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re: How much better would a Swarovski Z3 4-12x50 be than my current...
Posted on 12/21/11 at 11:52 pm to prostyleoffensetime
Posted on 12/21/11 at 11:52 pm to prostyleoffensetime
Dicks sporting goods had the 4-12x50 BRH for $999 on cyber Monday. Normal, well at least on optics planet, that reticle is a $400 upgrade. Not sure if they still have it for that price.
I highly recommend that reticle. It's thicker than the BRX but not too thick. I read many reviews and some were saying that the bars on the BRX are too thin for low light hunting.
Either way, congrats on your soon to be scope! I love mine more than any of my others and my only regret is that I could only afford one when they were 25% off!
I highly recommend that reticle. It's thicker than the BRX but not too thick. I read many reviews and some were saying that the bars on the BRX are too thin for low light hunting.
Either way, congrats on your soon to be scope! I love mine more than any of my others and my only regret is that I could only afford one when they were 25% off!
1
Posted on 12/21/11 at 11:58 pm to Ice Cream Sammich
I haven't had any experience with the swarvoski, but I a Meopta 4 x 12 x56 that I am able to see well past dark with. Got it for around 860 lifetime warranty and 30mm tube
Posted on 12/22/11 at 9:20 am to prostyleoffensetime
What power did you have your scope on when you couldn't see the deer?
It sounds like you've already made up your mind but if you really want maximum low light performance, you need to look at a fixed 6x.
Low light performance is primarily influenced by lens coatings, number of lenses, and exit pupil. Exit pupil is easy to determine, just divide the size of the objective by the power. So, at 6x the exit pupil on a 42 mm scope is 7. 7 mm is as far as the human eye can possibly dilate, so anything more than that in a scope is wasted as that the eye can't utilize it. At 12x the exit pupil on a 50 mm scope is a little over 4, so you are really shortchanging yourself when you have it set up on high power in low light. Drop it down to 5x or 6x for best performance.
Nowadays, even the coatings on the cheapest scopes are good at transmitting light, so the next most important thing is how many lenses must the light go through before it gets to your eye. The more lenses, the more light is bled off before you see it. Therefore, fixed power scopes work best in low light.
The absolute BEST low light scopes in the world are fixed power Schmidt and Benders in the 7x50mm or 8x56mm class. They use those in Germany and they hunt at night with them. However, they aren't for sale generally here in the U.S.. The best scope for low light transmission commonly available here will be something in the fixed 6x range.
A fixed 6x of a little lesser quality overall, will outperform a more expensive and better quality variable nearly everytime.
It sounds like you've already made up your mind but if you really want maximum low light performance, you need to look at a fixed 6x.
Low light performance is primarily influenced by lens coatings, number of lenses, and exit pupil. Exit pupil is easy to determine, just divide the size of the objective by the power. So, at 6x the exit pupil on a 42 mm scope is 7. 7 mm is as far as the human eye can possibly dilate, so anything more than that in a scope is wasted as that the eye can't utilize it. At 12x the exit pupil on a 50 mm scope is a little over 4, so you are really shortchanging yourself when you have it set up on high power in low light. Drop it down to 5x or 6x for best performance.
Nowadays, even the coatings on the cheapest scopes are good at transmitting light, so the next most important thing is how many lenses must the light go through before it gets to your eye. The more lenses, the more light is bled off before you see it. Therefore, fixed power scopes work best in low light.
The absolute BEST low light scopes in the world are fixed power Schmidt and Benders in the 7x50mm or 8x56mm class. They use those in Germany and they hunt at night with them. However, they aren't for sale generally here in the U.S.. The best scope for low light transmission commonly available here will be something in the fixed 6x range.
A fixed 6x of a little lesser quality overall, will outperform a more expensive and better quality variable nearly everytime.
Posted on 12/22/11 at 10:15 am to prostyleoffensetime
If you want light gathering, get something with a 30mm tube and a 50something mm objective.
Posted on 12/22/11 at 10:19 am to Hawgon
I was going back and forth trying anything between 6 and 10 power. My binos are 12x50 and I could have made the shot with a scope as good as my binos.
Posted on 12/22/11 at 11:14 am to prostyleoffensetime
The Zeiss Diavari V is 56mm with a 30mm tube. You can see very well in twilight with it. Spend the bucks and be done with it.
Posted on 12/22/11 at 11:17 am to Nawlens Gator
Things like that are made to hunt in europe at night. Anything with those dimensions should be a great low-light scope.
The OP needs to be careful though. He may find himself staying on his stand a little to late on those full moon nights
The OP needs to be careful though. He may find himself staying on his stand a little to late on those full moon nights
Posted on 12/22/11 at 11:34 am to prostyleoffensetime
quote:
I was going back and forth trying anything between 6 and 10 power. My binos are 12x50 and I could have made the shot with a scope as good as my binos.
Here is a truth about optics. They don't make scopes as good as your binos. Binos are made to look through, often for hours at a time by birders and those spotting for big game. A scope is an aiming device. They are not made to look at game through. They are made to adequately frame the game within the desired design specifications in order to frame the crosshairs on said game and make the shot.
A set of two hundred dollar Burris binoculars will outperform a $2,000 Schmidt and Bender riflescope when it comes to viewing animals through them. Ever try to see something with one eye and fail, and then open up the other one and it suddenly comes into focus and view? You're not comparing apples to apples.
This post was edited on 12/22/11 at 11:37 am
Posted on 12/22/11 at 12:38 pm to prostyleoffensetime
You can't go wrong with any of the big 3. S/B, Swarovski or Zeiss. Anyone telling you they can tell the difference between the 3 in comparable models is full of it and all 3 are miles better than anything else out there. I have all 3, 2 in binos and a Swar spotting scope. Pick the one you like and take good care of it.
Posted on 12/22/11 at 12:39 pm to Hawgon
quote:
A set of two hundred dollar Burris binoculars will outperform a $2,000 Schmidt and Bender riflescope
Not so fast my friend....
Posted on 12/22/11 at 12:42 pm to ccomeaux
quote:
Not so fast my friend....
Sure they will. Two eyes is better than one. Especially when those two eyes are looking through a device made to observe things through and the one eye is looking through an aiming device.
Posted on 12/22/11 at 1:20 pm to Hawgon
UPDATE : Went shopping and couldn't find it anywhere in Jackson. What a shocker. Went to another place and a guy talked me into a Zeiss Conquest 3-12x56 with the 30 mm tube for $1000.
Posted on 12/22/11 at 3:42 pm to prostyleoffensetime
You know you want it but really don't need it. I dont have one my hunting buddy does. They are really nice. Will you kill more deer with it. No. Will it make you a better hunter. no. Will it impress your hunting buddies, yes. So treat yourself man. Life is short.
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