My cunning and humble recommendation for a low light scope

paulux

Well-Known Member
Well on Monday I went and bought from my gunsmith's what should've been an upgrade for my kit : a second hand in mint condition Zeiss Diavari Z 3-12x56 T (non illuminated), considered top of the range some years back.

That evening, I compared it with my Leupold VX-3i 3.5-10x50mm (non illuminated), and to my surprise, even with it's 56 mm objective, I did not find the Zeiss any better for last light conditions. Both scopes set at 10 magnification, looking at distant sign posts and wood edges in the fading light, to my eye the Leupold glass was just as bright, and had the same resolution and coloration as the Zeiss. I actually found the Leupold better in many ways : more comfortable to my eye, with a better eye relief and more tolerance to sideway eye placement, and the Heavy Duplex reticle was more visible than the variable German 4 reticle.

Now that confirmed somehow what I have experienced with my two Leupolds VX-3 3.5-10x50 since 2014 : they do really well in poor light conditions.

It still was a surprise, because I keep reading how the top of the range Zeiss, Scmidt and Bender, Swarovski, Kahles are so much better for low light than other brands. Maybe that is not as true any more, when brands like Leupold, Meopta, Nikon, Vortex to name a few, and many others, have greatly improved their glass.


So this is my recommendation if you're needing a first light/ last light scope : before you go and spend thousands on a German or Austrian scope, consider better value for money options.

I personally have chosen Leupolds, both because they are lightweight and I prefer their non illuminated reticles over the reticles of other brands.

In my experience, the VX3i 3-10x50 (non illuminated) is a paradise of a poor light scope : it's glass is outstanding, it weighs only 400 grams, it's compact (31 cm long), and the Leupold Duplex and specially the Heavy Duplex reticles are visible until dark. It's to me a great value for money low light scope, sold around 410 - 470 US dollars in the US at the moment.

If you prefer a fixed power scope, maybe consider the Leupold FX-3 6x42mm ?
And if you prefer an illuminated reticle and a 56 mm objective, maybe consider the VX-3i 3.5-10x56mm IR ? That must be some bright scope !
Have any of you tried those ?


Ps The gunsmith kindly took back the Zeiss.
Pps The 2016 Leupold VX-3i glass showed to my eyes no improvement over the 2014 Leupold VX-3 one. I also have two VX-3(i) 4.5-14x50mm, and though they are crisp clear, they do not do as well in the last minutes of light even on lower mag, and they are not as comfortable to use.
 
I find the mid-range scopes (Meopta, Leupold, Sightron etc.) perform as well as the Premium brands. To my eyes (58yo, quite bad, prescription glasses kind of eyes) there is no difference. The 'placebo effect' also applies to goods you purchase: if you pay a lot more for a Premium Brand you really, really want to think that it is better, and will tell other people it is. So for those purchasers (who contribute a large sum to the Brand's marketing budget...;) ) , it probably is. Your post specifically mentions 'low light' - I believe the Schmidt & Bender 8x56 is considered the best (fixed) low light scope by many stalkers. Pretty good value as well, often available below £500 new.
 
I believe the Schmidt & Bender 8x56 is considered the best (fixed) low light scope by many stalkers. Pretty good value as well, often available below £500 new.

I paid around £250 for mine second hand many years back and have never needed anything else, rugged, reliable, good glass, designed for the job, all the features I need.

I do think we have reached a point where the glass in the mid-range optics is now, at the very least, adequate for all stalking requirements so buying into "better" glass doesn't give you any practical improvement in the field in terms of glass. You can see this when you observe that the "big marketing budget" optics companies don't really go big on selling on optical quality but rather sell on brand image and gadgets, one of them won't let their scopes be measured or directly compared to a competitor in a review and I'd guess it isn't because their glass is no good, it is excellent, but because being known as the company that produces (say) the 4th best glass in the world would put a big dent in the brand image though it would not reduce their usefulness in the field. Modern scopes are fantastic things and it is great to have them and to have such a wide choice but for the most part the stalker simply doesn't need many of the "must have" features. As you say "do not be seduced by the marketing-men." To this I would add "buy something adequate and spend your cash on going stalking/fishing/shooting/having a good time" as you will be a very long time dead and buying a scope with an extra marketing gadget on it will not let you fit in more great experiences to recall when you are sitting in your care home.
 
Sorry to disagree but as another 59 spectacle wearer my 56 mm Diavari does out perform my 50mm Leupold MK 4 tactical. Thats why it sits on my .204.


Very close optically is my Delta Titanium which is on my .243.

Just got to buy the scope that suits your eyes and everybody is different.

D
 
Sorry to disagree but as another 59 spectacle wearer my 56 mm Diavari does out perform my 50mm Leupold MK 4 tactical. Thats why it sits on my .204.


Very close optically is my Delta Titanium which is on my .243.

Just got to buy the scope that suits your eyes and everybody is different.

D

I think the OP is talking about the VX-3i which has different coating to the older Leopold models, which I guess your Mk 4 probably is. I got a bargain on a VX-3i with a smaller objective and was really surprised how good it was in low light. Not up with my old S&B 6x42 which was excellent, but just a bit low mag for 55 years old eyes!!
 
I have a VX3 3.5-10x50mm Leupold which came on a heavy, but very accurate .30-06 I bought last year. I planned to sell it to a friend, but after shooting the rifle with different loads, some in gone light at the range, I decided to keep it. I moved it to a different .30-06. It is really sharp and bright.
 
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