12x50 recommendations?

[Tag_Soup]

I am looking to upgrade my 8x42's and 15x56's with a set of 12x50's. I have tried swarovski EL's and don't care much for swarovision (i get rolling ball badly in the ones I have tried). If they made the SLC WB's is 12x50 I would probably go that route, but looks like they don't offer them. Does anyone have any recommendations of other good german optic 12x50's?

 

[full choke]

The Meopta Meostar 12x50's are worth checking out.

 

[AGPank]

I have Leica Ultravid HDs and like them. Very compact for a 12x50.


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[Middleofnowhere]

...I have tried swarovski EL's and don't care much for swarovision (i get rolling ball badly in the ones I have tried)...
...Does anyone have any recommendations of other good german optic 12x50's?

Interesting.

I went the EL route. I am fairly new to using decent glass and thankfully for me the ELs seem good so far.

Unfortunately I don’t have much experience with other high end glass. I did look at Vortex Razors in the 12x50 before I purchased the ELs, they were not worth the price savings to me and the fact they were made in China made them a strong “no” for me.

Years ago, I did get to spend some time behind some Zeiss binos that belonged to my old boss, I was very impressed.

 

[Tag_Soup]

Interesting.

I went the EL route. I am fairly new to using decent glass and thankfully for me the ELs seem good so far.

Unfortunately I don’t have much experience with other high end glass. I did look at Vortex Razors in the 12x50 before I purchased the ELs, they were not worth the price savings to me and the fact they were made in China made them a strong “no” for me.

Years ago, I did get to spend some time behind some Zeiss binos that belonged to my old boss, I was very impressed.

I wanted the EL's to work for me. I tried a friend's 10x42's. If i am holding still they are absolutely incredible, but as soon as I move I get rolling ball and it almost gives me motion sickness. I have heard that you either get it with field flattener lenses or you don't...unfortunately it seems that I do.

 

[Tag_Soup]

The Meopta Meostar 12x50's are worth checking out.

I have been considering this route. Looks like Meopta is coming out with a dual hinge design similar to the EL's that are supposed to save quite a bit of weight, but as of now i'm not sure if they will offer them in 12's. The current Meostars are a bit heavy, although still way better than carrying two pairs.

 

[Tag_Soup]

I have Leica Ultravid HDs and like them. Very compact for a 12x50.


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This is likely where I will end up unless there is something I haven't seen from Zeiss. I owned a pair of Trinovids for a while and I liked them but animals didn't seem to pop out like they did through swaros...I have heard this is because the coatings prioritize red spectrum rather than brown/green. Not sure if this holds true for Ultravids...they are likely in a totally different category.

 

[gr8fuldoug]

The Leica would be the best and after that the Meostar and the, believe me or not, GPO Passion HD

Be my pleasure to discuss this with you if you have the time to give a call, 516-217-1000
Doug

 

[Brian Fahs]

High end leica

 

[Tag_Soup]

The Leica would be the best and after that the Meostar and the, believe me or not, GPO Passion HD

Be my pleasure to discuss this with you if you have the time to give a call, 516-217-1000
Doug

Thanks Doug! I will probably stay with the major euro brands for warranty and track record, but I appreciate the GPO recommendation as I had not heard of them and trust your recommendations. The styling looks nice. I am curious about a few things:

Are they fully made in Germany?

How do the Schmidt Pechan prisms hold up to the Abbe-König the Zeiss Victory and Swaro SLC's are using? Are they the same prisms used in the Swarovski EL's?

 

[gr8fuldoug]

The Leica is

GPO is designed in Germany and made in Japan

 

[Schaaf]

Ive owned 12x50 in Leica, Swarovski, and Meopta.

I swapped my EL’s and now have the Meopta 12x50and I couldn’t be happier.

 

[beachbunny]

what is rolling ball?

 

[Crusader]

I'd been using Minox HG 10x52s for about 10 years. Have really liked them but decided I wanted to go for more magnification and a "step up" in optical performance, something newer. Researched for months and finally settled on Meopta Meostar B1.1 12x50. Have them now and am comparing to my Minox. Honestly, I really can't see much of an improvement, if any. I was expecting a real, "wow" experience but I don't think it's there for me. I think I am going to try Maven 9x45 and 11x45 B2s on their trial program. If either one seems better to me than my new Meoptas, they will be going up for sale. We shall see...

 

[pc3]

I'd been using Minox HG 10x52s for about 10 years. Have really liked them but decided I wanted to go for more magnification and a "step up" in optical performance, something newer. Researched for months and finally settled on Meopta Meostar B1.1 12x50. Have them now and am comparing to my Minox. Honestly, I really can't see much of an improvement, if any. I was expecting a real, "wow" experience but I don't think it's there for me. I think I am going to try Maven 9x45 and 11x45 B2s on their trial program. If either one seems better to me than my new Meoptas, they will be going up for sale. We shall see...

Honestly if the Meostars didnt do it for you I suspect the Maven's will be "thereabouts" to get that wow factor your chasing I think you would have to go straight to Swaro EL's...or maybe the new Leica Noctavids. I personally went with Meostar B1.1 10's over SLC's (looked through SLC's) due to not being "enough" difference to warrant the extra $850 AU, and I couldnt afford the jump to EL's. To date the Meostars are the best bino's I have owned.

I have owned Minox's in the past and they really are underrated for the money.

 

[Life_Feeds_On_Life]

Having used both 12's and 15's quite a bit, I personally would stick with the 8's and 15's. 12's are not fun to hand hold and I like having that extra power of the 15's to pick things apart. But that's just my opinion so in the end you gotta do whatever floats your boat.

 

[Tahoe1305]

I compared the ELs to Meostars over a few days. The edge to edge of the ELs were superior but center resolution was equal and I couldn’t justify the 3x cost of the ELs even though I liked them more.

Meostars are tough to beat. Still have mine.

 

[Phillyd044]

Vortex Razor UHD 12x50?

 

[eltaco]

I wanted the EL's to work for me. I tried a friend's 10x42's. If i am holding still they are absolutely incredible, but as soon as I move I get rolling ball and it almost gives me motion sickness. I have heard that you either get it with field flattener lenses or you don't...unfortunately it seems that I do.

The first time I looked thru a set of ELs, I swore it was the worst pair of Binos I’d ever looked thru. Motion sickness doesn’t even do it justice.

Skip forward about 5yrs and I tried a pair again, and absolutely fell in love. I don’t know how, but my brain figured some crap out in the meantime!

I now own a set of EL 10x50s and absolutely love them!

 

[Tahoe1305]

Vortex Razor UHD 12x50?

I wish I had my pair of UHDs when I had my ELs and meostars. From what I remember they would have fallen right in the middle. I was really impressed with my UHDs. Sold them because I thought I wanted 10x at the time then later decided I wanted 12s. I have a life goal of picking up another pair at some point on the cheap to compare.

OP mentions euro pairs but I think these Japanese made would be a contender as well.