Rifle Scopes Vortex RG3 6-36x56, Element Theos 6-36x56 and Zeiss LRP S3 6-36x56 Review

[Glassaholic]

I will soon update the Hide with full review: Vortex Razor Gen III 6-36x56, Element Theos 6-36x56 and Zeiss LRP S3 6-36x56 Review

Full review here

Vortex, Zeiss and Element 6-36×56 Scope Review » OpticsThoughts

TLDR Version

FINAL THOUGHTS​

I have been impressed with Japanese OEM scopes for quite some time, but I must admit that these new 6-36 scopes have the secret sauce, they are some of the best scopes I have seen come out of Japan optically and possibly the best I have seen from Japan to date overall. Overall, I think each of these scopes offer excellent performance per price – meaning they punch above their class while each offer some different features that different shooters will find appealing. Each of these 6-36×56 get my “best in glass” thumbs up!

So here are my personal thoughts on each of these scopes:

• Zeiss LRP S3 6-36×56: Zeiss was smart to bring this scope to market, they are brand new to the FFP world but have one of the biggest names in the industry. They started with the LRP S5 which is their premium line of scopes; however, in some ways I think I like/prefer the S3 even more than the S5, yes the S5 does have an edge optically but honestly it is not much (and maybe differentiated more in harsh lighting conditions). The turrets are outstanding, the optical quality is excellent and the overall ergonomics are really well thought out. This scope is a real winner in my book and based on its price point I feel it punches well above its class (as do the rest of the scopes here). If I were to split hairs about anything it would be the performance at 36x, while not bad the Zeiss was not able to resolve as well as the Vortex and Element at the top of the magnification, but it wasn’t by any means lacking.
• Vortex RG3 6-36×56: The RG3 comes with no surprise as to its performance as it has impressed me since day one of its release. Optically this scope holds its own with some of the best in the industry and has laid the groundwork for other manufacturers to take notice, hence the focus of this review – how well do the other OEM 6-36 designs compare. I still think the Vortex has the slight edge optically but the other scopes are very close. Coupled with the industry’s best warranty this scope is the premium choice, but it is also the most expensive out of the three.
• Element Theos 6-36×56: The surprise of this scope is the nicely engineered toolless turrets that rank very close to Tangent Theta. The feel of the turrets is also excellent giving the scope a refined feel that, coupled with the excellent optical performance, really makes this scope stand out. Element has been around for a while and has impressed with price per performance, but they do not have the market awareness as the likes of Vortex and Zeiss; however, this scope has the potential to really help with name recognition throughout the community and I could see Element gaining more brand awareness as they continue to listen to the community and deliver top quality optics at excellent price points. Speaking of listening to the community, that is one advantage the smaller manufacturer has – they are able to get boots on the ground and not only listen to what the community is asking for but also execute on that quicker.

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.

One final thought, I think many manufacturers need to do better at adapting to market needs quicker, too much time and you begin to lose market share in this ever changing world of FFP sport optics. “Adapt or go home” is becoming the name of the game as the market gets more and more saturated with excellent options, and I think Vortex, Zeiss and Element have done well, very well, with these new 6-36 scopes.

 

[Hennig]

I own all three of these scopes too. All great options - just pick based on the color you need for your build

 

[Glassaholic]

I own all three of these scopes to. All great options - just pick based on the color you need for your build

Oh nice. Has your experience mimic'd what I share in my review or do you have different thoughts? I'm always curious how much sample variance plays a role here.

 

[ToddM]

The market share thoughts are interesting, it has to be concerning for the big manufacturers on some level because of how easy/fast it is to bring quality products to market now compared to 10-20 years ago. However the fear would be that changing products too quickly and too often, and you become SIG, shitty quality control and using your customers as beta testers. In cheap scopes I don't mind but in more expensive stuff, I still hesitate to buy from a company that has no established history in the market.

Just about every year now there's some new scope(s) that comes out, gets super hyped, "compares to scopes 3x it's price", sells a ton, and then a couple years later no one talks about them because it was never that special to begin with, even if it's not a bad scope, just not nearly as good as lots of folks claimed when it first hit the market. Vortex Strike Eagle, Burris XTR III/Pro, I'd say clearly fall into these areas. Not bad scopes, but no where near the level they were hyped at, and even though neither of them are very old, you don't see them that much anymore, and you don't see them recommended or praised much anymore. Reality and some time quickly expose how much hype is there.

However, if you make a truly good scope that brings value at it's price point, it persists. Look at how long the Razor Gen 2 was a major player, even 10+ years later and there are worse choices you can make at similar price points. The Gen 3 is following that path. The ATACR 7-35 is another one, been out for 6-7 years, still a very solid choice we often see recommended/praised. Even if not the best choice anymore in a sea of options. It will be interesting to see if the big manufacturers think it's worth chasing being the flavor of the year, that no one wants 2-3 years later, or making a product that persists in it's market share for a few years.

 

[diggler1833]

Owning the G3 Razor and LRP S3, I'd say that I agree with the OP. Guess that means I will probably have to try the Element soon. While I also agree with the post above that there are some scope designs that have lasted many years, I also believe that you are either innovating or getting ready to get left in the dust (Leupold a decade ago and Trijicon for example).