I have had this review up on opticsthoughts.com but wanted to provide a version here for the Hide community.
That said, there is one application where I can see these high magnification scopes doing very well in, and that is the increasingly popular sport of dynamic rimfire shooting, basically take your PRS game and compact it into 400 yards and less combined with tiny “know your limits” (KYL) targets and the increased magnification (at shorter ranges) does provide a benefit. I know there are other applications, but regardless of whether or not PRS/ELR style sports needs a higher magnification option, the fact remains that there seems to be a market demand for them (likely due to the above misguided notion that you need more magnification to shoot further, or the general push within the industry to strive for “bigger is better”, reminds me a little of the megapixel wars that some digital camera manufacturers have played when most photographers don’t print beyond 8x12 if they ever print at all, I digress).
Question for you, do you think the NF ATACR 7-35 became so popular in PRS because all the top shooters were now able to hit more steel using their scope at 35x throughout the course? Certainly not, where the 7-35 excelled was in the sweet spot for long range shooting, what I will call the Goldilocks zone of 12-18x give or take 2x on top or bottom, this magic magnification zone yields excellent FOV and depth of field (DOF) while also having magnification low enough to render the mirage dancing to a minimum, and the ATACR 7-35 offers outstanding IQ within this range. Soon, other manufacturers began to offer similar with their 7-35 and 6-36 designs. But it wasn’t until Tangent Theta decided to offer their 7-35 and Schmidt & Bender offered their 6-36 that my interest began to be piqued. I tried to get a ZCO 8-40 in the mix as well but was unable to acquire one of these scopes.
You’ll notice a March 5-42x56 Gen II scope in some of the pictures; however, I am not reviewing this scope simply for the fact that it was a pre-production unit and was loaned to me so I could provide feedback. So I apologize if it causes confusion for the scope to be in pictures but not in the review as I prefer not to review pre-production units since there is still potential for changes before final release (however, my hope is to get a full production unit possibly this year when I review the ZCO 8-40 and hopefully the Kahles K540i alongside my previous "best in glass" winner which you can find by reading below).
Keep in mind this evaluation is based on my own personal observations based on what my eyes “see” when looking through the scope. I pay meticulous attention when setting up my diopters for each scope making sure to fine tune them to my eye. Everyone’s eyes are different, and my observations will undoubtedly be different from others. I try to be as objective as possible but, like all of us, do have my bias’, though I try my best to inform you of my own personal preferences so you can make judgement calls based on your own preference. It should also be noted that I am not paid by anyone to do these reviews, I do have some relationships with dealers and some manufacturers that help out some, but by no means am beholden to any particular manufacturer and those that I do work with are well aware of this. I would like to thank Jake @MOUNTIC from https://mounticoutdoors.com/, Vortex Optics, Element Optics, Europtic as well as certain Hide members who helped to contribute to this expensive lineup of glass. As mentioned above I tried to get a ZCO 8-40x56 but none were available, I also tried to get a Zeiss LRP S3 6-36x56 which eventually did come in but too late for this review (a separate review of all the LOW 6-36x56 scopes is forthcoming).
If the overall assessment was purely based on click feel and function the TT would be at the top, but there is more to a turret than how it feels, you also have to be able to see the turret and that's where I feel the combination of the large numbers and excellent feel of the NF ATACR put it on top. Element’s Theos is another encroaching on TT with overall function and feel which some may be surprised to hear especially given that it is the least expensive of the bunch, but kudos to Element for putting out such a fine turret at this price point. Next would be the Vortex RG3, they have really improved upon this turret since its release. I wish other manufacturers would take notice of NF, ZCO, Schmidt DT II+, March and now Zeiss, when it comes to larger turret numbering, one look at the images above and you can see that TT and Vortex have plenty of turret real estate to put larger numbering on so why not utilize that for quicker/easier recognition. Did I mention that TT, Element and Vortex could use larger numbering... alright, I'll try to stop beating this poor dead horse.
This one is tough cause each scope seemed to perform well in one category but the one scope that performed well in the most categories is the Vortex RG3. This may not come as much of a surprise if you’ve read my alpha scope review from last year where the RG3 went head to head with the TT 5-25 and ZCO 5-27 and performed admirably well. Outside of the Vortex, the next rankings are a little more difficult, but I put the TT next due to the forgiving nature of its parallax and side focus, by far the best of the bunch to set in focus and be parallax free, the Theos would have been ranked higher but its one downside is its illumination control module which is similar to the ATACR in that you have to press a side button to scroll through from minimum to maximum, a minor complaint and likely one based more on personal preference. Bringing up the rear but by no means “the worst” is the Schmidt & Bender which would have been ranked higher if the parallax wasn’t so difficult to manipulate. Keep in mind, outside of the RG3 these were all new scopes and sometimes this stiff behavior will lighten up with use.
* PSA on setting up your diopter properly:
Initial setup: Set magnification to highest setting and set side focus to infinity. Loosen the lock ring in front of the eyepiece (if it has a lock ring) and while looking at a blank wall or the sky, rotate the diopter several turns counterclockwise (in the positive + direction) until the reticle is visibly out of focus. One of the most important things is to not stare continuously through the scope. Make sure you have something distant to look at when you look away from the scope. Then glance through the scope for no more than a few seconds. Then stare out at a distant object again while making a small adjustment. Then rotate diopter back clockwise until the reticle is focused as sharply as possible. (Note: you might need to go past what you think is sharp until it starts to get a bit fuzzy again and then dial back to the "middle" position between both extremes.)
Fine tuning: Find a target that is very far away, so that it looks sharpest when the side focus is at the infinity setting. As you look through the scope (important that it remains steady) you can mess with the diopter by making minute adjustments either CW/CCW and see if the reticle and/or image improves any. You can also check parallax to ensure that small head movements don’t cause the POA to shift. When the target is in the best focus there should be no parallax movement, if there is parallax movement with slight movement of your position behind the scope then try to fine tune so the reticle stays locked on target with no movement.
Closeup tuning: Now find a target that is closeup, say 100 yards away, set your side focus until the object comes into best focus, does the reticle still look sharp? Check parallax to make sure there is no shift. Make minute adjustments to diopter if necessary. Check back at long distance and make sure parallax and focus are still good to go.
Final reticle adjustment: This should be done when you have nothing else to focus on within the FOV other than the reticle. Set your magnification to the lowest setting where you can still define all the hash marks of your reticle. You can either do it while pointing at a blank light-colored wall (keep the side focus at the infinity setting, so any of the minute features on the wall are blurred out) or at the blue sky. One of the most important things is to not stare continuously through the scope. Make sure you have something distant to look at when you look away from the scope (to reset your eye), I have even heard to give your eye about 30 seconds to rest. Then glance through the scope for no more than a few seconds. Then stare out at a distant object again while making small adjustments if needed to improve upon the reticle focus. Confirm both near and distant objects again.
Once you’ve performed the above 4 steps you should be set with your scope, it might be wise to mark your ocular and the scope tube with a pen or marker (especially if you don’t have a locking diopter) so you can return to this position if your scope is ever bumped out of alignment.
