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Best value in 12x50 Binoculars?

I have a great set of SLC 15x56 but want to try 12x50's. The EL 12x50's look great but $3k is a little much.

Are there any decent 12x50's that run $800 to $1200?

Meopta

I will recommend the Meopta Meostar HD 12x50, it is very good. f. I just got one last summer, high quality optics and well built.

There are not many 12x50's available, and not many in this mid price range. Meopta has really done well with their newest HD binoculars.

I also have experience with many of the top Swarovski's, Zeiss, Nikon etc.

Ted,
As mentioned already, the Meostar HD 12x50 is outstanding.

Maven deserve a serious look.

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.

The GPO happens to be a great glass. I am so confident in it that if anyone buys one from us and isn't thrilled with it we will take it back.

The 12x50 Meopta is 2.4 ounces heavier than the 12x50 Swarovski, 37.4 and 35 ounces, respectively. I guess you could call that a downside.

Might be just me, but I don't see a downside to some weight with the 12x Meopta. While mine generally get used on a tripod, for casual handheld viewing, I find the wee-bit extra weight be a good thing.

Yes...

Kinda makes me curious what the Meopta boys at the booth were thinking of if they are trying to reduce weight and if it was a genuine conversation. Surely they aren't trying to shave off 2.4 ounces re: the Swaro.

If you have much experience, any small difference in weight is not significant at all. The older Swarovski SLC models excel in optics and they were a little heavier than some others.

The Meopta does very we with their newest HD models, similar to the Zeiss Conquest HD, very good values.




You don't buy optics based on weight, the optics are similar, and the price is double with the Swaro. I suppose you should know that.

And by the way, I am a Swarovski fanboy...

Now I'm confused....

What are you talking about?

How about a 7x or 8x 50mm or 56?

It was a genuine conversation with Jaroslav Dosedêl, Meopta’s Global Sales Manager who’s based in the Czech Republic. While he wasn’t specifically talking about the Meostar B1 12x50, his remarks were about the entire Meostar B1 line. It’s my impression that there’s been pressure from the market to strive for lighter and lighter designs. The loudest voice in the market isn’t probably coming from 12x and 15x users. Without making any apologies, Jaroslav succinctly stated, “real glass is heavy.” I asked specifically if they intended to move away from using real glass and was reassured weight savings would come from other areas, like body design and material upgrades. We’d mostly discussed rifle scopes, internals, durability and a bunch of models that I’d never seen before that are used widely by European militaries and security services.

Lastly, I should clarify, it wasn’t my intention to differentiate the GPO as lighter than the Meostar. Stating the GPO “feels light in the hand” was more about ergonomics than overall weight.