I'll say the leupolds are heavier than the competition, that could be a factor for you. But after looking through the 3500 dollar unit I feel like the diminishing returns are real. But I'll also say that when my buddy looked through the cheap leupold he instantly said "good as mine" and then ran off to get his and prove it. And again I think the diamondback was as good or better. We do have exceptional eyes for our ages but I can't believe how good the optics are. I don't think I'd be able to count every tine on a moving deer at 2 miles or size an elk carefully but in my estimation you have the right idea. Wyoming might be the only place where you could actually see 500 dollars worth of difference in terms of air clarity, but even still how much more can you really see than color and clarity except in maybe the lowest light? In my case I'd rather spend that 500 on coolers or tires or a drop camp/pack out or a good camera. I mean, I in no way think someone should NOT buy a high tier optic, they are excellent products, I'm just amazed at what I could get under 400 and I bet the 800 dollar level would decurl my hair. I dunno, just how I feel I guess. I would also like to hear from people with more experience than me.
Oh I think if you were hooking up a camera to film in 4k there'd be a huge difference there.
