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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting African Big Game Hunting Swarovski Z8i 1-8x24 VS S&B Exos 1-8x24Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
| Swarovski Z8i 1-8x24 VS S&B Exos 1-8x24 | Login/Join |
One of Us |
Which of these two would you say has better image quality? Any thoughts or comparisons fro personal experience are appreciated. Thanks | ||
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a post in the front and a v in he rear  | |||
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I've never seen the S&B or the Z8, but I absolutely love my Z6 1-6's. One illuminated, one not but they are on top of my go-to medium and light rifles. | |||
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| Administrator |
I suggest you look at both. The Germans have a knack of making everything complicated, including their scopes. Given half a chance I prefer Leupold. | |||
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Swarovski is from Austria)) Nec Timor Nec Temeritas | |||
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Being somewhat on the "not so rich" side, I like Leupold scopes. I did invest in one Swarovski scope. It actually cost more than the Weatherby Mark V has beeb mounted on since the late 1990s, and it is head and shoulders above any other scope I have, both in price and quality. It is way above lower end scopes for resolving power. The rifle and scope combo has taken game animals all over North America, Africa, and Several other locations. It has never been bumped off Zero, and has been in plenty of rough situations where other scopes may have been. Having said all of the above, this price range of scope is not worth the extra expense to me. Even a lower end Leupold Rifleman will do an adequate job on most rifles. Most of my money I spent on hunting and fishing. The rest I just wasted | |||
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Both are Krauts as far as I am concerned!  | |||
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Sure Nec Timor Nec Temeritas | |||
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The post and V block to much of the target. Frank "I don't know what there is about buffalo that frightens me so.....He looks like he hates you personally. He looks like you owe him money." - Robert Ruark, Horn of the Hunter, 1953 NRA Life, SAF Life, CRPA Life, DRSS lite | |||
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I may sound like curmudgeon but I think the high end Euro scopes are not worth the enormous price difference between them and top line 1" Leupolds. I'd just buy two Leupolds, mount both in quick detachable mounts and site them both in on your rifle. You'd then have a good scope, a back up and money left over for a PH tip. Mark MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
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We keep around a 100 scopes in our store. Zeiss, Swarovski, S&B, Leica, Leupold and others. For my own rifles, I always go for Leupold. | |||
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cause you are a curmudgeon - bet you hate blaser rifles too I would get a swarovski. if i wanted a s&b - i would get the blaser scope which is designed by hans udo bender. Mike | |||
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I've compared both. The glass is great on both, as you'd expect for what they cost. The Swaro is about an ounce heavier (18.2 vs. 17) and is available with a ballistic reticle. The S&B has a "parallax free" CC (close combat) setting that allows you to use the scope as a red dot sight with both eyes open. Actually, I think it just adjusts the parallax to close range vs. 100 m for the other magnifications. I put the S&B on a .375 set up for a brown bear hunt. Seemed like that would be handy feature in the event of a followup in thick alders and dim light. Thankfully, I've never had to test it in that application. It does work well to blast wind blown beach balls in pratice. ___________________________ | |||
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I think its a question of horses for courses. I have or have used Swarovski, Ziess, S&B, Leupold and a few others. My go-to scopes for general hunting and culling are Swarovski (Z6 & Z6i) and I think for European hunting and driven game (illuminated, both eyes open) they cannot be beaten. However in Africa things are different - I always used a Leupold and it never wobbled - I think KISS applies - Keep It Simple Stupid. Less to adjust/fiddle with the better. You don't need superb light gathering or illuminated reticles - you need robust reliability on a big kicking rifle. | |||
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I have the S&B, to be honest I cant tell enough difference between it, trijucon or leupold in simular configuration to think about it much. Had to file knob off power adjustment on trijucon to work bolt on 6 x though but I Like the no battery I have leica and sworo binos in camp and its about 50/50 who likes which one, but each swears one is better than the other. | |||
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I agree with Mark on the idea of a backup. I have a 1.5-5 Leupold on detachable rings that used to be on my .416 before I replaced it with the Swaro. It always goes in the bag as a backup. | |||
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8x isn't much use in a 24mm objective. I'd pass on both euros and look at a 1/5/24 VX5 Leupold. FWIW, I'm also on board withe idea of two scopes in QD mounts on a travelling rifle. | |||
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| Administrator |
Bloody hell! No way in hell I am going to use anything designed by any on an UN BENDER! No wonder the Blaser is such a horrible piece of junk! | |||
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I will visualize you stuck in Dubai traffic bitching about and wishing for the good old days of walking everywhere. German optics and modern rifles like the blaser are wasted on curmudgeons. Swarovski scopes are excellent and simple. Well made precision. The Swarovski warranty and service is exceptional. Also with optics regardless of how expensive or modern they are service and warranty matters. Mike | |||
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I am very lucky here. I have several roads close to my house that take me out of town in minutes. And Leupold's after sales service is second to none. | |||
