I'm convinced that given models of scopes may suit one person's eye better than it does another person's. I've done a LOT of side-by-side comparisons with my scopes in the $300 - $550 street price range, and my results sometimes don't align with those of others who also report what they've found with the same scopes. I've also noticed other people on forums such as this one and RFC who share my views on a given scope, and others who hold the contrary view, so this reinforces my belief that different eyes see differently through a given scope. One such example is with Leupold scopes. I admire the company, hope that they are highly successful (because they are an American company), but I generally have to look at a scope with a street price approximately 2x that of some of the Burris or Sightron models before they match up in terms of clarity and resolution for my eye.
On the subject of side-by-side testing for clarity and resolution, I find it VERY interesting. I've often found that scopes that I THOUGHT were quite good based upon routine hunting or target shooting with them, didn't fare very well when compared carefully back-to-back with others that I might not have noticed were that good. It's strange, I don't know why I would have held mistaken views of some of them, but I've found the testing to be eye-opening at times.
For example, until I put the Clearidge, VX-2, Weaver RV-9, and Timberline side-by-side, I actually thought the Burris was the lowest rank of the 4. Once I started looking at an optical resolution target with them under the exact same conditions, I realized that the Burris has the best glass. It also has the smallest field of view, which immediately, subconsciously, strikes me as negative because it makes the view seem a little darker, but it's really not darker, it's just smaller. At any given magnification setting with the Burris, I can clearly discern a smaller set of lines on this target below (sorry for the blurry photo) than I can with the other scopes.
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I adjust the focus on each scope carefully for its clearest view at the test distance (this usually takes a few minutes per scope to get them to their best possible setting), then compare in a setup like in the photo below. I will switch back and forth between scopes and make notes on various aspects, not the least of which is noting the smallest set of 3 lines that I can resolve. I also compare colors in the target area, etc. I also apply a grade for just "pleasant to look through," which I've found is an important attribute for me. There are scopes which are MUCH better in this pleasant-to-look-through regard than others. You look through them and your eye just relaxes. These scopes are much more enjoyable to use, IMO, than others. For my eye, the Weaver Grand Slam 4-16x44 and the Burris Fullfield II 4.5-14x42 are two such scopes that are great to sight through. I could shoot all day with those. The Timberline somehow doesn't fall into this category of best-to-sight-through for me, but as far as resolution and clarity, it's got it over the Leupold, Clearidge, and Weaver RV-9 for my eye.
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