John B, have you had a chance to evaluate these binoculars? I lost my Pentax WCF WP binoculars and am looking close at the Zeiss. I am hoping for a major upgrade. Thoughts on the Zeiss Conquest HD 10x42?

The Conquest HD's are good glass, but in my experience won't be a major upgrade from your Pentax, if any. One of the continuing trends in optics is not nearly as much difference as there used to be in optical quality at different prices.

MD, I am currently in the market for bino's as well. How do the Meopta Meostar 10x42's compare to the Pentax, Zeiss HD's and other similar bino's in that price range?

Sorry for the derailment on this, but it's tough to pick a pair of bino's these days with so many choices.

Very tough! Thanks john. I keep hoping I will find my Pentax, but it's looking bleak.

beretz,

I assume you're talking about the HD version? They're excellent optically, giving up very little to just about anything made. The only downside is they're on the heavy side, if that's a consideration, but that's because they're very rugged.

Sakoluvr,

Don't give up. I thought I'd lost one of my good binoculars this summer, but found them again after about three months--right in the door where I'd stashed them in a hurry, and then forgotten about it.

There are some excellent binoculars out there for $500 or less these days, as good as anything available for $800-$1000 a decade ago. You might consider one of those, and then if your Pentax reappears you'll have a backup.

I had a chance to compare my 10x50 Vortex Viper HD against a 10x42 Swarovski on an elk hunt last week.

The Viper was within a very, very small margin of equaling the Swaro in optical quality (sharpness). What I did give up with the Vipers was comfort.

I wear glasses, and I could pick up the Swaros and immediately look through crystal-clear glass. The Vipers took some jiggling around to to find that "sweet spot" in positioning the eyecup perfectly in front of each eyeglass lens. This happened every time I picked them up. Those who don't wear glasses can often put the eyecups repeatedly in the same place by pressing them into the same place against the eye socket or the bridge of the nose, but I find that with glasses, you just scoot them around until it's clear.

Anyway, I love my Vipers and they have excellent glass, but if I had the money, I'd buy the Swaros.

Depending on the particular Swarovski, the eye relief might be a little longer too, which helps those of us who wear glasses. A lot of people don't consider eye relief in binoculars, but it can make a definite difference.

I heard that some guy just published a book all about optics that might be help full to folks who want to buy new optics.

I found em! When my son got his bear a few weeks ago I had em on and removed them when it came time to get the bear out of the woods. I swore I left them at the site of the kill, but could not find them despite going back to look 2x.

Stashed them in a pack back at the cabin, and found them today. Joy!

Yeah, I heard that guy is pretty sharp on optics and reloading too. I also heard he has a wife who's a cooking machine...written books on wild game preparation.

Sounds like a very lucky buck. i mean guy.