ILya's diopter discussion:
A special note on Pop/Contrast (what is micro-contrast anyway and why should you care)
Have you ever heard the term “pop”, or “wow” when someone looks through their first alpha scope, someone might say “the image really comes to life” or “there’s so much depth, it almost looks 3D”. These are terms that relate to the ability of a particular scope to resolve something called micro-contrast. This is a term I’m familiar with from my professional photography days and it used to be that you could only gain this effect in your images by having a really good lens that actually resolved this detail, but these days you can enhance an image taken with an average lens through post processing; however, there is no post processing with riflescopes so it’s left to your eye to do all the processing of the image viewed through the scope which means to get that pop or wow, you have to have an optical formula that transmits that detail. But what is that “detail”, what actually defines that “pop”? This is where micro-contrast comes into play and if you watch some of ILya’s (https://www.youtube.com/@DarkLordOfOptics/videos) videos you’ll hear him talking about micro-contrast. All optical/glass systems like riflescopes have this and one of the best descriptions comes from - https://lenspire.zeiss.com/photo/en/article/micro-contrast-and-the-zeiss-pop-by-lloyd-chambers
Mr. Chambers writes: “Preserving the contrast of the subject matter is what makes an image look alive and real. High overall contrast with high micro contrast such as with ZEISS Otus lenses delivers what one might term “pop” or “3D rendering” or “brilliance” or the “bite” of fine details. High overall contrast and high micro contrast deliver a visual impact that is compelling. In low contrast conditions such as overcast skies, shadows at dusk, etc, it becomes even more important for a lens to deliver the maximum contrast, or the image looks even more dull and lifeless. In shade at dusk, I term this the “penetrating power” of a lens.”
This description is for a camera lens; however, the concept carries over into riflescopes as well – both are optical devices intended to magnify an image to our eye (or image sensor). In good daylight situations it might be very difficult for some to discern contrast between scopes, especially with boring backdrops like steel plates stuck in brown dirt sitting in the bright midday sun; however, as noted above, when you get yourself into low contrast situations the lesser scopes begin to reveal their deficiency’s and when compared side by side you begin to see noticeable differences like being able to “see” into the shadows and discern more detail, is that a steel plate blending into the background or is it just a rock, is that a branch or the tine of that trophy buck or bull, that’s where scopes with better micro-contrast really come to life. In the long range community, you may have heard some say “this scope allowed me to see through mirage”, well no scope actually does that, it’s almost like saying my scope allowed me to see through fog; however, what these users are actually experiencing is scopes with better micro-contrast and while it may not allow them to “see through” mirage, it certainly helps to see more detail which gives the impression that those heat waves aren’t affecting the image as much as other scopes.
You’ll see the above written almost verbatim in most of my recent reviews because I think it is important to clearly define what we are talking about.
Testing Notes: Testing at comparable magnification is tricky since the way magnification rings are marked is not reliable. I did test the 6-36x scopes at 6x and 36x and found the results to practically be the same as the 7x and 35x settings.
TT 7-35 >= Schmidt 6-36 >= NF ATACR 7-35 = Vortex RG3 6-36 = Element Theos 6-36
Let’s get something out of the way first. Vortex and Element decided to use a different anodization formula which yields a different color, the RG3 being a purplish brown while the Theos is more a sniper grey color (but is no available in black). I understand we all have personal preference, some say chocolate ice cream is the best, while others vanilla and still others some other odd flavor so let me state this, your ability to hit a target has absolutely nothing to do with the color of the scope, but I also understand that many of us are repulsed by other factors that also have nothing to do with hitting a target. So setting my prejudices aside as best I can, I think the TT comes out on top, everything about this scope is refined to a degree that I feel is greater than the others, but coming in close is the Schmidt which has been the defining alpha class optic manufacturer for many years, up next is the ATACR which I would put very close to the RG3 and Theos.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - get a daytime bright illumination module! Larger and more bold numbering and dashes on the turrets, you have plenty of space! Maybe even reduce the height of the turrets. Reduce spacing on turrets to 12 mrad per rev and increase the travel to 30+ mrad total especially since you are now using a 36mm tube. I would like to see TT fix the halation/flare issue for their scopes as long as it does not compromise image integrity. Finally, I’d like to see a once a year half off sale from TT (that was a joke by the way for those unable to get my dry humor.)
Schmidt and Bender
Well, they got rid of the illumination tumor – but replaced it with a massive dial off the side focus, doesn’t seem necessary for this unit to extend out so far. The German’s are probably yelling out profanity’s right now confused as to why they can’t make the American’s happy. But aside from not really understanding the competition scene in the US market, they put out some fine scopes that need little in the area of improvement, and while it does seem to be at a snail’s pace, they do finally introduce functions and features that are desired on this side of the pond.
Nightforce ATACR
I’d like to see an ATACR II come out with non-translating turrets (that do not rise and fall as you spin them up or down). Also, let’s get rid of the rotating ocular when adjusting magnification. I’d also like to see an improvement in the illumination where you’re not pressing a button to move through brightness settings without really knowing where you’re at. I’d like to see an ATACR II utilizing 6x erectors and wider FOV eyepieces while still maintaining excellent IQ.
Vortex RG3
Larger and bolder numbering and dashes on the turrets – take a cue from Nightforce. Offer your scopes in black, while mentioned above that the color has nothing to do with quality, there are plenty of shooters who want an aesthetically pleasing rig and the RG3’s color doesn’t match anything on the market right now.
Element Theos
Somewhat of a newcomer to higher end scopes, the toolless turrets are a brilliant design and glad to see another manufacturer go this route. I’d like to see an improvement in the illumination where you’re not pressing a button to move through brightness settings without really knowing where you’re at. I’d like to see larger numbers on those big turrets.
So here is my personal opinion on each of these scopes
Background
I have somewhat mixed feelings about these “high” magnification scopes, generally anything over 25x when thinking about long range and especially ELR type conditions, the magnification becomes your enemy not your friend… or rather, the magnification of atmospheric conditions such as heat shimmer, more commonly referred to as “mirage” (the heat waves that rise from the earth’s surface causing your target to dance around). Too often I see newcomers making the mistake that longer ranges equate to higher magnifications, to clarify I am not talking about paper punching at distance, for many here the preferred style of shooting is dynamic shooting on steel at targets that vary in distance, so one other advantage lower magnifications has is field of view (FOV) where you can see a lot more of what’s going on outside your point of aim (POA) – think about hitting a target and then needing to transition to another location and find another target, this is much more difficult at higher magnifications. For this reason, why someone in PRS or ELR sports would choose a scope with a magnification higher than about 25x is a bit of a head scratcher (and I genuinely would like to hear what you think the advantage is if this is your preference).That said, there is one application where I can see these high magnification scopes doing very well in, and that is the increasingly popular sport of dynamic rimfire shooting, basically take your PRS game and compact it into 400 yards and less combined with tiny “know your limits” (KYL) targets and the increased magnification (at shorter ranges) does provide a benefit. I know there are other applications, but regardless of whether or not PRS/ELR style sports needs a higher magnification option, the fact remains that there seems to be a market demand for them (likely due to the above misguided notion that you need more magnification to shoot further, or the general push within the industry to strive for “bigger is better”, reminds me a little of the megapixel wars that some digital camera manufacturers have played when most photographers don’t print beyond 8x12 if they ever print at all, I digress).
