I want to upgrade from my 8x42 Nikon Monarchs with which I have been generally very pleased. I tried the 8x42 Bushnell Elites but,while they were ergonomically and aesthetically superior, they did not provide a major optical improvement vs the Monarchs.
I am now considering 8x40 Zeiss Conquests and 8x40 or 7x40 Meopta Meostars. Which of these are more likely to give me the optical improvement over the Monarchs that I am seeking? Thanks.
I would, without question, choose the Meoptas over the Conquests. The Conquests offer a very good level of centerfield sharpness. However, the outer edges offer noticeable distortion and the field of view, for the 8x, is only 360 feet in comparison to the 411 feet of either the 7x or 8x Meopta. In addition, the Meopta exhibits less edge distortion and seems to offer a brighter image though the latter may be more of a result of the wider field of view and possible warm color bias.
Physically the Meoptas are larger and heavier but not by a signficant amount. They are very well contoured and balanced. In my opinion they are physically similar to the Trinovids in terms of weight, height and shape.
There is nothing "wrong" with the Conquests but if you are looking for the biggest change from your Monarchs then I would suggest the Meoptas.
I want to comment further on the Meoptas. I have finally settled on a pair of the 8x42s. I have the 7x42s in my possession at the moment as well but have decided to send them back. I could tell very little in terms of improved optical performance when going from the 8x to the 7x. The image might have been the slightest bit brighter but I did not notice any difference in the depth of field and the field of view between both configurations is identical. With that thought in mind the larger apparent field of the 8xs proved the deciding factor in choosing one over the other.
I am quite impressed by these bins. As mentioned in previous posts they do not have quite the contrast of my Leica Trinovids or my Nikon Venturers but they come close and without sacrificing field of view or a relatively large sweet spot as some other models might. After some time with them I believe the slightly lower level of contrast is the result of some stray light within the binocular. I do not have the experience to comment on exactly where this might be coming from in the sense of internal baffling, etc... but it is noticeable in direct comparison to the other bins I mentioned. Other than that, from an optical perspective, I have only positive comments to make.
-Field of view, true and apparent, is excellent.
-Color is very good with a slight warm bias.
-Brightness is excellent.
-Apparent sharpness is very good
In terms of design I think the binoculars are very ergonomic with excellent balance. The eyecups rotate a little too easily and the diopter could offer some locking type mechanism but otherwise I am quite content with them.
In concluding though I feel obligated to mention the issue of quality control. The first pair of 8x42s that I owned was excellent in this regard as is the pair I have now and the 10x50s I had for a brief time. However, the second pair of 8x42s and to some extent the 7x42s seem to suffer from some issue possibly related to the optical alignment or collimation. In both cases I had a very difficult time obtaining a relaxed image. At first I thought it might be related to the diopter setting as I was forced to constantly readjust it under a variety of conditions. However, after similar experiences with other bins from other manufacturers I believe it to be one of the other two problems I mentioned.
If Meopta is able to rectify this issue then I would have no problem recommending these bins highly for roof prisms in the $700-$900 price range.