Vortex or Zeiss

[samuelcmm]

So I saved my money to put a new vortex on my hunting rifle (savage model 11) and I was about to order it when my buddy who was sitting at the table said "hey before you order that check out the zeiss terra series" so I looked and now I'm conflicted. Is there anyone who has experience with both scopes? The rifle is a 308 and It will be used to hunt deer, hogs, and paper. The farthest hunting shot I'll make is around 200 yards that's the distance from the permanent hunting blind to the opposite end of the field. And I have access to a 550 yard range but it's not often that we shoot that far so would there be an advantage to either of these scopes? I'll post the two links also I'm not ordering them from amazon that's just the easiest way to show y'all the two scopes

http://www.amazon.com/ZEISS-522741-...rue&ref_=ox_sc_sfl_title_1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

http://www.amazon.com/Vortex-Optics...true&ref_=ox_sc_sfl_title_2&smid=ASHXZQKG4FX8

 

[Charles S]

Both are outstanding scopes in my experience. Both are very durable and would be more than enough rifle scope for the purposes you state. I don't believe you can go wrong either way. I have yet to use it, but I understand Vortex has amazing customer service.

I think you will be very happy with either scope.

Just so you know, I shot a long range hunter course with the Viper Vortex LR FFP 4-16X50 scope and had no problems making consistent hits to 1000 yards with that scope mounted on a 308.

 

[JO JO]

don't know about Zeiss , I do have a Savage Hog Hunter model 11 with a Vortex Diamond
Back 4x12 x 40 and I am happy with it glass is clear seems to be a good scope.

 

[sage5907]

I wouldn't buy either scope for a hunting rifle because they are both too heavy. The Zeiss weighs 17.5 ounces and the Vortex weighs 18.5 ounces. The heaviest weight scope I would put on a hunting rifle is about 14 ounces. That extra 4 ounces makes a lot of difference in the handling and carrying of the rifle. The Zeiss has a 1 inch tube which I don't buy any more because a 30 mm tube gives you a much bigger picture. Both scopes have a objective end that is also too large because a 40 mm is a big as you need for hunting. The Zeiss is 56 mm and the Vortex is 44 mm which is not quite as bad.

 

[rbernie]

As I've posted here in the past - I bought a Terra when they first came out, and found it inferior to my VX-3s and probably at best equal to my VX-2s. For the money - I'd rather have a VX.

 

[ttarp]

I don't think the Terra line is made in Germany is it? I went with the Conquest line myself.

 

[Walkalong]

I bought this Vortex Viper HS 5X15-44 when they had it on sale for $400. It's an OK scope. Nothing to get excited about. I like my Sightron S3 a lot more, but it was nearly twice the price as well. I have no experience with the Zeiss Terra.

I recently bought a Nikon Monarch 5 (ED glass) 3x15-50 with the "Advanced BDC" reticle on sale at Cabelas, and I really like it. It's in that price range ($424.88) on sale.

 

[RainDodger]

I have a Zeiss and I have a Vortex Viper. The Zeiss is brighter, but what I find most noticeable is the degree of eye relief. The Vortex has a smaller area where your eye must be to see the full view. The Zeiss is much more forgiving in my opinion. Granted, a Viper is not the top of the line Vortex scope, however I noticed this same thing when comparing my Leupold Mark 4 to a top of the line Vortex. The Leupold has more leeway and is more forgiving when looking through the scope. I bet you'll find the same benefit with the Zeiss over the Vortex.

 

[Manny]

No direct experiance with either, but I do own different products from each. A Dialyt spotting scope from Zeiss and Vipor HD binocs from Vortex. Both are superb and both companies offer great quality BUT I've heard the Terra series is less than stellar, definitely not up to the standards of the Conquest line. Were you looking at a Conquest in comparison to a Vipor I'd think it'd be a toss up, but the the Terra line doesn't hit the same mark. The Vipor line gets outstanding marks across the board for excellent optical performance and being very good values. Between these two choices the Vortex would be my choice.

 

[cdb1]

We sell both scopes where I work. I mount scopes at work and have my own scope mounting business. The Terra is not a real Zeiss in the sense that it is not made by Zeiss. The Terra is made in Asia which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I prefer it over the Viper because for my eyes the glass is better and the eye relief is better as was previously mentioned. I'll take a VX-3 over either any day.

There is a myth that a 30mm tube gives you a wider FOV. It simply isn't true. What it does do is give a slightly stronger tube and may give more windage and elevation adjustment. The reason I said "may" is because some 30mm scopes have 1" internals as a cost savings measure.

 

[HexHead]

The Zeiss has a 1 inch tube which I don't buy any more because a 30 mm tube gives you a much bigger picture.

A 30mm tube gives the erector room for more adjustability. Period.

 

[HexHead]

I don't think the Terra line is made in Germany is it? I went with the Conquest line myself.

The Terra is assembled in the Phillipines. It replaced the standard Conquest which was assembled in the USA. The Conquest , btw, used Meopta glass.

