OpticsTalk by SWFA, Inc. Homepage SWFA     SampleList.com
Forum Home Forum Home > Scopes > Rifle Scopes
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - I did some optics testing last night...
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Visit the SWFA.com site to check out our current specials.

I did some optics testing last night...

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
SAKO75 View Drop Down
Optics Apprentice
Optics Apprentice


Joined: February/29/2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 246
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SAKO75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: I did some optics testing last night...
    Posted: July/25/2004 at 19:47
I am currently at the in-laws and got a chance to test some optics that i do not have.
Last nite @ dark, I got my father-in-law's 257 weatherby magnum topped with a pre MC4 leupold 3.5-10x40 AO scope. the scope could be 20 years old for all I know but hasnt been used in years and has no scratches on the lenses, stays in a case with a bikini strap over the lenses so it is not in bad shape. It is an older scope with older coatings on it plus it has an AO.
I took it outside and compared it on 5 power to my 42mm S&B on 5 power and a new pair of pentax 10x43 DCF SP binocs.
1st, you would think the binocs (4.3 mm exit pupil) would be the darkest. Nope! If a deer would have been over there, I would have seen it.
They worked great. My target was a woodenfence about 80-90 yards away. I couldnt see it with the naked eye but knew it was there. The binocs detailed them easily. SO did the S&B.
In the leupold, there was no fence, it was MIA.
to be fair to the leupold, it is an old scope with old coatings plus the addt'l lens of the AO.
I also noticed the reticle on the S&B was still visible while the standard duplex Leupy was gone. Basically the S&B has a 4a type reticle in the 1st plane so it was pretty thick @ 5x on 1.5-6x42 scope. Just imagine If I would had a BSA or nikon pro staff i would have even seen the fence even better according to outdoor life's recent optics testing, which rated them as "VG" in lowlight while a equally powered(1.5-6x42) S&B zenith was just a "G" and the comment for it was "poor low-light performance". Just had to throw that in there....

One more test i performed was for light flare within the scope.
There was a porch light about 10 feet in front of me that was on. I pointed the binocs near the light but not right at it. I had some light flare in the lower corner away from the light source.
The leupold was just plan horrible. the reticle turned orange and their was a bright haze over the entire image.
the S&B had no flare at all.

What does this prove?
well to my eyes, the S&B handled stray light very well and is a pretty good low light scope. the binocs were a pleasant suprise in the lowlight dept. despite a small exit pupil. they did exhibit some flaring issues but i could only see this as a potential real world problem if i was in a stand and I was looking @ something in the direction of the sun coming up in the AM or going down in the PM. I noticed this last year in the binocs i was using then as my stand faced the AM sunrise. the leupold didnt handle stray light very well but its an old model with old technology, I KNOW LEUPOLD MAKES A MUCH BETTER SCOPE NOW! NOT TRYING TO START WARS ON HERE!

Honestly, it was past 9:00 EST and it was past legal hours for deer anyway so unless i was hog or yote hunting, this "test" doesnt prove much for my state deer hunting rules.....
but it was interesting
Back to Top
tbone1 View Drop Down
Optics Apprentice
Optics Apprentice
Avatar

Joined: May/31/2004
Status: Offline
Points: 195
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tbone1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/26/2004 at 11:27
Sako75, maybe I should have posted this question in the topic under binos but I would like to get your opinion on something.  I noticed from an earlier post you have used both the Pentax DCF WP and the new SP line.  I have always thought that Pentax offered great optics for a very reasonable price until I had a bad experience with them last year.  I bought a pair of 10x42 WPs and really didn't like them optically.  In the store they performed fine when comparing them to several different models.  But the pair we recieved had very poor resolution.  I looked through them again this weekend when I was at our lake house and they are just not sharp at all.  In fact I think my Pentax PCF III porros are sharper.  I am starting to think that they just might be a lemon.  I am debating sending them back to Pentax to find out if something is wrong with the lenses although they appear to be in mint condition.  I would like your opinion, as to how you thought the Pentax DCF WP performed and how much better you think the SPs are.  Thanks in advance.
Back to Top
ranburr View Drop Down
Optics Master
Optics Master


Joined: May/16/2004
Status: Offline
Points: 1082
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ranburr Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/26/2004 at 12:36

The Sp line is significantly better then any other roofs they have ever made.  They are using ED glass in them.

 

ranburr

Back to Top
SAKO75 View Drop Down
Optics Apprentice
Optics Apprentice


Joined: February/29/2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 246
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SAKO75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/26/2004 at 18:01

I had 8*42 DCF WP's. I also have an S&B scope that goes up to 6x. Here's the resolution difference.

the S&B on 6x can barely make out .308 bullet holes @ 100m which I cannot see with a 8x set of DCF WP 8*42 binocs!

 

I have not tried the 10x43 dcf SP's yet. They seem better @ managing stray light though. If they cant resolve a .308 hole @ 100m then we will have real problems!

Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.01
Copyright ©2001-2018 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.191 seconds.