Question for you, do you think the NF ATACR 7-35 became so popular in PRS because all the top shooters were now able to hit more steel using their scope at 35x throughout the course? Certainly not, where the 7-35 excelled was in the sweet spot for long range shooting, what I will call the Goldilocks zone of 12-18x give or take 2x on top or bottom, this magic magnification zone yields excellent FOV and depth of field (DOF) while also having magnification low enough to render the mirage dancing to a minimum, and the ATACR 7-35 offers outstanding IQ within this range. Soon, other manufacturers began to offer similar with their 7-35 and 6-36 designs. But it wasn’t until Tangent Theta decided to offer their 7-35 and Schmidt & Bender offered their 6-36 that my interest began to be piqued. I tried to get a ZCO 8-40 in the mix as well but was unable to acquire one of these scopes.
THE SCOPES
Tangent Theta 7-35x56, Nightforce ATACR 7-35x56, Schmidt & Bender 6-36x56, Vortex RG3 6-36x56 and the Element Theos 6-36x56You’ll notice a March 5-42x56 Gen II scope in some of the pictures; however, I am not reviewing this scope simply for the fact that it was a pre-production unit and was loaned to me so I could provide feedback. So I apologize if it causes confusion for the scope to be in pictures but not in the review as I prefer not to review pre-production units since there is still potential for changes before final release (however, my hope is to get a full production unit possibly this year when I review the ZCO 8-40 and hopefully the Kahles K540i alongside my previous "best in glass" winner which you can find by reading below).
Keep in mind this evaluation is based on my own personal observations based on what my eyes “see” when looking through the scope. I pay meticulous attention when setting up my diopters for each scope making sure to fine tune them to my eye. Everyone’s eyes are different, and my observations will undoubtedly be different from others. I try to be as objective as possible but, like all of us, do have my bias’, though I try my best to inform you of my own personal preferences so you can make judgement calls based on your own preference. It should also be noted that I am not paid by anyone to do these reviews, I do have some relationships with dealers and some manufacturers that help out some, but by no means am beholden to any particular manufacturer and those that I do work with are well aware of this. I would like to thank Jake @MOUNTIC from https://mounticoutdoors.com/, Vortex Optics, Element Optics, Europtic as well as certain Hide members who helped to contribute to this expensive lineup of glass. As mentioned above I tried to get a ZCO 8-40x56 but none were available, I also tried to get a Zeiss LRP S3 6-36x56 which eventually did come in but too late for this review (a separate review of all the LOW 6-36x56 scopes is forthcoming).
SPECS
The below specs are provided by the manufacturers which provides a good baseline for what these scopes offer. Highlighted in yellow are new for 2024. Highlighted in red is a potential drawback and in green is a potential benefit.TURRETS
This review does not cover the accuracy of each scope but covers the functionality – since any manufacturer is capable of producing a lemon it’s always a good idea to test your scope to ensure its mechanical accuracy.Tangent Theta
If you are familiar with Tangent Theta turrets then not much needs to be said here, the TT735 offers the same precision and feel as its other scopes. If turret feel and response is your game, then Tangent Theta owns it – very distinct, no play whatsoever and a nice clunk between each .1 mrad gives you a sense of confidence anytime you spin the elevation or windage. Keep in mind these are 15 mrad per rev, and sometimes the spacing can be too tight when mfr’s try to pack so many clicks into one rev, but TT decided to give you something more akin to a Ferrari stick shift to grab onto – it is meaty and with a diameter that allows for refined spacing throughout the 15 mrad of travel for each rev. Another unique feature is the toolless zero, something else that is unmatched in the industry (except for Element below). Have you ever found yourself at the range and forgot that tiny little hex wrench? What usually follows is a string of words your retired navy grandfather might blush at. With the Tangent you simply use your fingers to loosen the top plate of either elevation or windage and then you pull up slightly and spin to wherever zero is, push back down and tighten the top plate, that’s it, no hex wrench needed – very easy, very simple. The Zero stop is always .5 mrad under 0 so this is automatically set wherever you set zero. My one and only complaint is that for such a massive turret housing, TT opted to put tiny little numbers, and I was really hoping the TT 7-35 would remedy this situation but apparently everyone at TT has 20/10 vision and presbyopia is a word for spelling bee’s. Nightforce ATACR got this one right with their large numbers and bold lines, something I wish TT and others would offer. Having had several Tangents now, I can say they still reign supreme, but that mountain is being climbed by other manufacturers (see below) that some may consider just as good as TT. Turrets are non-translating which means the turret does not rise or fall when spinning through the different revolutions.Nightforce ATACR 7-35x56 turrets
The ATACR line of scopes from Nightforce have a pretty good reputation for turret feel and the 7-35x56 with its large diameter 12 mil per rev turrets makes for a very pleasing experience, much better than the somewhat mushy and muted NX8 line from Nightforce. The actual clicks themselves are distinct albeit somewhat muted in audible response and there is slight wobble between clicks but the wide spacing make this turret pleasing to use. I like the fact that someone at Nightforce realized larger numbers help many shooters, they also provide 2nd rev numbers as well as half mil numbers – all very beneficial! The windage turret is capped. Turrets are translating which means the turret rises and lowers when spinning through the different revolutions.Schmidt PM II Ultra Short 6-36x56 DT35 turrets
These are Schmidt’s low profile turrets and offer a massive 18 mil per rev, but that many clicks comes at the cost of overall feel and distinctness, it is very easy to overtravel with these turrets and also very hard to discern where the click value is without some kind of magnifier. The turrets are locking (up/down) and the windage is capped. Turrets are non-translating which means the turret does not rise or fall when spinning through the different revolutions.Vortex Razor HD Gen III 6-36x56 turrets
The Razor Gen III represents the top of the line scope from the vast array of scopes that Vortex offers to the public. Vortex offers a locking mechanism that must be lifted up to unlock and spin and then pushed back down to lock. The turrets distinctly fall into each .1 mil with little play while being somewhat muted. These turrets will probably not win any awards, but they do get the job done which is what matters most. Turrets are non-translating which means the turret does not rise or fall when spinning through the different revolutions.Element Theos 6-36x56 turrets
