Best scope and what power for low light (under 2k)

Varmit

Varmit

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I was hunting a big whitetail buck this past season (had good Tcam pics) and just as I was about to leave my stand one evening I noticed a big deer slipping along the edge of the spruce woods. Try as I might I couldn't see his antlers enough to verify it was him. I had a Zeiss conquest and on 9 power I could see much better but not good enough. Needless to say he left the area without me taking a shot. Would a higher power and better optics make enough difference to spend a bunch of money?

So, what brand and power range would you guys you recommend for a scope under these low light conditions. Swarvoski Z5, Zeiss HD5, leupold VX-R ?
 
I would keep your scope for what it was intended for, that being a telescopic sight, and I would invest in a high quality pair of binoculars for glassing and judging game.
 
The diameter of the objective lens, not just magnification alone, determines how useful an optic will be in low light, all else being equal.

The pupil of the average human eye opens to a maximum of 7mm in low light conditions. That means there is not much point in having an optic with an exit pupil of more than 7mm. Exit pupil diameter is determined by dividing the objective diameter in mm by the magnification, i.e., a 6x scope with a 42mm objective will have a 7mm exit pupil. A scope with a 40mm objective will be as bright as it can be at 6x, and cranking it up to 9x won't make it any brighter... quite the opposite as now you have only a 4mm exit pupil.

Higher magnification is beneficial as long as you can maintain the 7mm exit pupil; 7x with a 50mm objective, 8x56 and so on. The 8x56's are/were very popular in Europe; apparently their legal shooting times are different from ours. 8x56 tends to be bulky, heavy and expensive, and off hand I can't think of any scope with an objective of larger than 56mm.
 
I have experienced a lot of problems with the Zeiss Conquest in my guiding operation, to the point I wont use them any more. Low light is one of the problems. As 9.3 has said, maintain that 7mm exit pupil, thats why the 8x56's are so so good. Personally I prefer a Kahles 1.5-6 for low light hunting, and screw it up to 6 power. The low light ability of a Kahles has to be seen to be beleived.
 
Do higher end (read expensive) optics offer better low light performance? Absolutely.

When you start to use upper grade binos from Nikon, Leica, Swarovski, and even Pentax, you will see a huge difference in low light performance. Bigger objective lense coupled with moderate mag does improve BUT the lenses still have to give enough resolving power and coatings to get the job done.

Getting an inexpensive BIG scope or bino isn't going to solve the problem. What you need is great glass, better coatings in a package you are willing to use in the field.

As was said before, judging game with your rifle scope may not be the best solution given the risk of glassing something not on the game license.

But once identified, you still have to be able to aim at the target. have a look at the STAC 2.5X17X56 LRIRMOA scope. Proving popular in Europe where they do hunt at night. Lots of great features, wonderful glass, very good low light performance with a lit aiming point to really help put it all together.

Let me know...

Jerry
 
nowarningshot said:
Okay i did a search, and could not find anyone in Canada carrying Kahles....? Who does?
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Looks like PlainSight Solutions can get the Kahles.

authorized dealer for: Schmidt Bender, Swarovski, Zeiss, Leica, Kahles, Minox, EOTech, Trijicon, Cold Steel and CRKT.
Coming soon: Surefire and Nightforce Optics.
 
The VX-R is my pick of the scopes you listed . I use three of them. Zeiss does not make my list.
 
9.3mauser said:
The diameter of the objective lens, not just magnification alone, determines how useful an optic will be in low light, all else being equal.

The pupil of the average human eye opens to a maximum of 7mm in low light conditions. That means there is not much point in having an optic with an exit pupil of more than 7mm. Exit pupil diameter is determined by dividing the objective diameter in mm by the magnification, i.e., a 6x scope with a 42mm objective will have a 7mm exit pupil. A scope with a 40mm objective will be as bright as it can be at 6x, and cranking it up to 9x won't make it any brighter... quite the opposite as now you have only a 4mm exit pupil.

