ED-AR 1-8x: LPVO with parallax

[TheMoondog]

Discovery Optics has quietly been making high featured optics in the price tier usually considered "budget". Discovery sent me a pre-release sample of their new ED-AR 1-8x24SFIR FFP LPVO. This is part of their ED line of optics, this utilize Japanese ED glass. This LPVO is an evolution on 1-6x24 ED-AR, adding illumination and a side-focus parallax adjustment knob. This feature is very rare in LPVOs. Moreover, this scope is able to focus from infinity to 5 yards.

The overall glass quality was bright, clear and sharp. While not quite the same league as the Vortex Razor HD it come much closer than most LPVOs under $500. At launch this scope is selling for a street price of $200 on Amazon and the Discovery Optics website which makes this optic cheaper than Swampfox, Primary Arms and many other budget optics! The retail version does not include rings or a mount.

Like other FFP's, the ED-AR also suffers from a thin reticle at 1x. Unfortunately the ED-AR's illuminator is typical of most LPVO's, not quite daylight bright, but useful in low light or CQB. I would suggest Discovery offer this optic with a much thicker 1x reticle configuration similar to the Sig TANGO MSR.

Over multiple range visits, the scope held zero. It has a lifetime warranty. With their new service office in California customer service shouldn't be a problem. If they can keep this unit at this price point the ED-AR has the potential to change the LPVO landscape.

The 10% discount code: MoondogED18

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4g3PMKg

Discovery Optics: https://discoveryopt.com/DISCOVERYOP...cs-Scopes.html


SPECS

Magnification: 1-8x

Objective Lens: 24mm

Reticle Plane: First (FFP)

Tube: 34mm

Length: 11.4 in/290mm

Weight: 24.2 oz/687 g

Click Value: 0.1 MRAD

Elevation Adj: 38 MRAD

Windage Adj: 22 MRAD

Parallax: 5yrds–Infinity

Eye Relief: 4 in

FOV @ 100 yd 1x: @ 133.6 ft

FOV @ 100 yd 8x: 15.7 ft

Exit Pupil 1x: 15.6 mm / 8x: 3.0 mm


#lpvo #tactical #DealHunters

 

[JS8588]

Just watched your review. I'll be buying one because of the feature set.

 

[TheMoondog]

Just watched your review. I'll be buying one because of the feature set.

Thanks for the upvote!

There was an audio glitch on my original upload. I've just uploaded a fixed version of the audio. I just hope the Overlords at YT approve this one as comporting with their capricious "Ad Friendly Guidelines"

 

[JS8588]

Thanks for the upvote!

There was an audio glitch on my original upload. I've just uploaded a fixed version of the audio. I just hope the Overlords at YT approve this one at comporting with their capricious "Ad Friendly Guidelines"

I'll go "like" that one too

 

[Marker36]

Damn lifetime warranty

 

[JS8588]

Damn lifetime warranty

At least for as long as the company is around. Still, for $180 with his discount code, I can afford to play with one.

 

[JS8588]

Update: I ordered one.

 

[JS8588]

So, first impressions.
@TheMoondog feel free to check me here if I'm off base.

Compare it to my Arken EP8, the glass on the Arken is noticeably better, but the glass on this is...surprisingly good for under $200. Definitely better than say, a Strike Eagle (which I've looked through, but do not own).

The eyebox on this at all power ranges is better than the Arken. Not quite as good as my Optika6 1-6.

The turrets are...fine. Better than my Steiner Predator 4 2.5-10x42 (God, the turrets on that suck), not as good as my Bushnell Forge 3-24x56.

The illumination is daylight visible, but not daylight bright. This may be somewhat problematic with the reticle at 1x, but I'd be fine leaving it on 3x and cranking it up as necessary.

If you have something that needs glass and you've got $200 laying around, buy the thing. I'm really digging it.

 

[TheMoondog]

So, first impressions.
@TheMoondog feel free to check me here if I'm off base.

Compare it to my Arken EP8, the glass on the Arken is noticeably better, but the glass on this is...surprisingly good for under $200. Definitely better than say, a Strike Eagle (which I've looked through, but do not own).

The eyebox on this at all power ranges is better than the Arken. Not quite as good as my Optika6 1-6.

The turrets are...fine. Better than my Steiner Predator 4 2.5-10x42 (God, the turrets on that suck), not as good as my Bushnell Forge 3-24x56.

The illumination is daylight visible, but not daylight bright. This may be somewhat problematic with the reticle at 1x, but I'd be fine leaving it on 3x and cranking it up as necessary.

If you have something that needs glass and you've got $200 laying around, buy the thing. I'm really digging it.

Excellent rundown. 100% agreed

 

[CJScout]

@TheMoondog I appreciate you posting this. Mine just showed up yesterday. I also purchased on of their 2-12x24 scopes at the same time.

