Does the Midas TAC and the Ares BTR use the same glass? I’m trying to decide between the two and justify the price difference. I shoot an Argos BTR now so I know either will be a step up.
Rifle Scopes Athlon glass
- Thread starter va_connoisseur
- Start date
I wouldn't take this as gospel but I have always heard that the midas and original ares (the BTR) used the same glass. I have a couple ares bts and have looked through midas models and can't really tell a difference.
Which one did you go with? I am considering the 6-24 but am wondering about the image quality at the upper end.
Yup. exactly
Ok, the 4-16 or the 6-24?
Just read the Athlon site, Midas - HD glass, Ares - ED glass.
Google is my friend. Thanks for the input
Google is my friend. Thanks for the input
My experience with the Midas line has been very favorable. Albeit all the ones I've owned and currently own are on the lower mag end (10x-16x max), and I've not used an Ares ETR in a match, but they are both bright and clear. At 30x however on the ETR, there is more darkening IMHO than on my 29x Cronus.
I've used my 4-16x Midas Tac in a few matches in overcast gray skies with good results.
Midas tac
I'm currently running Midas TAC's and a Cronus BTR, FWIW.
I've used my 4-16x Midas Tac in a few matches in overcast gray skies with good results.
Midas tac
I'm currently running Midas TAC's and a Cronus BTR, FWIW.
Yeah, I noticed my typo after the round was down range. LOL.
But I really like the TAC and I’m not sure if I have the experience or capability to get the full use out of the ETR. That’s the real rub.
Amazon has them. Purchased one for my ETR several weeks ago.
Same glass, same coatings? Or same glass different coatings like the TX5 and MX5?
Amazon does take a huge cut. You can order on my site mkmachining.com and that's preferable! We have Ares ETR available and they ship with levers for free.
same glass and coating.
Ares BTR and Midas TAC are built on very different optical systems, so I have no idea how the image quality compares. I hav enot had them side-by-side. I think they are built by the same OEM, so the coatings are likely the same. Origin of raw glass is likely also the same. Outside of that, they do not have much in common.
Both seem like very decent scopes. I prefer the Ares BTR, partly because I like the reticle and partly because I really like to have illumination in FFP scope sto use on low power (depending on retcile design).
Another thing I wonder with Midas TAC is whether it the same OEM as Vortex' Diamondback Tactical scopes. The configurations are very similar.
ILya
Both seem like very decent scopes. I prefer the Ares BTR, partly because I like the reticle and partly because I really like to have illumination in FFP scope sto use on low power (depending on retcile design).
Another thing I wonder with Midas TAC is whether it the same OEM as Vortex' Diamondback Tactical scopes. The configurations are very similar.
ILya
I have the 24x TAC and the ETR. The TAC is very, very close to the ETR at a significantly lesser price.
As stated before the Midas-TAC has HD glass and the Ares BTR and ETR both have ED glass. I believe they are close in picture quality between the BTR and Midas-TAC because the Midas is using a 4 power magnifier where is the BTR is using a 6 power magnifier. It is easier to get a good picture with a lower power magnifier.
Incorrect on the Ares BTR having ED glass. It is HD, I wish it was ED though.
I did reviews this year of both of these Midas, Ares. I don't know if they are the same glass / coatings / or OEM. Some things make me think same OEM (adjustments) some do not ( styling.) Both scopes preformed well, better than I expected for the price and, in the grand scheme of scopes, similarly to each other. However, the Ares was better in almost every dimension of optical performance. Given the feature, magnification ratio, and optical advantages, I think the Ares is the better value in addition to being the better scope.
HD is just fancy jargon for better light transmission and color, and ED corrects chromatic aberration.
Technically, both are fancy jargon for whatever the manufacturer wants to put in there since there is really no requirement or standard associated with this.
In practical terms, both HD and ED designations are used in scopes that have some sort of low dispersion glass in it. Neither HD nor ED, generally have anything to do with light transmission.
Presence of low dispersion glass which can be called ED, SLD, FL, HD and a bunch of other things helps correct for color.
When a manufacturer labels a scope ED it can mean Extra low Dispersion glass or erectile disfunction for all we know and does not obligate the manufacturer to use actual low dispersion glass.
I have seen HD denote high density or high definition or heavy duty and we havn't the foggiest idea what they mean. The term became popular when TVs were switching to high definition and that denoted higher performance.
In other words, it is all marketing. In Athlon-speak ED is higher grade optics than HD, but that is only specific to Athlon. Plenty of manufacturers out there mean "extra low dispersion" when they label a scope HD.
ILya
Might want to make sure you’re not talking to an optical engineer......
Do you guys think the Ares or Midas Tac are high enough quality to put on a duty rifle for police marksman use?
I personally would not run either on a work rifle.
The minimum optic I would use on a work rifle is a vortex gen 2, and possibly leupold mk5 or Athlon Cronus.
Anything cheaper or less quality than those, I wouldn’t feel confident in.
Not enough time in the field with mine to give you an answer. But as was stated above, I have abused the shit out of a Cronus and it held up no problem.
I would say no. For the price Leupold is letting LE guys have the MK5 3.6-18 for, that would be my recommendation for sure.
