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zoom range vs. magnification

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jeremill View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jeremill Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: zoom range vs. magnification
    Posted: May/23/2008 at 22:22
This may have been addressed before; however I am a newbie and fairly poor at optical physics.  I have noticed that many scopes offer 4-16 magnification (4 x zoom range) vs. the schimdt and bender 5-25 (5 x zoom range).  Does the total zoom range or full magnification indicate maximum distance of maginification?  I understand that 16x means the image is magnified 16 times ( I think) however, what does a 5 x zoom range mean in terms of magnification of the scope?  I am looking at the 6-24x56 Zeiss or 5-25x56 S@B.  I am asking because the Zeiss has 4 x zoom range and the S @ B has a 5 x zoom range?????  Also would it be worth the extra money for a 76mm objective on the Zeiss, or is this mainly for really dim conditions?
 
 
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Roy Finn View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Roy Finn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/23/2008 at 22:40
Simply means the amount of magnification range a scope has from bottom to top. A 3-9 would be 3X zoom range, 3-12 would be 4x zoom range etc.....Don't know what you are hunting/shooting, however, a 72mm objective lense looks a little bit silly to me on a hunting rig. Not to mention they weigh about 2 1/2 lbs and require very high rings which can make shooting positions  very awkward. The other side of the coin is you are/will be peering through some of the finest optics ever placed in a riflescope.
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/24/2008 at 13:06
I find the 56mm is larger than what I really want on a scope I am much happier with a 40 to 50mm objective. The two scopes you mentioned cost a fortune and if you can afford them you are very lucky but for most applications they are way too much scope. I suppose if you did a lot of bench rest shooting they would be nice for that.  If they are for hunting the lower power range is more important than the higher power range. So a 4-16 would be a better hunting/ target rig than a 6-24. Now if the imphysis was more weighted to target then the higher the power the better.  I really would not want to have a 72mm objective but there again it depends on what you are doing with it if you shoot prairie dogs a sundown at 200 to 300  yds a 72mm objective might be ideal.  If you hunt Rinos and Waterbuffalo you would be better off with a 1.5-6x42 so what you do with the scope makes a huge difference in what the right choice is and the wrong choice can cost you your life if dangerous game is in the area.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/24/2008 at 14:14
Welcome to Optics Talk....neighbor. Welcome
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mercenary1947 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mercenary1947 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/25/2008 at 09:03
 I see that sock puppet sneaked in here .... LOL    My grand daughter loves that avatar .  Jeremill .... have you seen a 76mm scope ?  Huge ....  please go look at one first and hold it to a rifle before you order one . You may have already ? I catch the devil for see-thru mounts on here because the scope is elevated .... that bad boy is going to be up there !
One Shot One Kill .... *S.O.F * Head Shots Only
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/25/2008 at 15:32
I have a 65mm mounted on a Voere Titan II 30-06 (beautiful German-made rifle with double set triggers, the "set" trigger is at 8oz). You really have to WANT TO to carry it around. A 76mm is going weigh a bit more. I used the tall Millet Angle-Loc rings on standard steel Weaver bases. It is definitely a handful to carry around, though. I don't mind it, but many do.
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