cheap scopes with a fish-eye effect

Camshaft · May 30, 2002, 10:33 PM

i have a 12x bushnell on my 10/22. its about 9 months old. it has developed a fish eye effect. everything is distorted towards the edges. is this a common symptom of a cheap scope?

thanks.

C.R.Sam · May 30, 2002, 10:36 PM

More commonly they come a little bit that way. If it is a progressive thing, sounds like seperation of elements of a duplex lens. Try for warrenty.

Sam

Holmes · May 30, 2002, 10:44 PM

A while back I bought an ATN 5x33LU scope because everyone recommended them saying they were built really tough and great clarity and great optics. First of all, the scope distorted the colors of whatever you were looking at (gave everything a yellowish tint).

Worst than that, it had major fisheye. You could move it around on something geometric (like vinyl siding on the side of a house), and it would bend all the lines near the edges.

On the other hand, I have owned scopes from BEC that did not exhibit any fish-eye effect.

I think it is something that probably accompanies cheap scopes, but also accompanies some not-so-cheap scopes.

The problem with your scope, however, seems to be related to durability, not design like I have talked about.

Durability is definitely something that costs, though.

Herr Walther · June 1, 2002, 09:19 AM

I believe it is called spherical aberation. But this is not something that develops over time. It either has it or it doesn't when it is manufactured.

This spherical aberation is an astronomers worst nightmare in refracting telescopes which is what a rifle scope is with an erecting lens.

C.R.Sam · June 1, 2002, 09:44 AM

Herr Walther....I agree. That's why I think he is getting seperation of a duplex element and maby warrentable.

Sam

Matt Sutton · June 1, 2002, 10:28 AM

I've got a B&L Elite 3000 that Has the "fish eye" effect. It suprised me as the scope was originally going for much more than the $100 I paid for it. Meanwhile, my $45 BSA airgun scope is perfect!

May 30, 2002, 10:33 PM	#1
Camshaft Member Join Date: February 12, 2001 Posts: 65	cheap scopes with a fish-eye effect i have a 12x bushnell on my 10/22. its about 9 months old. it has developed a fish eye effect. everything is distorted towards the edges. is this a common symptom of a cheap scope? thanks. __________________ the war on drugs is a war on freedom, waged against american citizens.

June 1, 2002, 09:19 AM	#4
Herr Walther Senior Member Join Date: April 10, 2001 Location: A Place Worse than California Posts: 782	I believe it is called spherical aberation. But this is not something that develops over time. It either has it or it doesn't when it is manufactured. This spherical aberation is an astronomers worst nightmare in refracting telescopes which is what a rifle scope is with an erecting lens. __________________ "It was people who upheld their duties to their office, the constitution, and the public by opposing Hitler who were called traitors" ------------------------------------- "...a historian asked what had happened to the German people for them to accept a criminal government. Unfortunately, nothing needed to happen. In nations across the world people accept government crime." ------------------------------------- "In democracies as well as dictatorships, subordinates illegally obey their rulers. Subordinates who remain true to their oaths of office by opposing their rulers are rare."

May 30, 2002, 10:36 PM	#2
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,858	More commonly they come a little bit that way. If it is a progressive thing, sounds like seperation of elements of a duplex lens. Try for warrenty. Sam

May 30, 2002, 10:44 PM	#3
Holmes Member Join Date: April 12, 2000 Location: South Portland, ME Posts: 40	A while back I bought an ATN 5x33LU scope because everyone recommended them saying they were built really tough and great clarity and great optics. First of all, the scope distorted the colors of whatever you were looking at (gave everything a yellowish tint). Worst than that, it had major fisheye. You could move it around on something geometric (like vinyl siding on the side of a house), and it would bend all the lines near the edges. On the other hand, I have owned scopes from BEC that did not exhibit any fish-eye effect. I think it is something that probably accompanies cheap scopes, but also accompanies some not-so-cheap scopes. The problem with your scope, however, seems to be related to durability, not design like I have talked about. Durability is definitely something that costs, though.

June 1, 2002, 09:44 AM	#5
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,858	Herr Walther....I agree. That's why I think he is getting seperation of a duplex element and maby warrentable. Sam

June 1, 2002, 10:28 AM	#6
Matt Sutton Senior Member Join Date: January 20, 1999 Posts: 271	I've got a B&L Elite 3000 that Has the "fish eye" effect. It suprised me as the scope was originally going for much more than the $100 I paid for it. Meanwhile, my $45 BSA airgun scope is perfect!