18 replies to this topic

[Tamiji Homma]

I received optical bench test report of Swarovski ATX 95 spotting scope objective module.

 

Here is some pictures.

 

Setup:

 

 

Summary:

 

 

Star test:

 

 

Ronchi and Foucault:

 

 

A few comments from the tester. Probably some people know who the tester is

 

 

The whole unit "asis" is a high quality optical device. Removing a prism unit introduces the CA, but for your ~40X deep sky it should work fine.

 

 

The objective alone has chromatic aberration. It looks like it was designed as a complete unit including prisms.

Adding 40mm of glass reduces the CA.

 

Tammy

 

[Erik Bakker]

Thank you for sharing that info Tammy. From observing with them, these impressed me as very nice quality spotters, designed as a system. But with optical a notch below the finest spotters I've used.

[gnowellsct]

Would the Strehl be typical of a high end birding scope?  I guess the objective is bigger than a lot of what's out there.  That might change expectations?

[Tamiji Homma]

A few more shots from test report.

 

It seems that objective module lens configuration consists of air spaced triplet and two inner focus lenses.

 

 

 

 

Wavefront error:

 

 

Interferogram::

 

 

Tammy

Edited by Tamiji Homma, 15 September 2020 - 09:46 PM.

[Tamiji Homma]

Thank you for sharing that info Tammy. From observing with them, these impressed me as very nice quality spotters, designed as a system. But with optical a notch below the finest spotters I've used.

 

You're welcome, Erik.  I sometimes climb up a hundred feet hill to get clear east skies.
I can't imagine that I take regular refractor with me for the session. They are good for intended application and provided me good viewing experience

 

Would the Strehl be typical of a high end birding scope?  I guess the objective is bigger than a lot of what's out there.  That might change expectations?

I have no idea.  This is the first optical test that I've ever seen on my scope by professional

 

Tammy

[AZStarGuy]

Thanks for posting this!  All of the Swaro scopes I've looked through have been quite good.  I wonder how the Kowa TSN-883 would perform?  I love it as a spotting scope and it's quite good on the night sky for quick looks.  

[Astroview]

Thank you for sharing that info Tammy. From observing with them, these impressed me as very nice quality spotters, designed as a system. But with optical a notch below the finest spotters I've used.

which were these finest spotters, Eric?

[Tamiji Homma]

Thanks for posting this!  All of the Swaro scopes I've looked through have been quite good.  I wonder how the Kowa TSN-883 would perform?  I love it as a spotting scope and it's quite good on the night sky for quick looks.  

 

Hi Ron,

 

You're welcome.   We should thank anonymous tester to take time to perform the test

 

From my experience, TSN-883 performs better than ATX 95 in CA and TSN-883 shows cleaner view at high power.

 

Tammy

[Erik Bakker]

which were these finest spotters, Eric?

The NLA Nikon ED78 and ED82 had the finest optical figure, contrast and color saturation of any spotter I’ve been able to observe with. The ED82 was a notch above all others. Swarovski makes them in similar quality but none were quite as good optically. But far better than any Zeiss or Leica I’ve had out under the stars. Mind you, sample variation varies amongst brands here too. In all fairness, these were models over the last decades, but not the latest versions. The Swarovski ‘s were though. Up to around 50x most were quite nice, but upwards of 60x they fell behind the Nikon ED’s and Swarovski’s. As a system, the Swarovski ‘s are hard to beat and like the other spotters also work well under adverse weather conditions. And Thérèse will almost certainly by very nice samples of Leica and Zeiss spotters around. Just evaluate the specifc sample of your interest to make sure you get a product that satisfies your needs and expectations.

[dcosmar]

I've been using the Kowa TSN-883 on Mars, Jupiter and Saturn lately at about 175x. It is an excellent spotting scope.

[25585]

How do Optolyth compare, as the 100mm uses fluorite lenses?

[DRodrigues]

Thanks Tammy.

Did you get a measure of the "the size of the fully illuminated image circle"? I don't know if we can call it "Field stop" but was one of the details asked at https://www.cloudyni...stro-use/page-3. I can use a UW80º 30mm without apparent vignetting http://www.pt-ducks....i_X_derivations but it would be interesting to have a value for it.

 

It would be interesting if you will manage to have a similar test of this for the X115 you ordered...

[DRodrigues]

How do Optolyth compare, as the 100mm uses fluorite lenses?

 

The X95 complete scope is better than the Optolyth on image quality, contrast, CA, ... but can't receive astro eps without special adapters - see http://www.pt-ducks....i_X_derivations and http://www.pt-ducks....00mm telescopes - I should mention that my Optolyth 100 are from the 90ies and that recent units might have been improved. Optolyth scopes benefit a lot by using good astro eps! Swarosvski is probably the brand of spotting scopes with better quality control and lower sample quality variability.
 

[25585]

How do Noblex and Zeiss (Harpia) compare with Swarovski?

[peleuba]

I received optical bench test report of Swarovski ATX 95 spotting scope objective module.

 

Here is some pictures.

 

 

Look's like its Yuri's setup...  

[peleuba]

Would the Strehl be typical of a high end birding scope?  I guess the objective is bigger than a lot of what's out there.  That might change expectations?

 

I am not sure.  But a birding scope designed to be used at low magnification would not require a high Strehl.  I think RMS would be more appropriate metric then Strehl as Strehl refers to light contained in an airey disk.

[Tamiji Homma]

Look's like its Yuri's setup...  

 

Hi Paul,

 

Yes, Yuri is tester.  He was interested in optical quality of ATX 95 objective module.

So I sent my unit to him.

 

I'll send new  Swarovski ATX 115 objective module if he is still interested in larger/faster (f/4.8) version after I check it out

 

Tammy

[j.gardavsky]

How do Noblex and Zeiss (Harpia) compare with Swarovski?

The closest to Docter f=12.5mm, AFOV 85°, lenses (1 - 2 - 2 - 1 - 1)

is the Zeiss D 30x/40x B WW f=12.6mm, AFOV 68°, lenses (1 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 1)

 

The Zeiss is excellent,

but the narrow Leica B40x f=11mm, AFOV 50°, lenses (2 - 1 - 2 - 1)

beats the Zeiss on the finest details in the center field,

as found on my 6" F/5 achro with the 2" zenith prism.

 

When I find time, I can make a shootout of Docter against Zeiss on the terrestrial targets,

JG

 

PS: I dont have the Harpia

[peleuba]

Yes, Yuri is tester.  He was interested in optical quality of ATX 95 objective module.

So I sent my unit to him.

 

 

Thanks.  I recognized his inteferometer.  I am making another one for myself similar to his.

 

Too bad I do no live in California...  I would love to get together with you, Daniel et al.