How many members have looked thru or own Zeiss Conquests?

[woodshunter]

I was in a large gun and equipment retailer looking at what would have been my sixth vari X3 leupold when he said what do you think of the new conquests? Didn't know anything so he pulled one out and handed it to me, walk over and look out the window and see what you think. I took a look and walked right back over and said hand me that leupold I was just looking at to buy, he did and I said if you feel funny with me going over there with 2 of your good scopes walk with me I gotta compare. He laughed and came over after I had adjusted and compared them about 6-8 times, what do you think? I had bought a couple leupolds from him over time and he knew all he had to do was let me see both with my own eyes. I'm going to take this conquest and I'll be back for another soon as I sell a couple scopes....do you always have them in stock? Yah but they are selling pretty steady so call before you drive this far to make sure. Changed my optical opinions pretty quick, I really got into low light and resolution as well as color rendition, clarity and that great black etched reticle that didn't go kinda gold bronze in bright light. Put up a piece of hide in the woods aways back in the trees about a 100 yds down back and sat there making notes comparing a 4500 elite,vx3 leupold and the conquest as light faded into dark watching the time, it had almost 10 min on the vx 3 and 6 min on the elite. Downloaded acuity charts and looked at them at 100yds with everything equal the conquest again edged the elite and leupold both, I was getting pretty impressed and just couldn't get over the lenses these scopes had. Got 2 more and the leupolds were selling good as brands began to balance out. Had no problems for a couple years and I noticed that the one scope had parallax when I was shooting target, called zeiss and they had me send it to new york state where it was for about a month, when it arrived back they told me that policy was to completely install a new scope in the original tube everything was new. Scope was and still is perfect years later so I had no kick, they sent free lens cleaner and lens cloths and a $50 gift card for any zeiss purchase. My buddy shoots one on his 336DGW and has failed to shoot it loose with some right nasty recoil thru the years. Another friend uses his on a smokeless ML'er that kicks pretty stout also but no problems. I don't get on the bandwagon for any product much but this just changed my outlook (pun) and made me a bit of an optics fanatic. Anybody else like em' woods

 

[troy fairweather]

Dad used them when he worked at the gun shop. Nice glass. Wish I could afford one now.

 

[woodshunter]

That story had to be about 2004 maybe and people are still impressed with those optics, I looked thru a Z3 swaro the other day and it didn't look better I would have to compare it with the conquest in low light side by side. In the state I hunt in you are allowed 30 min before sunrise to 30 min after sunset, if you're down in heavy overstory like spruce or cedar its get so dim that you need a headlamp as soon as you get up to go. That's where a good low light scope really comes into its own, it can be that difference between success or failure. Don't hurt the conquests I use have a 44mm obj, keep the power down and you can see horns if you don't have a doe tag.Wish I would have bought several more when they were $400 range scopes.

 

[berettaprofessor]

Well, I've looked through my fake-Zeiss. Watch out for them, they're out there.

 

[cdb1]

That story had to be about 2004 maybe and people are still impressed with those optics, I looked thru a Z3 swaro the other day and it didn't look better I would have to compare it with the conquest in low light side by side. In the state I hunt in you are allowed 30 min before sunrise to 30 min after sunset, if you're down in heavy overstory like spruce or cedar its get so dim that you need a headlamp as soon as you get up to go. That's where a good low light scope really comes into its own, it can be that difference between success or failure. Don't hurt the conquests I use have a 44mm obj, keep the power down and you can see horns if you don't have a doe tag.Wish I would have bought several more when they were $400 range scopes.

Talk about eerie timing, I just posted the following question on the Fullfield II thread and the next thread I came to was this one.

“I have the old Conquest that was made for Zeiss by Meopta. Haven’t looked through a current Conquest. Has anyone looked through both? I’d think the two scopes would be very different, and that Zeiss reconstituted the Conquest name after the Terra debacle.”

 

[LoonWulf]

I've got a generation old HD5 3-15x42 z800 on my Christensen Ridgeline, and it compares favorably to everything I've tried. Ive considered adding a few more to my other hunting rifles, but honestly Ive got decent to good optics on my other rifles and the extra cost just isnt worth it to me all the time.

 

[woodshunter]

Wow what a difference being out of the loop for 10 years has made on the optics scene, I have studied much and talked to some old contacts that have stayed current (unlike me). I'm sort of sorry I started a thread about a scope, the conquest MC line, that is no longer available. When they say only the good die young it applies to conquest scopes as well. The tera line was built to replace and keep pricepoint down but they are inferior and made in Japan probably with pacific rim parts, line hasn't done well as such. New conquest V4 are expensive and again don't seem to impress optically, have seen many posts where the people with MC conquests are not happy with V4 purchases despite almost double the price. Seems low light and clarity are compromised some at the least. The post about fake conquests is spot on and is rampant on E-Bay as well as fake leupolds. They are cheaper priced, made in china despite what the scope is stamped and not zeiss or leupold scopes. I will never sell my MC's and will buy any used good ones I see. In conclusion of my new findings I would consider the swarovsky z3 line as price runs with the v4 conquests and optics are superior. Don't hurt they are lighter and well warrantied. Looks like the mid level scopes in the $400 range is thinner and a lot less to pick from now. woods

 

[LoonWulf]

The Z5s, and leupy vx5s were what I was looking at when I bought my Conquest.

