Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Schmidt and Bender 1.5-8x42 Stratos

Anyone have used this scope? Is it worth the price tag? Up here it’s $2820 for it.

Yes. That's subjective. I paid substantially less than 2800, so for me, Yes.

The mounting space is quite short, so mounting to a long action, or especially to a magnum action can be a challenge. I have one mounted to my AHR (built on CZ 550) 9.3x62 with Talley QD rings, and it just fits.

That’s Canadian for me so it’s much more here than for you.

I had the 2.5-13x56 version. The brilliance of the image was something to behold and reminded me of top-tier Leica glass. The view through most S&B scopes is nice, but this model featured a level of contrast that truly made the image pop. The resolution on my charts was as high as any scope has scored. I got mine on clearance and about half-off what they normally sell for. My only gripe is that I'd like for the flashdot system to use a smaller dot -- and maybe one that is a tad less intense as well.

I have more than one of these scopes. I bought them as demo’s and/or close outs. This lightened the price considerable. I like the scopes a lot. Though understand Bobby’s comments on the illumination. But for my closer and larger animal shooting it is not a real issue.

I also agree the mounting space is limited on H&H length actions.

Optically wise, power range, and field of view; I have Zero complaints.
I prefer the FD4 reticle. I tried a FD7, and had it changed to FD4. I prefer the tighter window of the 4. Personal preference.

Another personal preference Dislike is the illumination control. For me it was not user friendly. Be damned if I could press the correct segment by feel. I would usually press two segments at once, or have to look at the control to get it right. This was without gloves on.

But, I really like the scope. Enough to have the FD7 changed to FD4, and the illumination controls replaced with the Zenith rotary type.
I have one of these so modified on a 375 Ruger. Had another non-modified on a 416 Ruger for one season. That season confirmed that illumination control sucked for me. It is on its way back from S&B at this time, with rotary control.
I do Really like the Stratos 1.5-8x42’s. FD4 is my reticle choice in this scope. Too bad they don’t offer a non-illuminated version in this scope.

You are right about the illumination control and the "choose your light feature." The control is definitely not the easiest to access/change, and the "change your light" feature as a whole is cheesy at best. What I was not aware of until after I bought mine is that S&B actually offered this scope with the standard rheostat knob like on other models. Their literature did not mention it (at least not that I recall), and trying to decipher anything via their product numbers is enough to give anyone a headache. I also like their FD4 over the FD7 and never understood the popularity of that wide, thin style. The FD4s, though, are truly hard to find as it seems S&B distributes most of those in Europe. I looked for over 2 years for the FD4 in a Zenith model before locating one.

But the optical properties are simply outstanding -- at least in the 2.5-13x56 that I had.

Bobby, I had seen them advertised as standard illumination control. But never found one. The FD4’s were extremely challenging to locate, especially at below normal retail.
The same difficulty finding the Zenith FD4 or non-illuminated 4. Still looking !
Reticle wise the S&B 4’s are a close 2nd to the Zeiss Victory 4’s, to my eye.
As you stated the non-HT Victory’s are way difficult to stumble across, especially with a #4. I bought one with a #8 and sent to Zeiss to replace with a 4. If Zeiss had continued those scopes, doubtful if I would have tried the S&B’s. I have a few that I picked up mostly used ones 1.5-6x42’s, one 2.5-10x42, and a 2.5-10x50mm with a #40 illuminated.
I am still a fan of straight tubed scopes. But as the light fades, the straight tubes have limitations.

I haven't used the 1.5-8x42 but have used the 1.1-5x24 for a season on a lightweight .358. I'll echo what others have mentioned on the illumination control, I would much prefer a dial, but the push/dimmer/brighter/ control does work.....it's not intuitive but can be worked around and give a wide range of illumination levels. I have it set at the lowest.

In this scope I have the FD9 reticle and love it for the use of closer range/woods shooting. I would probably like the FD4 as well but haven't used it (I do like the A4 non-illum). The illumination is a dot only and I like this in the scope.....only a very small portion is illuminated and it works excellent in low light at a very dim setting as it doesn't wash out the image. The quality of the glass and the ability to set the illumination very low allows this scope to be used in low light at woods ranges.....the low power and small objective are limiting factors here but the glass quality and illumination really helps it out. For my use, it's about as good as it gets in a small compact, limited range scope that isn't going to be dialed.

Wasn't aware that converting to rotary control was an option. Guess my scopes will be going back after the first of the year!

Mind sharing (here or PM if you prefer) cost for conversion?

PM sent.
I dealt with Jerry and Lisa at the USA service center. Both are very affable people.

JCMCUBIC,
I have one of Stratos 1.1-5x24 also. It originally had the FD7 reticle. The FD7 in this scope was not what I was expecting.
I was expecting a very similar reticle view as in the 1.1-4x24mm Zenith, which I like very much. In the 1.1-5 Stratos it looked like a completely different reticle.
I sent it with the 1.5-8x42’s for reticle change to FD4 and illumination control change to rotary.
I am waiting on UPS to deliver it today. I may put it on a 375 or 416 Ruger. If I recall correctly it is a bit shorter than the Zenith 1.1-4.

I really like those Zenith 1.1-4x24’s with FD7’s. Unfortunately for me, my wife did too after finally getting her to look through one. That is now her preferred scope now, for everything.

One thing I did like about the Stratos illumination control was the reactive automatic illumination control shut off and on. I use illumination Very Very seldom and can definitely forget to switch off.
But not sure if I would want that feature on a raccoon hunting rifle. I recall there was a way to deactivate it.
I do have similar features on low powered Leica’s on bigger bores and like.