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Minox ZA-5 review |
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jetwrnch
Optics Apprentice Joined: July/03/2006 Location: Knoxville, TN Status: Offline Points: 294 |
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Posted: December/26/2010 at 19:14 |
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FWIW, I ordered the 3-15x42. The ocular is loose and I can't get it to focus at higher magnification. The fast focus eye piece moves around taking the reticle with it. Eye relief is closer to 6 inches than 4. Overall not impressed with the one I received. Then again, as some of you know, I have a rare gift of getting the only bad scope a company ever makes.
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bricat
Optics Master Joined: April/24/2007 Location: Michigan Status: Offline Points: 1881 |
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Sorry to hear that, sounds like you got a lemon. I'm sure Minox will make it right. I have the ZA3 and I absolutely love it - no issues.
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outlawskinnyd
Optics Apprentice Joined: November/28/2010 Status: Offline Points: 129 |
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thats very unfortunate...
i havent been on these forums that long, what other scopes have you gotten that are lemons?
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koshkin
MODERATOR Dark Lord of Optics Joined: June/15/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13182 |
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That does not sound good at all. Contact Minox. They will take care of you. As a side note, you do have a very special kind of luck. ILya
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jetwrnch
Optics Apprentice Joined: July/03/2006 Location: Knoxville, TN Status: Offline Points: 294 |
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I have three Trijicon Accupoints and all three have required service. The ring on the objective bell fell off of a 1.25-4x24. Another one of the same model had an internal o-ring splat against a lens, grease and all. The third, a 3-9x40, has a cracked triangle. An Elite 4200 had a loose reticle that would rotate with the fast focus. A Zeiss Conquest had several issues out of the box, including ring marks and scratched lenses. All but Bushnell made good very quickly. FWIW, I think a major contributor to my issues has been using a lead sled type rest at the range. I have no proof of this but it seems logical that the scope is getting a lot of recoil followed by a sudden stop. I never had any issues until getting that type of rest. The strongest round I fired was a 30-06 factory load. i now try to buy light weight scopes to minimize the inertia. I shoot light weight rifles so it seems logical that the scope would absorb more of the recoil than it would if mounted on a heavy rifle. Just SWAGS at this points. (Scientific Wild Ass Guesses.) The only scope brand I've never broken is an Aimpoint. All of this explains my avatar, courtesy of The Ed Show, if memory serves. |
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Ed Connelly
Optics Retard God of no Chihuahua Joined: December/16/2007 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 24225 |
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" It's jetwrnch!!!! BACK!! BACK!!! "
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jetwrnch
Optics Apprentice Joined: July/03/2006 Location: Knoxville, TN Status: Offline Points: 294 |
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With the rifle secured try moving the fast focus eye piece laterally. If I push mine in any direction my point of impact shifts around an inch at 100 yards. Anything above 10x will not come into focus. |
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jjyoung
Optics GrassHopper Joined: January/29/2007 Status: Offline Points: 45 |
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I just wanted to report that I ordered a Minox 4-20x50 and had the same problems as jetwrnch. The scope tube behind the zoom ring would move up/down/side to side when pushed with my hand. The scope was impossible to use above 12x. The eye relief was also closer to 6" and impossible to mount and use do to a very finicky eye box. The glass was very clear in the center and very distorted and blurry about halfway out of the center. I am very disappointed with the scope and returned for a refund.
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koshkin
MODERATOR Dark Lord of Optics Joined: June/15/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13182 |
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This is a very interesting phenomenon. Just out of curiosity, can you take a snapshot of they eyepice with the reticle properly focused for your eye and post the picture? I currentl have Minox scopes on my hands: 4-20x50, 3-15x50 and two 1.5-8x32, and none of them have anything resembling this problem, so I am very curious. Thanks ILya
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jetwrnch
Optics Apprentice Joined: July/03/2006 Location: Knoxville, TN Status: Offline Points: 294 |
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Sorry. I've returned both scopes. From what I've learned reading your site, the focus issue has more to do with my eyes than the scope. I'm sure a side focus scope would solve the problem. My main concerns were the overly loose eye pieces. The scope's eye pieces were not equally loose, so manufacturing tolerances became questionable. None of the other fast focus scopes I have displayed this issue. If someone needs to back the eye piece out any distance, the point of impact shifts significantly with any lateral eye piece movement. The eye piece would not return to center on it's own without threading it back into the ocular bell.
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http://windrockphotography.com
"Do you really think the deer cares what kinda pants you was wearin'?" Marisa Tomei in My Cousin Vinni |
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RifleDude
MODERATOR EVIL OPPRESSOR Joined: October/13/2006 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 16337 |
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If for whatever reason you turned the eyepiece too far in the negative diopter direction, the eyepiece could conceivably start getting wobbly as it loses thread support.
Not saying that's what happened in your case, but that could be a possible explanation.
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Ted
Money can't buy happiness... but it's much more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle. |
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jjyoung
Optics GrassHopper Joined: January/29/2007 Status: Offline Points: 45 |
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The scope I had did the same thing with point of impact moving significantly. I could look through the scope and push down on the rear of the scope as I watched through the scope and see the cross hairs move at least a foot at 100 yards. It was not only the eyepiece itself that would move but the whole tube behind the zoom ring. This would happen with the eyepiece screwed all the way in. I returned the scope I had and am exchanging it for the 3-15x50. Only reason I am trying the 3-15x50 is to see if it does the same thing. I will report back my findings when I get the new scope.
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jetwrnch
Optics Apprentice Joined: July/03/2006 Location: Knoxville, TN Status: Offline Points: 294 |
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THANK YOU! I was afraid it was just me
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http://windrockphotography.com
"Do you really think the deer cares what kinda pants you was wearin'?" Marisa Tomei in My Cousin Vinni |
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SD Dog
Optics Master Extraordinaire OT Scratching Post Joined: February/28/2008 Status: Offline Points: 4177 |
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jjyoung or jetwrnch, any updates?
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If nobody ever said anything unless he knew what he was talking about, a ghastly hush would descend upon the earth. AP Herbert
Stupidity & ignorance have been the foundation for many certainties. |
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jjyoung
Optics GrassHopper Joined: January/29/2007 Status: Offline Points: 45 |
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The scope is out of stock for two weeks. I'm guessing it will be a month until I have one in my hands again.
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jetwrnch
Optics Apprentice Joined: July/03/2006 Location: Knoxville, TN Status: Offline Points: 294 |
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Nothing to update on my end. I'm sticking with Trijicon and Zeiss for now. Two bad scopes in a row was enough for me.
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http://windrockphotography.com
"Do you really think the deer cares what kinda pants you was wearin'?" Marisa Tomei in My Cousin Vinni |
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jjyoung
Optics GrassHopper Joined: January/29/2007 Status: Offline Points: 45 |
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I will not be getting another minox for review. I decided not to wait and go with another conquest. At least I know what I will be getting this time.
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johnfox
Optics GrassHopper Joined: March/29/2009 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 17 |
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My ZA3 3-9x is doing the same thing.... Minox, you've got a problem! |
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koshkin
MODERATOR Dark Lord of Optics Joined: June/15/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13182 |
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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
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brodeur272
Optics Journeyman Joined: September/23/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 609 |
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Ilya,
Glad to hear that! I was worried I might have issues with my two 1.5-8s.
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