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You usually get what you pay for Nec Timor Nec Temeritas | |||
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Not in this case. The top European scopes are obscenely expensive compared to Leupold. I don’t mind paying for quality where it is warranted. But in my experience these scopes are actually not any better than Leupold. And most are made over complicated. | |||
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I have had a Leupold for at least 20 years; has not let me or those who have used my rifle down and while Swaroski and Zeiss may be up at the top of the table, Leupold is giving them a run for their money. I have also noticed that the European market is the larger customer for the Austro/German optics industry not because they are better but mostly through traditional ignorance, ignorant of the fact that other makes have emerged, some of which are par excellence yet at a fraction of the cost. | |||
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The best scopes I owned were Leopold and as a matter of fact a Burris. I also have an old Zeiss Diavari which never needs adjustment. ROYAL KAFUE LTD Email - kafueroyal@gmail.com Tel/Whatsapp (00260) 975315144 Instagram - kafueroyal | |||
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Many of the differences in optical clarity, resolution, definition, etc are so slight that they can only be detected by optical testing equipment. Factor in the fog, rain, darkness, shade, and bright sunlight encountered in regular hunting situations, and it's pretty much a wash. To me it comes down to diminishing returns....I won't spend $2,500 on a scope when a $500 Leupold will perform at 99.99% of it's capabilities. | |||
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Biebs has summed this discussion up to a "T". MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
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+1. If you are determined to get European optics, Might look at Meopta. I own an R2 1.7X10 and it is a great scope but I see no difference in it and a Leopold VX5 or 6. Actually am trending back towards the VX 3's due to the weight advantage and they are so good that well; why not?? 13oz scope.. Then again I am not attempting to shoot chipmunks doing acrobatics at 1000 yrs and I do not have a mule to carry my gun. EZ
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Every rifle from .375 up that I bring to Africa has an illuminated Leupold VX-5 or VX-6. I really can’t see the difference between them and the European optics with the Leupolds being half the price. The Leupolds also have better eye relief. I do have several other brands of scopes on my other rifles and lately have been using Burris illuminated scopes for deer hunting here in Louisiana in the woods at dark thirty. I really like them. BUTCH C'est Tout Bon (It is all good) | |||
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what $500 leupold https://www.leupold.com/vx-6hd...ot-duplex-riflescope the german scopes are more expensive but not 5x a good leupold. Mike | |||
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For lower powers I don’t think there s any advantage with S&B and that’s despite me having three, two of the 12-50X for my long range rifles, one on .375/Gibbs .505 case, another on a .338/Gibbs .505 and a third 5-25X on another .375/Gibbs .505. At long range you ll see a difference in clarity and precision. For my two Lott’s I use Leupolds 1-6 and 2-12 B&C; for my Gibbs .505 2.5-14x Leupold, For WBY 30-378 a Nightforce 5-22 since its accurate to 1200 y. All the smaller rifles have Leupolds. | |||
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. Jeez this thread made me laugh! Firstly, Saeed has a knock at the over complicating 'Krauts' and then everyone starts tooting the Leupold horn and banging the Leupold drum and then fluvio somewhat naively tars the Europeans as ignorant in all things scopes other than Zeiss and Swarovski! Really! The one argument that I would have accepted is 'support made in America' but that never was mentioned. I guess everyone tooting Leupold has a Chevy Spark in the garage or yard, after all for USD 16 thousand it gets you from A to B, has 4 wheels and an engine. Who needs leather seats when fabric will do let alone all that Vorsprung durch Technik that Saeed seems to hate  No, why drive a Mercedes or BMW or a high end truck when a Chevy Spark can get the job done too !Facts are America likes Leupold whereas Europe gravitate to Zeiss and Swarovski if they can afford it or S&B and Meopta as next best. Sure they all get the job done but so does your yellow Chevy Spark! I have a Leupold VX R 1,25x20 that I got for $490 plus / minus. I use it for driven hunts and it gets the job done. I didn't go for top range in this case as a) I wanted to try Leupold and b) I only do 2 or 3 driven hunts a year. I am happy, its a good scope. I also have a Leupold LTO Tracker 2 HD Thermal hand held - a good piece of kit! My other rifles are topped with Zeiss, Swarovski, S&B and Meopta. S&B has gone down the tactical and military road whilst Zeiss and Swarovski continue to lead the global market in top end optics, be it scopes or binoculars. Glass is fantastic, great reticle options, better tracking, superb low light quality and a huge annual spend on R&D! Years ago someone said to me that after a premium quality bullet the next most important part of the set up is the scope and sadly I have seen too many quality guns topped with cheap scopes and cheap mounts. Leupold, whilst getting the job done, just does not compare. On all my African trips when I have needed a scoped rifle as opposed to open sights, I have taken Zeiss or Swarovski scopes and never needed or bothered with a back up scope, but if you want to buy two Leupolds and have some change to tip the PH, then heck why not! If you are buying them because they are 'MADE IN AMERICA' then I get that 100%. And as a closing comment, I have not got a clue about Zeiss and Swarovski after sales service or warranty service because I, like most users I imagine, have never needed it! . "Up the ladders and down the snakes!" | |||
