I've owned and used several examples of both and there's no question the Conquest has slightly superior optics, especially in terms of it's ability to resolve detail.Personally, I'd go with the 3-9 or 3.5-10. You just don't need a higher power for deer hunting. The Z-Plex reticle is similar to the Leupold Duplex, but in my experience it's better because it's a little thicker, making it somewhat easier to see when it gets dark.Also, the Z-Plex is etched in glass instead of being made out of wire. As a result, it appears more crisp and defined.

As far as warranty is concerned, Zeiss's warranty is every bit as good as Leupold's. I returned a Conquest to Zeiss for repair a while back because Idropped my rifle onto pavement and the scope took the brunt of it. So the damage was all my fault, which I explained in my letter that accompanied the scope and I'm sure it was very obvious to them when they inspected it. I sent it on a Monday and the following Monday UPS delivered a brand new replacement at no cost to me. Now how isLeupold going to do any better than that?

I like both brands, don't get me wrong, but if it were my money I'd have to buy another Conquest.