Steiner Predator 10x42 vs Meopta MeoStar B1 Plus 10x42
Quick take: The Steiner Predator 10x42 costs $30 less; the Meopta MeoStar B1 Plus 10x42 has a wider field of view (330 vs 324 ft @ 1000 yds).
Field of view, to scale
Top-down view · drawn to true scale — no exaggeration
Which one to buy
Thirty dollars separates these 10x42s, and owners put them in different classes. Meopta MeoStar B1 Plus owners describe near-alpha optics: dawn brightness that beats similarly priced rivals, resolution strong enough that some decided they didn't need a higher-power binocular, natural color, a buttery focus wheel, and a magnesium body that feels more solid than a premium German competitor. It adds ED glass and dielectric prism coatings. The catch is that it is discontinued, so it may be hard to find new, and owners already reported spotty US stock before that.
Steiner Predator 10x42 owners are loyal for other reasons: tough NBR armor, grippy ergonomics that work with gloves, bright views through legal shooting light, and pairs that have lasted decades. They also relay that independent testers scored its clarity and brightness mid-pack for the price and couldn't verify the game-highlighting effect of its coatings, and that enthusiasts point buyers elsewhere at full price. The diopter is stiff and the eyebox fussy.
On paper they're close: the same 4.2mm exit pupil, 16mm of eye relief and 6.6 ft close focus, fields of 324 ft and 330 ft, with the Meopta lighter at 24.7 oz against 26.3 oz. Eye relief is snug on both, and owners of each say glasses wearers with deep-set eyes may lose the edges. Meopta's warranty is limited lifetime; Steiner's is lifetime.
If a new B1 Plus turns up near $800, it is the better binocular by a clear margin. If not, the Predator is a tough, current hunting glass, but at $770 even its own owners say you can do better optically, so wait for a discount.
Steiner Predator 10x42
For hunters who put toughness and a lifetime warranty first and can buy it on sale; skip it at full price.
Meopta MeoStar B1 Plus 10x42
The better optics for nearly the same money, if you can still find one new; it is discontinued and stock was already thin.
| Spec | Steiner Predator 10x42 | Meopta MeoStar B1 Plus 10x42 |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$770 | ~$800 |
| Use case | Hunting | Hunting |
| Magnification | 10x | 10x |
| Objective | 42mm | 42mm |
| Exit pupil | 4.2mm | 4.2mm |
| Field of view | 324 ft @ 1000 yds | 330 ft @ 1000 yds |
| Eye relief | 16mm | 16mm |
| Close focus | 6.6 ft | 6.6 ft |
| Prism | Roof | Roof |
| Glass | HD | HD |
| Coating | Fully Multi-Coated | Fully Multi-Coated |
| Weight | 26.3 oz | 24.7 oz |
| Dimensions | 5.5 x 4.9 in | 5.5 x 4.9 in |
| Warranty | Lifetime | Limited Lifetime |
Feature comparison
Steiner Predator 10x42
- ✗ED Glass
- ✓Phase-Corrected
- ✗Dielectric Coating
- ✓Waterproof
- ✓Fogproof
- ✗Image Stabilized
- ✓Tripod Adaptable
- ✗Magnesium Body
- ✓Locking Diopter
Meopta MeoStar B1 Plus 10x42
- ✓ED Glass
- ✓Phase-Corrected
- ✓Dielectric Coating
- ✓Waterproof
- ✓Fogproof
- ✗Image Stabilized
- ✓Tripod Adaptable
- ✓Magnesium Body
- ✓Locking Diopter
What birders say
Steiner Predator 10x42
- ✓The 10x reach suits the open-country side of the Predator's hunting mission - antelope, mule deer, and cross-canyon glassing where 8x runs out of magnification
- ✓Same CAT (Color Adjusted Transmission) coatings hunters buy the line for - owners report game colors standing out against foliage and filtered glare off leaves
- ✓Low-light capability earns repeated praise in hunting reviews - testers found dawn and dusk images stayed impressively bright through legal shooting light
- ✓Steiner's build toughness is the brand's calling card, with NBR rubber armor and owner reports of Predators lasting decades of field abuse
- ✓Grippy, hunter-friendly ergonomics with molded thumb rests that reviewers single out - easy to hold steady with gloves on
- ✓6.6 ft close focus is excellent for a 10x hunting binocular
- ✓At 26.3 oz it's mid-weight for a rugged 10x42 - a little heavier than a Vortex Viper HD 10x42
