Hi all,
has anyone directly compared these two? If so what are the differences optically?
I find myself needing more light gathering in this dark winter we are having.
The Meopta appeals because I know how good it will be because I have the 8x32s and being 42mm the ligh gathering is bound to be impressive.
But the weight of 900g is massive and really off putting. My poor neck!
The ED2s appeal because I have read so many good things on here and being 7x36 the light gathering should be good and they are much lighter at about 700g.
And they have a big fov so afov is good too.
Are the ED2s bright? I ask because my Meopta 8x32s are brighter than some 8x42s.
Thanks
Martin
The ED2 is very bright. Also i think the ED2 has better optics then the meopta. Meopta has a slight yellow bias and show much more ca. The optics in the ED2 is one of the best out on the market at the moment, imo.
Steve (mooreorless) has tried both the 8x42 Meoptas and 7x36 ED2s and could probably give you some idea of how they compare, though I would imagine CA is a bit less in the 7x42 Meopta.
The ED2s are very bright. On a dismal overcast day, they provided a brighter view of the landscape than my 8x32 SE, which is often compared with 8x42 bins.
I also used the 7x26 ED2 in the evening and at night, and I was surprised how bright the images were for a midsized bin. Of course, in low light situations, the exit pupil size is also a factor, and the ED2's exit pupils are about the same size as an 8x42 (5.14mm vs. 5.25mm).
The ED2's light weight is a relief to my neck. Some people have complained about the long strap, and for short users, I can see how the bin might end up becoming a "codpiece." :-)
However, I'm tall so it rests on my stomach, and I put one arm underneath the strap and turn the bins to the side and wear them bandolier style, which takes all the pressure off my neck while walking with them.
The other nice feature of the ED2 is the open bridge design, which works well for my large hands, but the design could also work well for users with smaller hands, because the length and diameter of the bins are smaller than the full sized models.
It's certainly not as compact as an 8x32 closed bridge roof such as an 8x32 Meopta or LX, but it has better DOF than the LX and more 3-D like images. The longer FL also helps reduce CA.
The optics are amazingly sharp and the CA is very low. In most situations, I can't see any CA on axis. I used the bins when the trees and ground were covered in snow, and I didn't see any CA with birds against the snow (though I didn't try this with crows, which would have been the "litmus test").
The right EP diopter vs. Meopta's on-the-focuser diopter might be another issue to consider.
My one gripe is the stiff focuser, but some people with the second gen ED2 say the focuser is smoother. Not sure if they improved the focuser or if it's just sample variation.