Seeking super sharp glass

I would look at Sightron ED glass or March High Master. Both are excellent ED glass and Japanese made. I used Nikon back in the day, so I understand your needs. They won't be cheap, but sharp and clear comes at a cost.

Schmidt & Bender, NightForce, March, Zero Compromise Optic $2k-4k+ range.

You don’t need that kind of glass for airguns as mirage is not much of a issue even at 200 yards.

How does Kahles stack up. Chick from AoA / Daystate uses.......

I have a gun on loan to me with a Sightron STAC, 4x20x50 mounted on it. MAN, I love that scope. Beautifully clear glass & SIMPLE reticle. If I were in the market (or had the $) for a new scope I would get one.

For what you are looking for I cannot recommend March highly enough. I've got a couple of the 3-24x42 March-F scopes with a simple FML-1 reticle and it's some of the best glass I've used. For a FFP with a 8x range it is very compact at near 12 inches long and under 30 oz - that's a hard combination to find. I would easily put the 42mm objective up against lesser scopes with 50 or 56mm objectives. Looks like they are running around $2700 new right now. When I got mine 4-5 years ago I waited for deals and got them closer to $2000.

Zeiss or Swarovski might have something you would like.

markT said:

How does Kahles stack up. Chick from AoA / Daystate uses.......

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Up there with the best, I just have never used one.

johnwoitalla said:

I have been an amateur photographer since the 70's and as such image quality has always been at the top of my list of what I want/like most in a scope. I find that looking through scopes at a shop is of very little use as one can only hand hold a scope in that situation and look around the shop with it...and in that situation even the poorest of scopes appear to be stellar-until I mount it on my gun and take it to the range. I am determined to find the scope that I would like to call my end game scope. I don't give a rip if the scope has the best light transmission, or the best anti fog coating, or a giant objective, or can take the recoil of a 20mm canon. I want a scope to first have crystal clear and contrasty glass, second a reticle that is not too busy(my Meopta has that going for it at least), not be the size of a fricken telescope, have about a 3x to 4x zoom ratio from about 4x-16x or 6x-20x and feel smooth, yet solid, doesn't leak lube, smoothness in focusing and adjusting. Something doesn't seem to ad up as my phone has a greater zoom ratio than my scopes and takes razor sharp images to boot, so why don't all scopes have the same capability? The technology is out there. What am I missing?

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I am very happy with the Sightron SIII series of scopes. Made in Japan using Japanese glass. Several choices within this series from Sightron.

Meopta makes some good scopes. Also, Clearidge are made in Japan and priced well. I think they are made by the same manufacturer as the old Weaver and Bausch & Lomb scopes.

For the money, Sightron, you do not need a $3000 or even a $2000 scope.I was also into photography.My most crucial optics are my binoculars; I use them constantly. Yea, ED glass, Japanese-made,or get one of the few USA-made scopes.

Some.. interesting suggestions so far. Are you sensitive to chromatic aberration? Would lack of edge to edge clarity, or total image degradation under adverse conditions disqualify a scope? Is a 100% clear image in the middle 90% of the lens at perfect optical center good enough? What do you find lacking in your current Meopta scope? Do you have a number $$$ in mind? Depending on your answers, I believe many highly regarded and otherwise very functional scopes may have to be excluded.

Another vote for Sightron. Impressive optics for the cost. Simple reticle. Very clear and bright.

As @Corvid_hunter recommended, Zeiss and Swarovski optics are superb.

I have both and they have served me well. Zero issues with tough field use.

Both my Sightron 6 and my Delta Stryker scopes have the clarity and resolution to see a .22 cal hole at 100 yards

The most pleasing IQ I've seen is my friend's Swarovski X5i 5-25x56, it's SFP, and a tank of scope but the 3-18 version is a little shorter. I think it has 50Y parallax though.

For FFP is my March Genesis 4-40 which is a ELR scope and exterior adjustment so it's always optically centered.

The fixed power Sightron target scopes are really good.

I imagine the other highest end SFP mid power variable Swarovski, S&B, Leica, and Zeiss hunting scopes are all exceptional. These usually have plain hunting reticles and some don't focus close. Sometime later this year S&B is supposed to come out with a semi compact and lightweight FFP 3-18x44 with a thicker tree reticle which has the most interest to me for 2025. It's going to be $4000+ probably, and I don't want to spend that much, but it should be a cool scope.

FFP on a budget goes to the Meopta Optika 6 IMO. It's very close to my S&B PMII 5-25.

Zeiss is incredible for the money.

johnwoitalla said:

I have been an amateur photographer since the 70's and as such image quality has always been at the top of my list of what I want/like most in a scope. I find that looking through scopes at a shop is of very little use as one can only hand hold a scope in that situation and look around the shop with it...and in that situation even the poorest of scopes appear to be stellar-until I mount it on my gun and take it to the range. I am determined to find the scope that I would like to call my end game scope. I don't give a rip if the scope has the best light transmission, or the best anti fog coating, or a giant objective, or can take the recoil of a 20mm canon. I want a scope to first have crystal clear and contrasty glass, second a reticle that is not too busy(my Meopta has that going for it at least), not be the size of a fricken telescope, have about a 3x to 4x zoom ratio from about 4x-16x or 6x-20x and feel smooth, yet solid, doesn't leak lube, smoothness in focusing and adjusting. Something doesn't seem to ad up as my phone has a greater zoom ratio than my scopes and takes razor sharp images to boot, so why don't all scopes have the same capability? The technology is out there. What am I missing?

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If you want to step back in time just a bit. Leupold 6.5-20x40.
There is your 3x to 4x zoom ratio. And your , " contrasty." I'll add to this Accurate color rendition, and pleasing to the eye.
The rest of this is a no-brainier. About Scopes.
Camera's : That is different. You cannot compare a premium rifle scope to a Digital Camera. It does not matter how far that camera zooms.
Especially a Celly phone. The size of the sensor in a , full frame, 2025 , top of the line , mirror-less camera is about 3-5-7K, Or more. Is 35mm. By contrast, the cell phone sensor is about the size of your pinky fingernail. That means the larger the sensor in the camera ( the more photosites along with density) along with auto-focus, is better than your eyes. Now if you post process that image. Of course it's going to be sharp and contrasty, for your eyes.
Now, you have to buy a Lens.
Not just any lens. One that gets out there.
That is going to be a 600mm or more. Depending.
It will be big and heavy. It will be expensive. And then you have to learn to use it.

Conversely.
The Rifle optic may well have better, or even, the best glass.
It will be bright. It will focus sharply. But you cannot control the light with a rifle scope. The light is what creates the image.
You Can control light , with a camera.
I hope this helps you in your, search.

I too, practice with camera's, Len's and light.