The Conquest HD5 are fully made in Germany.

 

[sage5907]

cdb1, I understand your point that a 30 mm tube does not give a larger field of view, because a field of view is exactly what it says, field of view. What a 30 mm tube does do is that it gives a larger picture of that same field of view. I have several 30 mm tubes and several 1 inch tubes and when I look through a 30 mm tube it give me a larger and far more appealing sight picture. As far as accuracy on the target I have not noticed any advantage in one over the other.

 

[Sniper66]

This thread had been helpful. Contains lots of good info and suggestions. Thanks everyone.

 

[hoghunting]

rbernie....As I've posted here in the past - I bought a Terra when they first came out, and found it inferior to my VX-3s and probably at best equal to my VX-2s. For the money - I'd rather have a VX.

Mounted a Terra for a friend last year and was far from impressed. The Conquest is a much better scope, it's a shame they were discontinued.

 

[HexHead]

Mounted a Terra for a friend last year and was far from impressed. The Conquest is a much better scope, it's a shame they were discontinued.

Zeiss and Meopta had a falling out.

 

[MCMXI]

I own products from both Zeiss (four scopes) and Vortex (three scopes and one binocular) and have used products from both companies that I don't own (Zeiss HD5, Vortex Viper and rangefinder). I have four Conquests and consider them to be an outstanding hunting scope, particularly with the RZ family of reticles. Sadly the Terra series isn't particularly good and certainly not on a par with the Conquest. I would recommend the following hunting scope from Vortex. It's a really good choice weighing in at 14.2oz and with the useful BDC reticle.

http://www.vortexoptics.com/product/vortex-viper-3-9x40-riflescope-dead-hold-bdc-reticle

I bought one of these for a friend in 2014 and used it to work up a hunting load for her Kimber Mountain Ascent. She used the combination to take a nice Whitetail at 168 yards in very low light and has taken numerous deer in Hawaii along with some sheep out at 250 yards. It's a great scope for the money and would be a better choice (for hunting) than either of the scopes linked to by the OP. The RZ reticles are my favorite hunting reticles but I would choose the Viper over the Terra.

 

[samuelcmm]

It's a great scope for the money and would be a better choice than either of the scopes linked to by the OP.

Why is it a better choice than the viper hs with the 30mm tubw I listed. I'm not trying to be contrary I just don't see why it would be a better choice. Also wouldn't the added 4mm on the objective and the larger tube nice me better light absorption for early morning or evening

Sent from my LGLS992 using Tapatalk

 

[MCMXI]

What a 30 mm tube does do is that it gives a larger picture of that same field of view. I have several 30 mm tubes and several 1 inch tubes and when I look through a 30 mm tube it give me a larger and far more appealing sight picture.

If you compare the two scopes below from Vortex, they have the same field of view at 10X which means the same size image i.e. a 10.8 foot diameter circle, even though one has a 1" tube and the other a 30mm tube.

1" tube
Vortex RAZOR HD LH 2-10x40mm
Field of View 56.2-10.8 feet/100 yards

30mm tube
Vortex Viper PST 2.5-10x44mm
Field of View 47-10.9 feet/100 yards

 

[MCMXI]

Why is it a better choice than the viper hs with the 30mm tubw I listed. I'm not trying to be contrary I just don't see why it would be a better choice.

That's a great question and not contrary at all. I would personally choose the Vortex Viper HS over the Terra if it has the BDC reticle. However, I would choose the Viper 3-9x40mm with the BDC reticle over the Viper HS because it has the same features but is sleeker, lighter and cheaper. I'm not a fan of 30mm tubes on hunting rifles and the more expensive HS appears to have no real-world advantage over the cheaper Viper. Amazon has the Viper 3-9x40mm with BDC for $279 which is $150 cheaper than the Viper HS.

http://www.amazon.com/Vortex®-Viper...464045935&sr=1-1&keywords=vortex+viper+3x9x40

 

[sage5907]

Let me try this one more time because I seem to have missed it twice. Even though you are looking at the same field of view such as 10.8 feet at 100 yards, the image to the human eye appears larger through a 30 mm tube than it does through a one inch tube. It's like looking at a 19 inch computer monitor as compared to a 15 inch monitor. The image on the computer screen is identical but the 19 inch screen is larger. Maybe some people just haven't noticed the difference.

 

[Walkalong]

Interesting. I guess that would be relatively easy to test.

 

[Haxby]

the image to the human eye appears larger through a 30 mm tube than it does through a one inch tube

No it doesn't.

 

[sage5907]

I did find some interesting statements on a Swarovski website: The reason some 30 mm tubes appear to project brighter views is probably because they were built with the absolute finest materials.... The walls can be made thicker for added strength and durability or the lenses can be made slightly larger, which increases optical performance simply because larger lenses always perform better than small ones, all else being equal.

 

[cdb1]

I guess our eyes are different(I'm serious) because I cannot tell a difference. I mount scopes for a living and maybe I look through so many it all becomes a blur(I'm being serious about this point too).