@carbonbased I've never taken my G3R out in last light before, as it's just not a hunting scope for me. Vortex clearly designed the G3R for field matches & they really nailed it, especially considering the price point.
Mostly clear skies, spotted clouds. Both scopes @ 35x magnification only, ATACR has a sunshade, G3R does not. Observing tree limbs/bark, grass, barbed wire @ 700 yards, time from sunset:
-40min
735 ATACR resolving details slightly better.
G3R beginning to lose contrast but still fairing pretty well.
-20min
735 ATACR still resolving details on objects that are lit by ambient light and unlit in the shadows. Individual tree leaves remain distinct, even in shadows.
G3R has noticeably lost contrast, more difficult to observe tree bark & barbed wire in shadowed areas under trees. Tree leaves beginning to blur together.
-10min
735 ATACR largely same as above. Individual blades of unshadowed grass distinguishable.
G3R has lost significant contrast, warmth/yellows gone, image has greyed out. Tree leaves in shadows have blurred into larger masses, causing loss of depth perception in shadows. Shadowed barbed wire in front of unshadowed grass slightly more difficult to see, no dimension to wire perceivable (just a flat grey line). Unshadowed grass beginning to blur.
+0min
735 ATACR losing contrast, leaves in shadows beginning to blur/merge. Tree bark in shadows difficult to perceive, but some still slightly visible. Beginning to lose depth perception in shadowed areas. Shadowed barbed wire in front of unshadowed grass still visible, but no dimension to wire perceivable (just a flat grey line). Unshadowed grass beginning to blur.
G3R not doing so hot... shadowed tree leaves completely blurred/merged, no depth perception in shadows. Shadowed tree bark no longer visible. Some shadowed barbed wire in front of unshadowed grass no longer visible. Unshadowed grass blurred.
+10min
735 ATACR still resolving some of the shadowed tree bark. Noticeable loss of depth perception in shadowed areas. Would be able to see at least the outline of an animal in the shadows. Unshadowed grass mostly blurred.
G3R Woof. Shadowed areas very dark, no details, very few outlines. No detail in unshadowed grass. You could still make a clean shot on a target in the open, no question, but absolutely no chance of seeing a coyote sitting or deer laying down in the shadows.
+20min
735 ATACR shadowed areas too dark to see much of anything, only tree trunks. Could make a clean shot on target in the open.
G3R Shadowed areas completely dark, can't see anything. Would have difficulty distinguishing different kinds of motionless animals out in the open by shape alone. I would pass on any shot.
+30min
735 ATACR can barely resolve individual tree trunks, H-brace, & the white tops of T-posts. Although you could see the outline of an animal out in the open, I don't know that I'd be able to distinguish a calf from a deer. Taking any shot would be unethical.
G3R no joke:
"shadowed areas" means open/unobstructed areas underneath trees with heavy leaf coverage and no direct light.
TLDR; the G3R loses a given level of resolution 10-15min before the 735 ATACR.
The only other 2 comparisons I'd like to make are shooting into the sun & spotting another shooter to see how well each resolves the impacts on plate & spall.
