A pack of wild boars crosses the wide clearing. Now quickly turn your head to catch a glimpse through the scope. Keeping everything in view at the decisive moment and getting into aiming position in time can be crucial for a successful hunt. When rotating the body so quickly, having a riflescope with an optimized eye box is the key. In this interview with our Head of ZEISS Systems Design, Dr. Johannes Zellner, we find out why the eye box plays such an important role, how ZEISS has optimized the optical design for this purpose, and why elaborate digital imaging simulations play such an essential role in this process.
Why don’t you start by explaining to us exactly what the eye box is and why it plays such an important role in hunting?
Dr. Johannes Zellner: “The eye box is the usable area behind the riflescope. The geometric size of the eye box depends on the size of the entrance pupil, the magnification level, and the field of view. The actual usable area of this eye box is additionally defined by how well the image is corrected within this geometric eye box. The eye box should be as large as possible so that the eye can detect the sharpest possible image over the entire field of view, even if it isn’t positioned exactly. When hunting, especially during driven hunts or when stalking, i.e., when things have to happen quickly, a large eye box offers a decisive advantage, since the eye doesn’t have to be positioned as precisely and yet you can still move your head. Ultimately, it means you can aim at the target more easily and take an ethical shot at just the right moment.”