Glass That Earns Its Price Tag: ZEISS Conquest V4 4-16×44 Review

In the waning light on a chilly Wyoming evening, I lowered my head to the ZEISS Conquest V4 4-16X44 Riflescope, took aim at a distant target, and fired. “GONG!” That’s a hit. I adjusted my elevation turret more and took aim at a 600-yard target. “GONG!” Another hit.

I smiled and got up from my seat. After only a few shots with the loaner rifle and scope I was given for this hunt, I felt confident. I hadn’t missed a single target. Over the next few days, I’d have the opportunity to build that confidence further, chasing coyotes on the Rockin’ 7 Ranch.

To be fair, it wasn’t my first rodeo with this scope. I had also hunted with one in Oklahoma earlier in the year and, after a few weeks of hunting with it, am strongly considering picking one up.

In short: The most impressive part of the ZEISS Conquest V4 4-16X44 Riflescope is its superb optical clarity at all magnification levels and light transmission in low-light situations. From a real-world hunting standpoint, that is what makes it stand out compared to the other rifle scopes I have at home. An elevation adjustment range of 80 MOA, a parallax adjustment from 10 yards to infinity, and an adjustable lighted reticle allow shooters to dial this second focal plane scope perfectly for every shot. At $1,250, the price is likely too much for those on a budget, but if you’re looking for a quality hunting riflescope that won’t leave you wanting more without a ridiculous price, this one deserves a look.

The Nerdy Shooting Specs of the Zeiss Conquest V4

To me, there isn’t anything as painful to read and sift through as complicated shooting specs and terminology. Yet here I am writing about it. Unfortunately, it’s important, and a riflescope review wouldn’t be complete without it.

Now, I’m not a long-distance shooter. I don’t have the time or funds to participate in that sport with any real consistency. However, I have been shooting rifles since my teens, and am a hunter. I’ll be going over the specs of this scope through that lens.

So before I dig into the field performance of the ZEISS Conquest V4 4-14X44, let’s dig into the nitty-gritty details. I’m going to attempt to make this as simple as possible, so that a brand-new shooter as well as experienced shooters can gain important insight into this scope.

Magnification and Lens

I really dig the 4-16X44 size for a versatile hunting riflescope. The lower four-power magnification is great for picking out targets at close range in thick timber or for locating targets on a large landscape.

But the higher 16 power is excellent for longer shots, and can even provide a boost of confidence at close-range shots. Aim small, miss small, right? There are few, if any, hunting situations you’ll wish you had a higher or lower magnification range than a 4-16 provides.

The 44mm objective lens is a happy medium for hunting as well. It gets you a bit better performance in low light (when hunters are often shooting) than its smaller counterparts, but it isn’t a pain to pack around the mountains for a week. Yeah, fancy long-range scopes with huge lenses are cool and all, but they’re not practical in the field.

If you don’t agree with me on those thoughts, no big deal. There are Conquest V4s in a bunch of different sizes. For me, it’s a good all-rounder.

Adjustability of the ZEISS Conquest V4

The ZEISS Conquest V4 has a ton of adjustability — more so than many riflescopes in a similar price range. Let’s dig into those adjustments here.

Elevation and Windage

The windage turret is capped, and the elevation turret is external, and capable of an adjustment range of 80 MOA. From a hunting standpoint, that is more than enough to allow you to click to the proper elevation for any ethical hunting shots. Plus, it gives you plenty of reach for those fun long bombs at the range.

You don’t have to worry about losing your zero, thanks to the ballistic stop, a feature often missing in lower-priced rifle scopes. If you’re not familiar with ballistic stop, it’s a feature on the elevation turret that prevents the turret from rotating past zero. If you’ve clicked away from zero but want to return to it, rotate the turret until it stops, and you’re all set without counting clicks.

I find it to be very handy. In Wyoming, my buddies and I had a coyote work toward us faster than expected. I initially thought I might be taking a 500-plus-yard shot and had dialed accordingly.

But Mr. Yote kept coming, and in what seemed like a flash, was within 170 yards. With the coyote paused and about to dip out behind a rock outcrop, I needed to adjust quickly.

Without looking up from the scope, I was able to turn the turret back to the zero stop and go up a few clicks to adjust accordingly. In the heat of the moment, it made the adjustment quick and easy. I never had to pull up off the scope to look at the adjustment knob, and kept my eyes on target the whole time.

Yes, the shot went well. The clicks are 1/4 MOA adjustments and feel very solid.

Illuminated Reticle

When you step away from budget optics and into mid- to premium-priced options, illuminated reticles become standard. The Conquest V4 is no different.

The illuminated reticle adjustment knob is on the left, outside of the parallax adjustment. You adjust the brightness from level 1 to 10, with a half-click between each number. When you hit the half-click between numbers, the illuminated reticle turns on at the associated brightness.