Higher magnification is beneficial as long as you can maintain the 7mm exit pupil; 7x with a 50mm objective, 8x56 and so on. The 8x56's are/were very popular in Europe; apparently their legal shooting times are different from ours. 8x56 tends to be bulky, heavy and expensive, and off hand I can't think of any scope with an objective of larger than 56mm.
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And as you get older, your pupil's maximum opening in reduced light will shrink. 7mm is typical maximum for a young adult, in your forties it is probably going be reduced to 5mm. Once you have the biggest exit pupil your eyes can make use of, better quality glass and coatings can give better low light performance. So if you are in that older group, before buying something 7x50mm for that 7mm exit pupil think about whether your money will get your 7x magnification with a smaller objective lens but better quality glass and coatings.
 
Use open sights myself but was always told never to trust a scope for viewing animals use binoculars as give wider view and adjust higher for magnification
 
I have used the Schmidt zenith 3-12x50 , and absolutely love it. This past season I tried a meopta meostar 7x56 rd, and it is an amazing scope in low light. My hunting partner bought a meostar 3-12x56 rd, and it too is just as good as the Schmidt in poor light conditions. My conquest and a 50mm vx3 do not compare in low light to the meoptas.

Reticle choice is important in low light. The meoptas I have used have illuminated #4 reticle, and the Schmidt has the #4 reticle as well. This reticle has been my favourite for low light conditions.
 
I have done quite a bit of night, and low light hunting, back in New Zealand, spent hours scouring the bush edge after dark for deer and pigs, quality optics are were its at.
The two I now use, are a Swarvo Z6, in 2x12x50 duplex, illuminted, and a leica 2.5x10 x 42, I have used larger objectives,(56, 60) but there advantages are not enough to justifie the extra weight, depends how much walking you are doing,
The Z6 Swavo is very good,
A good pr of binos, is more important than the scope, a good heavy duplex is much better in low light, even the best optics aren't much good, if the game is up against a dark back ground, in very low light.
Get a real good set of binos, and do sum scouting on a moonlight night, just before the season, aursum.
 
In Canada, with legal light rules and no hunting after dark, I can see no real advantage, an illuminated reticle is great, in very poor light as it allowes very rapid aiming, in low light it can be very difficult to see the aminal and the cross hairs, at the same time. I don't use illumintion if spotlighting,

with Canada's hunting rules, the only legal time that I can see a use for one is hunting under very heavy forest cover, low light, or perhaps under the tall timber when there are shafts of light, shining threw heavy forest cover, causing dramatic light contrasts.
How ever, as with many things in our sport, its got more to do with personal preference that anything else,
 
southernman said:
In Canada, with legal light rules and no hunting after dark, I can see no real advantage, an illuminated reticle is great, in very poor light as it allowes very rapid aiming, in low light it can be very difficult to see the aminal and the cross hairs, at the same time. I don't use illumintion if spotlighting,

with Canada's hunting rules, the only legal time that I can see a use for one is hunting under very heavy forest cover, low light, or perhaps under the tall timber when there are shafts of light, shining threw heavy forest cover, causing dramatic light contrasts.
How ever, as with many things in our sport, its got more to do with personal preference that anything else,
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sorry, I can't agree with this. One hour after the sun has set the rule where i hunt) is pretty darn dark on a cloudy november day next to a black spruce swamp.
 
Varmit said:
sorry, I can't agree with this. One hour after the sun has set the rule where i hunt) is pretty darn dark on a cloudy november day next to a black spruce swamp.
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You did say above, that you had never used an illuminated reticle. correct, ?
The trouble with an illuminated reticle is that it doesn't illuminate the target, thus if you need to light to see the reticle you likely need a spot light to see clearly the target.
Try one and make up your own mind, the only thing further I will say is, try to get a scope with a light source, that can be dimmed or controlled for brightness, too bright can affect your night/low light vision in fading light.
 
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