Optimator vs. Null Lens and Target

[Jacek Zakowicz]

Optimator features and accs

Optimator features and accs

Peter, Thanks again for compiling such a comprehensive list. You are helping everyone here on the forum and, ultimately, us, the manufacturers..

What is 1µm between friends?
1) Might not be as robust as the Null Lens and Target, but looks solid.
2) Might suffer from some inconsistency since the mounts can be swapped out.:

What makes you think that the Pro is not as solid as the other ones? It has no moving parts either...
After some recent demos and some thought I decided to offer a fixed PL mount at no charge per request.
It does not make much sense to those that only use PL lenses to have interchangeable mounts. It will be fully reversible.
There goes possible drawback number 2-for some

Optimator Deluxe


*Additonal scope available to check accuracy of the Optimator Deluxe. I believe it costs $1,500.00 (forgive my memory) and I am unsure if it can act as a Collimator/Checker for lenses as well as the unit itself.

That's correct- I even supply different eyepieces for wider field of view for lenses...

I would also propose retesting the units in extreme temperatures, I think Optimator will really shine.
What other device has Stainless Steel body...

 

[Peter Matthes]

Jacek,

Please don't change your product because of anything that I write here. I am just trying to get a dialogue going on the subject of flange depth tools.

All things considered, I happen to think that you might have the better mouse trap. :thumbsup:

The moment I can kick this cold, I am going to check it out over at Band Pro.

 

[ericyoung]

...After some recent demos and some thought I decided to offer a fixed PL mount at no charge per request.
It does not make much sense to those that only use PL lenses to have interchangeable mounts. It will be fully reversible.
There goes possible drawback number 2-for some
...

Hi Jacek

So if we wanted to take advantage of Bandpro's offer with your fixed PL mount, how would we do that?

Thanks
Eric

 

[Jacek Zakowicz]

Will work it out.

Will work it out.

Please contact BP and let them know you want fixed PL and I'll take it from there.:thumbup1:

 

[Peter Matthes]

http://www.denz-deniz.com/down.htm

-It seems interesting.
-Perhaps, somewhat simplistic.
-It reminds me of a colored version of the pong game from my Atari 2600. :thumbup:

I feel like I did not give the Denz FDC (Flange Depth Controller) a fair shot and by saying it looked like a pong game from the 1980's. :costumed-smiley-047 (B.A. Baracus)

In their PDF, Denz claims that their FDC has an accuracy of +/- 1 micron.

If you are interested in knowing more about their device, you can watch this recently posted VIMEO video that nicely demonstrates their product. (With 80s music) :smilewinkgrin:

http://vimeo.com/9167844

I guess if you really fall in love with their product, this might be a decent time to buy it based on the current Dollar to Euro exchange rate.

 

[Nils J. Nesse]

I like the Denz - except for the issues reported in this thread...
It's also more expensive than the other products mentioned - 3285 Euros, which is 4473 USD right now.

 

[Sanjin Jukic]

If you are working with shims then Denz FDC is a way to go.

But I still didn't decide to get any of those collimation devices like a Null, Optitek Colimator or FDC Denz.

 

[Peter Matthes]

I like the Denz - except for the issues reported in this thread...
It's also more expensive than the other products mentioned - 3285 Euros, which is 4473 USD right now.

The account of three Denz units being off straight from the factory certainly is disturbing. However, they may have been first run units. If you look carefully at the PDF ... and then the VIMEO video ... you will see that Denz has made some changes to the product in the past 5 months.

One major change seems to be in the lines themselves. The early models show centering a red line between thicker green lines. The video seems to suggest the hiding of the adjustable line behind a central target zone.

I still didn't decide to get any of those collimation devices like a Null, Optitek Colimator or FDC Denz.

Just the fact that you have not bought any of these products yet, Sanjin, speaks volumes.

You have all of the fun toys. :001_smile:

I have been invited to come into Band Pro NYC this coming week to test out the Optimator Pro / Deluxe. On the surface, IMHO, it seems to have some real potential.

