Is the sun setting on expensive glass?

[nf-fuse]

With most people needing both partners to work full time to afford to live it puts the majority of people (with any hobby) into a place where they are cash poor and ever more time poor! Buying a cheaper digital scope that allows more opportunities for shooting makes more sense than a scope that costs 3 times as much and would probably mean less chance to shoot a deer.

Very good point this. I usually don't get to out shooting till after the kids are in bed. An nv scope lets me shoot at night (not deer obviously!).

Even so I went out at 7 the other night and my Zulus was about to pick out deer to an hour past sunset which couldn't be seen on my buddy's Swarovski. (All roe does unfortunately).

People talk about digital not lasting. Probably true but if you were the manufacturer would you rather sell a new one every 5 years or support your glass product for 35 years.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Very good point this. I usually don't get to out shooting till after the kids are in bed. An nv scope lets me shoot at night (not deer obviously!).

Even so I went out at 7 the other night and my Zulus was about to pick out deer to an hour past sunset which couldn't be seen on my buddy's Swarovski. (All roe does unfortunately).

People talk about digital not lasting. Probably true but if you were the manufacturer would you rather sell a new one every 5 years or support your glass product for 35 years.

Hmmm.
For many years glass scopes manufacturers majored on their light gathering ability as a prime selling point and to differentiate between high and lower end marques - “that extra twenty minutes etc..”.
However I think the astonishing light-gathering of the Zulus and other digital scopes would surprise a lot of traditional glass telescopic sight owners. I have found to my surprise that even the add-on Pard will noticeably enhance a lower-end Hawke’s light gathering to the point of matching if not exceeding that of top end scopes. Those who prefer the aesthetics of a traditional scope will have noted that many digital scopes are now of that design too…..
I have posted this before but as an example of the Zulus - note the bc calculated distance - I couldn’t make out the hedgerow where the hares were never mind the hares themselves.

 

[Jameshenry]

Just recently bought and alpex and it's a good bit of kit...but I just don't trust it like I do with my old S&B 6 x 42 I bought new with my old sako 75 , that was over 20 odd years ago, and It's held zero since the first day I used it,

 

[Bowland blades]

Digital plays up way more than good quality optics . Its only once the light fades right down into darkness they have an advantage . As someone who hunted at night with lights i can tell you 100% we really did Ok using the spotlight , lamp shy foxes where ones someone missed or the second of two who escaped the next shot .
Digital is something i sort of regret purchasing and its inferior in all daylight shooting and also general reliability .
My hikmicro lives in its box now all my rifles have S&Bender or Leupold,
As regards Thermal ? I certainly get the ability to spot inside a treeline but i am talking spotter not on a rifle - Spotting with the rifle (and this also pertains at night) Is dead wrong its breaks that long held golden rule .
If you are into the day and NV scopes on your rifle , great
Shooting with lights are a different matter and is something that i have been doing for over 40 years .

 

[BLUEROLL]

Digital plays up way more than good quality optics . Its only once the light fades right down into darkness they have an advantage . As someone who hunted at night with lights i can tell you 100% we really did Ok using the spotlight , lamp shy foxes where ones someone missed or the second of two who escaped the next shot .
Digital is something i sort of regret purchasing and its inferior in all daylight shooting and also general reliability .
My hikmicro lives in its box now all my rifles have S&Bender or Leupold,
As regards Thermal ? I certainly get the ability to spot inside a treeline but i am talking spotter not on a rifle - Spotting with the rifle (and this also pertains at night) Is dead wrong its breaks that long held golden rule .
If you are into the day and NV scopes on your rifle , great
Shooting with lights are a different matter and is something that i have been doing for over 40 years .

Yep nothing beats good glass for the woodland, but then all you have to do is attach a HIK Thunder 3 TQ50 on the front and your go to go with foxing after dark.

 

[kenbro]

Yep nothing beats good glass for the woodland, but then all you have to do is attach a HIK Thunder 3 TQ50 on the front and your go to go with foxing after dark.

And will you be confident that your zero will be good?
KB.

 

[Phil fox man]

I was just looking at the receipt for my nightforce NxS from 2004,it's still on the same rifle.i wonder how many digital scopes people will have been through in the20 years I've used my glass.also I've just swapped my old archer of 20 years for my spare archer.buy once,crying once.
Phil.

 

[User00057]

Agree and I can’t seen any advantage of Digital for Deer unless used at what I would call dark yet still in day mode. The zoom is pixelated as it’s just digital and I just don’t trust them. I have a rear add on that I trust and works fine for foxes and Rabbits on the rare occasion I hunt them.
I personally wouldn’t shoot a Deer after darkness yet these thing go way past that in day mode.

