IR on S&B 8x56

[S&L7x57]

Anybody with a S&B 8x56 with the L3 IR?
I have just taken delivery of a new one of these and am surprised by the very dim IR. It is pretty much invisible on its highest setting in good light. I have changed the battery but still just the same. Problem is that against a dark background, in otherwise good light, it is still invisible. It it at fault or is that S&B's idea?

 

[shbangsteve]

I have S&B Zenith variable. Good red dot clearly visible in daylight on max but to be honest I only use it in the woods, dusk/dawn or at night when foxing.

 

[Overlay]

mine are too bright for day for dusk or dawn settings 1-3 are perfect minute dots with a darkish back stop
is the battery the right one ? voltage

 

[Malxwal]

Sounds like a faulty unit, should vary from very dim to very bright.

 

[Steff]

Anybody with a S&B 8x56 with the L3 IR?
I have just taken delivery of a new one of these and am surprised by the very dim IR. It is pretty much invisible on its highest setting in good light. I have changed the battery but still just the same. Problem is that against a dark background, in otherwise good light, it is still invisible. It it at fault or is that S&B's idea?

The IR on the Klassik scopes is designed for low light / night use only. If you want an IR for bright daylight you'll have to go for the modern designs (Zenith, Stratos, Polar).
So your IR is in perfectly good order.

 

[S&L7x57]

The IR on the Klassik scopes is designed for low light / night use only. If you want an IR for bright daylight you'll have to go for the modern designs (Zenith, Stratos, Polar).
So your IR is in perfectly good order.

Thank you. However I find it SO dim I find it hard to believe it is any use in anything that almost complete darkness. I’ll have a play this evening and see if I am overstating the case.

 

[Mike_E]

I had an illuminated klassik and its very dim. In day light conditions its basically invisible at 11 and even at very last light if it was used it was on setting 5 or so. At night even setting 1 or 2 is barely visible.

 

[Steff]

This is the purpose of it all. There is nothing worse than an overshining IR at night.

 

[Border]

As Rider says this IR is for low light levels only. There the key is to have the lowest amount of reticle illumination to avoid being dazzled. Alot of scopes struggle in this respect that they don't adjust dim enough.

 

[S&L7x57]

Well, you live & learn. I wish I had had the opportunity to see the IR before purchase but I foolishly assumed it would follow the form of my Zeiss and Swaro scopes with useable settings for all light situations and I needed it before my next opportunity to view at the Game Fair. Huge shame as it has defeated one of its main objectives. I am surprised that in none of the tests that I read did they mention the pretty useless range of brightness. Mike_E's comments above pretty much match my observations. My Zeiss and Swaro's IR dim down to very low levels, making them fine for very last light but are useable against dark backgrounds in full daylight. Surely this is not beyond S&B capabilities!

 

[Steff]

Surely this is not beyond S&B capabilities!

Certainly not. But it is all clearly stated on the S&B website.
Most published tests are sheer BS. I read them for entertainment in order to find the things they have obviously not seen in reality.

 

[Totsy]

Have you tried a fresh battery?

 

[S&L7x57]

Have you tried a fresh battery?

First thing I did. No difference.

 

[User00036]

I often wonder about illuminated reticules, used mine when I first got the scope (Meopta), never bothered with it now, never missed it. For ultra fine crosshairs it may be useful? but for me its just another gimmick to fiddle with. I get a better view of the target without it.

 

[Malxwal]

I withdraw my hasty and uninformed earlier comment.
Today, I looked through a brand new one of these, and indeed even on maximum, the illuminated cross is nowhere near the intensity of my Flashdot rets in my Zenith and Stratos scopes. There is correspondingly no markings on the scope to indicate what is suited to day or night use, as there is on my scopes.
Still, really nice scope, simplicity is great, and glass is crystal clear.