LPVOs mini quest

[JDGriz]

This is a shortish review and a few beginner thoughts on LPVOs. I recently got the VictOptics S6 1-6x24 LPVO - I thought it looked good but disliked the fact that it's closer to 1.25x than to 1x, so I decided to get a more expensive LPVO. The next LPVO I got was the Vector Optics Taurus 1-6x24. This is much flatter and better and truer 1x, but it somehow manages to feel worse than the S6.
After some playing around with those I got my head around the actual reason of being of LPVOs; LPVOs are a red-dot substitute which could in a pinch go to 4x or 6x. To serve as a good red-dot an LPVO must have a good eye box at 1x, and if possible to be true 1x and without fish-eye effects. This is where almost all LPVOs fail - the eye box at 1x is just a nomal scop-y eye box and not close to a red-dot feeling. The eye box depends on the exit pupil size and most LPVOs have an exit pupil of around 10mm at 1x. The only exception to this are the Vortex line of LPVOs which have an exit pupil of 24mm at 1x, according to the specs on some sites and some reviews. This is also the reason the cheap VictOptics S6 feels better to me than the Vector Optics Taurus - the S6 has an exit pupil of 16mm which is rare for LPVOs both budget and non-budget. The consequence of this number is that the S6 has a much bigger eye box at 1x compared to the Taurus.

 

[Hoffman9517]

Thanks for the info.
Check this.
I'm tempted

Styrka S7 Series 1-6x24​

 

[JDGriz]

Thanks for the info.
Check this.
I'm tempted

Styrka S7 Series 1-6x24​

... But: Exit Pupil: 12.5-4.0mm
(from here:
https://rinaaroutdoors.ca/products/styrka-s7-series-side-focus-riflescope-1-6x24-plex-st-95005 )

 

[Scouty]

Another (occasionally) inexpensive LPVO with a large exit pupil is the Sightmark Pinnacle 1-6x24. It has a listed exit pupil of 24mm at 1x.

I put occasionally in quotes as it often goes on sale for well below $400 & refurbished ones below $300. And when they do go on sale it often lasts for weeks.

Worth pointing out that it has a limited FOV compared to other LPVOs. Way less than the Vortex Razors that are still considered the best at 1x as far as I know.

Another inexpensive one is the Vector Forester 1-5x24. Exit pupil is 16mm. This one also gives up some FOV. Has parallax adjusted to 50 yards from the factory.

 

[Cainmos]

Always interesting to see people's opinions and setups. I plan to get a new pcp rifle and am trying to pick out glass for it. The LPVO's caught my eye since I won't use it much beyond 50yds. Looks like it has been shilled in reviews but the Arken EP8 1-8x28mm looks good for its current price on amazon @ $385. No idea what actual exit pupil is but from a few videos it does seem like a good mid-range price option. Haven't used it but might be worth considering if you want a little higher magnification.

 

[AntiRodentTaskForce]

Another (occasionally) inexpensive LPVO with a large exit pupil is the Sightmark Pinnacle 1-6x24. It has a listed exit pupil of 24mm at 1x.

Exit pupil = objective lens (24) / magnification.

So the exit pupil shrinks as magnification increases.

... meaning all 24mm LPVO's have a 24mm exit pupil at 1x

... meaning if the objective is 16mm at "1x"... and the objective lens is 24mm... that means your 1x is actually 1.5x

 

[JDGriz]

Exit pupil = objective lens (24) / magnification.

So the exit pupil shrinks as magnification increases.

... meaning all 24mm LPVO's have a 24mm exit pupil at 1x

... meaning if the objective is 16mm at "1x"... and the objective lens is 24mm... that means your 1x is actually 1.5x

..Unless there is a 10mm or 16mm wide obstruction/optical element in the middle of the optics, in which case that's your actual 1x exit pupil. The problem is - most LPVOs are like this, and Vortex and very few others (probably) aren't.

 

[AntiRodentTaskForce]

most LPVOs are like this, and Vortex and very few others (probably) aren't.

a 16mm exit pupil gives only 44 PERCENT of the light that comes from a 24mm exit pupil

Yikes!

With only 24mm objective, I want every last mm of exit pupil