I'm initially impressed with the wide field of view at 1x and also the reasonably flat image. It also seems to have a very forgiving depth of field.

My main struggle at this point is finding a compromise for the diopter to keep the image at 1x, keeping the image flat and keeping the reticle sharp at higher powers.

For me when the diopter is turned all the way in the image is less than 1x. I have to turn it very far out to get a 1x image. I understand that everyone's eyes are different but am curious if anyone else is seeing this?

I suspect I'm going to compromise with a less than 1x image and then simply not turn the magnification all the way down when plinking at 1x.

 

[TheMoondog]

@TheMoondog I appreciate you posting this. Mine just showed up yesterday. I also purchased on of their 2-12x24 scopes at the same time.

I'm initially impressed with the wide field of view at 1x and also the reasonably flat image. It also seems to have a very forgiving depth of field.

My main struggle at this point is finding a compromise for the diopter to keep the image at 1x, keeping the image flat and keeping the reticle sharp at higher powers.

For me when the diopter is turned all the way in the image is less than 1x. I have to turn it very far out to get a 1x image. I understand that everyone's eyes are different but am curious if anyone else is seeing this?

I suspect I'm going to compromise with a less than 1x image and then simply not turn the magnification all the way down when plinking at 1x.

I had a similar issue with the Vortex Razor HD but to much worse fisheye effect when I got the reticle sharp. But that scope was 10x the price of this one.

 

[Tictacticaltimmy]

I'm very interested in that 2-12x24. It seems to me that 24mm objective is going to be terrible past 8x, but a 16.5oz MPVO is too interesting not to look into.

A lot of their scopes would be more intriguing if they had better FFP reticles. The one in the 1-8 looks decent, but most of them are just simple classic mil dot type or else MOA.

 

[BCP]

They look cool but I have bad enough luck with the chinese primary arms scopes and these are more complicated for 1/2 the money lol.

 

[JS8588]

@TheMoondog hope you don't mind. I'll just "drop" this here

 

[Gault]

They look cool but I have bad enough luck with the chinese primary arms scopes and these are more complicated for 1/2 the money lol.

You are wise. I took a gamble on one and it was missing the throw lever, the elevation cap cannot be removed, and the magnification ring is way too stiff and makes noise in the middle of the adjustment. Discovery's RMA form is broken, they are VERY slow to respond to email, and as of 30 days later, still cannot get a RMA. Their latest email was to request the order number (it is in the email title) and pictures of the problem. I asked them how I was supposed to photograph a missing part, a stuck cap, or a stiff and noisy magnification ring. No reponse.

Caveat emptor

 

[BCP]

You are wise. I took a gamble on one and it was missing the throw lever, the elevation cap cannot be removed, and the magnification ring is way too stiff and makes noise in the middle of the adjustment. Discovery's RMA form is broken, they are VERY slow to respond to email, and as of 30 days later, still cannot get a RMA. Their latest email was to request the order number (it is in the email title) and pictures of the problem. I asked them how I was supposed to photograph a missing part, a stuck cap, or a stiff and noisy magnification ring. No reponse.

Caveat emptor

Sounds like Leupold

I sent back one of my 4HD because the windage turret wasn't tracking properly and they seem to have lost it. They're looking for it right now lol.

 

[TheMoondog]

You are wise. I took a gamble on one and it was missing the throw lever, the elevation cap cannot be removed, and the magnification ring is way too stiff and makes noise in the middle of the adjustment. Discovery's RMA form is broken, they are VERY slow to respond to email, and as of 30 days later, still cannot get a RMA. Their latest email was to request the order number (it is in the email title) and pictures of the problem. I asked them how I was supposed to photograph a missing part, a stuck cap, or a stiff and noisy magnification ring. No reponse.

Caveat emptor

January every year you're going to have slow customer service from small firearms or accessory companies as they are all getting ready for SHOT Show and/or CES or both. I'm going to stop by their booth at SHOT and let them know for you that their RMA form is broken.

 

[JS8588]

You are wise. I took a gamble on one and it was missing the throw lever, the elevation cap cannot be removed, and the magnification ring is way too stiff and makes noise in the middle of the adjustment. Discovery's RMA form is broken, they are VERY slow to respond to email, and as of 30 days later, still cannot get a RMA. Their latest email was to request the order number (it is in the email title) and pictures of the problem. I asked them how I was supposed to photograph a missing part, a stuck cap, or a stiff and noisy magnification ring. No reponse.

Caveat emptor

Take a look in the packing foam. That's where the throw lever for mine was.

 

[Gault]

I tore it apart, not there.

Now, if I am willing to report a problem, I need to be fair enough to report good news. Last night, late, I received a call from someone who sounds like they are a manager or something. They assured me the support I had received was not right and offered a refund, but said he would send me a RMA lable for a replacement.

I'll report back the results.