History of Leitz/Leica Coatings (1 Viewer)

[Ignatius]

I am trying to learn about Leitz/Leica coatings and their introduction, especially versus Zeiss.

My tentative matrix is this:

1989	P40®	phase correction (20/25 Trinnies from 1998)
2003	HDC®	transmission multi-coating (High Durability Coating)
Nov. 2010	AquaDura®	hydrophobic coating
2012?	HLS®	dielectric coating (HighLux-System)

Any improvements on this are very welcome, as are additions. It appears that Leica are either VERY tight-lipped about their coatings, or just less well researched by users in comparison to the Zeiss afficionadoes.
Can anyone add more specific introduction dates of coatings to the different series, ie. Noctivid, Ultravid and Trinovid?

 

[John A Roberts]

Hi Ignatius,

Having had a chance to look through a variety of Leica brochures that I’ve downloaded, that date from 2002 on . . .


A) HLS mirror coating (i.e dielectric prism coating)
This seems to have been introduced on the Duovid, with its introduction in 2002.

Both a Duovid brochure dated 01/ 02, and a 2003 Sport Optics brochure dated 02/ 03, mention the use of HLS on the Duovid.
[There’s no mention in the SO brochure of HLS on the BN’s (x32, x42 or x50), or the BC/ BCA’s (x20 and x25).]

A 2003 brochure for the new Ultravid BR/ BL’s (initially in x42 and x50), repeatedly mentions the use of HLS coating.
(The specifications also indicate P40 phase coating on the prisms, but there’s no mention of the lens coating.)

A 2004 SO brochure dated 08/ 04, mentions HLS coating on the Duovids and the Ultravid BR/ BL’s (expanded to x20, x25, x32, x42 and x50).
But it’s not mentioned on the BN or BC/BCA lines.
(And the only prism coating mentioned on the new Uppendahl prism Gen 2 Geovid x42’s is P40 phase coating.)


B) HDC multi-coating
There is no mention in the 2002 Duovid brochure of the lens coating.
But the text and specifications in the 2003 SO brochure both mention the use of HDC coating on the Duovids.

The text of the 2003 SO brochure additionally mentions the use of HDC coating on the BN and BC/ BCA lines.
(There’s no mention of the lens coating on the Porro prism Gen 1 Geovid, or the Porro prism spotting scopes.)

In addition to the above use, the text of the 2004 SO brochure also mentions HDC coating on:
• the Ultravid line, and;
• the Gen 2 Geovids.


C) AquaDura hydrophobic coating
This seems to date from 2007, with the HD upgrade to the Ultravids. See post #3 at: Duovid 10/15 x 50 coatings question

- - - -

For some detail on the HLS and HDC coatings, see a summary page that was first introduced with the 2004 SO brochure:




John


p.s. Perhaps others will have documentation of the use of HDC multi-coating prior to the 2003 mention?

 

[Ignatius]

Thanks ever so much Mr. Roberts.
That looks as though both Leica and Zeiss came out with their hydrophobic coatings in the same year - 2007.

 

[mhasman]

2023/24... time for some "nano" coating