Meopta’s Meostars are hard to beat for the money. Their only downside is the weight. Real glass, in this case fluoride glass, is heavier than coated polymers. This was discussed at length yesterday at their booth, which ranks as one this weeks best visits. They’re working on a second generation “B2” Meostar binocular, but are still a year or two out. Meopta’s folks aim to trim weight without sacrificing optical quality and durability. Great people.
That said, I spent some time with Michael from GPO today. Their 12.5x50mm Passion HD is really quite spectacular and it wasn’t just the view. The binocular feels light in the hand—ergos are fantastic. Focus wheel and diopter adjustments are executed with a pronounced robustness. It might be their crown jewel. I’d like to spend more time with it.
