You guys need to check out MeOpta .......http://www.meoptasportsoptics.com/shop/us/r1r-3-12x56/meostar-r1r-3-12x56/ctgRus.html
Errr... no. Don't get me wrong, I really wish there was a cheap scope that was good for more than just mashing potatoes in the dark, but during last three decades or so of dawn/dusk and nighttime hunting I have yet to come across one. In this regard I've thought of the Meopta Meopro 4-12x50 as the bargain of the century, at MSRP of just over $700. Walkalong's Leica is even better.This is all you need for low light shooting
Same with astronomical type telescopes. Its all about exit pupil, which gets smaller with increasing power. In those telescopes for sky use, a "Rich Field" scope is used for greatest light gathering which has great light gathering ability with the correct eye piece, but you are limited as to magnification.A scopes magnification and objective size go hand in hand determining low light use. If you divide the front objective size by the magnification the number you get is the size of the light beam coming out the back of the scope and entering your eye. For example a 40mm objective with 4X magnification results in a 10mm light beam coming out the back of the scope. This number is known as the exit pupil. The larger the beam of light (exit pupil), the better the scope works in low light. At least up to a point. The pupil on MOST adults eyes will only open about 5mm, and any more light is wasted. If you're in your 20's and have above average vision 6 or 7mm is possible but not common. The advantage always goes to lower magnification, but details are easier to see with more magnification. At least as long as you have enough light.
For ideal low light use you want as much magnification as possible and still get a 5mm exit pupil. A 40mm scope maxes out at 8X. A 50mm scope transmits exactly the same amount of light at 10X as a 40mm scope does at 8X and only has slight edge when set on 9X. At more than 10X low light use is hampered with either 40 or 50mm scope. Both 40 and 50mm scopes transmit more light than the human eye can use on magnifications of 7X or less. To use 12X in low light you'd need a minimum of a 60mm objective to gain anything in low light.
And all this just determines the size of the light beam coming out the rear of the scope. Not the actual brightness of the light. Very complex testing methods are needed to determine this and hard numbers are hard to find. Most budget scopes are in the 80-85% range. Most mid-level scopes selling in the $300-$500 range are in the 90-95% range and the really expensive $1000+ scopes are in the 95%+ range. Glass quality always trumps glass size.
A good quality 40mm scope will always cost less than a 50mm scope of the same quality. At the same price point a 40mm scope beats a 50mm scope every time because the better quality glass. Now if you move up to higher quality, and more expensive 50mm glass it will be slightly better, but only at 9X magnification.
I have several 3-9X40 Leupold VX-2's and several 3-9X40 Zeiss Conquest scopes. The Zeiss are better, but only slightly so. I can use either of them after legal shooting time has past.
Your literally asking for the very best in light gathering and resolution. You cant get that on any knock off.
IMO take a hard look at the euro optics, they tend to shoot in darker conditions than we do a lot of the time so often have larger and brighter scopes.
@cdb1 also once theorized, that companies that build a lot of dawn/dusk/night (not bushnells line) scopes tend to carry that into there more mainstream lines of scopes as well, so that might be helpful. Tho who he suggested to me as being brands to watch have fallen clean out of my head right now.....
Actually, you're "wasting" light in both cases. The closer the exit pupil at your actual pupil diameter the better and the rule of the thumb of 7-ish mm works. I tend to crank 56mm diameter scopes to magnification of 8 and 50mm to 7 for maximum light transmission in the dark, following the legendary fixed mag low light scope, Zeiss 8x56 Diatal principle. More often than not you can tell the difference by looking through the scope, changing magnification slowly and suddenly the image seems somehow brighter.
Here it is legal to hunt 30 minutes before/after sunrise, sunset. I use a VX-R 4-14x40. I can see deer clearly before/after sunset that are nearly impossible to see without the optics.
There are probably better choices, but I consider mine more than adequate. The Firedot is REALLY excellent. Easy to adjust brightness. Never needed to replace the battery. If you don't move the scope, it shuts itself off after five minutes, and comes back on when it moves again.
I found a Trijicon AccuPower 2.5-10x56. Glass looks good. Have not mounted it yet, so will have to see you it works in the woods. \
The Vortex Crossfire was my second choice. Feel the Trijicon is better glass.
Now I gotta buy some really tall scope rings.. that don't go for high price.
Still is, like in most European countries. Like you described, that's a major factor for choosing a scope for many or even most hunters and it has resulted in local manufacturers spending a lot of money on R&D developing better glass and coatings with low light performance in mind. Schott HT glass and the latest proprietary coatings are the hottest combination at the moment and yes, the latest offerings from high-end manufacturers are visibly better than anything on the market ten short years ago.I hunted in Finland a few years back. Their hunting 'day' is basically 24/7. (or it was then).