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Minox ZA-5 review

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koshkin View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/22/2011 at 18:56
One more comment:  Minox has been making optical instruments for a long time.  They understand how to do this stuff very well.  The guy running the US operation has been in this business for a long time and is a life long shooter and hunter.  I've talked to him at length and he understands what it takes to bring a scope line to the market and to keep it properly supported (he most certainly understands it better than I do, since he has successfully done it before).

Minox scopes have been out for about a year or so and every time you have new products you are bound to have some manufacturing complications early on.  That is the nature of precision manufacturing.  Hence, I look at how a company goes about addressing those issues.  

With what I have seen so far from Minox, I have chosen to add these scopes to my "recommended" list.  That is not something I do lightly. 

There is, of course, a chance that I am wrong, but having a fair amount of hands-on time with five different Minox scopes to date, I like my odds of being right on this one.

ILya

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sparky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/22/2011 at 20:11
Just an FYI on Minox CS. They are probably the best I have dealt with. I had a problem and they took care of it immediately. No questions.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote johnfox Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/23/2011 at 03:36
Originally posted by koshkin koshkin wrote:

I raised this issue with Minox and they told me that the loose eyepiece was an assembly problem on a small number of early scopes.  It has since been addressed and all current scopes go through 100% QC inspection to catch problems like this.

ILya


ILya,

My ZA3 is an early one and FWIW this is the first scope problem I've had in over 35yrs of shooting, so I'm not complaining. I'm in the process of getting the problem rectified now and I'd be happy to buy another Minox. The 1.5-8x is particularly appealing.   
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote vinnito1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/31/2011 at 13:38
I recently bought a ZA5 3-15x42 about a monther ago and have the same problems of the focusing feature ot working properly. The image clarity was very poor. My Nikon Prostaff 3-9x40 had a better image. I called Minox this morning about the problem. They told me to send it in and they would fix it. While i was on the phone, I asked if I could upgrade to a 3-15x50 and pay the retail difference between the two scopes. They said yes.
 
I am not happy with the performance of my scope, but I do not have any complaints about the customer service. Maybe I got an early on as well
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote stickbow46 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/31/2011 at 14:40
Welcome to the OT vinnit1!
 
Purchased 3 so far & no problem.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WYcoyote Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/31/2011 at 16:17
Originally posted by vinnito1 vinnito1 wrote:

I recently bought a ZA5 3-15x42 about a monther ago and have the same problems of the focusing feature ot working properly. The image clarity was very poor. My Nikon Prostaff 3-9x40 had a better image. I called Minox this morning about the problem. They told me to send it in and they would fix it. While i was on the phone, I asked if I could upgrade to a 3-15x50 and pay the retail difference between the two scopes. They said yes.
 
I am not happy with the performance of my scope, but I do not have any complaints about the customer service. Maybe I got an early on as well
Vince
 
Let us know how you like your new one.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SD Dog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/20/2011 at 20:35
I will post a more in depth review when I have the time, but purchased a Z5 3-15x50.  I mounted it on my DPMS in .204.  The magnification range is great, glass is very good, and tracking was right on.  The only issue was that magnification ring was very stiff.  However, after use it has moved much easier.  Have used it the some scope in combination with my .204 2x and it was great both times.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Son of Ed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/21/2011 at 17:57
Jtwrnch ought to hire himself out to various companies in the world as a testing ground.  If he can't break it---it's probably okay.....
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/22/2011 at 17:27
Originally posted by SD Dog SD Dog wrote:

I will post a more in depth review when I have the time, but purchased a Z5 3-15x50.  I mounted it on my DPMS in .204.  The magnification range is great, glass is very good, and tracking was right on.  The only issue was that magnification ring was very stiff.  However, after use it has moved much easier.  Have used it the some scope in combination with my .204 2x and it was great both times.

I am just about done testing that scope and I am very impressed so far. 

