Parallax

[walshie 2,804]

I didn't want to hijack  the other thread with this question so, what is parallax? I've googled it and it doesn't make much sense to me. I've not had parallax adjustment on any scope I've ever had. 

My questions are:

Is it an airgun thing or does it apply at all ranges?

Do you still get the effect if your scope doesn't have the adjustment?

What is worse, having yours adjusted incorrectly or not having it at all?

Ta.

[philpot 4,927]

To be honest, with age my eyes simply don't see the fine details of the target using a scope set for 100mt fixed parallax but by using an AO scope, I am able to get the subject really sharp. The issue is made worse by sub 12 airgun range but for me it is more to do with being an old tart.

My pal used fixed parallax scope with no problems so his eyes must be better than mine.

 

Phil

[Jonjon79 13,340]

It's technical

[Jonjon79 13,340]

Just kidding

 

It's all to do with focus at different ranges - a multipurpose set up that could be used, for example, for rats at 10yrds and rabbits at 45yrds, will give a better sight picture if the parallax is adjustable - it'll take the blur of the image so that reticle and target are sharp and, it'll help to reduce parallax error.

 

The best way to see parallax error is to put your crosshairs on target, keep the rifle still, then move your head around slightly - if the crosshair appears to move off target, that's parallax error.

So, if your head position isn't exactly the same each time, you may not actually be on target.

Parallax adjustment does help with this.

 

It might be less critical if you're wanging bullets over longer distances than air rifle pellets

[Rez 4,957]

Walshie. As I understand it and how I would explain it, without getting all techie... Its basically just mis alignment with the 3 elements due to looking through various lens.

Imagine a rifle on a bench, or rest of some sort and target down range... not touching the rifle in any way, looking through the scope... if you move your head a touch left/right/up/down and the cross hairs move slightly, that is parallax, as your eye isn't perfectly in the correct position with the rest of the set up.

With 'most' airgun rated scopes being set up to be parallax free at say typically 50-100yards, its never noticed. However, when the ranges are pushed right out, as in with a bullet, it can be quite noticeable at high mag. But high end scopes come with parallax adjustment, or focus as some would say. I say high end, but just mean 'decent'.

So. It applies to all ranges - but airgun scopes dont pick it up at 'our' ranges.

Yes - but no, if its parallax free.

Not having it at all - but its always there, so thats kinda a question that answers itself  

[Rez 4,957]

Just now, Jonjon79 said:

Just kidding

 

It's all to do with focus at different ranges - a multipurpose set up that could be used, for example, for rats at 10yrds and rabbits at 45yrds, will give a better sight picture if the parallax is adjustable - it'll take the blur of the image so that reticle and target are sharp and, it'll help to reduce parallax error.

 

The best way to see parallax error is to put your crosshairs on target, keep the rifle still, then move your head around slightly - if the crosshair appears to move off target, that's parallax error.

So, if your head position isn't exactly the same each time, you may not actually be on target.

Parallax adjustment does help with this.

Hope we've said the same thing...  

[Jonjon79 13,340]

4 minutes ago, Rez said:

Hope we've said the same thing...  

Feck knows, I got lost half way through, then made up the rest - I just hope it sounds good

[Rez 4,957]

Its a branch falls in a wood and no ones around to hear it does it make a sound?

[walshie 2,804]

So the ring I adjust nearest my eye is just to focus it the same as with binos and nothing to do with parallax?

Even the questions are hard. It's like the offside rule. 

Going by what was said earlier, I get it that if you look through the scope once, your eye might not be in the same position next time, BUT....how do you know whether it is or isn't? And how do you know how much to adjust whatever you adjust?

[Rabid 1,936]

The ring near your eye is just a focus, to bring the ret into focus for your eye, you only need to adjust that the once to suit your eye.

the parallax has been well described so far, you will know when it needs adjusting as that's more akin to focus on binos, at differing ranges the parallax will sharpen the picture up nicely.

[walshie 2,804]

8 minutes ago, Rabid said:

The ring near your eye is just a focus, to bring the ret into focus for your eye, you only need to adjust that the once to suit your eye.

the parallax has been well described so far, you will know when it needs adjusting as that's more akin to focus on binos, at differing ranges the parallax will sharpen the picture up nicely.

Oh right. I definitely don't have an adjustable parallax on any of my scopes. I occasionally use the ring at the back to sharpen the picture up when my mate has had a go of my gun. So I can only assume my parallax has been set at the factory.

[Rabid 1,936]

5 minutes ago, walshie said:

Oh right. I definitely don't have an adjustable parallax on any of my scopes. I occasionally use the ring at the back to sharpen the picture up when my mate has had a go of my gun. So I can only assume my parallax has been set at the factory.

Yes, sounds like it's a fixed parallax scope, no issues with that, they work,  sounds like your mate adjusts the focus for his eye hence you change it back to suit your own.

[walshie 2,804]

Still none the wiser about what parallax actually is, but thanks for the replies chaps. 

[barrywhite 282]

http://www.arld1.com/

[Jonjon79 13,340]

The diagrams are fairly crude Walshie - I don't know how best to explain what parallax actually is but, these pictures show it and it's effect fairly well

If I'm not sure if I've got it correct, a quick bob of the head while looking through the scope will let me know.