Rifle Scopes Truth to Difference in Optical Quality on PSTs?

[Oddball Six]

Some of the preliminary reviews coming in from members include the comment that having obtained both, the first-run PST 4-16x50 does not appear to be of equal glass quality to the PST 6-24x50.

Given how close they are in price, is there any truth to this or was this simply perception on the part of a reviewer (or potentially simply variation between two manufactured lens arrays)?

 

[aggiesig]

Re: Truth to Difference in Optical Quality on PSTs?

you will always lose resolution/optical quality on higher magnification glass with all other things being equal...

It's possible it's the same everything and the higher magnification doesn't look as good.

 

[High Binder]

Re: Truth to Difference in Optical Quality on PSTs?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: aggiesig</div><div class="ubbcode-body">you will always lose resolution/optical quality on higher magnification glass with all other things being equal...

It's possible it's the same everything and the higher magnification doesn't look as good. </div></div>

Except the opposite is what was reported. As if They used higher quality glass on the 6-24s.

If you could get by with lower quality glass on the lower power scopes then why not do it, it keeps the costs down.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Re: Truth to Difference in Optical Quality on PSTs?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: aggiesig</div><div class="ubbcode-body">you will always lose resolution/optical quality on higher magnification glass with all other things being equal...

It's possible it's the same everything and the higher magnification doesn't look as good. </div></div>

The review in question the reviewer stated that the glass in the 6-24 was better than the glass in the 4-16. Seems kinda weird to me, could be that quality control is off enough that glass and coatings differ that much, or it could be that the 6-24 does indeed have better glass. They're both 50MM and should both have the same ammount of lenses. Who knows, only way to tell would be to compare a few samples of both magnifications.

 

[Oddball Six]

Re: Truth to Difference in Optical Quality on PSTs?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: High Binder</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

If you could get by with lower quality glass on the lower power scopes then why not do it, it keeps the costs down.</div></div>

Makes complete sense... for them.

But as a customer, knowing that the next product in the same line with arguably more complexity is selling at an almost identical price point with the same features... and better glass would still be quite annoying.

It would indicate that *potentially* the manufacturer clearly had the opportunity to deliver a slight improvement in clarity at 16x and chose not to, despite having already sourced it for another product in the same line.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Re: Truth to Difference in Optical Quality on PSTs?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Oddball-Six</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: High Binder</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

If you could get by with lower quality glass on the lower power scopes then why not do it, it keeps the costs down.</div></div>

Makes complete sense... for them.

But as a customer, knowing that the next product in the same line with arguably more complexity is selling at an almost identical price point with the same features... and better glass would still be quite annoying.

It would indicate that *potentially* the manufacturer clearly had the opportunity to deliver a slight improvement in clarity at 16x and chose not to, despite having already sourced it for another product in the same line. </div></div>

+1, that would be pretty shitty. I sure hope thats not the case. They could easily just charge a little more for the scope and people would happily pay it.

 

[jonaddis84]

Re: Truth to Difference in Optical Quality on PSTs?

Dont forget people, there is only one person who has said he feels there is a difference so far, dont get your panties in a bunch just yet.

 

[hydro556]

Re: Truth to Difference in Optical Quality on PSTs?

I spoke with Vortex directly about this. I was assured that both models used the same glass. Optically the same.

I doubt there is anything to this. Just one reviewer making an off hand remark, comparing his new scope (the better one) to his old scope, if I recall correctly.

 

[cooper623]

Re: Truth to Difference in Optical Quality on PSTs?

ya as jonaddis said, only one person noticed this. Plus if there was better glass in the 6-24 then they would probably mention something like that since it would be a big selling point and it would most likely result in a price increase of more than just $50 for an increase in the glass quality. Also as mentioned earlier, if they were looking to increase profit margin by putting cheaper glass in lower magnification scopes of the same power, then they would probably have the price for the PST set higher in the first place since it is a very low price to begin with. Although, it would be nice if scott from vortex could clear this up once and for all with a post.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Re: Truth to Difference in Optical Quality on PSTs?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jonaddis84</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Dont forget people, there is only one person who has said he feels there is a difference so far, dont get your panties in a bunch just yet. </div></div>

The person making that statement isn't just Joe Schmo, his opinion is pretty well regarded when it comes to scopes and he doesn't do a "here bubba look through this one and see which is better" he uses resolution charts to come to this opinion.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hydro556</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I spoke with Vortex directly about this. I was assured that both models used the same glass. Optically the same.

