Crosshairs/reticle appearing 'brown'?! in fixed parallax scope

[User00040]

Hi all,

I looked through two quality fixed parallax scopes recently, both a well used Swaro and an S&B.

For some odd reason the crosshairs/reticle appeared brown to my eyes when looking at a white/neutral coloured target.

Not too sure of the cause and would really appreciate if others can chime in with their experience/possible explanations. Had my eyesight tested last year and it is fine, no colour issues either.

Cheers!

 

[Yorric]

I guess it's probably due to the white subjects acting as a broad light source causing blanket reflection onto the back side of the reticles from the scope inner surfaces.
I've noticed similar affects on scopes in the past but have never studied it thoroughly.

Ian

 

[bullet chucker]

What colour do YOU think it should be?

BC.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Get your eyes tested, I found I had 2x cataracts as I saw a lot of brown, after the procedure all was back to seeing green.

 

[Steff]

This has nothing to do with fixed parallax; though you probably mean fixed magnification? Regardless. I know this from an older Swarovski from the early 2000. It was an etched glass reticle which didn't appear dark black but was somewhat fluorescent. It wasn't a bug, it was a feature.

 

[User00040]

What colour do YOU think it should be?

BC.

Are they not supposed to appear black?

 

[User00040]

Get your eyes tested, I found I had 2x cataracts as I saw a lot of brown, after the procedure all was back to seeing green.

I'm pretty sure I don't have cataracts, vision tested last year and I have good eyesight, no problems with colour otherwise.

 

[Cyres]

I have noticed this it sometimes depends on the lighting conditions and looks a bronze colour to my eyes.

D

 

[bluesako]

i have the same problem after 4 or 5 whiskey,s

 

[VSS]

Does it matter, provided it's in the right place? Is the reliability of the scope affected in any way?

 

[Bavarianbrit]

I'm pretty sure I don't have cataracts, vision tested last year and I have good eyesight, no problems with colour otherwise.

Good.

 

[Longstrider]

I have noticed this on several scopes in the past, usually when either looking at a very bright or light coloured background, or when the sun is low behind me. I think that some etched reticules are in fact brown but ordinarily appear black because there's no light falling on them from the ocular lens end of the scope. Get a bit of refracted light bouncing around in the tube or get the sun low and behind you and it illuminates the reticule enough for you to see it's real colour. Happy to be proven wrong, but that's my take on it.

 

[User00040]

Does it matter, provided it's in the right place? Is the reliability of the scope affected in any way?

In short, I would say no to both but it was more of a 'why' question that I was asking.

But having previously done a precision sport to a high level, I know that colour contrast (or the lack of it) can cause an individual to make minor alignment errors when holding on a target.

Obviously this is not relevant under normal stalking conditions but I found it annoying when I shot rifles with said scopes on a range where black/white orange/black zeroing targets where being used.

It would be nice to know why this happens.

 

[VSS]

In short, I would say no to both but it was more of a 'why' question that I was asking.

But having previously done a precision sport to a high level, I know that colour contrast (or the lack of it) can cause an individual to make minor alignment errors when holding on a target.

Obviously this is not relevant under normal stalking conditions but I found it annoying when I shot rifles with said scopes on a range where black/white orange/black zeroing targets where being used.

It would be nice to know why this happens.

It is an interesting question. I wonder if perhaps they are a kind of dark bronzey colour, but we always just assume dark colour = black (because no one has ever told us otherwise) and have so convinced ourselves that that is the case that black is what we see? A sort of autosuggestion? Then we're a little startled when a trick of the light catches us unawares and we see the colour for what it really is.
I am going to have a peer down all 7 of our scopes tomorrow, just out of curiosity!

 

[User00040]

It is an interesting question. I wonder if perhaps they are a kind of dark bronzey colour, but we always just assume dark colour = black (because no one has ever told us otherwise) and have so convinced ourselves that that is the case that black is what we see? A sort of autosuggestion? Then we're a little startled when a trick of the light catches us unawares and we see the colour for what it really is.
I am going to have a peer down all 7 of our scopes tomorrow, just out of curiosity!

Hi VSS,

Any difference between your scopes?

Cheers

 

[VSS]

Hi VSS,

Any difference between your scopes?

Cheers

Not had a chance to look through them all yet, despite best intentions! Running myself ragged with ram sales at the moment. Will have a look as soon as I get a chance.