Side Focus

[truck driver]

I put a Vortex Diamond Back 3-12X42 on my 48 and sighted in at 10m to start and then moved the target back to 30yds.
The scope side focus only goes down to 30yds so the 10m target was a bit fuzzy with the scope set on 12x.
I fooled around with the power ring and cranked it down to 6x and the target came into full focus.
Is this normal for all scopes? Will the focus clear up at various distances by getting close with the side focus and then adjust the power setting till it clears up or just at 10m?
Or is it just this particular scope?

[Manning]

Yes, lower magnifications are more tolerant to focusing. 

[rsterne]

…. because they have a "greater depth of field"....

Bob

[SILENT SQUIRREL]

…. because they have a "greater depth of field"....

Bob

Would a 1.5-4x scope with parallax fixed at 75 or 100 yards (no focus wheel) have soft focus issues at 10 yards?

[Papy_Yosh]

…. because they have a "greater depth of field"....

Bob

Would a 1.5-4x scope with parallax fixed at 75 or 100 yards (no focus wheel) have soft focus issues at 10 yards?

I am not sure about 70 yards, but in general no. Your picture will be for sure clearer than with an high magnification. 

[c_m_shooter]

The big scope will appear focused when at lower magnification, but will still have parallax issues.  Mount the gun on a rest and move your head side to side behind the scope and see how far the crosshairs move.  The straight bell 1-4x scope will have less parallax issues (actually half the error of a 40mm objective), but still noticeable at 10 yards if you are aiming at a small enough target.  With my Leupold 1-5x VXIII, it is good down to just inside of 20 yards with the factory 150 yard setting.  I don't use the Dragon Claw for "small" targets so it works well.

[JungleShooter]

Vortex scope doesn't focus down to 10 yards?!  Nothing new, sorry!! 

I have read a comment of someone contacting Vortex about not only catering to the PB crowd, but also producing scopes for AG (don't know which forum just now) – and Vortex expressed ZERO INTEREST in that.   

So, that explains why in the 2019 Vortex catalog only one scope has a minimum parallax of 10y (Diamondback Tactical 6-24x50 FFP). The rest (with at least 12x max magni) have 20y, 25y, 40y, 50y and more minimum parallax. (The Golden Eagle 15-60x52 SFP has 15y).

Matthias

[BackStop]

Vortex scope doesn't focus down to 10 yards?!  Nothing new, sorry!! 

I have read a comment of someone contacting Vortex about not only catering to the PB crowd, but also producing scopes for AG (don't know which forum just now) – and Vortex expressed ZERO INTEREST in that.   

So, that explains why in the 2019 Vortex catalog only one scope has a minimum parallax of 10y (Diamondback Tactical 6-24x50 FFP). The rest (with at least 12x max magni) have 20y, 25y, 40y, 50y and more minimum parallax. (The Golden Eagle 15-60x52 SFP has 15y).

Matthias

Well...

Is the  Diamondback Tactical 6-24x50 FFP any good?   IYHO?  (smile)

[Rick67]

IIRIC, some of the Vortex  Crossfire models are capable of focusing down to 10 yards.

[JungleShooter]

Some of the Vortex Crossfire models are capable of focusing down to 10 yards.

Richard, 😊
yes, you are right.

I took it that the OP was talking about side focus scopes, though, not AO (front focus adjustable objective).



I personally feel AO is quite awkward and inconventient — unless you are bench shooting.... 😟
So I have stopped looking at AO scopes alltogether.

But if that works well for you, great!! It certainly is less expensive than side focus. 👍🏼

[UCChris]

Vortex scope doesn't focus down to 10 yards?!  Nothing new, sorry!! 

I have read a comment of someone contacting Vortex about not only catering to the PB crowd, but also producing scopes for AG (don't know which forum just now) – and Vortex expressed ZERO INTEREST in that.   

So, that explains why in the 2019 Vortex catalog only one scope has a minimum parallax of 10y (Diamondback Tactical 6-24x50 FFP). The rest (with at least 12x max magni) have 20y, 25y, 40y, 50y and more minimum parallax. (The Golden Eagle 15-60x52 SFP has 15y).

Matthias

Well...

Is the  Diamondback Tactical 6-24x50 FFP any good?   IYHO?  (smile)

I have the 4-16 DB Tactical and it's pretty dang good.

[bear air]

How far does the 4x16 focus down to Chris?

[UCChris]

How far does the 4x16 focus down to Chris?

10 yards, I believe. I will check mine in the morning, as it's in my tool chest at work. I'm 99.99% positive it's 10 yards as I remember being really excited that I could use it for airguns when my boss showed me his.

[bear air]

That's cool, I was looking at one at Scheels not too long ago and the only reason why I didn't buy it was because it only went to 20 yards. I was bummed because it was a very nice scope but a lot of my shooting is done at 13 yards which is the length of my indoor range set up.

[UCChris]

That's cool, I was looking at one at Scheels not too long ago and the only reason why I didn't buy it was because it only went to 20 yards. I was bummed because it was a very nice scope but a lot of my shooting is done at 13 yards which is the length of my indoor range set up.

You are right, it's 20 yards. My bad.

[bear air]

I thought we were talking about the same scope. I was super bummed out because I had actually talked myself into getting it that day until I noticed that. It is a very, very nice scope and you cant beat their warranty policy either.