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Seamaster Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/23/2011 at 13:28
I sold my 2-10x40 ZA5, due to restrictive eye piece. little glare at eye piece under strong sun light. Sub-small image cricle. Also at their 10 power is more like 8~9 power to other scopes I have owned and tried. I do miss their vivid color even compair to conquest ( which color is little washed out), and great contrast at low light / dark area. Image resolution was great too.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Oldtrader3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/21/2011 at 20:56
I have a 2-10x40 ZA-5 Minox and I have not had any issues with it except a little flair at 10x into the low afternoon sum.  Other than that one observation, the Minox appears to be a good, well made scope.  My eye relief and reticle focus adjustments are per specification.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote stickbow46 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/21/2011 at 22:34
No problem with my 2-10x40 ZA-5,works rather well on my AR15[in .22lr format].I shoot mostly 75-150yrds so no real problem with parallex.The only thing I don't care for is that stupid scope coat it comes with.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dyelynn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/22/2011 at 09:39
Originally posted by koshkin koshkin wrote:

Originally posted by SD Dog SD Dog wrote:

I will post a more in depth review when I have the time, but purchased a Z5 3-15x50.  I mounted it on my DPMS in .204.  The magnification range is great, glass is very good, and tracking was right on.  The only issue was that magnification ring was very stiff.  However, after use it has moved much easier.  Have used it the some scope in combination with my .204 2x and it was great both times.

I am just about done testing that scope and I am very impressed so far. 

ILya


Ilya did you ever finish up that review?  i looked on your site and didn't find it.  I'm still interested in the 3-15... probably more interested in the 42 than the 50, but i'd like to read anything you have on it :)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/22/2011 at 11:53
Originally posted by Dyelynn Dyelynn wrote:

Originally posted by koshkin koshkin wrote:

Originally posted by SD Dog SD Dog wrote:

I will post a more in depth review when I have the time, but purchased a Z5 3-15x50.  I mounted it on my DPMS in .204.  The magnification range is great, glass is very good, and tracking was right on.  The only issue was that magnification ring was very stiff.  However, after use it has moved much easier.  Have used it the some scope in combination with my .204 2x and it was great both times.

I am just about done testing that scope and I am very impressed so far. 

ILya


Ilya did you ever finish up that review?  i looked on your site and didn't find it.  I'm still interested in the 3-15... probably more interested in the 42 than the 50, but i'd like to read anything you have on it :)

The write-up is still in the queue.  It is a nice scope.  For the record though, the 3-15x42 is the one scope in Minox' line-up that I do not like.  It really needs side-focus.

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JGRaider Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/22/2011 at 13:26
What type of reliability/durability testing do you do before you put your stamp of approval on a rifle scope?  I
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/22/2011 at 15:56
Originally posted by JGRaider JGRaider wrote:

What type of reliability/durability testing do you do before you put your stamp of approval on a rifle scope?  I

I do not put a "stamp of approval" on reliability or durability of a scope.  I make recommendations based on things I can test.  I can test optical quality.  I can test mechanical precision and repeatability (where appropriate), such as turret operation, etc.

In order to make any sort of an authoritative statement on reliability and durability, I would have to have access to the statistical data on a large number of scopes.  The fact that the specific scope that I tested has held up well or broke in use is statistically insignificant and has very little bearing on how that particular scope model will show up in the future.

As a matter of fact, if a scope held up fine, then it tells me exactly nothing.  If something broke, then I can send it back to the manufacturer and ask them to do FA and share the results with me.  That still does not tell me anything about reliability of the scope line.  However, it does tell me if the manufacturer knows how to find and correct problems, hence shortly after a product line has been released into the market, they will likely find and correct all of the design flaws.

Any scope I test goes through the normal use and abuse: I put a lot of things on my 338LM with a funky recoil cycle, generally fire a fair number of rounds with different calibers (likely more than a typical hunter does in a couple of years), and use the various controls to excess.  Scopes get dropped, kicked around the parking lot (wrapped in a towel) and basically are subject to whatever abuse I choose to dish out on that particular day.

However, all of that is intended for finding design flaws, not for making long reaching conclusions on scope reliability.

ILya


Edited by koshkin - July/22/2011 at 17:06
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/22/2011 at 15:59
That was a excellent answer ILya. Excellent
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JGRaider Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/22/2011 at 16:23
Originally posted by supertool73 supertool73 wrote:

That was a excellent answer ILya. Excellent


Yes it was, thanks .
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