first focal plane and second FP

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DonGalfur

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Sep 24, 2021
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California, United States
Hi Gents

I am somewhat new to this forum. I have a question regarding first and second focal plane. I do know the difference but would like to know if the first focal plane makes it easier to get the reticle and the field clear at the same time. With all my scopes, including a couple of real good ones, I am always splitting the difference. Can't see to have it both ways. All mine are SFP. Would that be improved with FFP? I am thinking that it might as the two images are essentially together if I have that right? Opinions?

Dave
 
Hello its sound that its more of a focus or parallax issue rather than a FFP or SFP issue. The real benefit of a FFP is that if you use hold over/hold under the values of the hold in reference to the reticle does not change as your magnification changes. To get a the reticle and field clear at the same time try: Focusing the reticle again a white wall using the eye piece/bell or focus ring depending on what scope you are using and than use your parallax adjustment to get the reticle and target on the same focal plane . Hope this helps Eric
 
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There is an informative thread stickied over at Snipers Hide about adjusting the diopter on FFP scopes and scopes in general.

As I recall they generally agreed that FFP reticles were more difficult to focus.

I need to go read it again myself. A bit over a year ago I developed a vestibular issue and one of the symptoms I have is that my vision is fairly inconsistent. Things can go in and out of blurry fairly quickly. It has made it very difficult to fine tune diopters. 

https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/setting-up-a-ffp-rifle-scope-a-simple-psa-on-diopters.6252841/
 
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In general, FFP reticles are harder to see clearly than SFP. I found it to be true for me. Larger zoom range makes it even more difficult for FFP since the makings are faint at low magnifications. What I found also is that some FFP reticles are easier to see than others, at the same magnification. And more expensive ones may not be the better choice for reticle clarity for you. The best thing to do is to try them in person since the variation between individual eyes is huge. It is harder now since local stores carry so little.
 
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I switched all my scopes to SFP. It is nice for ranging to have the FFP, but most of the time airguns are used at a fixed focus anyways. Also, I really like having the crosshairs the same size. I did not like having fat crosshairs and skinny crosshairs. 

It does sound like a parallax vs focusing issue. Set your scope at about the mid zoom level. Look at a light area through the scope and adjust the parallax ring - the one on the end of the scope eyepiece. Turn it back and forth until the crosshairs are nice and crisp. I usually try to go past the best point both ways, then bring it back to the middle. Now lock the parallax ring if you can. Now you can use the side focus for distances and the crosshairs should be crisp at all magnifications and distances. 

Hope this helps. 
 
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I've been shooting with Optics a long time. And I would tell you that for Airguns, I like SFP. The big advantage is your reticle stays the same size thru the magnification range. When I'm in low power, hunting small game, I don't want the reticle to be small, tiny and hard to see.



Wayyyyyy too many folks get hung up on FFP, and truth be told, it's only really needed if your shooting long range and you use the sub tensions on the reticle to range.

That's a very small sub section of shooters who actually can do the math in their head and range using their reticle.

And you can still do it with SFP, you just need to make sure you're at the highest magnification where the reticle is true to its size.

Making a FFP scope cost more as it's harder to install the reticle then SFP.

Lots of folks run over to "The Hide" read up and then run to the store to get a FFP, and in reality they would be better served and happier with a SFP.

It's a opportunity to allow experience to teach one what really works best for them, vs. what they think everybody else is doing.
 
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In an FFP scope...

...the tickness of the crosshair lines you perceive when looking through it depends on three factors:

▪ Thickness of the actual crosshair lines (this information is published when you did through the info on the manufacturer's webpage [or look at the data in one of my Scope Specs Tables]).

▪ The magnification you currently use (the highest magnification makes the crosshairs look the thickest — even though in relation to the quarry, trees, and fence posts the crosshairs don't change their relative size — unlike an SFP scope).

▪ Magnification range of the scope: a 3-fold magnification (3-9x, 4-12x, 5-15x) will have crosshairs whose thickness is more appropriate than the crosshair thickness on say a 6-fold magnification (3-18x, 4-24x, 5-30x).



Matthias 😊
 
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Lol some of us (lots of us) do prefer a FFP scope. As a hunter/pester I won't touch a SFP ever again. Having the holdovers the same is a big deal to me. I regularly use different magnification with my scopes 2-12 and 4-20 Helos scopes. Hate having to do math in my head for different ranges on different magnifications. But we're all different.

But yeah read on the Hide that thread and helps alot getting that diopter adjusted correctly. Then your good to go.
 
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