Wondering if it is true that the HD in the description for the SWFA 10x42 HD scope actually stands for Heavy Duty rather than for High Definition? I've searched but haven't found a clear answer either way.
I have no clue as to what HD means in the SWFA product line but would disagree with the above statement. Higher density glass (flints) do refract (bend) light more quickly than does a lower density (crown) glass and renders lenses of the same power that are thinner than a lower density (lower refractive index) option.High definition and high density are synonymous. The high density glass brings about the high definition. Higher density translates to a more consistent, uniform, lower imperfection crystalline glass... which means better clarity and light transmission as stated above.
Note that they say that the HD scopes are a "higher tier", that's industry speak for a better line of optics.Some of the new scopes being offered are higher tier under the” HD” umbrella and our produced in a different factory in Japan than the original line up that we now call, SWFA SS.