The Element Theos turrets are quite nice, offering very distinct clicks with nice positive feedback and little play. I like these turrets “better” than the RG3 above for overall feel and out of the bunch these come closest to Tangent, oddly enough, this is also one of the few manufacturers to innovate a toolless turret design where you simply spin off the top cap with your fingers, lift off the turret housing, re-align and then spin the cap back on, that simple! Turrets are non-translating which means the turret does not rise or fall when spinning through the different revolutions.Turret Mechanical Assessment criteria (ratings: = (equals) > (greater than) ranked highest to lowest):
Turret Click Spacing Ranking: TT 7-35 > Element Theos 6-36 >= NF ATACR 7-35 > Vortex RG3 6-36 > S&B DT35 6-36
My rankings for turret click spacing have to do with both the distance between clicks and the resistance between those clicks. This is more or less a personal preference, but my hand feels better with wider spacing and good resistance but not too much. The Nightforce feels like it has the best turret spacing to my hands but the TT and Element is pretty close, Vortex RG3 is next with the Schmidt falling behind; however, it should be mentioned that you can get multiple turret styles with the S&B and while the DT35 is one of my least favorite, the DT II+ turrets are the closest to TT of the bunch and would have changed this ranking.Turret Click Feel Ranking: TT 7-35 > NF ATACR 7-35 >= Element Theos 6-36 > Vortex RG3 6-36 > S&B DT35 6-36
This can be very subjective, but I am drawn to more distinct click feel and audible feedback with very little play between marks. The TT stands out with the NF and Theos ever so close with regard to click feel and audible feedback, Vortex RG3 next with Schmidt pulling up the rear again but that can easily be remedied with the DT II+ turrets.Turret Alignment Ranking: TT 7-35 >= NF ATACR 7-35 = Element Theos > Vortex RG3 6-36 = S&B DT35 6-36
I define turret alignment by the ability for the turret hash marks to fall directly on the indicator mark and not being offset while running the turret out to the extreme and back. Because of the nature of translating designs, they do rise pretty high above the center mark which gives a slight perception you are off mark if your eye is not perfectly centered. I much prefer the non-translating designs that do not rise and fall so preference is given for these design; however, the NF has probably the best translating designs on the market which gives it a higher rank here.Turret Reset Zero and Zero Stop Ranking: TT 7-35 = Element Theos 6-36 > Vortex RG3 6-36 > NF ATACR 7-35 = S&B DT35 6-36
Tangent Theta and Element Theos are unique in that they both offer a truly toolless method for resetting zero. Tangent and Element is fixed at .5 mrad below zero and that is something you can count on every single time which has its advantages for night shooters and those who prefer to count up after hitting the stop vs. visual recognition. Schmidt & Bender is a standard turret hex bolt where you have to loosen all the bolts and then spin the turret, it is a fixed stop about 0.6 mrad below 0 regardless of setting, it is a hard stop and cannot be over travelled. To set zero stop on the Nightforce ATACR there is a clutch mechanism under the turret: pull the outer turret (dust cap) off by loosening two set screws then loosen (do not remove) all 4 set screws in the top of the clutch assembly, then spin clutch assembly down until it makes contact with the lower clutch assembly plate (until it doesn’t turn anymore) tighten the clutch set screws back snug (do not overtighten), replace the dust cap back on and tighter the dust caps set screws ensuring the number 0 aligns with your indicator. Vortex is unique in that the RG3 turrets are zeroed by loosening one hex head screw and then turning the center of the turret, there aren’t clicks when turning the center of the turret so you can set it exactly where you want for a precise zero (zero stop is always 0.5 mrad below zero), you can even mark the center dial for switch barrel platforms to easily change zero between barrels.Total Travel Adjustment (Elevation) Ranking: Vortex RG3 6-36 36.1 mrad > S&B DT35 35 mrad >= NF ATACR 7-35 27.3/35 mrad > Element Theos 6-36 29 mrad > TT 7-35 28 mrad
Pretty self-explanatory. There is variation of windage adjustment but as I almost exclusively hold wind with the reticle, this does not play a factor for me and therefore is not evaluated (however, the spec sheet above shows the exact amount for each scope for those who are interested). The ATACR is an interesting situation as NF advertises it at 27.3 mrad total but almost every user reports well over 30 mrad with many reliable reports of about 35 mrad of total travel – YMMV.Turret Locking Mechanism Ranking: Schmidt DT35 6-36 = Vortex RG3 6-36 > TT 7-35 NA = Element Theos 6-36 NA = NF ATACR 7-35 NA
Some of these scopes do not offer a locking mechanism so I am going to rank them NA (Not Available). The locking mechanism of the Schmidt and Vortex RG3 are the pull up to unlock and push down the turret to lock, this method can “fall” into lock depending on how you spin the turrets, of these two the Schmidt feels to be more distinct and possibly has less ability to “slip” vs. the Vortex.Turret Numbering Ranking: NF ATACR 7-35 > Vortex RG3 6-36 = TT 7-35 = Schmidt DT35 6-36 = Element Theos 6-36
This is a new metric I am starting to track, I’m in my mid 50’s and unless you too suffer from presbyopia you won’t understand how nice it is for a manufacturer to put large/visible turret numbers on their turrets. This is the difference between squinting hard and wondering, is that 5 or 6 and knowing for sure – larger numbers make it much easier for those of us beyond our 40’s. Nightforce is easily my favorite here but at least Schmidt and Element decided to add 2nd Rev numbers whereas TT and Vortex with some of the largest turrets are using some of the tiniest numbers.
Overall Turret Mechanical Assessment Ranking:
NF ATACR 7-35 > TT 7-35 > Element Theos 6-36 > Vortex RG3 6-36 > Schmidt DT35 6-36If the overall assessment was purely based on click feel and function the TT would be at the top, but there is more to a turret than how it feels, you also have to be able to see the turret and that's where I feel the combination of the large numbers and excellent feel of the NF ATACR put it on top. Element’s Theos is another encroaching on TT with overall function and feel which some may be surprised to hear especially given that it is the least expensive of the bunch, but kudos to Element for putting out such a fine turret at this price point. Next would be the Vortex RG3, they have really improved upon this turret since its release. I wish other manufacturers would take notice of NF, ZCO, Schmidt DT II+, March and now Zeiss, when it comes to larger turret numbering, one look at the images above and you can see that TT and Vortex have plenty of turret real estate to put larger numbering on so why not utilize that for quicker/easier recognition. Did I mention that TT, Element and Vortex could use larger numbering... alright, I'll try to stop beating this poor dead horse.
