Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Zeiss V6 Conquest...Any problems?

I’ve got the cart before the horse for sure asking about this, but I’am curious to hear if anyone has had any serious failures with a Zeiss Conquest scope.
Specifically, I just purchased a NIB Conquest V6 5-30x50 for a 7WSM build underway. Thumbs up or down...😎

I don't have a v6 but do have a v4 with same internals and so far it tracks perfectly. I love mine

My on problem is they are built in Japan, don’t seem to be as crisp as the older conquest and the conquest dl which is made in Germany.

Had a Conquest 3-9x several years ago that was a great scope until it developed tracking issues. It also had a couple flecks of paint on a lens for years that I had them clean up while it was back at the mother ship. It came back working fine, and continued to function okay until I traded it as part of a deal.

V4 is made in Japan V6 made in Germany.




V4 is made in the same plant as the Nightforce SHV , it looks like it has very rugged internals. I have not read a single complaint about a V4 , one is going on my Model 70 300 win mag after this season is over.

As Oldelkhunter pointed out, the V6 is made in Germany. The V4 is built in Japan -- as are some other highly-regarded models. I purchased a V4 a few months ago and have zero legitimate complaints, and -- from a purely optical standpoint and without getting into boring details -- it has slightly better glass than the original Conquest series and is fully on par with the Duralyt and Conquest DL .I have another V4 due here today, and if it is different in any way from the one I had earlier, I'll certainly point it out here in this thread.

From a design perspective, I wouldn't mind the V4 having illumination that went even dimmer and a "stop" between the highest and lowest settings, but this is strictly personal preference and things I'd prefer being changed on quite a few other brands of scopes as well. As to the V6: until they offer the #60 reticle -- or at least a heavier reticle option that would work in poor lighting -- in a mid-range magnification model, I have no intentions of spending any time with one. Zeiss clearly intended these for the long-range crowd, but they could certainly work for other applications as well given different reticles.


V4 3-12x56/#60





same V4 shown alongside a Steiner Nighthunter Xtreme 2-10x50

Bobby, you are an enabler.

I have only compared them side by side outside. Looking at tree branches on a ridgeline about a 1/2 mile away. Both models could see the small branches against the sky line. The VX perhaps was a little sharper.


Spinning the turrets they both felt the same. In the end I couldn't justify the extra $$$ for the 6 so I bought the 4. I have about 150rnds through the 4 on my .264 NULA. ..Not a heavy kicker but pretty snappy

Ran it up and down and returned to zero Has held zero.

V6 has some pretty funky reticles that I didn't care for.. The words over engineered comes to mind.


Not much of a test but I think that if you have to have the best absolute glass, and a scope made in Germany, then go for the 6.


Lefty C

I agree completely...

I had a 5-30x50 V6 and found it very hard to get behind. Great glass and superb tracking, just wasn't practical for hunting. Also found the lenses fogged up very quickly and had to be wiped off all the time. Great target scope, poor hunting scope IMO. I would like to try a 3-18x50 though to see if it is easier to get behind.

Bobby what is Your opinion of the Steiner Nighthunter?

My experience mirrors what Bobby said. I have a V4 4-16 on a 6.5 CM and the glass is fantastic. Better than the original Conquest as well as the HD5. ER and Eye box are generous and adjustments have been spot on. A little heavy but no too much more than say a SWFA SS albeit with better glass. At the current prices the V4 can be had for they are a great buy. I kind of wish I had gone with the ZMOA instead of the plex reticle though.

There's lot to like about it. It has one of the best illumination systems out there (gets VERY dim), and a high transmission rate coupled with excellent rendering of fine detail allows it to be one of the top low-light performers. I keep hoping to locate a 3-15x56 for a reasonable price, but no such luck. The 3-15x has side focus, which I find helpful in moonlight. (My 2-10x50 had fixed parallax.) I really wish more manufacturers would set parallax at 150 or even 200 yards in the non-adjustable models. Depth of field in low light or moonlight can be extremely shallow, and a focus set to a farther distance is beneficial in that regard as you'll be rewarded with better/sharper detail for slightly longer shots.

I even contacted Steiner about changing the parallax for me, but they said they do not offer those types of services.

Bottom line, though: the NightHunter Xtreme offers some fantastic glass and was a heck of a bargain for the $999 price Doug at CLNY was blowing them out for.

I really wish they offered that scope with a 40mm objective and the turret that the 4-16 model has. I personally think the V4 is a better scope than the v6, The V6 has more tunneling at all powers. with v4 has a view that seems to go off the edge of the scope, it has a very very thin ring on the view that of course is the scope body. with the v6 you see a much larger blackened view around the edge.

I think this true with any high magnification scopes. you MUST dial down to a "normal" power while hunting, then if you have a LONG shot, you will need a DEAD SOLID rest to make the kill, so dialing up to 25-30 you can get up on scope and make the proper alignment. I agree the high maginification is great when the proper opportunity presents itself.

I had a Leupold 45X Competition scope on my benchrest .22 and yes, your head had to be in just the right place to get full field of view

I won’t have mine mounted up for several months, waiting on the rifle. Though I can see potential issue with dark edge ring at the high end. Usually, I’m dang near rock solid off my pack or bipod making a shot on elk, which, I hope would minimize this issue... 3-18 has always been a sweet spot for me on big fur-I just couldn’t pass up the V6 scope at the price point. I’m never married to an optic. It either works for me or I change it out. I’m happy Form hasn’t rung in and said they’re a total pile of schit...Yet. Grin 😎

Just wait for it. I'm guessing that if he chimes in, you won't like what he has to say

100% scope thrashing coming my way. 😰

Jordan, I think Form is going to give it a glowing review. Excellent clarity across all power ranges. Solid internals with tracking capabilities and return to zero perfect. Durable from a 3’ft drop and holding its guts together from repeated recoil...
And, Santa really rides in a sleigh 🤣😎