American rifle-scopes have traditionally used this configuration. This means that the reticle appears to stay the same size when the magnification is increased or decreased. In the Schmidt and Bender Zenith series the two lower powered rifle-scopes place reticle in the second focal plane near the eyepiece of the rifle-scope. This is the type I absolutely prefer for shooting beyond 200 yards because I use the reticle subtensions as a guide for range estimation. This means the reticle can be used as a guide for range estimation. Thus the size of the reticle remains exactly the same in relation to the target at all power settings – the reticle magnifies with the image as the magnification is increased and the reticle shrinks with the image as the magnification is decreased. Because the image and the reticle are both in the same focal plane when the magnification is increased in a variable scope both the image and the image of the reticle are magnified exactly the same amount. This means that the reticle and the image of the target are both in the same focal plane and so the subtensions of the reticle are always exactly the same by comparison with the image at all magnification settings in a variable rifle-scope.

If the reticle is placed in the first focal plane just ahead of the adjustment turret. The second focal plane is to the left of the diagram where the yellow lines converge just before the eyepiece of the riflescope The first focal plane is where the yellow lines representing the light rays converge at the right of the diagram just ahead of the adjustment turret. Cutaway diagram of a Schmidt and Bender riflescope.

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