Leupold or Zeiss ?
08-11-2005, 02:30 PM
#21
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Olive Branch MS USA
Posts: 1,032
RE: Leupold or Zeiss ?
It's a common myth that scopes with 30mm tubes arebrighter than those with 1" tubes, but it just isn't the case. Bigger tubes are a little stiffer and offer a little more windage and elevation adjustment range and that's basicallyit.
As far as parallax adjustment is concerned, I don't recommendit on a big game hunting rifle.That's one of the reasons I recommended the two scopes I did, since neither one has that feature.
As far as parallax adjustment is concerned, I don't recommendit on a big game hunting rifle.That's one of the reasons I recommended the two scopes I did, since neither one has that feature.
08-11-2005, 03:33 PM
#22
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Olive Branch MS USA
Posts: 1,032
RE: Leupold or Zeiss ?
Just in case my own statement above is not good enough for the non-believers, let me offer the following, which is copied directly from Leupold's website. Pay particular attention to the last sentence:
The Leupold Answer Guide
Advantages of a 30mm Maintube
Does a 30mm maintube give you more light? The principal advantages of the 30mm tube are added strength and increased adjustment range for windage and elevation. For example, the M8-12X (1" maintube) has a total elevation adjustment of 51 minutes. The Mark-4 M1-10X (30mm maintube) has 90 minutes. The percentage of light passing through a scope is a function of lens coating and optical design, and has nothing to do with tube diameter.
The Leupold Answer Guide
Advantages of a 30mm Maintube
Does a 30mm maintube give you more light? The principal advantages of the 30mm tube are added strength and increased adjustment range for windage and elevation. For example, the M8-12X (1" maintube) has a total elevation adjustment of 51 minutes. The Mark-4 M1-10X (30mm maintube) has 90 minutes. The percentage of light passing through a scope is a function of lens coating and optical design, and has nothing to do with tube diameter.
08-11-2005, 05:56 PM
#23
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: MB.
Posts: 2,984
RE: Leupold or Zeiss ?
ORIGINAL: Solitary Man
As far as parallax adjustment is concerned, I don't recommend it on a big game hunting rifle.
As far as parallax adjustment is concerned, I don't recommend it on a big game hunting rifle.
08-11-2005, 08:35 PM
#24
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location:
Posts: 2,052
RE: Leupold or Zeiss ?
Sure parallax adjustment isn't needed on 9x or even 10x scopes. BUT on most scopes over that and at ranges over 200yd, YES you DO need parallax. The newer "side focus" models are a much better system I agree. And 9x out of 10 while using the scopes I have that have parallax adj. I will simply turn them on the "infinity" position (basically looks like a horizontal figure 8) so that they are esentially ready for most anything at any power at any range. I use quality, high powered binocs so in many cases I don't do much "studying" with my scope. Besides the obvious dangers of doing such, sometimes however I need a closer look with say my 24x Swarovski. You can dang well bet I will dial down the correct range on the objective and really "count ticks"!
As for the 1" vs 30mm answer. Leupold uses 1" glass in the 30mm tube so IMHO they are out of that arguement in the first place. Needing lots of windage might be ok in many competitive environments, but for the average big game hunter he wont touch the windage turret ANYTIME after the initial sight-in. I have yet to see the first scope under say $750 that needed or properly used a 30mm tube. IMHO when you step up into the quality of most high end European (or even the Monarch Gold series of Nikon) and are using high powered optics (again over appx 10x) I believe you DO gain from the 30mm tube. The 30mm tube scopes you see from Bushnell, Tasco, BSA etc... are PURELY marketing hype and strictly for sales gimmicks, they certainly don't have the quality lenses, design or coating to justify nor properly use a 30mm maintube.
RA
As for the 1" vs 30mm answer. Leupold uses 1" glass in the 30mm tube so IMHO they are out of that arguement in the first place. Needing lots of windage might be ok in many competitive environments, but for the average big game hunter he wont touch the windage turret ANYTIME after the initial sight-in. I have yet to see the first scope under say $750 that needed or properly used a 30mm tube. IMHO when you step up into the quality of most high end European (or even the Monarch Gold series of Nikon) and are using high powered optics (again over appx 10x) I believe you DO gain from the 30mm tube. The 30mm tube scopes you see from Bushnell, Tasco, BSA etc... are PURELY marketing hype and strictly for sales gimmicks, they certainly don't have the quality lenses, design or coating to justify nor properly use a 30mm maintube.
RA
08-12-2005, 07:19 AM
#25
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Olive Branch MS USA
Posts: 1,032
RE: Leupold or Zeiss ?
The following is from Zeiss's website:
"Center Tube Diameter
The diameter of a scope's center tube (or main tube) impacts the overall strength and durability of the scope. And it obviously determines the size of bases and rings required for mounting. But beyond that, the center tube diameter must be adequate to allow a sufficient range of windage and elevation adjustment. Zeiss riflescopes have either a 30mm or a one-inch center tube, depending on the model."
Again, as long as the optical system is designed properly, and there's no reason to believe Leupold or Zeiss is deficient in this area, then as far as brightness is concernedit matters not whether the main tube is 30mm or 1". Period.
"Center Tube Diameter
The diameter of a scope's center tube (or main tube) impacts the overall strength and durability of the scope. And it obviously determines the size of bases and rings required for mounting. But beyond that, the center tube diameter must be adequate to allow a sufficient range of windage and elevation adjustment. Zeiss riflescopes have either a 30mm or a one-inch center tube, depending on the model."
Again, as long as the optical system is designed properly, and there's no reason to believe Leupold or Zeiss is deficient in this area, then as far as brightness is concernedit matters not whether the main tube is 30mm or 1". Period.
08-12-2005, 02:30 PM
#26
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Olive Branch MS USA
Posts: 1,032
RE: Leupold or Zeiss ?
And this is from Nikon:
"Question
Do the 30mm[/b] scope tubes have oversized optics, or are they just 1 inch tube optics placed in a 30mm[/b] tube?
Answer
The 30mm[/b] scopes are actual 30mm[/b] scopes with optics that are larger than the standard 1” scopes. This does not gather or transmit any more light than a 1” scope, but it does provide a larger sweet spot to enhance resolution."
So, resolution may be enhanced, but again, brightness is not affected.
"Question
Do the 30mm[/b] scope tubes have oversized optics, or are they just 1 inch tube optics placed in a 30mm[/b] tube?
Answer
The 30mm[/b] scopes are actual 30mm[/b] scopes with optics that are larger than the standard 1” scopes. This does not gather or transmit any more light than a 1” scope, but it does provide a larger sweet spot to enhance resolution."
So, resolution may be enhanced, but again, brightness is not affected.
