Leupold vs Swarovski vs Zeiss

For F class shooters, I see a lot more Leupold's than any other brand. The optics are excellent and when you put on a click the group moves a click.

I got to look through a 40's Zeiss and it was pretty good for a period scope. Not as clear as a modern but good for the period.

When you get into modern scopes, at some point you need an interferometer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_interferometry to tell the difference between lenses.

Or a teenager.

Our club President bought a Zeiss scope. Set up a test to read numbers or letters at 200 plus yards. He really could not see much of a difference between his scopes.

Then some teenagers came around and saw details he could not see with his eyeballs.

So he threw in the towel.

You will find when your eyes go South, expensive scopes will not make up the difference.
 
Well Leupold probably sells MORE but I think Swarovski makes the best. Now before I get pummeled, I think that a VX-3 or VX-III is a superb scope and hard to beat for the money
 
I don't get why leupold only has a 3x magnification range on thier scopes, compared to most companies 4x range.
Thats something that'd put me off a leupold.
 
They're too expensive to own them all, so my experience is limited.

I have an Optolyth fernglaeser (binoculars) and a Zeiss spotting scope. Both superb.

Nothing wrong with my Bausch and Lomb binoculars, either. They're excellent and are 8X.

My Leupold rifle scopes are also of excellent quality in their various vari X configurations.

Picking one over all the others could be difficult if you're looking for quality. If you're looking for price, that's an easier choice. If you want the very best optics, then you'll pay for it.
 
Last edited:
I agree with Rembrandt. If you're going to start your own thread to get a question answered, don't tie our hands by being so generic and unspecific.;)
 
I don't get why leupold only has a 3x magnification range on thier scopes, compared to most companies 4x range.
Click to expand...

Leupolds claim to fame is 2 fold.

#1 Their scopes are lighter and shorter than the competition with far more forgiving eye relief. Features many hunters like and are willing to sacrafice a little glass clarity to get. More X's in a scope means bigger heavier scopes and less eye relief.

#2 Their scopes have a well earned reputation for "to hell and back reliability". Bigger heavier scopes are subject to greater g forces and torque when fired. It is my belief that this is a big part of why Leupolds tend to keep working when others fail.

There are scopes that are more and less expensive, but when all is said and done they offer a lot for the money.
 
I have a pair of Leica 10X40 binocs that I truly love. I paid a ton for them some years ago. But...one day in Houston it was raining cats and dogs and my wife asked me to look and see how much was in the rain gauge. I went and got my fancy German binocs, but I just couldn't read the level. The wife went and got some 9 power compact Nikons that some customer had sent me, and she read the rain gauge. I grabbed the Nikons, and yup..I could read it. That ticked me off a bit, but when I hunt I have the Leicas with me.
 
I have several high end scopes but the best I own is a Steiner I bought in the late 90's for a Safari I went on in South Africa.

For a couple of years Steiner had Leoplold build scopes to their specs using their optics. I compared all of the high end scopes to the Steiner in different lighting conditions, etc. The Steiner was and still is the best scope I ever owned.
 
To Rembrandt and Nnobby45....Im not trying to get a specific answer about anything, im just curious as to (out of the 3 manufacturers I listed) who in YOUR opinion makes the best scope "overall". Id say overall quality is what im looking for, so leave the price and marketing aspect out of it. Sorry for being so vague
 
I have all three scopes. I love them all. The Swarovski is the clearest (takes a bit of adjustment to get right when mounting), the Zeiss has the most eye relief. Leupold, for the money, is a very good scope, that I am not scared to "throw around a bit". I guess it depends on your needs, and your budget.

IMO, there is really no "best" scope maker. They are all very high quality, and would instantly reccomend any of them.
 
For the manufacturers you list, Swarovski makes the best scopes. Zeiss would come second & Leupold would come third. Leupold still makes good scopes though. You also have to remember each manufacturer makes a range of scopes, and I believe the ranking I gave them is true when comparing similar scopes in a similar range.
 
Leupold is overpriced. They're the Bose of the optics world. Good stuff, just not for the prices they ask.

Zeiss is pretty solid. Ask over at Optics Planet.
 
When I was searching for a rifle scope, I went to Bass Pro and looked through similiar models from Swarovski, Zeiss and Leupold to see which one I thought was best.
Ended up with the Swaro.
 
I have hunted extensively with both Leupold and Swarovski. I see no practical difference in the field. I have also hunted quite a bit with Burris. I have never had a scope related problem with any.
 
For you folks of the opinion that Leupold's are overpriced, I'm sure you factored in that they have a lifetime warranty surpassed by who else? As far as their entire line I could'nt speak but as far as their tactical and comp offerings they are best value/price on the planet....and I own two March's.
 
I think if I had to do it all over again, I would have spent less money on my rifle scopes and more on my binoculars. Yes, it is nice to have a super clear bright view through a scope, but 95% of rifle scopes in the $200-$300 range will do exactly what you need them to do, which is being able to see your target clearly during legal hunting hours and hold zero. After all, you only look through your scope for a few seconds during a hunt. If you use binoculars when you hunt (and I think everyone should, ever if you hunt in the thick stuff) you look through your binoculars hours at a time. The fact is, you are not going to miss a shot at deer during legal huniting hours because your could not see a thing out of your Fullfield/Prostaff/Redfield etc..., but when you held up your Swarvoski, it turned night to day. Better/crisper view through the Swarvoski, defenitely, but not enough of a difference to miss. If I had $1,500 on me to buy a rifle scope and binoculars, I would buy $200 scope and spend the rest on the binoculars.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top