Help a guy out please

[TheGDog]

I recently got some usd Zeiss Conquest HD 10's. And seriously... at first.. I thought it was giving me same magification as the Vortex Vulture 15's I've got, when I was testing them back-to-back out in the Bolsa Chica Wetlands nearby.

Confused... I then went back-and-forth several more times to figure out why I had that perception.

Indeed, the 15's made the objects "bigger". And they do a pretty good job of making them sharp. BUT... the difference is that extra lil bit of sharpness and ever so slightly brighter image at distances.. and the biggest difference I finally noticed and figured out.... was that the primo glass.. it provided you with MUCH greater depth-of-field... whereas the Vultures... you needed to go back and forth with the focus knob much more because the depth-of-field (of what is currently in focus) is much more shallow.

So to me and my way of thinking, that gives these 10's a huge bonus because each chunk of the FOV as I pan and pan some more... is showing my brain soo much more image data that the pattern recognition part of your brain can then pick apart!

So now "I get it" as to why you pay for the better glass.

 

[BBob]

So now "I get it" as to why you pay for the better glass.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

I recently got some usd Zeiss Conquest HD 10's. And seriously... at first.. I thought it was giving me same magification as the Vortex Vulture 15's I've got, when I was testing them back-to-back out in the Bolsa Chica Wetlands nearby.

Confused... I then went back-and-forth several more times to figure out why I had that perception.

Indeed, the 15's made the objects "bigger". And they do a pretty good job of making them sharp. BUT... the difference is that extra lil bit of sharpness and ever so slightly brighter image at distances.. and the biggest difference I finally noticed and figured out.... was that the primo glass.. it provided you with MUCH greater depth-of-field... whereas the Vultures... you needed to go back and forth with the focus knob much more because the depth-of-field (of what is currently in focus) is much more shallow.

So to me and my way of thinking, that gives these 10's a huge bonus because each chunk of the FOV as I pan and pan some more... is showing my brain soo much more image data that the pattern recognition part of your brain can then pick apart!

So now "I get it" as to why you pay for the better glass.

Clarity trumps magnification!

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Always surprises me that folks have no issues setting up a complete high end firearms arsenal that covers all of their needs but balk at setting up an optics arsenal. One is used for a moment and the other is used almost continuously for the duration of the hunt.

Folks have no problem finding money to have a safe full of pretty rifles topped with NF scopes. Yet somehow they rediscover frugality when it comes time to get a quality optic.

It’s all about priorities.

 

[TheGDog]

The only more pricey scope I've gotten was a Burris Veracity 3-15, I wanted a 15x specifically for this Deset Hills spot I sometimes goto where being preented with a shot opportunity between 200-700yds yards is very likely.
And it's a FFP scope to, which I think is great. It was in a combo package deal with their 4-14 Fullfield E1. And I'm glad about that because on my simple .223 Rem bolt gun not too long ago the Ocular Bell on the Vortex Crossfire II somehow managed to get bonked up against the wall of the gun cabinet I guess, so the Bell wasn't true to the scope axis anymore, because it's a smallish cabinet and it's stuffed pretty shoulder-to-shoulder with the rifles and ammo I do happen to have. So I was thankful I went with that combo deal. And I kinda like the reticle on the E1 because it's simply just MOA marks on all 4 subtension lines in the reticle. So all you have to do is just run a ballistic app and find out what each MOA mark equates to in distances at the power you'll be using the scope at.

The FFP on the veracity is even nicer because ya don't have to remember to think about what power the scope is on since it's FFP. Just run their utility with your loads muzzle velocity and BC and what speed sidewind you want for approximations on windange holdover and it draws ya up a nice lil field chart of points on the reticle.

My thing was... after getting the 15x binos, which I do sometimes use out there since it's more open.. I wanted same magnification in the riflescope so it could be same-same if I needed in order to put crosshairs where I wanted with fine detail. Cause sometimes I'll pop Ground Squirrels when I'm out there, and they get small at distance sometimes.

 

[eaglemountainman]

OP,
Since you plan on keeping the 15X binos, and leaning towards a pair of 8X and a spotter, I would suggest Kowa Genesis 8X33s and a Kowa TSN-553/554.

I have the Genny 8X33s for stalking and offhand, and a pair of Genny 10.5X44s for long tripod viewing sessions. Although it's rarely used, I'm never without the 554 spotter for assessing far off trophy quality. At 28 oz, it gets a permanent ride in my pack and can save lots of time and boot leather.

Finding that for ever optics set up that is perfect
for you can be a real trial. Good luck.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

OP,
Since you plan on keeping the 15X binos, and leaning towards a pair of 8X and a spotter, I would suggest Kowa Genesis 8X33s and a Kowa TSN-553/554.

I have the Genny 8X33s for stalking and offhand, and a pair of Genny 10.5X44s for long tripod viewing sessions. Although it's rarely used, I'm never without the 554 spotter for assessing far off trophy quality. At 28 oz, it gets a permanent ride in my pack and can save lots of time and boot leather.

Finding that for ever optics set up that is perfect
for you can be a real trial. Good luck.

Finally got my 554 delivered and am looking forward to some field time with it. Be nice to shave some weight on some of my hunts.

 

[AZBULLCRAZY]

OP,
Since you plan on keeping the 15X binos, and leaning towards a pair of 8X and a spotter, I would suggest Kowa Genesis 8X33s and a Kowa TSN-553/554.

I have the Genny 8X33s for stalking and offhand, and a pair of Genny 10.5X44s for long tripod viewing sessions. Although it's rarely used, I'm never without the 554 spotter for assessing far off trophy quality. At 28 oz, it gets a permanent ride in my pack and can save lots of time and boot leather.

Finding that for ever optics set up that is perfect
for you can be a real trial. Good luck.

I appreciate it. I actually found a used swaro 65. That actually shaves 3.4lbs for me by the time you take my old spotter, bigger tripod and bigger tripod head out of the equation. I was debating that 554 but just couldn't pass up the swaro. This year I will go with my maven 9s, 15s and the 65. Next year I might save some money up sell the maven 9s and look at some good alpha 10s then assess if I need to keep the 15s.