The original Minox ZA-5 3-15x42 did receive negative feedback from users, primarily because of the lack of side focus/parallax adjustment. In hindsight, that looks to me to have been a big design mistake by Minox. They fixed it with the improved ZA-5 HD lineup, which includes side focus on all variants with 3-15 magnification. I have ZA-5 HD 3-15x42 with side focus on my 22-250 and I really like it. That said, I totally understand not wanting to get let down for a second time by Minox or any other brand, for that matter.
If it were me, I'd be very tempted to give the Diamondback HP a try. If it's as good as some say, then it's a great value. I've been looking at the 2-8x32 for $200 because it would be perfect for where I deer hunt, but it's a want and not a need since I have two of the original Vortex Viper 2-7x32 scopes, which is a model that has since been discontinued.
I've been impressed by Vortex's ability to build a loyal following of users in a relatively short amount of time in a crowded, competitive and demanding market. This seems to be a testament to their quality products and excellent customer service, which I can vouch for since I use a couple of Vortex scopes and binos. Their high-end, mid-range and lower-end products all seem to have happy users. It wasn't long ago that Vortex optics were really only available from select online retailers and local outdoor shops. Now Cabela's, Bass Pro, Amazon and other large retailers are selling them. It will be interesting to see how Vortex changes as they continue to grow the business and whether they eventually get swallowed up by a big fish in the industry. For now it remains a family owned company based in Middleton, Wisconsin.
