The last person I'd consult would be a professional hunter. Most are walking commercials for anyone who'll sponsor them. Many who aren't have other employment during the off-season. As well, big differences between a guide on fenced land and one who guides on public land. I'm the one who'll use the scope, i want what's going to work best for me.
Much depends upon price point. While it might seem like a $1200 scope must be at the top of the heap to some, one can easily spend twice that, sometimes three times that, on a scope. As has been mentioned before, the Zeiss Conquest isn't as good as their military-grade glass. it's simply a cheaper line meant to compete in the consumer market against products like the VX-3. Put a Conquest up against a Schmidt & Bender, Hensoldt, USO, Horus, or even a Nightforce or Leupold Mark 4 and there's really nothing special about it but the lowest price in the bunch.
You do get what you pay for, and beauty (performance) is in the eye of the beholder. you really owe it to yourself to physically compare the glass you're considering. That's often a problem if you're having to buy online or from a catalog. JMO - for general use, the Leupold VX-3s and similar scopes in that price point from other manufacturers will handle all but the most extreme conditions, and it's unlikely you'll see or experience any benefit from "better glass" if you're using it for just a couple of weeks a year. There's no way I'd buy a Conquest and get halfway to the next level of performance i could get with a Nightforce or Mark 4 for only a couple hundred bucks more.
Last edited by homers brother; 01-02-2011 at 06:48 PM.