daily bulletin

[DukeDuke]

from the bulletin: 'had a Leupold 8.5-25×50mm LRT for comparison purposes. The Leupold, which is actually 24.3x at max power, is a popular scope with a good reputation for clarity and sharpness. However, the new 6-24×50mm Sightron seemed better in many respects than the Leupold LRT. The Sightron’s glass appeared superior, giving better color rendition, a brighter field of view, and better contrast'

How do you determine the magnification of a scope? What kind of tool or device did you use? Are the other high end brands up to measurement?
Thanks!

 

[jb1000br]

It is the literature direct from Leupold.

Spec's tab:
http://www.leupold.com/hunting-and-shooting/products/scopes/vx-3-riflescopes/vx-3-8-5-25x50mm-long-range-target/

JB

 

[Forum Boss]

The max magnification of the Leupold 8-25x50 LRT is listed in the spec sheet on the Leupold website:

Sometimes it pays to read the fine print, eh?

 

[DukeDuke]

If we have 'actual magnification', what do we call the other one? May be 'intended magnification'. Sometimes I don't get it, always fine print, always some kind a trick, well it's almost x25, we can't put the actual magnification on the scope though, it would make us honest or something, not how we do business:,

 

[Fred Bohl]

Duke, Paul, Jason and all

Scope specification sheets are done by marketing people not optical engineers or mathematicians:

'Obj. Clear Aperture 2.0in/50mm' of course 2.0in = 50.8mm or if you would rather 50mm = 1.9685in. So what is the 'actual' value for this performance/design critical parameter.

If that isn't bad enough note that it is standard practice in optical design to specify design parameters for a telescopic sight with the eyepiece set at the '0 diopter' position. So if you actually use the scope at another diopter setting to suite your own vision then the 'actual magnification' changes proportionately,0.25x per diopter). Leupold and Stevens has in the past specified some of their scopes minimum magnification such as the HBR 6x which is 6x at the most negative [-2] diopter setting per an old spec sheet but no mention is made of the apparent magnification at other diopter settings,that could draw unwanted discussion relative to the 6x HBR magnification rule).

A lot seems to happen between the design/performance specifications and the published marketing specifications!