Just gonna bump this thread on the 2.5x20, the 4x32, and the atcar 4x16. I've been playing/using them a lot since I last posted. As stated the nx8 2-20x tube length can be a little tricky and force certain mounts unless running a pic rail, it also forces higher rings on some due to the short length not making over the meat of the barrel, still not big deal. Also the illumination even at the lowest setting is to bright imo, especially for really late hunting.
Otherwise I'm loving this scope and the entire nx8 line, even better than an atcar. As to the nx8 4x32 and contrary to what I've heard the 2.5x20 imo is more forgiving and easier to get behind than the 32 at every power up to 20x. As for the 32 its close but just more finicky for me, it's still an incredible scope and I like both over the atcar for hunting.
This is mainly, and this is huge for me, is the big apparent fov increase along with compact size. This scope would be perfect if NF made a decent hunting Ret or a just a ret with a simple center dot that illuminates.
The atcar does have a bit better dof and a little better contrast, resolution of all 3 I've had are equal at 16x for all 3 and at 20x for the 2 nx8's. This was using a usaf chart at 50 and 100 meters both black and white and high contrast red blue and green. The 2 nx8's both have a bit of edge distortion at the lowest power but up one and it's gone.
The atcar doesn't have this but it also has a smaller apparent fov. Next I've been comparing all 3 to literally dark at different conditions, moon vs no moon, cloudy and super hot vs clear and super hot, all to complete dark in open and wooded areas.
For me, overall the 2.5 is the best of the 3 for with the 32x being a little less forgiving, especially the later it got, but still fine for what it is. Again the atcar has awesome glass no doubt, but the small fov kills it for me and it's by far my least favorite, it's a no go for me as a hunting scope in Mississippi
For reference, I also had a Zeiss v6, a 20x v8, a Leica magnus, an older hensoldt z4x16x56, a Schmidt ultra bright on loan, a Zeiss 6x24 and a buds Zeiss v4 6x24 and Steiner Predator 4 6x24 for comparison, oh and Burris full field 2 4.5-14. Lots of scopes to play with lately, to bad no Leupold's at the time. Long story short, I really like the nx8 line of scopes for a do all scope.