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Lotu Tec |
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johnnyo
Optics Apprentice Joined: June/16/2010 Status: Offline Points: 74 |
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Posted: February/19/2013 at 15:02 |
Does the T coating mean the Lotu Tec coating on a Zeiss scope?
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Bitterroot Bulls
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: May/07/2009 Location: Montana Status: Offline Points: 3416 |
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Nope,
"T" refers to a proprietary anti-reflection multicoating. Edited by Bitterroot Bulls - February/19/2013 at 17:50 |
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-Matt
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RifleDude
MODERATOR EVIL OPPRESSOR Joined: October/13/2006 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 16337 |
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T* is Zeiss's own variation of lens multi-coating that they use on all their premium optics.
LotuTec is an additional hydrophobic (beads up and sheds water & oil much like a fresh wax job on a car) lens coating on the external (exposed to the environment) side of objective and ocular lens surfaces only. It is much like Bushnell's "Rainguard," Swarovski's "Swaroclean," Leica's "Aqua-dura," etc. |
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Ted
Money can't buy happiness... but it's much more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle. |
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Roy Finn
MODERATOR Steiner Junkie Joined: April/05/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 4856 |
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I don't believe the Swaroclean is a hydrophobic coating.
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Bitterroot Bulls
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: May/07/2009 Location: Montana Status: Offline Points: 3416 |
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Yeah it is, it is also oleophobic, and it works pretty well!
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-Matt
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Roy Finn
MODERATOR Steiner Junkie Joined: April/05/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 4856 |
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Does Swarovski state that or are you making the claim ? I haven't seen Swaro make any such claim, but I haven't looked all that hard either. Only thing I could find about Swaroclean or "Easy-to-clean" was the coatings make cleaning water spots, dirt, dust, oils.. etc easier because of the "reduced surface tension" of the coatings.
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Oldtrader3
Optics Journeyman Joined: May/16/2009 Location: WA (state) Status: Offline Points: 445 |
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T coating means Tessar. All Zeiss optics made in Germany for the last 20 years or more will have T* coatings on the lenses.
Edited by Oldtrader3 - February/21/2013 at 00:18 |
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CDR3
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Bitterroot Bulls
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: May/07/2009 Location: Montana Status: Offline Points: 3416 |
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I thought reduced surface tension is how all hydrophobic coatings work. It was my understanding that Swarovski has not advertised the hydrophobic qualities of Swaroclean for business or patent issues, but I might be wrong on that. The above claim was mine alone, as I have tested my Swaroclean-equipped optic, and found it work just like any other hydrophobic coated optic. Put it under the faucet, and the water beads up and rolls away. |
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-Matt
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RifleDude
MODERATOR EVIL OPPRESSOR Joined: October/13/2006 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 16337 |
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Yes, Swaroclean is a hydrophobic coating. I don't know why Swaro hasn't emphasized the benefits of Swaroclean more than they have, but it works in the same way as the others. Reducing surface tension is what causes water to bead up and run off easily, as on a waxed car finish.
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Ted
Money can't buy happiness... but it's much more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle. |
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Roy Finn
MODERATOR Steiner Junkie Joined: April/05/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 4856 |
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Surprised they don't make those claims then as their closest competitors, Zeiss and Leica both have hydrophobic and hydrophilic coatings so it would be odd that Swarovski would be concerned about patent issues when the other two are not. I, for one, happen to place alot of weight on these type coatings and if deciding between two optics, one with/one without, the one with the coating will get the nod sure as heck if everything else is relatively equal.
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RifleDude
MODERATOR EVIL OPPRESSOR Joined: October/13/2006 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 16337 |
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Me too, Roy. I don't understand why they don't emphasize Swaroclean more, as I'm sold on the virtues of hydrophobic coatings. I remember when they were adding Swaroclean to the EL series they did so with hardly any mention of that fact. Maybe they believe the average high end optics buyer already knows what SC is.
I could be mistaken, but I believe Zeiss got sued by Bushnell when they introduced LotuTec. Don't know what became of that. |
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Ted
Money can't buy happiness... but it's much more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle. |
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JGRaider
Optics Master Joined: February/06/2008 Status: Offline Points: 1540 |
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Swaro did the same thing when they started giving the SLCneu all the latest greatest coatings, including Swaroclean, I believe around 2006. They never said anything about it, but it started showing up printed on the boxes they come in. Swaro is such a good outfit, and treats its customers so well people would buy them anyway.
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Roy Finn
MODERATOR Steiner Junkie Joined: April/05/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 4856 |
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Bushnell and Zeiss came to an agreement because Zeiss came out with hydro type coatings before Bushnell, but they were not suitable (durable) enough for use on sport optics. Zeiss was using them on their eye wear lenses. Bushnell developed a hydro coating that was durable enough for sport optics so the legal powders to be for both companies figured they would settle the mess between themselves instead of dragging some long draw out law suit.
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Bitterroot Bulls
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: May/07/2009 Location: Montana Status: Offline Points: 3416 |
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Roy,
I remember some controversy about Zeiss and Bushnell when this was all happening, and heard that Swarovski only went on the "easy to clean" oleophobic properties of their coating, in order to avoid the controversy themselves.
That was the rumor anyways.
I think the newest oleophobic/hydrophobic coatings are pretty impressive:
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-Matt
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rustic
Optics Master Joined: September/30/2011 Status: Offline Points: 1461 |
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Pretty impressive. Any video on how it deals with dust? |
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rustic
Optics Master Joined: September/30/2011 Status: Offline Points: 1461 |
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Some more cool coatings. Edited to make link work.
Edited by RifleDude - February/21/2013 at 11:09 |
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