Has Zeiss updated the T* coatings on the Victory FL line over the years? (1 Viewer)

ZDHart · Apr 1, 2014

I understand that the FL line is over a decade-old design and that during that time the exterior elements were updated with addition of LotuTec coating.

I was curious if Zeiss has updated/improved their T* coatings on the interior surfaces of the optics/prism over the lifetime of the FL line. It would seem that improvements in coatings have likely been taking place over the last decade or so, but I haven't heard anything about the T* coatings being improved over time.

Are the T* coatings on the new Victory HT line the same T* coatings as used on current Victory FL products? And are they the same as was used back when the FL line was first introduced?

james holdsworth · Apr 1, 2014

Can't really say for sure about the HT coatings, apart from the HT objectives having a much more reddish tint compared to the magenta of a circa 2010 FL.

The difference in view, however, is indisputable but I wouldn't pin it all down to coatings.

temmie · Apr 1, 2014

I do not think (but not sure) the T* coatings were updated. I also think they didn't need too much updating, as they were superior in 2003 when they came out, and they were good enough 10 years later to compete.

Nessus · Jun 19, 2014

T coating is not always exactly the same. Shine a flashlight down a T coated original conquest and almost every reflection comes back a red wine color. Shine one down a T coated Victory and you'll see each glass surface has it's own differently colored coating.

ZDHart · Jun 19, 2014

So, it would seem as though Zeiss quietly improves the coating, at times, without changing the coating identifier, nor making any hoopla about it.

ronh · Jun 19, 2014

Henry posted photos of FLs with and without Lotutec, and the reflections off the front looked a little different color. There was also a slight corresponding difference in the color presentation. Otherwise, Zeiss has called all it's multicoatings T* since the first ones, on the Oberkochen Porros, I believe. They've improved a lot since then, although the more or less red glint off the front has remained practically a "trademark".

Ron

Hermann · Jun 19, 2014

ronh said:
Zeiss has called all it's multicoatings T* since the first ones, on the Oberkochen Porros, I believe. They've improved a lot since then, although the more or less red glint off the front has remained practically a "trademark".

Some of the early military models in the 1930s were already marked "T" (the "T" standing for "Transparenzbelag"). The most famous were the 8x60HT and the 8x60T. In these cases the "T" was used to distinguish these models from ones without coatings. After the war no models were marked "T" anymore because all binoculars produced were coated.

When Zeiss introduced its first multicoating in late 1980 or early 1981, it called it "T*" to distinguish these models from earlier ones without multicoating. The porros were never marked "T*", even though I think some of the models did have, in fact, multilayer coatings, at least on some lenses.

The colour of the T* star coating was typically reddish, although it depended on the model. I once owned a 7x42BGAT*P made in the early 1990s, it had greenish objective lenses.

Hermann

elkcub · Jun 20, 2014

Hermann said:
...
The colour of the T* star coating was typically reddish, although it depended on the model. I once owned a 7x42BGAT*P made in the early 1990s, it had greenish objective lenses.

Hermann

Hmmm. My 7x42BGAT*P from that era (??) has reddish objectives, s/n 399805. Not saying yours weren't green, of course.

Ed

NDhunter · Jun 20, 2014

It seems that many of the makers update their coatings from time to time, and that has
been confirmed by reps. from several companies. I have seen it myself, in my experience
with some Swarovski and Nikon models, even within a narrow ser. #.

They do not announce the changes, they are just trying to make their models better.

I have seen the differences in coatings, and like the changes, and that would include the Nikon SE's and
the Swaro. EL, brighter, sharper, better.

So for those watching, a later model of most optics, may have some improved coatings, so that is how
things evolve.

Jerry

Hermann · Jun 20, 2014

elkcub said:
Hmmm. My 7x42BGAT*P from that era (??) has reddish objectives, s/n 399805. Not saying your's weren't green, of course.

Interesting. I don't have the serial number anymore unfortunately. However, the coatings on my pair were pretty soft, collected fine scratches in no time. I saw the same problem with a pair owned by a friend of mine at the time that hat also green coatings.

Maybe they changed the coatings after getting too many complaints.

Hermann

mak · Jun 20, 2014

elkcub said:
Hmmm. My 7x42BGAT*P from that era (??) has reddish objectives, s/n 399805. Not saying your's weren't green, of course.

Ed

1990 to be exact.

T* - 1979 - multi layer coating.
P* - 1988 - phase coated

Principle of coatings dates from 1935 (Pro Smakula)
Civil use from 1942 as a single coating T

elkcub · Jun 20, 2014

I guess the origin of AR coatings will always be associated with Zeiss, but Ukraine lays claim to Physicist Oleksandr Smakula. Interesting read.

Ed

jan van daalen · Jun 20, 2014

NDhunter said:
It seems that many of the makers update their coatings from time to time, and that has
been confirmed by reps. from several companies. I have seen it myself, in my experience
with some Swarovski and Nikon models, even within a narrow ser. #.

They do not announce the changes, they are just trying to make their models better.

I have seen the differences in coatings, and like the changes, and that would include the Nikon SE's and
the Swaro. EL, brighter, sharper, better.

So for those watching, a later model of most optics, may have some improved coatings, so that is how
things evolve.

Jerry

This is one of the main reasons why the A-fabrics had to change the warranty to 10 years, since EU politician decided that repairs within warranty periods has to be done by original materials.

perterra · Jun 21, 2014

jan van daalen said:
This is one of the main reasons why the A-fabrics had to change the warranty to 10 years, since EU politician decided that repairs within warranty periods has to be done by original materials.

Ahhh, now I understand.

brocknroller · Jun 21, 2014

ronh said:
Henry posted photos of FLs with and without Lotutec, and the reflections off the front looked a little different color. There was also a slight corresponding difference in the color presentation. Otherwise, Zeiss has called all it's multicoatings T* since the first ones, on the Oberkochen Porros, I believe. They've improved a lot since then, although the more or less red glint off the front has remained practically a "trademark".

Ron

I wonder if this reflects, literally, what's going on with the light transmission curve, which from allbinos graphs show a boost in the green-yellow and a steep fall off in the red? IOW, much of the red instead of being transmitted is being reflected off the objectives, and that's why we see the "red glint"?

Brock

Has Zeiss updated the T* coatings on the Victory FL line over the years? (1 Viewer)

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