Thirdly, every major company knows exactly how their competitors match up by measuring them. The differance a between quality glass is measured in nanometers and microns. Every single lens has a prescription and it is measured.
Manufacturers make a balance between contrast and resolution with every scopes. Contrast being the "pop" that you see when looking through really good glass, and resolution being the ability to resolve fine details. Contrast and resolution are constantly at odds with each other. To get one you give up the other to an extent. Nightforce historically has lacked the "pop" of other Alpha glass because they put more into resolution than into contrast. That's what you're hearing when people "complain" about NF glass. It's not that it's not excellent, it is, it's just that it doesn't have the visual "pop" that people look for when they don't know what they are looking at.
Having said that the 2.5-10x42mm and especially the ATACR and BEAST have world class glass that is as good as anyone's.
Could you explain these comment in more technical terms? Especially micron tolerances in optics, and the difference between contrast and resolution. What trade off parameter in manufacturing does this impact? Feel free to be technical, I teach this stuff at one of the largest material engineering schools in the country, and I am not clear on your point. Thanks.
