ED Glass

[jds holler]

I'm gonna wait for the "Super-Ultra Tactical ED" before I spend the money. jd

 

[Fred Bohl]

In the link above, one technology listed has me wondering if we would ever see transfer over to riflescopes; that's Phased Fresnel, (PF). This would be great for lighter, smaller scopes with very high magnification.

Super ED glass together with Aspheric and Phased Fresnel lenses have the potential to support the next level of riflescope design. This would include a much smaller blur circle (lower chromatic and spherical aberration). Also a potential reduction in length and weight of the objective assembly. Adoption of such advances is driven by market demand which in turn is driven by perceived need for the improved performance at a price point that will produce enough volume and net profit to fund the new design level.

 

[Turbulent Turtle]

Super ED glass together with Aspheric and Phased Fresnel lenses have the potential to support the next level of riflescope design. This would include a much smaller blur circle (lower chromatic and spherical aberration). Also a potential reduction in length and weight of the objective assembly. Adoption of such advances is driven by market demand which in turn is driven by perceived need for the improved performance at a price point that will produce enough volume and net profit to fund the new design level.

Translation of that:

Yep, that would be nice but it's going to cost a bundle and people will have to decide if the incremental benefits are worth the outrageous price.

To which I add: Amen to that. Thankfully, there are always people who are willing to spend to have "the best."

 

[284winner]

Translation of that:

Yep, that would be nice but it's going to cost a bundle and people will have to decide if the incremental benefits are worth the outrageous price.

To which I add: Amen to that. Thankfully, there are always people who are willing to spend to have "the best."

AND...IS there a market for them ? That's the bigger question. Sure we all love our expensive toys BUT at what end ? For me definitely not. Yep there are lots of guys dumping 4-5k on scopes. But is that enough

 

[Ledd Slinger]

For serious optics with high end ED glass, excellent coatings, and solid construction, a person will spend around $1700-$2000 at a minimum then go up from there. Is it worth it? I guess that depends on what your intent is for the rifle and how important it is to have that optical edge. The biggest difference between budget glass and high end glass will be seen in 'less than ideal' lighting and weather conditions ie; low light, rain, hot day with mirage, hazy atmosphere, etc...

I enjoy nice glass in all of my optics. Just be warned that once you start to travel down the road of buying expensive optics, you better be ready to open your wallet regularly because there's no turning back. All the $300-$600 budget scopes, binoculars, and spotters you used to think were great just wont cut it for you anymore.

 

[Raythemanroe]

Please explain what makes a lens ED? I'm not asking for the accomplishment/performance or said outcome of buying/using ED glass.. Please don't say precision ground, optically centered multicoated lens that give super low dispersion..

Ray

 

[Turbulent Turtle]

Please explain what makes a lens ED? I'm not asking for the accomplishment/performance or said outcome of buying/using ED glass.. Please don't say precision ground, optically centered multicoated lens that give super low dispersion..

Ray

Well, that's the thing, isn't it? I believe it's the material used.

 

[Fred Bohl]

Ray - You asked:

https://www.schott.com/d/advanced_o.../schott-fluoro-phosphate-glasses-may-2014.pdf

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Please explain what makes a lens ED? I'm not asking for the accomplishment/performance or said outcome of buying/using ED glass.. Please don't say precision ground, optically centered multicoated lens that give super low dispersion..

Ray

In a nut shell, it's the fluorite elements within the glass that greatly reduces or completely eliminates chromatic aberration perceived by the human eye. This results in greater resolution and much higher definition between colors. Especially eliminates the blurred lines between high contrast colors. Some of the very best ED optics I have looked through are made with Pure Flourite Crystal (PFC) lenses.

 

[Raythemanroe]

Well, that's the thing, isn't it? I believe it's the material used.

What is the materials used, some have responded with Flourite or a flourite mix.. I don't know, kinda makes me wonder if it's not all marketing.. Thought scopes didn't use flourite?


Ray

 

[Raythemanroe]

Ray - You asked:

https://www.schott.com/d/advanced_o.../schott-fluoro-phosphate-glasses-may-2014.pdf

This doesn't explain ED glass or Super ED glass.

Ray

 

[Ledd Slinger]

What is the materials used, some have responded with Flourite or a flourite mix.. I don't know, kinda makes me wonder if it's not all marketing.. Thought scopes didn't use flourite?


Ray

It's a physical element used in the glass. Of course it's used in riflescopes, binoculars, and spotting scopes. Has been for years now. Why would you think it as being a marketing gimmick?

As with all glass, it's only as good as the manufacturer making the glass and the company shaping/fitting/coating it for an optic.

 

[Raythemanroe]

It's a physical element used in the glass. Of course it's used in riflescopes, binoculars, and spotting scopes. Has been for years now. Why would you think it as being a marketing gimmick?

As with all glass, it's only as good as the manufacturer making the glass and the company shaping/fitting/coating it for an optic. You cant have ED glass if it doesnt contain flourite. I suppose a company could call anything "ED", but if the glass doesnt contain flourite, then they are just flat out lying to you.

View attachment 1115030

See, this makes more sense than the link posted before..

