I'm having trouble deciding between these two scopes. I have a Leupy and have owned others in the past. Never owned a Zeiss.

Question:
Which scope would you buy for a light weight mountain rifle?

Choices:
Leupold VX3 2-8x36 for $429
Zeiss Conquest 2.5-8x32 for $399

 

Theres likely not much of a difference between the two optically, I just like the 36mm bell over a 32. FS

In terms of optical resolution, I would think that either would be excellent.

It would be very helpful if you could compare both when mounted to a gun. Factory specifications for eye relief are sometimes fantasy, and the specifications for how critical eye distance is are almost never given. Scopes vary in these qualities and you may find that one of them "fits" you better than the other. If you can purchase from a source which will honor a return without penalty, then buy both of them and keep the one that works best for you.

Be sure that you properly focus the scope before testing it -- many people will swear that a high-quality scope is trash without realizing that it has not been focused for their personal vision.

See if you can take your rifle with you when picking it out. You can judge overall fit in the store. fwiw I have 3 Leupold 2-7x36s and am quite happy with them.