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ATS65/80HD coatings change? (1 Viewer)

Fnagwaa

Active member
I have an ATS65 which I purchased new 6 months ago and I have been bitten by the scoping bug! I am considering getting an ATS80HD from eBay (can't really afford new or ATX which I'd love) and I want to know if there have been significant changes in the coatings or spec from 2004/5 to 2017?

Whilst I know the 80 will be brighter, especially at higher mag, I don't want to buy an older scope to find my current new scope has a better image.

Hopefully someone in the know can help please??

Thank you
 
I have an ATS65 which I purchased new 6 months ago and I have been bitten by the scoping bug! I am considering getting an ATS80HD from eBay (can't really afford new or ATX which I'd love) and I want to know if there have been significant changes in the coatings or spec from 2004/5 to 2017?

Whilst I know the 80 will be brighter, especially at higher mag, I don't want to buy an older scope to find my current new scope has a better image.

Hopefully someone in the know can help please??

Thank you

Coatings seem to be improved in very small steps.
As long as you get an ATS HD I don't think it will be any discernible differences.
(Outer lens surfaces must be in good conditions of course)

The larger exit pupil will be useful at higher mags and in dim/low light, in bright daylight at 25x mag, you will not see much, if any difference in brightness though.

What eye piece are you planning to use?

The ATS:s are great value for money, I have one myself.
 
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The ATS/STS scopes have been available on and off for many years. They were replaced by the ATMs/STMs with magnesium bodies and then reiintroduced as "entry-level" (though still excellent) scopes with the advent of the ATX/STX.

I have an ATM with a serial no. beginning with 81 (81+30=2011) and believe they offered improved coatings over the old ATS scopes. The newer ATS scopes will certainly have improved transmission values compared to the old ones. If the ATS 80HD has a serial no. beginning higher than 81 it will definitely be the newer version.

Regards,
John

PS:- The serial no. is inside the bayonet mount.
 
Coatings seem to be improved in very small steps.
As long as you get an ATS HD I don't think it will be any discernible differences.
(Outer lens surfaces must be in good conditions of course)

The larger exit pupil will be useful at higher mags and in dim/low light, in bright daylight at 25x mag, you will not see much, if any difference in brightness though.

What eye piece are you planning to use?

The ATS:s are great value for money, I have one myself.


I currently have the 25-50 zoom and I picked up a 20x SW which is very bright and sharp.

I have my eye on a 2004 ATS80HD that comes with extras inc. 30x SW but now I'm not sure as I'm used to the image from my ATS65 and would have to sell it to buy the older 80.....
 
The ATS/STS scopes have been available on and off for many years. They were replaced by the ATMs/STMs with magnesium bodies and then reiintroduced as "entry-level" (though still excellent) scopes with the advent of the ATX/STX.

I have an ATM with a serial no. beginning with 81 (81+30=2011) and believe they offered improved coatings over the old ATS scopes. The newer ATS scopes will certainly have improved transmission values compared to the old ones. If the ATS 80HD has a serial no. beginning higher than 81 it will definitely be the newer version.

Regards,
John

PS:- The serial no. is inside the bayonet mount.

As mentioned above looking at 2004 so based on your advice I may be better sticking with my new 65 and the latest coatings. No point in increasing aperture if transmission decreases....

Thank you for your advice
 
The ATS/STS scopes have been available on and off for many years. They were replaced by the ATMs/STMs with magnesium bodies and then reiintroduced as "entry-level" (though still excellent) scopes with the advent of the ATX/STX.

I have an ATM with a serial no. beginning with 81 (81+30=2011) and believe they offered improved coatings over the old ATS scopes. The newer ATS scopes will certainly have improved transmission values compared to the old ones. If the ATS 80HD has a serial no. beginning higher than 81 it will definitely be the newer version.

Regards,
John

PS:- The serial no. is inside the bayonet mount.

Thanks John, that's really useful information.

Cheers
John
 
As mentioned above looking at 2004 so based on your advice I may be better sticking with my new 65 and the latest coatings. No point in increasing aperture if transmission decreases....

Hi,

progress in multilayer coatings is on the level of a few hundreds of a percent transmission per surface from generation to generation (even early multicoatings from the 80s reached 99.5% transmission per surface, nowadays the best are close to 99.75). There are a few surfaces in a scope body, but significantly less than in an eyepiece.

The light loss due to the older coatings will be 1-2% maximum. Using a current EP in the old body mitigate most of it.

Btw. an 80mm objective has 50% more area and thus light than a 65mm objective...

TLDR aperture rules!

Joachim
 
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