Quote:
Originally Posted by sillyak
I'll add: FPL 53 has been available for 20 years, as far as know the only thing that can give better #s is pure Fluorite, which has benefited from new coating technology in the last 15 years, but has itself been available for 30 years in consumer optics.
Coating technology is the only thing that has really changed in the last 20 years, and really the only area for future development in consumer optics. Unless some sort of rapid development happens to blow current technology away.
Current top notch HD glass has been available for 20 years. (FPL 53 and equivilants). Grinding and Polishing technology hasn't changed. Look at the prices for a Zeiss Abbe Ortho II telescope eyepiece. They are extremely simple design telescope eyepieces made in the 90s that command absolutely ridiculous prices. Why? Because the polish on them is simply exceptional, leading to extremely low scatter. They haven't been bested yet, and they were made 25 years ago.
I'll add that my observations are for the absolute top of the market optics. Cheaper optics have benefited big time in the last 10 years from technology that the top dogs were bringing to the market 20 years ago.
I'm not saying Stinky is 100% right, coatings have evolved continuously. However, glass, design, grinding and polishing technology has not changed.
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Admittedly I come from a camera lens background...but Sony claims (as of last year) that they are making strides in optical production now.
https://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/techno...ories/GMaster/
It, not just he lenses we are talking about here, but the prisms as well...and modern CNC technology has improved the tolerances they are able to manufacture these. As I've stated, it may definitely not be such that you even see a difference, let alone want to upgrade. But to say that the new Swaro NL will not be as good as the ten year old Leica's (and I have used Leica cameras and lenses since the 70's) is just downright false.