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zoom range vs. magnification |
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jeremill
Optics GrassHopper Joined: May/14/2008 Location: Charlotte Status: Offline Points: 32 |
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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?
Jeremy
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Roy Finn
MODERATOR Steiner Junkie Joined: April/05/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 4856 |
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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.
Roy
BTW, welcome to the OpticsTalk forum.
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14964 |
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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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"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do". Bobby Paul Doherty Texas Ranger |
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cheaptrick
MODERATOR Joined: September/27/2004 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 20844 |
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Welcome to Optics Talk....neighbor.
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mercenary1947
Optics Master ** Joined: April/02/2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1392 |
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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 !
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Kickboxer
MODERATOR Moderator Joined: February/13/2008 Status: Offline Points: 23679 |
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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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