Khales 525i low light performance feedback wanted

[Michael Gratz]

Good evening folks. I was fortunate enough to win a Khales K525i recently (arrives Friday actually). I had a Khales Helica years ago that was a good optic for hunting purposes, but had tracking issues. It was fairly good in low light conditions. My question is concerning the new line, and how good they are in low light. Nightforce NXS, Sightron S3, Leupold, and Zeiss are on most of my rifles. How does the K525i compare in the light transmission catergory compared to the afore mentioned scopes? I've read a few reviews on the 525, but none really went into light gathering capability of the optic.

Thanks for any insight you can share.

 

[Michael Gratz]

Good evening folks. I was fortunate enough to win a Khales K525i recently (arrives Friday actually). I had a Khales Helica years ago that was a good optic for hunting purposes, but had tracking issues. It was fairly good in low light conditions. My question is concerning the new line, and how good they are in low light. Nightforce NXS, Sightron S3, Leupold, and Zeiss are on most of my rifles. How does the K525i compare in the light transmission catergory compared to the afore mentioned scopes? I've read a few reviews on the 525, but none really went into light gathering capability of the optic.

Thanks for any insight you can share.

Nobody here has this scope?

 

[kiwikid]

The info I have seen suggests a light transmission of 95% which is incredibly high. Of course Kahles is owned by Swarovski and Swarovski make great glass.

 

[Michael Gratz]

That's what I'm really hoping for. I'm really hoping it will be a dual purpose optic. Most of my benchrest type scopes aren't stellar in low light. They're not bad by any means, but some of my "hunting scopes" (Leupolds) are definitely brighter.

 

[kiwikid]

With a 56 mm objective lens I think the Kahles will be very bright. I only have one Leupold, a VXll 3-9x40 but the Kahles Swarovskis, and even the Meoptas I have are far brighter than the Leupold.

 

[Robert W Morris]

Mine arrived in early December. It may be my favorite scope. Saving for another one now.

 

[Michael Gratz]

Mine arrived in early December. It may be my favorite scope. Saving for another one now.

I mounted mine, but haven't had the time to sight it in yet. Also received a Leupold MK5hd 5-25x56 this week. It'll be interesting to see which I like more. Both appear to be crystal clear (no surprise at this price point).

 

[Brado16]

View attachment 117026 View attachment 117025
I mounted mine, but haven't had the time to sight it in yet. Also received a Leupold MK5hd 5-25x56 this week. It'll be interesting to see which I like more. Both appear to be crystal clear (no surprise at this price point).

Dude get some field time with both and report back please!!

 

[Michael Gratz]

Dude get some field time with both and report back please!!

I will, but our deer season in Alabama is just getting cranked up. Doesn't end until Feb 10th. Then I'll have some free time. And yes, I will post my opinion of the two.

 

[5RWill]

I have both the K525i and the K318i and recently owned a mark 5. The lowlight performance is suitable for the K525i but wasn't astounded by it or anything. I get right at 30 min post sunset. I checked official sunset several times in the last three weeks i was home hunting and each time it's right at 25-30min after sunset. I usually judge optics at 9x or so for lowlight, something intermediate, not entirely too much mag but not 5x either. Overall i felt it was a little underwhelming because the k318i is pretty much equal, which i compared directly to my USO SN-3 3.2-17x44 and found it to be pretty much equal to it as well. Which at the time i wasn't disappointed an ultra short performing like a 16" optic is not a bad thing. However i remember my Mark 5 outclassing my SN-3 at the farm when i had them side by side at 9x looking at a doe at 1000yds are so, 30min past sunset i couldn't see her with the SN-3 less she moved or flipped her tail. I could see her with the Mark 5.

That's not to sway you toward the MK5 per say obviously i like the Kahles better, i sold my MK5, and now run Kahles across the board. But the lowlight performance in the Mark 5s have been exceptional. Which Bill notes here in his review on Opticthoughts as well, granted it didn't score the highest but i've talked to him about the lowlight capability of the short MK5 because i still want one and he always spoke highly of it. I was thoroughly impressed with my 5-25. If Leupold had a TMR with a center dot, 2/10th hashes, and a tree..i'd have Leupold on a lot of rifles. Probably wouldn't get rid of my Kahles because i love the SKMR3 and the turrets. But i'd have a lot of leupold everywhere else.

As for the rest FOV is roughly the same, both are small. DOF on the Kahles bothers me at times but it's just a compromise of the short design i'm assuming. Eyebox on both is pretty tight at 25x i'd give the nod to the Kahles there, mark 5 gave me some fits at time at 25x. Resolution, contrast, and edge to edge clarity also goes to Kahles. Turrets and reticle goes to Kahles as well. It's also to note that the K525i loses some resolution at max magnification. A non issue for me as i rarely shoot at 25x but it does lose some past 23x. Not much though think Gen II razor at 27x.

http://opticsthoughts.com/?p=2296

 

[Rich Coyle]

View attachment 117026 View attachment 117025
I mounted mine, but haven't had the time to sight it in yet. Also received a Leupold MK5hd 5-25x56 this week. It'll be interesting to see which I like more. Both appear to be crystal clear (no surprise at this price point).

I am particularly interested in how they perform in low light when looking at antlers about 100 yards ways as darkness sets in.

By the way, I wish you fun and success in your hunting.