 

[jmr40]

Please use paragraphs next time, that was HARD to read.

There are different levels of quality from Zeiss, and even within the Conquest lineup. Same with Leupold, and which generation Leupold you compare matters too. It is real easy to get an apples to oranges comparison. If you're talking about the Leupolds made 2012 and newer they are much better optically than previous generations. Especially the VX3i. Even the VX2 made 2012 and newer is pretty close to Zeiss.

The now discontinued, (sorta) Zeiss Conquest 3-9X40 was actually made by Meopta and has been sold under several names over the years. The rest of the Zeiss Conquest is a step up in quality and price. But they will be 3-9X42 instead of 3-9X40. Meopta still makes the original Conquest under their name and for a few years was sold under the Cabelas brand.

I have one of the original Conquest branded scopes and 4 of the Cabelas branded scopes. When Cabelas closed them out at $250 each I bought 2 and have since found 2 more used. I do consider them a step up compared to all of the Leupolds except the VX3i which I think is an equal. But when I could get the Cabelas scope for $250 vs $500-$600 for the VX3i it was a no brainer.

I had a German made Zeiss that I bought used several years ago. It was a 1984 made scope and very good. But I didn't think any better than the newer Conquest and when someone offered me a lot of money for it I sold it.

 

[cdb1]

The Cabela’s branded Meopta scopes have the Meopta name printed on the scope and on the packaging. I believe Cabela’s wanted consumers to know who made the scope. I also believe the Euro Instinct was the only Cabela’s scope that was any good. Some of Cabela’s binoculars were/are Meopta and are excellent quality.

I worked the gun counter at one of the four Cabela’s super stores from 2014-2016 part time. When I was on the clock I mounted all the optics. When I wasn’t on the clock we had a retired Master Chief Petty Officer who mounted optics. I wasn’t any better than the Master Chief, but I was quite a bit faster. If he or I mounted your scope you were good to go which I believe is rare in big box store mounted optics.

Since I’ve gotten off subject I’ll stay there for a while. Being that I mounted scopes I had a fair amount of interaction with our suppliers. Three companies were head and shoulders above the rest to deal with: Leupold, Vortex and Meopta. All I had to do was request it and I was sent spares of anything I wanted whether it was turret caps, screws or tools. Leupold tools are outstanding by the way. Leupold also kept me supplied with shims for my own little optics mounting business, and they knew not all of the shims were for Cabela’s. Leupold Torx drivers are the best I’ve ever used. The unfriendliest company was Nikon by a big margin. Even though I’m not a fan of Vortex scopes I take my hat off to them.

The tera line was built to replace and keep pricepoint down but they are inferior and made in Japan probably with pacific rim parts, line hasn't done well as such.

In my mind “made in Japan” is a good thing. Japan puts out some outstanding optics. There is a company in Japan whose name I don’t recall that builds binoculars for some of the Euro Glass companies. Then there is LOW who used to make most NightForce and Vortex Razor scopes. There are some decent scopes made in the Philippines too, ergo Burris Fullfield II.

 

[Gordon]

I have the same HD5 Conquest Loon Wolf mentioned on my .300 Weatherby with the 800 yard Zplex and it is a great piece of glass and in a 1" hunting scope you have to spend twice as much to equal it . I also have 2 Meopta made Conquest 3-9s on a couple European .243s and the are perfect for a light sporter and sub 400 yard use. No problems with any of them I use Nightforce on serious Longrange guns generally but have Leupold VX3i and earlier Leupolds that really are great optically, especially with 50-56 mm objectives. Also I have 15 year old MK4 Leupolds which are very good , but heavier . Bottom line the newer Conquest HD5 are superb and the Meopta made Conquest very good .

 

[stillquietvoice]

I'll have to look into those. I haven't had the privilege of looking through any Zeiss or meopta prouducts. The nest I have is a Leupold vx3l 3.5-10 x50 that is mounted on my m11 223.
Very good glass shot a small doe with it this season. I'm more impressed now than when I bought it a year ago

 

[LoonWulf]

Ive got one of those VX3is on my .375 ruger and really like it. This is coming from a guy who has owned and sold or given away a dozen or so leupys because i didnt like them.
Optically and weight wise its a toss up which I prefer between my conquest and leupy. The conquest is slightly better to my eye but weights a 1/3lb more.
Toss in the 5x zoom range, sidefocus, reticle, and it was worth the extra 300 bucks.

 

[paulo]

So I have a Karl Zeiss 6.5-20X50 MC Conquest, purchased around 2012. While I think the glass is very good I don't care for the turret rotation direction. Thinking about selling it, thoughts on its value?
Thanks
Paul