MECHANICAL ASSESSMENT OF MOVING PARTS
Besides the turrets you have other moving parts on a scope: the magnification ring, the parallax adjustment and an illumination module, which all require some type of adjustment. Sometimes manufacturers make the resistance too hard or too light. These parts are evaluated based on “resistance” which allows them to turn freely with two fingers, but not so loose that they could get bumped out of position accidentally. In addition, if resistance is so high that turning a dial would cause POA to shift - this would be considered a negative.Mag Ring, Parallax, Diopter and Illumination Mechanical Assessment criteria (ratings: = (equals) > (greater than) ranked highest to lowest):
Magnification Ring Movement Ranking: Schmidt 6-36 = TT 7-35 = Vortex RG3 6-36 = Element Theos 6-36 > NF ATACR 7-35
The ideal magnification ring resistance (IMHO) is one that can easily be turned with two fingers – not so hard to turn as it may affect your POA and not so light that a brush of your hand (or light bump into a barricade, branch, etc.) is going to change the setting. The Schmidt, TT, Vortex and Element all offered a very smooth and almost ideal resistance with the Nightforce coming in just a little behind with slightly tighter resistance. The Nightforce has an ocular housing design where the entire housing spins when adjusting magnification, some like this, some don’t, and some don’t care.Parallax knob Movement Ranking: TT 7-35 = NF ATACR 7-35 = Vortex RG3 6-36 > Element Theos 6-36 > Schmidt 6-36
The parallax resistance on the TT, ATACR and RG3 scopes were outstanding, offering what I’d consider the right amount of resistance while being very smooth. The resistance on the Theos was a little tighter but not too bad while the resistance on the Schmidt was pretty significant and I think would cause movement on a lighter rifle.Parallax Adjustment Forgiveness: Vortex RG3 6-36 = Element Theos 6-36 > TT 7-35 = NF ATACR 7-35 >= Schmidt 6-36
What exactly is parallax “forgiveness”? I define this as how finicky it is to adjust the parallax dial in order to get parallax properly set for the distance to target from the scope, keep in mind that many think of the parallax dial as more of a “side focus” and indeed that is its primary purpose but you should always check to see if parallax misalignment is apparent even though the image may appear in focus. In a perfect world, when a scope is properly focused it should also be parallax free, but this is not always the case and if you find that you get “in focus” sight pictures but parallax is “off” then you might try fine tuning the diopter slightly to see if that helps settle down parallax (or even improve IQ). To my surprise the two LOW scopes were the ones I found most forgiving, at 20x and at close range the TT was a bit finicky but was ever so easy to set and get set right and once set - there was no need to change, the Nightforce came in next being a little finicky at 30x and above but not terrible and finally the Schmidt which was easy to set for a sharp image but a bit finicky outside that initial setting.Diopter Adjustment Rankings: Schmidt 6-36 = TT 7-35 = Vortex RG3 6-36 >= NF ATACR 7-35
All scopes tested here offer a “fast focus” diopter allowing for quick adjustments, it’s wise to use some kind of semi-permanent marker to mark the ideal setting for your eye in case it slips a little. If you have not seen my PSA on setting up your diopter I am attaching it to this post so you can look at the process to better set your diopter for your eyes (if you are used to the blank wall or blue sky method only you may be missing out on maximum performance of your scope).Illumination Features and Performance Rankings: Vortex RG3 6-36 = TT 7-35 > Schmidt 6-36 > NF ATACR 7-35 >Element Theos 6-36
Vortex offers a locking feature on illumination and it must be pulled out to turn. There seems to be a love or hate relationship with Schmidt and Bender’s illumination tumor which this model solves by putting the illumination control inline with the side focus. Tangent Theta uses a dial with on/off positions as you rotate from lowest to highest power settings, there is definitely more real estate to grab and turn on the TT which gives it an advantage. Nightforce and Element are using a push button method which is not my favorite, it is difficult to move through all the settings between high and low as you must cycle through them all. NF offers both red and green illumination options. For years Schmidt has used the illumination tumor, love it or hate it but that little rheostat worked and was very easy to manipulate for right handed shooters; Schmidt decided to join the rest of the known world and offer a new illumination configuration inline with the parallax and I have to say I am not sure about the design as it sticks out awfully far so those preferring a more low profile design with least amount of snags may be a bit disappointed, but in function it works really well so no complaints there.Illumination Daylight Bright, Coverage and Bleed: Vortex RG3 6-36 = Element Theos 6-36 > NF ATACR 7-35 >= Schmidt 6-36 > TT 7-35
The Vortex RG3 is one of the brightest daylight bright reticles I’ve seen, maybe only bested slightly by ZCO, but different from ZCO Vortex has opted to only illuminate the main vertical and horizontal stadia lines, only minimal bleed was noticed at highest brightness in low light. The Element comes in next and maybe shouldn’t be a surprise as it is manufactured in the same house as the Vortex so likely uses the same illumination module, the entire reticle lights up which some prefer (and some don’t). The next scopes were harder to ascertain ranking with the ATACR Digillum performing well in the shadows but not as bright as RG3 and Theos. The Schmidt 6-26 with GR2ID reticle was a surprise, I am so used to Schmidt’s illumination being underwhelming but this new module performed quite well; however, for some reason Schmidt only decided to illuminate certain dots creating somewhat of a strange illuminated dot pattern. TT comes in last with the most pathetic illumination module that is reminiscent of the old D cell Maglights of the 80’s compared to today’s nuclear bright LED torches, but the TT is adequate when light levels get low, but you will not see any illumination during daytime hours not even in the shadows.Overall Mag Ring, Parallax, Diopter and Illumination Mechanical Assessment Rankings:
Vortex RG3 6-36 >= TT 7-35 = Element Theos 6-36 = NF ATACR 7-35 > Schmidt 6-36This one is tough cause each scope seemed to perform well in one category but the one scope that performed well in the most categories is the Vortex RG3. This may not come as much of a surprise if you’ve read my alpha scope review from last year where the RG3 went head to head with the TT 5-25 and ZCO 5-27 and performed admirably well. Outside of the Vortex, the next rankings are a little more difficult, but I put the TT next due to the forgiving nature of its parallax and side focus, by far the best of the bunch to set in focus and be parallax free, the Theos would have been ranked higher but its one downside is its illumination control module which is similar to the ATACR in that you have to press a side button to scroll through from minimum to maximum, a minor complaint and likely one based more on personal preference. Bringing up the rear but by no means “the worst” is the Schmidt & Bender which would have been ranked higher if the parallax wasn’t so difficult to manipulate. Keep in mind, outside of the RG3 these were all new scopes and sometimes this stiff behavior will lighten up with use.
* PSA on setting up your diopter properly:
Initial setup: Set magnification to highest setting and set side focus to infinity. Loosen the lock ring in front of the eyepiece (if it has a lock ring) and while looking at a blank wall or the sky, rotate the diopter several turns counterclockwise (in the positive + direction) until the reticle is visibly out of focus. One of the most important things is to not stare continuously through the scope. Make sure you have something distant to look at when you look away from the scope. Then glance through the scope for no more than a few seconds. Then stare out at a distant object again while making a small adjustment. Then rotate diopter back clockwise until the reticle is focused as sharply as possible. (Note: you might need to go past what you think is sharp until it starts to get a bit fuzzy again and then dial back to the "middle" position between both extremes.)
Fine tuning: Find a target that is very far away, so that it looks sharpest when the side focus is at the infinity setting. As you look through the scope (important that it remains steady) you can mess with the diopter by making minute adjustments either CW/CCW and see if the reticle and/or image improves any. You can also check parallax to ensure that small head movements don’t cause the POA to shift. When the target is in the best focus there should be no parallax movement, if there is parallax movement with slight movement of your position behind the scope then try to fine tune so the reticle stays locked on target with no movement.
Closeup tuning: Now find a target that is closeup, say 100 yards away, set your side focus until the object comes into best focus, does the reticle still look sharp? Check parallax to make sure there is no shift. Make minute adjustments to diopter if necessary. Check back at long distance and make sure parallax and focus are still good to go.
Final reticle adjustment: This should be done when you have nothing else to focus on within the FOV other than the reticle. Set your magnification to the lowest setting where you can still define all the hash marks of your reticle. You can either do it while pointing at a blank light-colored wall (keep the side focus at the infinity setting, so any of the minute features on the wall are blurred out) or at the blue sky. One of the most important things is to not stare continuously through the scope. Make sure you have something distant to look at when you look away from the scope (to reset your eye), I have even heard to give your eye about 30 seconds to rest. Then glance through the scope for no more than a few seconds. Then stare out at a distant object again while making small adjustments if needed to improve upon the reticle focus. Confirm both near and distant objects again.
Once you’ve performed the above 4 steps you should be set with your scope, it might be wise to mark your ocular and the scope tube with a pen or marker (especially if you don’t have a locking diopter) so you can return to this position if your scope is ever bumped out of alignment.