I doubt there is anything to this. Just one reviewer making an off hand remark, comparing his new scope (the better one) to his old scope, if I recall correctly. </div></div>

If it uses the same glass then theres a very good chance that quality does vary quite a bit lense to lense. The 4-16 he was comparing it to he stated was his replacement to the first one that didn't track correctly so I'm sure it's a current production model. Even so there was never any mention of glass changes on the new models and if they did change glass being as they said there would be no price increases after the retooling to do the changes to the turrets and other issues I doubt they would have put more expensive better glass in it. It doesn't make sense cost wise, if anything glass quality would have been reduced to make up the costs.

 

[hydro556]

Re: Truth to Difference in Optical Quality on PSTs?

I am going with an answer to a direct question from a memberof the Vortex team.

Looking through one of the new 4-16x50 PST's left me pretty impressed with the glass quality. Very much so if you factor in price.

Bottom line, the glass in the 4-16 I have is great glass. Additionally, I never felt the turrets on the first PST's but the turrets on the current PST's are about as good as turrets can be IMO.

They nailed that. Wont shoot it until Saturday, but initial impression is excellent.

 

[Jon A]

Re: Truth to Difference in Optical Quality on PSTs?

Uh oh, I was hoping that wouldn't cause a shitstorm. I almost didn't want to say it.

But what can I do guys, the first thing everybody asks is "How's the glass?" I could tell people, "GFY, I'm not tellin'!" but that wouldn't go over too well either. So I felt it needed to be mentioned.

All I can do is call 'em like I see 'em. I'm no Optical Engineer, I won't even try to explain possible reasons why. And I have only seen one example of the 6-24--I have no idea if others would look as good or not. Now that more and more are going out, hopefully you guys will get more reports from people who have both soon.

 

[Oddball Six]

Re: Truth to Difference in Optical Quality on PSTs?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jon A</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Uh oh, I was hoping that wouldn't cause a shitstorm. I almost didn't want to say it.

But what can I do guys, the first thing everybody asks is "How's the glass?" I could tell people, "GFY, I'm not tellin'!" but that wouldn't go over too well either. So I felt it needed to be mentioned.

All I can do is call 'em like I see 'em. I'm no Optical Engineer, I won't even try to explain possible reasons why. And I have only seen one example of the 6-24--I have no idea if others would look as good or not. Now that more and more are going out, hopefully you guys will get more reports from people who have both soon.</div></div>

Definitely and no shit storm, Just a thread saying "hey, anyone else notice this?"

And apparently its just lens variation based on the report thus far

 

[jonaddis84]

Re: Truth to Difference in Optical Quality on PSTs?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: redneckbmxer24</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jonaddis84</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Dont forget people, there is only one person who has said he feels there is a difference so far, dont get your panties in a bunch just yet. </div></div>

The person making that statement isn't just Joe Schmo, his opinion is pretty well regarded when it comes to scopes and he doesn't do a "here bubba look through this one and see which is better" he uses resolution charts to come to this opinion.

</div></div>

Where in my post did I question the reviewers credentials? I simply stated that all this is coming out of ONE review, of ONE scope out of the thousands being produced.

 

[steve123]

Re: Truth to Difference in Optical Quality on PSTs?

FYI,A different manufacturer than Vortex but I have 2 scopes of the same model.One of them is noticeably clearer than the other.

 

[BCP]

Re: Truth to Difference in Optical Quality on PSTs?

More than likely it's just his eyeballs.