In short it's (ED) a flourite hybrid


Ray

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I had the Meopta S2 HD spotting scope for over 3 years. I sold it and purchased the Swarovski ATX 95mm without ever looking through it thinking the Swarovski glass would surely be better considering the massive jump in price. I very quickly regretted ever switching to Swarovski.

Meopta uses APO Flourite glass in their dual front objective lens which delivers an amazing Chromatic Aberration free picture. The Swarovski HD glass, as good as it actually is, has very noticeable CA to me on high magnification. Had I not owned the Meopta prior to the Swaro, I may not have ever noticed the CA in the Swaro.

For my eyes, the APO Flourite glass in the Meopta enhances colors and makes them much more defined than the Swarovski, especially at long range and using high magnification. So much richer and truer to color. I never thought the slight Chromatic Aberration would bother me that much, but eventually the CA fault in the Swarovski HD glass became very distracting and began to ruin the viewing pleasure for me.

Not having my Meopta for a side by side comparison, the CA in the Swarovski honestly made me think my eyes had just gotten worse with age until my father in law made a comment to me one day while using the Swarovski at the range. He had looked through my Meopta S2 many times over the years while hunting and shooting together. One day while he was looking through my new Swarovski ATX to spot shots for me on paper at long range, I noticed he was messing with the focus a lot. I asked him what was wrong and he said "I think the view through your Meopta was better". I said "Me too!" And that was the confirmation I needed to know it wasnt my eyes going bad

So I ended up selling the Swarovski ATX a while back and actually just ordered a new Meopta S2 HD today with the 30-60x wide angle eyepiece.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

See, this makes more sense than the link posted before..

In short it's (ED) a flourite hybrid


Ray

They also grow synthetic flourite crystals from which they can make a lens element that is is pure flourite. Thus the name "Pure Flourite Crystal". Kowa uses a "PFC" front objective lens in their flagship TSN-880 series spotting scopes.

Meopta S2 uses dual German Schott APO (Apochromatic) flourite lenses on the objective.

 

[Raythemanroe]

I had the Meopta S2 HD spotting scope for over 3 years. I sold it and purchased the Swarovski ATX 95mm without ever looking through it thinking the Swarovski glass would surely be better. I very quickly regretted ever switching to Swarovski.

Meopta uses ED Flourite Crystal in their dual front objective lens which delivers an amazing Chromatic Aberration free picture. The Swarovski HD glass, as good as it actually is, has very noticeable CA to me on high magnification. Had I not owned the Meopta prior to the Swaro, I may not have ever noticed the CA in the Swaro.

For my eyes, the Flourite Crystal glass in the Meopta enhances colors and makes them much more defined than the Swarovski, especially at long range and using high magnification. So much richer and truer to color. I never thought the slight Chromatic Aberration would bother me that much, but eventually the CA fault in the Swarovski HD glass became very distracting and began to ruin the viewing pleasure for me.

Not having my Meopta for a side by side comparison, the CA in the Swarovski honestly made me think my eyes had just gotten worse with age until my father in law made a comment to me one day while using the Swarovski at the range. He had looked through my Meopta S2 many times over the years while hunting and shooting together. One day while he was looking through my new Swarovski ATX to spot shots for me on paper at long range, I noticed he was messing with the focus a lot. I asked him what was wrong and he said "I think the view through your Meopta was better". I said "Me too!" And that was the confirmation I needed to sell it.

So I ended up selling the Swarovski ATX a while back and actually just ordered a new Meopta S2 HD today with the 30-60x wide angle eyepiece.

I have looked through the Meopta next to Swaro's and a few others on the line at 1k Nationals and I looked at the guy and said these others don't compare. He said I know..

Ray

 

[Turbulent Turtle]

What is the materials used, some have responded with Flourite or a flourite mix.. I don't know, kinda makes me wonder if it's not all marketing.. Thought scopes didn't use flourite?


Ray

The word is fluorite, not flourite. I mentionned several days ago that fluorite crystals lenses are the best for controlling CA, but that those are fragile, expensive and affected by temperature changes. Pure fluorite crystals are not well suited for riflescopes. They do great in camera lenses (just don't bump them.)

 

[Raythemanroe]

The word is fluorite, not flourite. I mentionned several days ago that fluorite crystals lenses are the best for controlling CA, but that those are fragile, expensive and affected by temperature changes. Pure fluorite crystals are not well suited for riflescopes. They do great in camera lenses (just don't bump them.)

Good for you and the period goes after the ( ).

Ray

 

[Ledd Slinger]

This is probably the best explanation I have found for how APO lenses and ED glass works to correct CA. Not written in hard to discern scientific terms so it's very easy for the average reader to understand.

Talks about exactly why the view through the NightForce TS-82 (aka: Meopta S2) is so good by combining ED fluorite glass in an APO configuration. Really good info.

https://www.targettamers.com/guides/apochromatic-lenses/

 

[Turbulent Turtle]

Good for you and the period goes after the ( ).

Ray

Sigh.

It's not just you, all the other hosers here are writing it as flourite, which demonstrates that they don't understand what they are talking about. The lenses are not made with flour.

One slip is fine, everybody makes typos, and I more than most. But when you write it as flourite ALL THE TIME, it's not a typo, it's ignorance.

And if people do a search for fluorite in the future, they would miss the posts that have it as flourite.

Also, I notice that when I type the non-existent word flourite, the site underlines it as not a word.