ILya's diopter discussion:
OPTICAL QUALITY
I’m going to reiterate what I’ve written in past reviews as a reminder: One of the most difficult areas to assess with any manufacturer is the quality of glass they use in a given scope model, or rather, how the image looks to the shooters eye when viewing the sight picture through the scope (after being properly set up). Traditionally when it comes to optics one generally “gets what they pay for” and hence the better optics/glass tend to have the higher end prices; however, with new design technologies we have seen some scopes punch above their weight class. It is impossible to take images through the scope to show the quality of the image to the shooters eye, this is because any image capturing device (e.g. camera) also has its own lens system which introduces its own optical aberrations and if the system is better aligned on one scope verses another it may throw off performance; therefore, you will not see any through the scope images because I do not want to skew opinion based on IQ of one image over another that could have been skewed by my inability to hold the camera perfectly aligned for each shot. So, for this evaluation I took meticulous notes based on my naked eye observations under as best controlled conditions I could get outdoors. Scopes were tested at multiple magnification points: 6x/7x, 10x, 15x, 20x, 25x, 30x and 35x/36x and a weighted average was obtained for the ratings below. Finally, I have separated out my evaluations on Pop and Edge to Edge sharpness with two separate criteria – close range using a test target and longer range (100 - 1000 yards), the reason being is that close range allows me to evaluate how well the scope can resolve a resolution target, contrast targets and color chart with as minimal effects from atmospherics while the long range testing gives more “real world” results – example, at close range edge to edge sharpness may look fairly poor when looking at letters numbers and lines, at distance this effect may be diminished or appear less obvious.Optical Assessment criteria (rating lower numbers are worse and higher numbers are best):
Pop (Combination of Color, Contrast and Clarity) on resolution chart
Pop is the ability for the image to really stand out and come alive. This is the overall impression your brain receives when first looking through the scope for given magnifications, keep in mind that some scopes have a better “sweet spot” than others, this sweet spot or Goldilocks zone is where a scope performs best within its magnification range.Pop (Combination of Color, Contrast and Clarity) at distance >500y
How well does the overall image look when viewing objects at distance.A special note on Pop/Contrast (what is micro-contrast anyway and why should you care)
Have you ever heard the term “pop”, or “wow” when someone looks through their first alpha scope, someone might say “the image really comes to life” or “there’s so much depth, it almost looks 3D”. These are terms that relate to the ability of a particular scope to resolve something called micro-contrast. This is a term I’m familiar with from my professional photography days and it used to be that you could only gain this effect in your images by having a really good lens that actually resolved this detail, but these days you can enhance an image taken with an average lens through post processing; however, there is no post processing with riflescopes so it’s left to your eye to do all the processing of the image viewed through the scope which means to get that pop or wow, you have to have an optical formula that transmits that detail. But what is that “detail”, what actually defines that “pop”? This is where micro-contrast comes into play and if you watch some of ILya’s (https://www.youtube.com/@DarkLordOfOptics/videos) videos you’ll hear him talking about micro-contrast. All optical/glass systems like riflescopes have this and one of the best descriptions comes from - https://lenspire.zeiss.com/photo/en/article/micro-contrast-and-the-zeiss-pop-by-lloyd-chambers
Mr. Chambers writes: “Preserving the contrast of the subject matter is what makes an image look alive and real. High overall contrast with high micro contrast such as with ZEISS Otus lenses delivers what one might term “pop” or “3D rendering” or “brilliance” or the “bite” of fine details. High overall contrast and high micro contrast deliver a visual impact that is compelling. In low contrast conditions such as overcast skies, shadows at dusk, etc, it becomes even more important for a lens to deliver the maximum contrast, or the image looks even more dull and lifeless. In shade at dusk, I term this the “penetrating power” of a lens.”
This description is for a camera lens; however, the concept carries over into riflescopes as well – both are optical devices intended to magnify an image to our eye (or image sensor). In good daylight situations it might be very difficult for some to discern contrast between scopes, especially with boring backdrops like steel plates stuck in brown dirt sitting in the bright midday sun; however, as noted above, when you get yourself into low contrast situations the lesser scopes begin to reveal their deficiency’s and when compared side by side you begin to see noticeable differences like being able to “see” into the shadows and discern more detail, is that a steel plate blending into the background or is it just a rock, is that a branch or the tine of that trophy buck or bull, that’s where scopes with better micro-contrast really come to life. In the long range community, you may have heard some say “this scope allowed me to see through mirage”, well no scope actually does that, it’s almost like saying my scope allowed me to see through fog; however, what these users are actually experiencing is scopes with better micro-contrast and while it may not allow them to “see through” mirage, it certainly helps to see more detail which gives the impression that those heat waves aren’t affecting the image as much as other scopes.
You’ll see the above written almost verbatim in most of my recent reviews because I think it is important to clearly define what we are talking about.
Contrast (High)
My high contrast target uses a bright white background with dark black lines, the numbers represent the smallest value I was able to discern.Contrast (Low)
My low contrast target has a gray background with darker gray lines, the numbers represent the smallest value I was able to discern.Chromatic Aberration (CA) Center
A hotly debated topic – CA, which is typically seen at the edges between high and low contrast objects in what is termed as fringing and usually comes in a band of color along the green/yellow and magenta/purple spectrum, some are greatly annoyed by this optical anomaly while others insist they cannot see it, one thing to know is it has little to do with your ability to hit a target, but can affect the clarity of the target (especially in lower light situations). I tested for both center CA and edge CA. One other area is CA sensitivity with lateral movement off the center of the scope, you can quickly induce CA in these situations which are often rectified by proper cheekweld/eye placement behind the center of the scope.Chromatic Aberration (CA) Periphery/Edge
Many scopes may have really good performance in the center of the image, but some lesser scopes quickly fall apart as you move toward the edge of the image.Color Accuracy
If you’ve ever heard the term “it’s all in the eye of the beholder” that, in large part, describes the experience of color for each of us. It seems our eyes have different sensitivity to different parts of the spectrum and while I tend to prefer “warmer” images and am somewhat put off by “cooler” ones, others see colors differently. For some reason, most Japanese manufactured optics tend to be on the cooler side while many European optics tend to be more neutral to warm. For this reason I have always gravitated towards European optics; however, I am happy to say that many of the new Japanese scopes have a color contrast that is much more in alignment with their European counterparts; likewise, the Vortex RG3, Element Theos and Nightforce ATACR have a neutral to slightly warm look that I prefer, indicating the Japanese glass is finally catching on with what the European mfr’s have known for a while.Resolution (Center)
This is different from my line resolution testing, this is how “sharp” the image appears, I’m looking for details and the scopes ability to resolve those details but not necessarily counting the number of lines, it is the initial impression of sharpness.Resolution (Edge)
Same thing as center resolution but now I’m focusing my eye at the extreme edge of the sight picture and determining if there is any image degradation that occurs toward the edges. A scope can have very sharp center resolution but poor edge sharpness and it will give the user the impression that the overall quality is not very good. Scopes with wider FOV tend to struggle more in this as the curvature of the lenses create optical distortion at the edge.Resolution (Edge) at distance >500y
I added in this test because I was beginning to notice that some scopes did not perform so well in the close testing but seemed to do better at distance, maybe it’s because I’m not using the edge of the scope as my POA but instead using it to pick up my target within the FOV, I still prefer a scope that has superb edge to edge sharpness, but found that some scopes did not bother me as much as I thought they would at distance.Resolution (at max. Elevation)
I set all scopes to 15x and dialed the elevation until it stopped at the top of the travel. This represents using your scope to the very limits of its usable travel. Obviously, some scopes have greater travel than others so keep that in mind. I also did not re-adjust parallax as I feel this is yet another area that takes time which could cause you to miss your game or lose time during a match, the idea here being “dial and shoot”, not “dial, fiddle, shoot”. You may disagree with my reasoning which is why I wanted to clarify my process.Eyebox Forgiveness
