Meopta, the company founded in Prerov, Czechoslovakia, in 1933 by physics professor Dr. Alois Mazurek is coming out with a new premium binocular, the MeoStar HD. Up to 1992 Meopta focused on the production of military optical products, including a stretch from 1971 to 1989 where three-quarters of their business was dedicated to manufacturing products for Warsaw Pact countries. Today the company remains headquartered in Prerov, Czechoslovakia, but also has a facility in New York, and their production has gone global.

The new MeoStars come in 12×50 HD and 15×56 HD. They’re designed to be durable and promoted as being capable of withstanding the kind of abuse expected during a hunt with the company saying they designed them with western hunters in mind. Features include large HD fluoride objective lenses to eliminate chromatic aberration and their unique MeoBright ion-assisted lens coating for superior clarity despite less-than-stellar conditions. The aluminum alloy body is said to have “rugged armoring” for the aforementioned toughness while still being ergonomically designed for comfort and ease of use. And with the fact that many hunters will be wearing gloves in mind, Meopta includes an over-sized focus wheel.

One more feature, from Meopta: “Hunters also have the advantage of using a MeoPix adapter in conjunction with the binoculars which allows them to capture extremely detailed images using the camera zoom feature of their iPhone or Samsung Galaxy.”

All Meopta optics are nitrogen purged, waterproof, and fog proof. Nitrogen purging is the process during which dry nitrogen with a -70 degrees Celsius dew point is introduced into an enclosed part of an optics system, under pressure, to create an environment significantly drier than what can be attained with a standard dessicant. The idea of the purge is, in a sense, wringing the binocular’s internal parts like a sponge, after which it’s sealed. When done right, a nitrogen purge vastly increases reliability, performance, and longevity. Meopta also backs its products with a lifetime transferrable warranty.

Visit Meopta’s site at: http://www.meoptasportsoptics.com/

MSRP:
MeoStar 12×50 HD              $1,609.99
MeoStar 15×56 HD              $1,839.99

SPECIFICATIONS:

Model:                                          12×50                     15×56

Magnification:                               12x                         15x
Objective Lens (mm):                   50mm                      56mm
Field of View (ft./1000 yds.):         279 ft.                    221 ft.
Field of View (Degrees):                5.32                       4.21
Eye Relief (mm):                           15.0mm                  15.2mm
Close Focus Distance (ft.):            11.2 ft.                   14.1 ft.
Exit Pupil (mm):                              4.2mm                    3.6mm
Twilight Factor:                               24.5                        29.0
Interpupillary Distance (mm):         56-74                      56-74
Dioptric Correction (D)                   +/- 3                        +/- 3
Height (in):                                      6.8 in.                      7.9 in.
Width (in):                                       5.5 in.                      5.6 in.
Weight (oz):                                    37.4 oz.                   40.6 oz.
Lens Coatings:                                   MeoBright, MeoShield
Waterproof:                                    yes                            yes
Nitrogen Purged:                            yes                            yes
Shockproof:                                    yes                            yes