- ✓Lifetime Heritage Warranty and US-based service, with long-term owners vouching that the company stands behind it
- ✗The 16mm eye relief is snug - eyeglass-wearing hunters can struggle to see the full field, more so than on the 17.25mm 8x42
- ✗Independent testers couldn't verify the CAT coating's game-highlighting claims, finding no measurable visibility advantage over ordinary competitors
- ✗Optics-forum enthusiasts are notoriously lukewarm on Steiner roof prisms, calling them overpriced for the optical performance and pointing buyers to Vortex Viper HD instead
- ✗Comparative testing of the Predator line scored clarity and brightness mid-pack for the price bracket
- ✗324 ft field of view is average, and combined with the fussy eyebox some owners describe, finding and holding the image takes more care than with easier-viewing rivals
- ✗The stiff, awkward diopter adjustment complaint applies across the Predator line
- ✗10x magnification amplifies hand shake, so long looks want a brace or a tripod
- ✗Wild street-price swings (roughly $330 to $650) mean you can easily overpay - forum advice is to only buy on sale
Meopta MeoStar B1 Plus 10x42
- ✓Genuine near-alpha optics - reviewers repeatedly describe 'alpha-level optical performance at roughly half the price of Swarovski or Zeiss equivalents'
- ✓Long-range hunters report the brightness 'blows away' similarly priced competitors, with one review measuring usable dawn detail well ahead of rivals
- ✓Resolution good enough that owners say most people 'would not bother with the 15x' - it resolves distant detail beyond what its price suggests
- ✓The B1 Plus update adds a locking diopter, an extra eyecup position, revised lighter ergonomic armor, and MeoDrop hydrophobic lens coating over the already-loved B1
- ✓Buttery-smooth focus wheel with ideal resistance, usable with either hand and gloves
- ✓Made start-to-finish in Meopta's Czech factory, with the premium fluoride HD glass and MeoBright coatings the brand supplies to bigger names
- ✓Robust magnesium build that reviewers judge more solidly assembled than the Zeiss Conquest HD it competes with
- ✓Superb natural color rendition and contrast that owners consistently mention alongside far more expensive glass
- ✗Eye relief in the 15-16mm range is merely adequate - eyeglass wearers with deep-set eyes report clipping the field edges
- ✗Edge sharpness softens toward the periphery; it lacks the field-flattener polish of the true alphas it otherwise chases
- ✗Mild chromatic aberration appears in harsh high-contrast scenes, unlike the essentially CA-free flagship class
- ✗Meopta's US retail presence is thin, so most buyers purchase sight-unseen - and post-2024 distribution changes have made stock spottier
- ✗Eyecups can feel stiff out of the box, per multiple owner reports
- ✗Brand prestige and resale value trail Swarovski, Zeiss, and Leica despite competitive glass
- ✗Transmission, while excellent, still measures a step behind the Zeiss Conquest HD in independent comparisons
- ✗Slightly heavier in hand than the newest generation of premium 10x42s
Steiner Predator 10x42 vs Meopta MeoStar B1 Plus 10x42: common questions
Is the Meopta MeoStar B1 Plus 10x42 optically better than the Steiner Predator 10x42?▾
By owner accounts, clearly. Meopta owners describe near-alpha brightness and resolution, while Predator owners relay independent testing that scored its clarity and brightness mid-pack for the price. The Predator's strengths are toughness, grip and its warranty rather than the image.
Are the Steiner Predator 10x42 and Meopta B1 Plus 10x42 good with glasses?▾
Both are marginal. Each has 16mm of eye relief, and owners of both say glasses wearers, especially those with deep-set eyes, can lose the edges of the field. Try either with your glasses on before committing if you can.
Is the Meopta MeoStar B1 Plus 10x42 harder to buy than the Steiner Predator 10x42?▾
Yes. The B1 Plus is discontinued and may be hard to find new, and owners say Meopta's US dealer network was thin even before that, so many bought sight unseen. The Predator is the easier of the two to find, try and return.