Comments like this make me question the posters experience. There are a great many optics with FFP reticles where this is not true. I coyote hunt almost exclusively with a Tangent Theta 315M with GenIIXR reticle. It is one of the thinner FFP designs offered, yet I typically leave my scope on 6X magnification and have killed many dozen coyotes with this setup in all manner of lighting and weather condition and varying terrain.
Just a moment ago I went outside with a TT525P which is a 5-25x56 optic with the GenIIXR reticle. I snapped this picture at 8X magnification while targeting my 300yd berm. In the foreground you can see the 100yd berm. The image looks 10x better in person on this dark overcast day than my camera is able to capture.
To put it plainly, the concept that you can not use FFP optics at low magnifications is a myth. The 8X magnification this picture was shot at is not anywhere near max magnification as your post would indicate, but rather very slightly over minimum magnification. It is plain to see that the reticle is still quite useful.
The fish eye effect, blury reticle as well as image, and the out of focus 100yd berm are all effects generated by my camera. None are present during actual use of the rifle scope. I can not over-state just how poor the image above looks compared to the actual experience when behind the rifle scope. Yet despite this fact, it is plain to see that even on a very dark overcast day, against a very cluttered background, the reticle is still very functional at low magnification.
Click here to view that image in greater detail:
http://i.imgur.com/G6BPJtB.jpg