 

[nun_hunter]

Agree and I can’t seen any advantage of Digital for Deer unless used at what I would call dark yet still in day mode. The zoom is pixelated as it’s just digital and I just don’t trust them. I have a rear add on that I trust and works fine for foxes and Rabbits on the rare occasion I hunt them.
I personally wouldn’t shoot a Deer after darkness yet these thing go way past that in day mode.

Not strictly true as the Arken I have starts at an optical base mag of 5x which is higher than a lot of variable scopes and similar to the fixed mag of a lot of scopes. If I use it on 5x then the image is very good and not pixelated at all, using the PIP window I get an even better and more accurate image of the cross hair without pixelation.

What is it that you trust about the digital add on but not a digital scope?

 

[nf-fuse]

Agree and I can’t seen any advantage of Digital for Deer unless used at what I would call dark yet still in day mode. The zoom is pixelated as it’s just digital and I just don’t trust them. I have a rear add on that I trust and works fine for foxes and Rabbits on the rare occasion I hunt them.
I personally wouldn’t shoot a Deer after darkness yet these thing go way past that in day mode.

I don't think digital is as good as glass in low light without any IR. No way a 600 quid digital has as good lenses as an equivalent price glass scope. Digital zoom is not as good as glass.

The advantage of digital nv and thermal is that you can see in the actual dark. Not every one has or can get multiple rifles for every situation. Or 2 a grand scope.

Other features:
Lrf
Ballistic calculator
Filming of footage
Multiple zero profiles (e.g for different ammo)
Multiple reticle choice
Viewing on the phone
'one shot' zeroing (debatable)
Cant and elevation display.

Not for everyone but I bet they're selling a lot more Zulus and aplexs than Swarovski etc

 

[Phil fox man]

And will you be confident that your zero will be good.
kb

I just haven't got the confidence in digital,with all the posts of mysterious loss of zero.
the cross hair on my nxs is where I left it when I last used it and the archer see's the cross where I last left it.2 buttons on the archer to turn on and ready to go.
phil.

 

[User00057]

With a digital add on I know the image I see is that of the glass scope. The crosshair is that of the glass only

 

[BLUEROLL]

And will you be confident that your zero will be good?
KB.

So far so good and have tested it on/off several times.

 

[Malxwal]

I wonder how long the joy of stalking would last, when, under pressure of time and money, people find themselves shooting deer after legal hours.

 

[Bowland blades]

I wonder how long the joy of stalking would last, when, under pressure of time and money, people find themselves shooting deer after legal hours.

lets be honest here , there are plenty of deer being taken illegally -without the required authorisation . It should not be so but for some the temptation is too much for some . In my opinion and experience of legal night shooting is its just a job of work for the shooter , effectively no sport and its not even like the carcass is particularly valuable if sold ( considering the hard graft and risk of loosing your FAC etc )

 

[Foxyboy43]

I don't think digital is as good as glass in low light without any IR. No way a 600 quid digital has as good lenses as an equivalent price glass scope. Digital zoom is not as good as glass.

The advantage of digital nv and thermal is that you can see in the actual dark. Not every one has or can get multiple rifles for every situation. Or 2 a grand scope.

Other features:
Lrf
Ballistic calculator
Filming of footage
Multiple zero profiles (e.g for different ammo)
Multiple reticle choice
Viewing on the phone
'one shot' zeroing (debatable)
Cant and elevation display.

Not for everyone but I bet they're selling a lot more Zulus and aplexs than Swarovski etc

Please see my post #122 above - this is the Zulus in b&w with NO IR - the light gathering is really phenomenal - check it out and see (!) the difference.

 

[nun_hunter]

Please see my post #122 above - this is the Zulus in b&w with NO IR - the light gathering is really phenomenal - check it out and see (!) the difference.

I think people who haven't actually looked through one don't appreciate how good they are in almost darkness without additional light sources.

The lenses and coatings don't need to be as good in a £600 digital scope than a traditional scope because the sensor is so much more sensitive than the human eye.

 

[nf-fuse]

I think people who haven't actually looked through one don't appreciate how good they are in almost darkness without additional light sources.

The lenses and coatings don't need to be as good in a £600 digital scope than a traditional scope because the sensor is so much more sensitive than the human eye.

I've got a zulus

 

[nun_hunter]

I've got a zulus

Me too. I was agreeing with your post and making a point about a previous poster.

 

[User00057]

So what do you gain with night vision when stalking Deer ? If it’s only the ability to shoot deer in darkness while using the (daytime Mode) then I will stick with a good old fashioned scope