50mm or 56mm is it bright enough to make it worth it???

[Blueboat]

I know what you are talking about!!!!. I did about 2-month’s research on scopes, brightness etc, etc. Purchased 2 black diamond scopes from Midway sent one back defective, the second I sent to Burris because it was not clear on high power at 100 yards they repaired it and sent it back, I couldn’t believe it when I got it back now it was not clear past 300 yards. I sent the second scope back to midway got my money back and bought a 5.5 x 22 x 56 Nightforce scope. This scope is for hunting. There have been many times in the morning I have had to wait to shoot at animals because I couldn’t see them in my scope (Vari X III 40mm). The Nightforce is great.

[superlite17]

Thank you all, I am concerned about mounting high... easier to knock out of alignment. Also, pardon my ignorance, but i understand that the higher the scope the greater the variance at the intersection of the crosshairs, correct????

But i do want light!

Also Blueboat, after reading your post, one of my main two 50mm considerations (Black Diamond) is out!!!

[Chrismadrid]

[ QUOTE ]
Also, pardon my ignorance, but i understand that the higher the scope the greater the variance at the intersection of the crosshairs, correct????

[/ QUOTE ]YES- BUT! If you shoot predominantly a LONGER distances the line of sight will better align with the flight curve if sighted in at that distance. Dificult to explain with a graph paper and pencil (for me anyway)- it's all to do with Tangents.

[Jeff In TX]

It's been awhile since I've read and researched a subject such as this one, but I'll chime in and pull from my fading hard drive in the top of my head (or my ass as my wife would say).

Brightness in scopes can be achieved in a variety of ways. High dollar scopes from top of the line scope manufactures use the best optical grade glass, top of the line coatings on all their lenses (internal and external). They also use multiple internal lenses systems, meaning many internal lenses.

A S&B, Savorski, Zeiss as well as many of the other top manufactures have scopes that transmit more light with a smaller objective (40 to 44mm) than other scope lines using 50 and 50mm objectives. These scopes also provide resolution and clarity other scope lines could only wish to achieve.

They achieve this by using multiple lenses systems with the best glass available.

Cheaper scope lines state their scopes are just as bright as the top of line scopes and that may vary well be. However, what you make up for in brightness, you lose in clarity and resolution.

Cheaper scope lines don't use as many internal lenses which allows more light to pass through the tube. But in doing so, they lose the clarity and resolution.

So brightness and light transmission is only part of the equation.

Hope it helps.

[LB]

When I was twenty, I had the eyes of an eagle. Literally, 10/10. I could see very well from marginal scopes, like Weaver and Redfield and Bushnell.

If you have never looked through a quality scope, a 3X12X56mm German, (for instance) under very poor light conditions, you really don't know what is going on. These scopes were developed for hunting wild boar on dark nights, from towers. Consider what the performance might be under "low light" conditions.

Things change. The aging process includes your vision, and suddenly, you begin to appreciate the difference between what's out there; and what is available, if money were no object.


At some point, those (clear as spring water) Weavers don't cut it any more.

This is not a slam, by any means, but the youngsters have not arrived, yet. I don't know how else to put it?

Good hunting. LB

[Chrismadrid]

Some simple maths

50mm lens - Area in square mm 1963,5
56mm lens - Area in Square mm 2463,0

Divide 2463/1963.5 = 1,254 OR put another way the 56mm has 25% more light gathering area than a 50.

[superlite17]

Well, that sure put things in perspective... 25% more lght would seem to justify the 25% increase in price.

Let me ask you this... would a 30mm tube then transfer an additional 25% more light than the 1"???