Can one tell from the color or hue of a binocular's objective lenses and/or eyepieces whether the binoculars glass has a single coating or has undergone multiple coatings? I have been under the impression, right or wrong, that if the color of the class has a dominant purple or magenta hue it has a single coating only and if the color or hue of the glass has a dominant green color it has multiple coatings. Here are some examples:
My mid 1980's vintage Leica 7 x 42 BA Trinovid's glass has a purple or magenta color while my Swift Audubon Model 804 HR/5 8.5 x 44 (Circa 1999) has designated thereon "fully multi-coated" and the glass has a dominant green hue with purple undertones.
A late 1970's vintage Minolta mini 8 x 24 roof prism has a very light blue color to it's glass.
Any information on this subject is welcome.
Thanks,
Bob
[QUOTE=ceasar]Can one tell from the color or hue of a binocular's objective lenses and/or eyepieces whether the binoculars glass has a single coating or has undergone multiple coatings? I have been under the impression, right or wrong, that if the color of the class has a dominant purple or magenta hue it has a single coating only and if the color or hue of the glass has a dominant green color it has multiple coatings. Here are some examples:
My mid 1980's vintage Leica 7 x 42 BA Trinovid's glass has a purple or magenta color while my Swift Audubon Model 804 HR/5 8.5 x 44 (Circa 1999) has designated thereon "fully multi-coated" and the glass has a dominant green hue with purple undertones.
A late 1970's vintage Minolta mini 8 x 24 roof prism has a very light blue color to it's glass.
Any information on this subject is welcome.
Thanks,
Bob[/QUOTE]
The light blue -- as on your old Minolta's -- indicates single-coating. Most new multicoated lenses have a predominantly green cast. Really good ones, like my B&L Custom Compacts, have green and purple/magenta. Some old-style single coatings were amber-colored. I have seen camera lenses that looked like a rainbow.
Hopefully someone else can give a more scientific explanation.