Absolute best low light scope?
- Thread starter phillips321
- Start date
Optics Trade EU
Active Member
Maybe this video can be useful in this topic.
Optics Trade EU
Active Member
Or this blog post:
www.optics-trade.eu
The ULTIMATE Low Light Riflescope Buying Guide in - Optics Trade Blog
Hunting does not always happen in perfect lighting conditions, that is why we created this ULTIMATE Low-Light Riflescope Buying Guide
www.optics-trade.eu
So which OTEU video deals with the testing of each low light scope and with supporting empirical evidence please?
I waded through some 40-minutes of footage from one vid last night and the only thing of note I recal is the nicely matched outfits of the Presenters.
K
I waded through some 40-minutes of footage from one vid last night and the only thing of note I recal is the nicely matched outfits of the Presenters.
K
sir-lamp-alot
Well-Known Member
I was once told that the S+B 8x56 was designed to be used for shooting boar under moonlight with no lamp and ive used one to shoot foxes on fresh cut grass with no lamp at night many a time. Plus its going to be just about the cheapest and easiest option for you to find secondhand and if you dont like it for what ever reason you will be able to sell it for what you paid for it so it will in essence cost you nothing to try
I think its subjective to the eye if Im honest. Plus everyone here has the most beautiful wife.....
My wives are as follows:
8x56 swaro habicht on a 308. Hands down the best scope ive got in murky dusk when the naked eye cannot tell the difference between browny grey coats and woodline. Better than the 8x56 zeiss binos. Simple crosshair, point and shoot. £400 s/h off a mate. He regrets it.
Second wife is a swaro 4-12x50. Ballistic reticule. It is beautiful but not as useful in low light as the first one. On a 6mm and would be my go to for the hill, for daytime stalking or park culls. £600 off here.
Third cheeky little mistress, is a minox 4-10x50. On my 223. Have shot animals under moonlight with it. Super bright and v good overall. Its accounted for scores of muntjac. Its fabulous, great fun and crystal clear. £133 from SGC !
I have an SWFA, and a couple of others used a few times but nothing special and I keep going back to the ones above.
My wives are as follows:
8x56 swaro habicht on a 308. Hands down the best scope ive got in murky dusk when the naked eye cannot tell the difference between browny grey coats and woodline. Better than the 8x56 zeiss binos. Simple crosshair, point and shoot. £400 s/h off a mate. He regrets it.
Second wife is a swaro 4-12x50. Ballistic reticule. It is beautiful but not as useful in low light as the first one. On a 6mm and would be my go to for the hill, for daytime stalking or park culls. £600 off here.
Third cheeky little mistress, is a minox 4-10x50. On my 223. Have shot animals under moonlight with it. Super bright and v good overall. Its accounted for scores of muntjac. Its fabulous, great fun and crystal clear. £133 from SGC !
I have an SWFA, and a couple of others used a few times but nothing special and I keep going back to the ones above.
spannulman
Well-Known Member
I bought an 8x56 S&B this summer. The thick reticule doesn’t help if trying to get 1/2in groups on paper but makes it easier to see it at last light. I am really pleased with it and it is great in low light.
it’s a big old unit but I have it on a 24in barrel S-M pro hunter with 15” stock so it is in proportion. You might not want one on a steyr scout or another lightweight rifle.
Less than £400 brand new, fantastic value.
it’s a big old unit but I have it on a 24in barrel S-M pro hunter with 15” stock so it is in proportion. You might not want one on a steyr scout or another lightweight rifle.
Less than £400 brand new, fantastic value.
).
Have shot fallow using Zeiss 6-24x56 Diavari both early in the hour before sunrise & late in the hour after sunset with great effect. Both background & reticle play a big part in the equation too.
S&B Polar
Zeiss V8
Swarovski z6z8
Leica Magnus Amplus and Fortis
All have light transmission figures of 90+%
The rest is down to how your eye views the colour palette
Looks at the lenses
they have coatings that range from purple to red/pink to green.
Some eyes see images better with some colours accentuated
Look through them!
Zeiss V8
Swarovski z6z8
Leica Magnus Amplus and Fortis
All have light transmission figures of 90+%
The rest is down to how your eye views the colour palette
Looks at the lenses
they have coatings that range from purple to red/pink to green.
Some eyes see images better with some colours accentuated
Look through them!
Ditto on the Meopta R2 comment....excellent low-light glass and real value for money.
The problem is, shops won't let you look through them when it counts.
You need a shop on a hill and in a wood that's open at dusk.
Or the manufacturer should have demo units available to people who are looking to buy new scopes.
I think the ‘problem’ is more that you will struggle to find a shop where your chosen configuration of each brand/model can be laid on the counter at circa 4PM on a Winter’s afternoon. Possible exception being a certain Trade Member North of the Border.
I’m referring to the below which would amount to some £10k’s worth of scopes if you only chose one model from each brand:
S&B Polar
Zeiss V8
Swarovski z6z8
Leica Magnus Amplus and Fortis
K
Zeiss HT claim 95% light transmission.
S&B T96 Polar claim 96%.
The 2 top dogs as far as I know.
The superzooms with over 4x magnification ratio ie Z6/8 or V6/8 are lower down the scale as mentioned.
I had a S&B 8x56 and it was also very good in the dark. Replaced with a Helia 3.5-18x50 for more versatility.
S&B T96 Polar claim 96%.
The 2 top dogs as far as I know.
The superzooms with over 4x magnification ratio ie Z6/8 or V6/8 are lower down the scale as mentioned.
I had a S&B 8x56 and it was also very good in the dark. Replaced with a Helia 3.5-18x50 for more versatility.
rhine hunter
Well-Known Member
I can fully support that from my point of view. Lot of night time hunting on boars over here. Preferred scopes are clearly Zeiss HTs. I see S&B Polar on the same level or a bit better, but heavier.
Not many of the 6/8-zoom models mounted here.
I personally like the older Zeiss 2.5-10x50, due to the FFP reticle and the light weight.
Exactly, this is why I think the manufacturer should support the demo fleet. Not the gun shop. All the premium glass is in the 2k plus area.
I have Zeiss victory HT. I'd love to try the Schmidt polar, but I don't want to spend the money to find out. I'd just like the 16 mag over the 12 I have for longer shots on the hill.
paulbshooting
Well-Known Member
I have a zeiss HT and a V8. Have tested the S&B polar at their factory and it was exceptional in terms of light gathering. A back to back lowlight test would be great, where is Richard Utting when you need him!
Zeiss HT or S&B ultra bright. I have both and both really good. But the S&B edges it.No thermal, no night vision, what's the best low light scope available? A fixed 8x56 or 7x50? If so by whom? Swarovski? Schmidt? Zeiss?
I'm asking as I sat watching a few fallow well within legal time tonight through my thermal but couldn't pick them out using my Schmidt 4-16x50
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