV eyecups in today from Leica and it worked like a charm. I now finally have an 8x32 I have virtually no complaints with. Thank you!

 

[Normsc]

Where is a good place to order the Leica UV eyecups from in the US? Also, has anyone found good fitting objective lens covers? The Cabelas Euro Instinct ones do not stay on.

 

[has530]

Where is a good place to order the Leica UV eyecups from in the US? Also, has anyone found good fitting objective lens covers? The Cabelas Euro Instinct ones do not stay on.

Just contact leica usa and they will either give them to you or point you in the right direction. As for the objective covers, I haven't gotten mad enough to replace them yet but they are problematic!

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

I’d totally overlooked this thread. Thanks for posting Eitan.

I suppose these need to be purchased from Leica UK if living in the UK? Wouldn’t mind giving them a go.

Rich

 

[Rg548]

I’d totally overlooked this thread. Thanks for posting Eitan.

I suppose these need to be purchased from Leica UK if living in the UK? Wouldn’t mind giving them a go.

Rich

Please report back if you get some,
Regards

 

[[email protected]]

I just received some Leica Ultravid 10x42 eye cups from Leica for my Meopta Meostar B.1 Plus 8x32 binoculars, and they fit perfect. They look like they were made for the Meopta! You just them on over the Meopta eye cups. I can now use my Meostar binoculars at the first click stop with the eye cups inserted into my eye sockets with NO black-outs. Wonderful! You have to replace the Meopta rain guard because they are too small for the bigger Leica eye cups, but that is very easy to do with aftermarket rain guards. Excellent modification. Thanks, Eitanaltman!

​

 

[[email protected]]

Once you install the bigger Leica Ultravid 10x42 eye cups, the Meostar rain guard will now be too small for it. I found this rain guard in 38.5 mm to 40.7 mm ID on Amazon.com, and it works pretty good on the Leica Ultravid 10x42 eye cups.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09SQ7DS7N?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

 

[badger109]

I just received some Leica Ultravid 10x42 eye cups from Leica for my Meopta Meostar B.1 Plus 8x32 binoculars, and they fit perfect. They look like they were made for the Meopta! You just them on over the Meopta eye cups. I can now use my Meostar binoculars at the first click stop with the eye cups inserted into my eye sockets with NO black-outs. Wonderful! You have to replace the Meopta rain guard because they are too small for the bigger Leica eye cups, but that is very easy to do with aftermarket rain guards. Excellent modification. Thanks, Eitanaltman!

​

great info! I just acquired the Cabelas Instinct EuroHD from the classifieds & really need this mod.
@[email protected] - Any tips for dealing with Lecia cust service? They seem a bit slow on the reply. They asked for a serial number. I asked for a way to get the eye cup assemblies as a non-warranty item. Haven't heard back. Maybe I'll try a phone call instead?

In the mean time I sourced a used Zeiss Conquest HD & also received extended eye cups. I planned to A:B compare then "catch & release" one or the other. I'd like to level the playing field with the Leica eyecups mod and give the Meopta's a chance! So far, I'm very impressed & struggle to discern much of a difference in the models (other than eye relief & narrow cups).

 

[pat mitchel]

I do have one question; When you extend the height of the eyecup, do you lose the ability to access full field if wearing glasses when the eyecup is all the way down? Regards, Pat

 

[has530]

I do have one question; When you extend the height of the eyecup, do you lose the ability to access full field if wearing glasses when the eyecup is all the way down? Regards, Pat

I dont use glasses but I think the answer to your question is yes. These go fully over the original eyecups so they both extend beyond the originals forcing eye placement further from the eye lens (because of this I actually use them on the first click out rather than the second to get the full FOV) and prevent them from fully twisting all the way down.

 

[pat mitchel]

Thanks for the reply- so there is truth in the axiom "there ain't no free lunch" Regards, Pat

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Please report back if you get some,
Regards

Hi Rg. Apologies for the late response. Have only just acquired a set of Ultravid eyecups. They appear to fit very well and are more comfortable for me. Will check them out properly tomorrow when it’s light.

Rich

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

And thanks to Dennis for sending me another link to this thread.

Rich

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Tried them out today whilst walking the hound up the lane. For me the new eyecups make them much more comfortable. Can’t help but think they should leave the factory like this.

Rich

 

[Ries]

I’m now curious to try the shorter rubber eyecups from the 7x42 to see if they are a bit tighter of a fit,

Have you ever tried this?

Glad to have retrieved this thread, had forgotten which eyecups were the solution