In my book, Swarovski Z8i 1-8 is the best scope out there. True one power for close-up, critical situations, 8 power at the top brings 500 yds in to about 60, plenty of magnification. High quality 93% Swarovski glass give max light transmission. With the illuminated circle-dot reticule, a very fast target aquisition is possible. At low power, the exit pupil is far larger than your pupil for any magnification, meaning there's more light available in the scope than your eye can take advantage of, for any objective lens diameter. At 8 power that Z8i will have an exit pupil of about 3mm, so a larger objective lens might be an advantage there. The larger objective lenses have a light-gathering advantage only at higher magnifications, which usually means longer distances. The exit pupil diameter (mm) is obtained by dividing the objective lens diameter (mm) by the magnification; your pupil will dilate to 7mm if you're young, 4 or 5 if past 40. If you plan to shoot with the scope at or above 8 power, a 44mm objective lens will give you all the light you can use. You don't need to worry about light-gathering on the low power end. Consult your guide. I do think that Swar Z8i 1-8 is the best for hunting that you can get, unless you are an extreme long range gunner or hunt in the dark.
