Both are great scopes........you will be getting a much better deal/scope if you buy the Zeiss Conquest......the Vari X III is wayyyyyyyy over priced, and cannot be compared in light gathering ability, or anything else you are looking into. Here is where the Zeiss Conquest outdoes all other scopes of its class: AN ETCHED RETICLE. Most scopes come with a wire reticle that can fall or come loose, but the Zeiss comes with it etched into the glass. Makes it much better, better reliability, etc.......Even the SWAROVSKI'S dont come with this and they cost 1 grand. As I said the Leupold LPS may be better, but thats will cost a grand, and as you said, thats too expensive........I have actually read articles where people have said they rather there $400 Zeiss Conquest, instead of there $1200 Swarovski AH/PH (pro hunter or the other one i think it is aerican hunter).
In optics, there is poor, good, great, excellent, and top of the notch. In my opinion optics can only get "SO" good. there reaches a point where the glass cant be cut any more precisely, and simply the scope can't get any better than it is. I think that is what the companies such as Zeiss, Nikon (the Titanium, and Monarch Gold), Leupold (LPS), Burris (Black Diamond, Euro Diamond, and Titanium), Swarovski, Nightforce, and Docter Optics, have reached. They simply have such a small amount of remove for error, that it makes it almost impossible to increase there products to performs better, than they already are.
It all depends on how much money you want to spend....:
Zeiss: $400-1200
Swarovski/Kahles: $900-$1600
Nightforce: ?? (around a $1000)
Docter Optics: $500- $1200
Burris: $550- $$900
Leupold: $899-$999
Nikon: $500-$900
As I said.......to some point the optics only get so good, and then it becomes a waste of money.
I would go with the Zeiss.......(I have personally looked through one, and they are exceptional compared to a Leupold, but i know there are alot of leupold fans out there I just dont think they have adapted there product to the "new times")
Maybe you should know, but i'm only 15, but i dont think that should effect your decision.....I looked for 2 months b/f I spent my money on a scope.......since it was my money, the best I could afford was the New Nikon Buckmaster 4-12x50 AO. I was VERY VERY close to just saving my money, and buying a $700 scope that I will never have to replace..........I already know the exact scope I will buy when I reach the point in my life where I need another scope........a Docter Optics 3-12x56. They run around $700, and have a new type of lens, called an "A-SPHERICAL" lens which allows more light to be gathered (or something like that). Fits everything I wanted in a scope........i just didnt have the money :cry:
Since you are looking at the high priced scopes I thought I would mention it......it used to be owned by Zeiss, but then split from them.........idk y (i think maybe b/c of WWI and WWII)
The best price I found was $689, since you said your shots could be 400 yards I thought that would be a good scope to mention. And with the 4x zoom, it has great light transmission (sry for calling it "gathering" earlier in the post greybeard, i know its transmission)
I thought that would give another option for your search.......cabelas have the scope if you want some info, but there price is high......sry this is so long........what do ya think??
