Exit pupil diameter
The diameter of the exit pupil created by the optical system of the sight.
The exit pupil is called the projection of the front lens of the lens, built by the optics in the region of the eyepiece; this image can be observed in the form of a characteristic light circle, if you look into the eyepiece not close, but from a distance of 30 – 40 cm. The diameter of this circle can be calculated by dividing the lens diameter by the multiplicity (see above). For example, an 8x40 model would have a pupil diameter of 40/8=5mm. This indicator determines the overall aperture of the device and, accordingly, the image quality in low light: the larger the pupil diameter, the brighter the “picture” will be (of course, with the same lens quality, because it also affects the brightness).
In addition, it is believed that the diameter of the exit pupil should be no less than that of the pupil of the human eye — and the size of the latter can vary. So, in daylight, the pupil in the eye has a size of 2-3 mm, and in the dark — 7-8 mm in adolescents and adults, and about 5 mm in the elderly. This point should be taken into account when choosing a model for specific conditions: after all, high-aperture optics are expensive, and it hardly makes sense to overpay for a large pupil if you need a scope exclusively for daytime use.
Offset of the exit pupil
The offset is the distance between the eyepiece lens and the exit pupil of an optical instrument (see "Exit Pupil Diameter"). Optimum image quality is achieved when the exit pupil is projected directly into the observer's eye; so from a practical point of view, offset is the distance from the eye to the eyepiece lens that provides the best visibility and does not darken the edges (vignetting). A large offset is especially important if the sight is planned to be used simultaneously with glasses — after all, in such cases it is not possible to bring the eyepiece close to the eye, and it must be at some distance from the glasses so as not to hit the glass due to recoil.
Twilight factor
A complex indicator that describes the quality of any optical system (including sights) at dusk — when the lighting is weaker than during the day, but not yet as dim as in the deep evening or at night. It is primarily about the ability to see small details through the device.
The need to use this parameter is due to the fact that twilight is a special condition. In daylight, the visibility of small details is determined primarily by the magnification of the optics, and in night light, by the diameter of the lens (see above); at dusk, both of these indicators affect the quality. This feature takes into account the twilight factor. Its specific value is calculated as the square root of the product of the multiplicity and the diameter of the lens. For example, for an 8x40 scope, the twilight factor would be the root of 8x40=320, which is approximately 17.8. Models with adjustable magnification (see above) usually indicate the minimum twilight factor corresponding to the minimum magnification.
The lowest value of this parameter for normal visibility at dusk is considered to be 17. At the same time, it is worth noting that the twilight factor does not take into account the actual light transmission of the system — and it strongly depends on the quality of the lenses, the use of antireflection coatings (see below), etc. Therefore, the actual image quality at dusk for two models with the same twilight factor may differ markedly.
Brightness
One of the parameters describing the quality of visibility through an optical device in low light conditions. Relative brightness is denoted as the diameter of the exit pupil (see above), squared; the higher this number, the more light the sight lets through. At the same time, this indicator does not take into account the quality of the lenses and their coatings used in the design. Therefore, comparing two sights in terms of relative brightness is only possible approximately, because even if the values are equal, the actual image quality may differ markedly. Also note that it makes sense to pay attention to this parameter only if the sight is planned to be used at dusk.
As for specific values, in the "dimest" models, the relative brightness
does not exceed 100, in the most "bright" it can be
300 or more. Detailed recommendations regarding the choice of this parameter for certain conditions can be found in special sources. Here it is worth mentioning that the relative brightness is not directly related to the price category of the sight: models similar in this indicator can vary significantly in price.
Adjustment division value
The division value of the turrets used in the sight to enter corrections.
The increment value for the correction turret is the angle that the point of impact shifts when rotated by 1 click (“click”). In this case, this angle is indicated in MOA — minutes of arc. For more information about this unit, see "Measuring units of the sight"; and the lower the division value, the more accurately you can set up the sight initially and make corrections in the future. For example, if this indicator is 0.5 MOA — each click will shift the point of impact by about 1.46 cm for every 100 m of distance (that is, 2.91 cm at a distance of 200 m, 4.4 cm at 300 m and so on); and 0.25 MOA will already give only 7.3 mm per click for every 100 m.
The smaller the step and the more accurate the adjustment system, the more expensive it is. Therefore, when choosing, it is worth taking into account the features of the planned application — first of all, the size of the targets and the distance to them; detailed recommendations on this matter are in various manuals on shooting. If we talk about specific values, then the mentioned 0.5 (1/2) MOA are typical mainly for inexpensive and medium scopes, 0.25 (1/4) MOA is a pretty good indicator, and the advanced optics itself allows adjustment in increments of 0.125 (1/8) MOA.
Sight length
The total length of the sight.
This parameter is important primarily for optical sights (see "Type"). Such devices can be quite large — from
20 – 30 cm in the most compact models up to
40 cm or more ; and the distance from the eyepiece to the eye when aiming must be strictly defined. So before buying, it's ok to clarify whether it will be possible to correctly place the selected model on the weapon. But collimators, even the largest ones, are very compact, usually there are no problems with their installation, so in such models the length does not play a special role.