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My Swarovski z6i just came back from Europe after there was a foreign object in the scope behind the glass. I have a Leica with a loose magnification dial going in. Another z6i went to Swarovski for rubber eye piece that from hard use was worn out. Scopes cannot be tinkered with or sent to local gunsmith. Warranty matters and it is the most precise equipment on a rifle. Mike | |||
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Hahahaha! There goes European quality. Leupolds don't come out of the factory faulty!  | |||
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Sure they do. Everything manufacture will have quality issues. It’s just reality. How many issues and how it is dealt with is what matters. Other than blasers - they are always perfect Mike | |||
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There's a lot of quality scopes out there and I like both Leupold's and Burris, as someone mentioned. What I like about the Swaro Z6i for my use, is it is a true one power with an illuminated reticle. So, if I crank it down to one power and turn on the lights, it's basically a red dot and faster than iron sights for my old eyes -- can shoot with both eyes open, which I always prefer. Also, it's a 30mm tube. The Leupold it replaced and rendered a spare, is 1.5 power to 5, which makes it harder to shoot with both eyes open and it's a one inch tube, as opposed to 30mm. The Leupold is a great scope and will certainly do the job; it did for me for years. I just like the Swaro better and I like having the same scope on both my medium and light rifle. It's worth the difference in price to me. Each to his own. Glad we have so many quality scopes to choose from. | |||
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Quite frankly yes because most European hunters don't have the time, patience or knowledge to choose the right scope for their type of hunt; to waste countless hours at the range fine-tuning and getting acclimatized with their new toy so they simply trust their gunsmith/broker or whomever to rig their rifles accordingly and quite naturally, big bucks means Rolls-Royce. Not all European hunters have the possibility in easily accessing firing ranges as the Americans, possibly due to the tight arms regulations in Europe and the ranges in most European states have different classifications, e.g. max caliber 300 and if you have any larger/more potent rifles you have to apply for an upgraded range (usually military) sometimes many miles away from you place of residence. Again, most European hunters restrict their activities to the hunting of game species common to their geographical arena, Roe Deer, Stag, Chamois and Boar being the most common and the annual hunting window for the same is just that: a window which once closed foresees the rifle resting for another 10 months. So yes, most of the European hunting fraternity are ignorant and/or lazy, not necessarily through choice but more because of a process of red tape. I would be willing to wager that the requirements for a hunting license in the USA cannot compare to those imposed on European hunters. | |||
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I have been driving BMWs for 50 years. No car comes even close. My 4whell desert car is a Toyota, because it is the best. The Yanks cannot even come close to making anything half as good as these! | |||
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Wrong on the time, patience and knowledge points but you are right on the ranges - most ranges are 100m and don't allow DG calibers .... noise pollution etc. And frankly the restrictions and legislation make it almost impossible to run a range today. So no, we cannot go out and plink to 1000 yards and spend hours playing with scopes. Even if we could I'll wager most would still go with Zeiss and Swarovski. You just don't see Leupold in European stores. They have not even scratched this market let alone cracked it! Sure there are cheaper scopes than Zeiss and Swarovski in Europe and there is a market for them. As to guns sitting in safes for 10 months not correct. Wild boar year round, roe deer are open 8 to 9 months, red deer May to January et cetera et cetera. Same as in the States right or can you hunt mule deer, antelope and whitetail January to December day in day out? Also open and closed seasons. But hardly any of my guns get a chance to collect dust. And I would not wager with you on the license legislation, it is so much tougher getting permanent hunting licenses in most European countries than the States - in Germany your hunting license is nicknamed 'the GREEN DIPLOMA'. But I would wager with you that the majority of young European newbee hunters will know a lot more about flora and fauna and safety than their American cousins, but that's another topic.
Kind of like a tyre change on a car, right ? Now back to that yellow Chevy Spark.... . "Up the ladders and down the snakes!" | |||
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If you take care of your cars most will last a long time.{probably longer than you want to keep them). I agree there may not be a more reliable 4WD off road universal vehicle than a Toyota Tacoma. You may have to paint it every 5-6 yrs. For some reason the Japanese have never found out how to apply a paint that does nor fade in a short period of time. You limit yourself on what a Taco will carry pr pull though. I had one BMW fun car that was put together well and fun to drive Z4M but it was actually a very spartan car with fewer "gadgets" to fail. I also have a 96 GMC Z71 1/2 ton pickup with 250,000 miles going string.. Change the oil often and they will all run. Hell: I have an English car and they are supposedly the worst (Aston Martin DB9) and have never had a single issue with it and it is easy to work on yourself from a maintenance perspective. Back to scopes I am very satisfied with a Leopold scopes. I have had scopes from Weaver, Burris, Redfield, Swarovski, Zeiss, Meopta and Leopold. No Night Force or Leica yet. I like the 3 series Swarovski as they are not so heavy and priced close to Leopold. Not sure they are quite as robust so have not put them on heavy hitters. I do use Leica binoculars. EZ
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I like scopes that are many years old and are faultless to a few hundred yards. Ever hear anyone say a bad thing about a Leopold? ROYAL KAFUE LTD Email - kafueroyal@gmail.com Tel/Whatsapp (00260) 975315144 Instagram - kafueroyal | |||
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