The broad range of brightness is great for different light levels. Likewise, users with poor eyesight can get it set perfectly to help assist in executing a great shot.

Parallax

The final adjustment knob is for the parallax, and has a setting of 10 yards to infinity. It’s smooth and allows for fine adjustment, but isn’t easily moved once it’s set. If you’re not familiar with parallax and why it’s important, here’s a very brief, albeit incomplete and simplified explanation of it.

The target you’re viewing and your reticle (crosshairs) are not on the same focal plane, but you’re viewing them as if they are through the scope. A parallax adjustment, which doesn’t come standard on all scopes, allows you to put them on the same plane.

That’s important because if the parallax is set incorrectly and you move your head from side to side, your crosshairs will move off target. It goes without saying why that is a problem.

To adjust the parallax, adjust the knob until the target and your reticle are clear at the same time, without having to refocus your eye. Fine-tune it by moving your head side to side and ensuring the reticle doesn’t move off target. When that movement stops, you’re all set. It allows for precision.

Focal Plane and Reticle Options

The Conquest V4 has a second focal plane reticle. I know, I know, more annoying terminology.

Again, here’s the skinny: As you zoom in and out with a first focal plane scope, the reticle (crosshair) changes size. On the other hand, a second focal-plane scope, like the Conquest, doesn’t adjust reticle size with the zoom. That provides a clearer, more consistent sight picture and seems simple and easy. But uh, it’s not.

While it keeps the picture consistent, it can cause problems if you choose a reticle with elevation and windage hash marks. When at full zoom, those hash marks will represent 1 MOA. But the second you zoom out, that number changes pretty dang drastically. In the heat of the moment, I’ve found that it’s tough to remember what each hash mark means at each magnification level with second focal plane scopes.

I used a reticle with no hash marks (#60) and relied entirely on dialing with the elevation turret to adjust for different ranges for that reason. If you want the hashes, ZEISS offers the scope with hashed reticles.

In the Field With the ZEISS Conquest V4

All that fancy hubbub is fine and dandy, but it’s not what makes the Zeiss Conquest V4 such an amazing rifle scope. How it shoots on the range and in the field is.

While I love all of the adjustability, the size, and the smooth, sturdy knobs, the most impressive part of this scope is the glass. The optical clarity of this scope is scores ahead of the scopes in my own personal arsenal, despite some being priced similarly. And the low-light performance is excellent.

In Oklahoma, I shot a doe in the first 10 minutes of shooting light using a Conquest V4. With the naked eye, it was still tough to pick out the deer in the predawn light, but when I got down on the scope, it was bright and crisp. I was completely comfortable taking a shot in light conditions that other scopes simply can’t perform in. I executed a great shot when I’d normally sit there waiting for better light.

On my first evening in Wyoming, we shot at the range until the sun dipped below the horizon. Targets were crystal clear, and again, I was impressed with how bright the image through the Conquest is.

The optical clarity is so good that in the middle of the day on coyote hunts, I found myself using it to glass. No matter how much I zoom, the image is clear from edge to edge, and distortion is surprisingly minimal when cranked up to 16X. The quality of the ZEISS glass really shines when you get down on the scope.

On frosty mornings, it never once fogged on me. The Conquest V4 is ready to roll at a moment’s notice, no matter the conditions.

Is There Anything Not to Like?

I could easily see how many hunters wouldn’t like a second-focal-plane scope. I would even go so far as to say that if you want to use elevation hashes in the reticle to adjust for distance, this scope, and any second focal plane scope, isn’t for you. It’s easier to just roll with a first focal plane if fast shooting and adjustments are on the docket.

I personally love the simplicity of a basic reticle and clicking the elevation turret to adjust for distance. There aren’t many hunting situations where I don’t have enough time to do that. That may not be the case for you, though.

The price also stings a little. While the ZEISS Conquest V4 isn’t the most expensive scope you can find by a long shot, it certainly isn’t the cheapest either. Those on a tight budget will likely need to look elsewhere. You can be a very successful hunter with a dirt-cheap scope. If it ain’t in the cards, it ain’t in the cards.

Final Thoughts on the ZEISS Conquest V4

Despite the high price, I think the ZEISS Conquest V4 4-16X44 riflescope is worth every single penny. The optical clarity and low-light performance are noticeably better than those of lower-quality scopes.

This scope will do everything you need from a hunting standpoint and is capable enough to dabble in long-range shooting. ZEISS backs it up with a 5-year, no-fault warranty, followed by a standard warranty after that. Like other ZEISS products I’ve reviewed, it’s priced on the higher end, but it’s a lot of scope for the money.

I’m telling you: If you’ve been using cheaper scopes and looking for an excuse to upgrade, take this as your sign. You won’t regret it.