However, I would love to see an independent and unbiased party (lens specialist) do an evaluation of all of these products. The cost is the only thing that it easy to evaluate. The three things I am most interested in are:

1) Accuracy throughout its life (From the factory onwards)
2) Construction and durability
3) Ease of use.

 

[Sanjin Jukic]

Just the fact that you have not bought any of these products yet, Sanjin, speaks volumes.

You have all of the fun toys. :001_smile:

Looking forward to get email for M-X upgrade soon.

Then after that I would be ready for the collimator purchase decision.

 

[Jacek Zakowicz]

1 micron

1 micron

In their PDF, Denz claims that their FDC has an accuracy of +/- 1 micron.

.

Denz is a good product, albeit on the expensive side and quite limited in features(1 feature- Flange distance somewhere on the surface of the sensor)
The PDF conveniently leaves one zero out- the dividions on the unit are in 10 micron-0.01mm is 10 microns and 0.001mm is 1 micron.
No mechanical device ever will have a 1 micron accuracy.

 

[Peter Matthes]

The PDF conveniently leaves one zero out- the dividions on the unit are in 10 micron-0.01mm is 10 microns and 0.001mm is 1 micron.
No mechanical device ever will have a 1 micron accuracy.

I don't know about leaving zeros out.

As you can see here, they seem to think that they have it down to 1 micron.

 

[Jacek Zakowicz]

1 micron precision

1 micron precision

All I'm saying is that no mechanical device can have a 1 micron precision-
Just imagine your hair is 30 microns thick. You can't even see a 1 micron particle. I honestly think that they meant 10 microns like the divisions on the device but misspelled in the pdf.:thumbdown:

 

[Mitch Gross]

As I understand it (and I could be wrong), the first run of the FDC was marked to measure down to a single micron accuracy. But reading the scalesystem was antiquated -- something that is simple for any of us old codgers used to sliderules but not in the digital age with digital calipers. I'll be Jacek has both in his shop -- we do too and I had to be re-familiarized before I could read the FDC.

But I agree with Jacek on this one, at least in part. Just a change in temperature and/or humidity over the course of a day will shift a $50,000 collimator by at least a few microns, so how could a device such as the FDC accurately measure to a single micron? We actually set the NULL Lens to a ridiculously tight tolerance, but only mark it as accurate to within five microns because that's as accurate as anyone can really be with any of these systems. That's why you see the OptiTek, UniQoptics, Luma, etc. all claiming 5 micron accuracy. That's just as accurate as anyone can be in the real world.

 

[Greg M]

Hi Mitch,
Where are the Null Targets?

 

[Mitch Gross]

Hi Mitch,
Where are the Null Targets?

Email going out to reservation holders tomorrow.

 

[Jeff Kilgroe]

Email going out to reservation holders tomorrow.

Uh... ????

Edit> OK, got the email this morning. Looks like end of March now before they ship.

 

[John "Woody" Glaser]

Gentlemen,
I am a little suprised that no one jumped in and offered to have their collimator units subject to a neutral testing facilty. I have read for quite sometime about how easy/sturdy or even how these units might differ from one another.
The issue I am having is that I would like to purchase one..... but only have been hearing from people who want to sell me one.
Again, Maybe the different vendors Denz/Jacek/Fred/Null and any other's might want a neutral party to test and compare the various products.
Does anyone who is not a vendor care to enlighten me as to the pros and cons of their particular device?

 

[Greg M]

have you not read this thread from the beginning? Look at post #20

 

[John "Woody" Glaser]

Digital,

Sorry, but I think that post #20 specifically says

*** KEEP IN MIND. I have not held any of these FFD tools in my hand, nor had a chance to use any of them. ***

That, in addition to leaving out the last two (Denz and Lumacheck) would leave me asking the same question.

 

[Greg M]

Digital,

Sorry, but I think that post #20 specifically says

*** KEEP IN MIND. I have not held any of these FFD tools in my hand, nor had a chance to use any of them. ***

That, in addition to leaving out the last two (Denz and Lumacheck) would leave me asking the same question.

ahhh...didnt see that. So what does he base this info on??

I have both the Optimator Pro and Null units, I'll try to write a review of the two next week.

BTW- somewhere in this forum I did a review of the Null when it first arrived.