I have seen varied definitions of eyebox in the community, so to be clear, here is my definition which will help you understand what I am looking for – put simply, eyebox is the ability to be able to quickly obtain a clear sight picture when getting behind a scope. Yes, there is some relationship with exit pupil and eye relief, but there is more than that going on that allows a scope to have a forgiving eyebox. One thing to note with all these scopes, as magnification increases so does the finickyness of the eyebox.Depth of Field (DOF) Forgiveness
DOF forgiveness is the ability to have both near objects as well as far away objects appear “in focus” in your sight picture. An example would be to set your parallax at 500 yards and you notice that both an object at 200 yards as well as one at 1000 yards look relatively in focus. Something to keep in mind is that some scopes may have perfect focus but parallax is off and vice versa, if this happens to you try fine tuning your diopter a bit more, if still wonky send it back to the manufacturer and ask them to calibrate.Parallax Forgiveness
Similar to DOF forgiveness, you set your parallax at 500 yards and notice a target at 200 yards is parallax free, and a target at 1000 yards is also parallax free. If parallax is well controlled at 1000 yards, but I transition to 200 yards and notice a lot of movement then this would get a lower number value.Focus Forgiveness
How much, or rather how little, do you have to play with the side focus in order to get an object in focus as you change magnification. If I’m constantly having to adjust side focus to try and get the image “just right” that is not a good thing (for dynamic shooting sports and hunting) and so this situation would receive a lower number value.Mirage (effect)
This is another one of those terms that requires a definition. Mirage occurs because light bends to move through warmer, less dense air, this “bending” of light is the effect we see when our target appears to dance or wobble in the distance, we know the target is stationary but as the heat waves rise from the ground, the light is bent and gives the perception that the image is distorted. What I am looking for here is the ability of the scope to tame or limit the effect of the heat shimmer distortion, within the community this is often referred to as “cutting through mirage” and some scopes handle this situation better than others. Keep in mind that my results were based on what I saw on the particular day I was testing; however, different atmospheric conditions can either decrease or increase the effect of mirage by quite a large margin.Optical quality Test Results (higher numbers are better)
Testing Notes: Testing at comparable magnification is tricky since the way magnification rings are marked is not reliable. I did test the 6-36x scopes at 6x and 36x and found the results to practically be the same as the 7x and 35x settings.
Field of View (FOV) in mrad
We can look at most manufacturers specs and see that scope X offers XX feet at bottom magnification and XX feet at top magnification at 100 yards. This is great for knowing the extremes of your scopes magnification range, but what about in between, the results are not always linear. Some scopes have pretty poor performance at the bottom but end up doing much better than other scopes at the top (NF ATACR scopes are notorious for this). I should note that the diopter can have an effect on how much (or how little) FOV is seen; therefore, the results for each shooter with different eye corrections may yield slightly different values. My measurements here are from setting up each scope for my eye and then using my spidey senses to determine how much mrad of the reticle can be seen at a given magnification. Measurements were taken using the magnification indicator listed on the magnification ring and is prone to error due to mfr tolerance as well as my own ability to set perfectly. As such, take these values as a “general” rule, not as a hard fast rule.Low Light Evaluation
I set all scopes to 10x to allow for a larger exit pupil yet still give my eyes a challenge in the failing light. From about 20 minutes after sunset, I begin testing both scopes side by side as the evening becomes darker and darker. These results are very subjective and as I have aged I believe my eyes’ low light acuity has decreased. You may have very different results depending on your age and how good your eyes are.Resolution Line Chart (LPI)
It’s one thing for me to look through a scope and judge resolution based on a 1-10 ranking, but it’s quite another to look at line charts and determine how many lines I’m able to resolve at a given magnification, my resolution testing above is a good “first impression” but the line chart does not lie and provides a more quantitative result. For most results you’ll see a range – it is hard to resolve exact values with your eye and I would try to narrow it down as best I could but sometimes eye strain, perfect alignment, etc. would get in the way.Other factors:
Sight Picture (HD)
- TT 7-35: Thick outer periphery with superb image
- NF ATACR 7-35: Excellent sight picture but with thick outer periphery
- S&B 6-36: Excellent sight picture but with thick outer periphery
- Vortex RG3 6-36: Nice wide HD like image, periphery not too thick
- Element 6-36: Nice wide image, periphery not too thick
Image/Reticle shift with magnification change
- TT 7-35: None perceived
- NF ATACR 7-35: None perceived
- S&B 6-36: None perceived
- Vortex RG3 6-36: None perceived
- Element 6-36: None perceived
Focus Shift with magnification change (requiring parallax adjustment for best image)
- TT 7-35: None perceived
- NF ATACR 7-35: 7-15x quite a bit*, 15-20x some, 20-35x none perceived (* at 50y)
- S&B 6-36: 6-15x quite a bit*, 15-20x some, 20-36x none perceived (* at 50y)
- Vortex RG3 6-36: 6-15x none perceived, 15-20x slight, 20-36x none perceived
- Element 6-36: 6-15x none perceived, 15-20x slight, 20-30x none, 30-36x slight
Tunneling
- TT 7-35: None perceived
- NF ATACR 7-35: None perceived
- S&B 6-36: None perceived
- Vortex RG3 6-36: None perceived
- Element 6-36: None perceived
Flare/Halation (direct sun on objective at 15x)*
- TT 7-35: None to almost complete whiteout dependent on eye position
- NF ATACR 7-35: Slight flare buildup above 10x
- S&B 6-36: None to almost complete whiteout dependent on eye position
- Vortex RG3 6-36: Slight whiteout when perfectly centered, not bad overall
- Element Theos 6-36: Slight whiteout when perfectly centered, not bad overall
Overall Optical Assessment Results: TT 7-35 > Vortex RG3 6-36 > Schmidt 6-36 >= Element 6-36 > NF ATACR 7-35
The TT was the most forgiving when it came to focus shift on magnification changes and was far and away the best optical performer of the bunch and dare I say the best optical performer of any scope I have ever had the pleasure to look through, the TT 7-35 is simply stunning to look through at every single magnification and shows no loss of image fidelity even at its highest magnification where most of the other scopes struggled. The next rankings are more difficult to make, all these scopes exhibit excellent optical performance in their own rights, but if push comes to shove I think the RG3 with the widest FOV of all these scopes has a slight edge over the rest, if Schmidt was able to sell the full FOV version of the 6-36 here in the states it could really change things as it appears the non-USA version of the Schmidt 6-36 has better overall optical characteristics that go beyond FOV, but as it stands right now I would rank the USA Schmidt 6-36 slightly below the Vortex RG3 which is high praise for this Japanese scope. Oddly enough the Element Theos which is made at the same factory as the Vortex RG3 did not perform exactly the same as the RG3 likely due to different design criteria and price point as given by the scope company and as such I would say the Theos slips in narrowly behind the Schmidt. Which leaves us with the Nightforce to take last place, but keep in mind this is the oldest design of the bunch and being in last place here puts it in first place among a host of other contenders. I will also say this, outside of the Tangent Theta, these rankings are really “splitting hairs” between each other and I would gladly take the ATACR 7-35 any day of the week as it is such a strong performer in so many areas. In fact, all these scopes are fully capable performers and easily represent some of the best scopes on the market today.ERGONOMICS
Overall Ergonomic Assessment Results: TT 7-35 = Element Theos 6-36 = Vortex RG3 6-36 = NF ATACR 7-35 = Schmidt 6-36
The overall ergonomic assessment is based on the features of the scope, how intuitive they are to use, how easy are they to manipulate. Location and function play a factor along with how smooth dials are to turn, etc. Each one of these scopes has pros and cons ergonomically, but they all function very well and have features that are easy to access and intuitive. For that reason I rank all of these scopes about the same as they all give you that alpha class experience.FIT & FINISH
Overall Fit & Finish Assessment Results:TT 7-35 >= Schmidt 6-36 >= NF ATACR 7-35 = Vortex RG3 6-36 = Element Theos 6-36
Let’s get something out of the way first. Vortex and Element decided to use a different anodization formula which yields a different color, the RG3 being a purplish brown while the Theos is more a sniper grey color (but is no available in black). I understand we all have personal preference, some say chocolate ice cream is the best, while others vanilla and still others some other odd flavor so let me state this, your ability to hit a target has absolutely nothing to do with the color of the scope, but I also understand that many of us are repulsed by other factors that also have nothing to do with hitting a target. So setting my prejudices aside as best I can, I think the TT comes out on top, everything about this scope is refined to a degree that I feel is greater than the others, but coming in close is the Schmidt which has been the defining alpha class optic manufacturer for many years, up next is the ATACR which I would put very close to the RG3 and Theos.
AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT
Tangent ThetaI’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - get a daytime bright illumination module! Larger and more bold numbering and dashes on the turrets, you have plenty of space! Maybe even reduce the height of the turrets. Reduce spacing on turrets to 12 mrad per rev and increase the travel to 30+ mrad total especially since you are now using a 36mm tube. I would like to see TT fix the halation/flare issue for their scopes as long as it does not compromise image integrity. Finally, I’d like to see a once a year half off sale from TT (that was a joke by the way for those unable to get my dry humor.)
Schmidt and Bender
Well, they got rid of the illumination tumor – but replaced it with a massive dial off the side focus, doesn’t seem necessary for this unit to extend out so far. The German’s are probably yelling out profanity’s right now confused as to why they can’t make the American’s happy. But aside from not really understanding the competition scene in the US market, they put out some fine scopes that need little in the area of improvement, and while it does seem to be at a snail’s pace, they do finally introduce functions and features that are desired on this side of the pond.
Nightforce ATACR
I’d like to see an ATACR II come out with non-translating turrets (that do not rise and fall as you spin them up or down). Also, let’s get rid of the rotating ocular when adjusting magnification. I’d also like to see an improvement in the illumination where you’re not pressing a button to move through brightness settings without really knowing where you’re at. I’d like to see an ATACR II utilizing 6x erectors and wider FOV eyepieces while still maintaining excellent IQ.
Vortex RG3
Larger and bolder numbering and dashes on the turrets – take a cue from Nightforce. Offer your scopes in black, while mentioned above that the color has nothing to do with quality, there are plenty of shooters who want an aesthetically pleasing rig and the RG3’s color doesn’t match anything on the market right now.
Element Theos
Somewhat of a newcomer to higher end scopes, the toolless turrets are a brilliant design and glad to see another manufacturer go this route. I’d like to see an improvement in the illumination where you’re not pressing a button to move through brightness settings without really knowing where you’re at. I’d like to see larger numbers on those big turrets.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Reiterating what I mention at the very beginning, I am biased (we all are) and I have my own preferences and this review has opinions that are influenced from that, hopefully I’ve done an adequate job throughout the review to share where my personal preference comes into play in order to help you better evaluate a particular feature. I utilize a strict testing regimen, but it is by no means perfect, always open to constructive criticism. I do not like giving numbers to any scope because there are so many factors that could affect outcomes at any given time, so any numbers I do provide are meant to be for that day and against those scopes I could test side by side. Give me the same scope on another day and it might fare a little better or a little worse due to any number of variables not the least of which is atmospherics which are constantly changing.So here is my personal opinion on each of these scopes
- Nightforce ATACR 7-35x56: I have avoided this scope for many years because of its narrow FOV and limited use at 7x! But this is one fantastic design with a great image and great color, contrast and edge to edge performance, no wonder this scope has excelled in the competition scene since its introduction. I have no problem recommending this scope, in fact, I would highly recommend it for anyone needing a high magnification design.
- Schmidt & Bender PMII 6-36x56: When the 6-36 was first announced there was much rejoicing, but then came the news and the ensuing fiasco the patent by Swarovski has created that won’t allow a European manufactured FFP scope to come to the USA market with wider than about 22° AFOV. But what Schmidt did do right was price this scope accordingly compared to similar models on the USA market (however, 2025 has shown another Schmidt & Blunder mess by increasing the prices once again beyond reason). None of that has anything to do with the performance of this scope which is excellent and one I would recommend once Schmidt lowers the USA prices (which they have always done historically after waking up and wondering why no scopes are being sold in the US anymore). Once FOVgate ends the extended FOV 6-36 model may fare much better, but that is still a year or a few away.
- Vortex RG3 6-36x56: The RG3 comes with no surprise as to its performance as it was a scope I reviewed last year with the 5-25 alpha class scopes and held its own against the best in that class. For many people, saying the name Vortex along with the likes of S&B, TT, ZCO and others seems somewhat out of place, but if you ignore this scope because you don’t think Vortex is capable of producing a scope capable of competing with the best of the best then you are truly missing out on one of the best "bargains" on the market today. This scope punches above its class for its price and exhibits optical excellence that used to be found only in the best German/Austrian manufacturers.
- Element Theos 6-36x56: I am not certain how OEM manufacturers operate, but it seems that when LOW comes out with a good design for one manufacturer we soon see a few other manufacturers pop up with their own branding of what seems like the same optical formula; however, as can be seen through my rigorous optical testing there are some differences, so while you might think the RG3 and Theos are both LOW OEM’d scopes, there are some nuanced differences between the two and I’d still have to give a slight edge to the RG3. That said, the edge is only slight and where the Theos may be lacking in some areas optically it makes up for with superb turrets that in my opinion are even better than the RG3 turrets with regard to feel and function, but not only that Element has come out with a toolless turret design that rivals Tangent Theta in ease of use. Being the cheapest scope of the bunch (but by no means "cheap"), easily allows me to also classify the Theos along the line of the RG3 as a scope that punches well above its class and therefore is a scope I can highly recommend.
- Tangent Theta 7-35x56: Simply put, it is my opinion that the TT 7-35 is the best long range scope on the planet today with regard to optical/mechanical performance. I kept looking for a weakness in this scope and could not find it, I thought above 25x it might struggle but it didn’t. Everything about this scope impressed me. Is it perfect? No, but it is the most perfect high magnification scope you can buy on the market today. If the sticker price doesn’t shock you then this scope comes with the highest recommendation I can offer, there is no need to send me a note asking me how this scope compares to another – if you’re looking for a FFP with magnification that goes above 25x then this is truly the best available today. Sure, some might ask, what about the ZCO 8-40x56 and like I said earlier I tried to get one, but they seem to be rarer than a two headed flea on a unicorn (so if someone would like to send me one I can likely still get ahold of the TT 7-35 for a side by side...)
