The following information is about a test of scope performance in low light levels done in Finland. The data were made available by an individual who is identified as Low Light Hunter. Tom B.
From: LowLightHunter Sat Jan 05, 2008 1:00 am
To: MrGman. Here is a test from a Finnish magazine where a bunch of scopes where tested.
A test board with E letters in different sizes on separate levels(the same as used for the driving tests) where placed 110 yards away. The test results show how many rows could be seen through the scope at different times during the evening. If a minus (-) sign is placed after the row number, it means that it could not be determined where the E pointed (up, down, left or right). The test results are in Finnish, but here is a translation table:
- riv = row
- ei n�y = could not be seen
The test where done during winter time conditions.
Here are the test results:
Burris 2,5-10x44 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 1 riv.- 20.00: ei n�y
Bushnell 2,5-10x50 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 1 riv.- 20.00: ei n�y
Bushnell 3-9x50 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 2 riv.- 20.00: ei n�y
Docter 2,5-10x48 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 2 riv.- 20.00: 1 riv.
Docter 3-12x56 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 2 riv. 20.00: 1 riv.
Kahles 2,5-10x50 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 2 riv. 20.00: 1 riv.
Kahles 3-12x56 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 2 riv. 20.00: 1 riv.
Karl Kaps 2,5-10x56 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 1 riv. 20.00: 1 riv.-
Leupold 4,4-14x50 17.00: 3 riv.-17.30: ei n�y 20.00: ei n�y
Meopta 3-12x50 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 2 riv.- 20.00: 1 riv.-
Meopta 3-12x56 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 2 riv.- 20.00: 2 riv.-
Schmidt&Bender 1,5-6x42 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 1 riv. 20.00: 1 riv.-
Schmidt&Bender 2,5-10x56 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 2 riv. 20.00: 2 riv.-
Shirstone 4-12x56 17.00: 2 riv.-17.30: ei n�y 20.00: ei n�y
Swarovsik 2,5-10x42 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 2 riv. 20.00: 1 riv.
Swarovski 2,5-10x56 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 2 riv. 20.00: 2 riv.-
Zeiss 2,5-10x50 17.00: 2 riv. 17.30: 2 riv. 20.00: 2 riv.-
Zeiss 1-12x56 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 2 riv. 20.00: 2 riv.-
The following info is for a different test. Tom B
From: LowLightHunter Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:55 pm
Ok, the test was conducted in the following conditions. 19 scopes with 56mm objective and illuminated rectile or red dot were chosen. A silhuette of a deer was placed out on a field abt 20 feet away from the testers. Then they waited for the sun to set. They looked through the scopes and when it was not possible to see the deer anymore, they put the scopes away.
Scopes tested were the following:
Barska Euro Pro 3-12x56IR
Docter Classic 3-12x56R
Docter Unipoint 3-12x56R
JahtiJakt 4-16x56
Kahles CBX 3-12x56L
Leupold VX-L 4,5-14x56
Luger PRO-NA 3-12x56
Meopta Meostar R1 3-12x56RD
Micro Dot 2,5-10x56
Night Force 3,5-15x56NF
Nikon Monarch E 2,5-10x56 SF M IL
Schmidt & Bender Zenith 2,5-10x56 FD LM
Swarovski 2,5-10x56 L LD
Vixen VF 2,5-10x56
Weaver Classic Extreme 2,5-10x56 SF
Zeiss Classic Diavari 3-12x56 T*
Zeiss Victory Diavari M 3-12x56 T*
Zeiss Victory Varipoint 3-12x56 T*
Zeiss Victory Diarange M 3-12x56 T*
At 4pm the deer was difficult to see the deer without a scope. Also at 4pm the first scope was put to the side. This was Barsk. The next seven in the order of how difficult to see were Luger, Vixwn JahtiJakt, Weaver, Leupold, Micro Dot and Nikon. All within 40minutes (4pm - 4:40pm).
With the rest of the scopes it was still possible to see the deer picture to be able to make a shot at it. The moon started to give some light, so the deer picutre was moved to a darker place. After that the scopes were put in an order by which it was hardest to see the picture and so on. The two scopes that fell out first were Meopta and Schmidt&Bender. The next two scopes were Kahles and Docter Classic It was still somewhat possible to see the outlines of the deer with Docter. The next two were Docter Unipoint and Zeiss Diarange. Zeiss Victory Varipoint was a bit better than the last two. Swarovski PVI-2 and Zeiss Classic Diavari were on the same level, a little better than the varipoint. The last scope on the table was the Zeiss Victory Diavari.
The test also included other parameters which I will not mention, simply because the test was 6 A4 pages and I am only interested in the low light performance. They also measured light transmission, which gave totally other results. But what counts in the end is what you see through the scope and not the measured numbers.
Please note that this is my translation of a test that was conducted in a Finnish hunting magazine last month. I do not take any responisbility of the outcome of the test itself.
To MrGman, the scopes that I would recommend is Meopta Meostar and Docter Classic. They are good low scopes for low light hunting at a reasonable price. The best you can get, if you are prepared to pay, is of course Zeiss Diavari, both victory series with loctec coating and the classic series. For daylight hunting only I would for sure chose another scope.
From: LowLightHunter Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:59 am
Sorry It should be 55 yards! They put the deer picture 55 yards out in the field. 55-110 yards is quite a normal distance for low light hunting on deer or wild boar.
I rearranged the data from the first test in the order of most to least Es seen at 8 PM. Tom B
Zeiss 3-12x56 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 2 riv. 20.00: 2 riv.-
Zeiss 2,5-10x50 17.00: 2 riv. 17.30: 2 riv. 20.00: 2 riv.-
Swarovski 2,5-10x56 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 2 riv. 20.00: 2 riv.-
Schmidt&Bender 2,5-10x56 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 2 riv. 20.00: 2 riv.-
Meopta 3-12x56 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 2 riv.- 20.00: 2 riv.-
Swarovsik 2,5-10x42 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 2 riv. 20.00: 1 riv.
Kahles 2,5-10x50 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 2 riv. 20.00: 1 riv.
Kahles 3-12x56 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 2 riv. 20.00: 1 riv.
Docter 2,5-10x48 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 2 riv.- 20.00: 1 riv.
Docter 3-12x56 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 2 riv. 20.00: 1 riv.
Schmidt&Bender 1,5-6x42 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 1 riv. 20.00: 1 riv.-
Meopta 3-12x50 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 2 riv.- 20.00: 1 riv.-
Karl Kaps 2,5-10x56 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 1 riv. 20.00: 1 riv.-
Bushnell 3-9x50 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 2 riv.- 20.00: ei n�y
Bushnell 2,5-10x50 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 1 riv.- 20.00: ei n�y
Burris 2,5-10x44 17.00: 3 riv. 17.30: 1 riv.- 20.00: ei n�y
Leupold 4,5-14x50 17.00: 3 riv.- 17.30: ei n�y 20.00: ei n�y
Shirstone 4-12x56 17.00: 2 riv.- 17.30: ei n�y 20.00: ei n�y
I changed the power numbers from 1x12 to 3x12 for the Zeiss, and from 4.4 to 4.5 for the Leupold. Tom B
