Second Focal Plane reticle position

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General features of Second focal plane scope

Riflescopes with a reticle placed in their second focal plane (SFP) are the predominant type of rifle scopes on the market. Second focal plane scopes have the reticle placed in the eyepiece, at the so-called second optical focal plane.

Such arrangement produces the effect that the reticle is seen the same size at all magnification settings. You can clearly see this effect in the picture below:

second focal plane and first focal plane reticle

First focal plane and second focal plane reticle position

Second focal Compare to the First focal plane

Second focal plane rifle scopes are especially popular since their reticles are thin on higher magnification and offer greater precision. Second focal plane reticles also have the advantage that, at low magnification, they are thicker compared to First focal plane reticles and easier to see. These two main benefits are the reason Second focal plane rifle scopes gained such popularity.

Reticle in second focal - plane

There are, however, also some drawbacks of rifle scopes with such optical construction. Reticle subtensions change with the change of magnification, and because of that, distance calculations with the reticle are only possible at one specific magnification setting. Similarly, it is possible to use holdovers for correction of bullet drop only at one specific magnification, which makes this technique very difficult to use. The last, but minor, a drawback is that low-quality riflescope can have a shift of the point of impact with the magnification change.

Video presentation of Second - focal plane scope

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As the name suggests, prism scopes (sometimes also referred to as prismatic scopes) are composed of glass prisms – like binoculars. As a result, they are a much more compact optic. These compact, robust devices work similarly as red dot sights but are usually equipped with an illuminated reticle in the shape of a dot or a cross, surrounded by a circle. BDC reticles for .223 are common in prismatic scopes.

The magnification for these products is lower, and fixed: 1x, 2.5x, 3x, 4x, or 6x. Nearly every prism scope has a Picatinny mount built-in on the bottom part of the housing.

Prism scopes give the user an option of choosing between green and red illumination. All in all, these scopes are a great choice as they give the user a brighter and extremely sharp image, providing quicker target acquisition times.

General properties of Prism scopes

a compact, robust scope
prisms in the interior of the scope
illuminated reticle
fixed magnification (1x, 2.5x, 3x, 4x or 6x)
scope with diopter adjustment

Prism Scopes

Steiner and Burris Prism scopes

Why are prism scopes better for astigmatism?

Prism scopes are a great substitution for red dot sights for people with astigmatism because they have a dioptre that can be adjusted for personal differences in vision. If a user with astigmatism uses a red dot, they cannot see a clear image of the reticle, the dot may glow or appear dispersed into a different shape.

This is where prism scopes come to the rescue, as you can adjust the dioptre setting so that your eye can see a crisp reticle because there is no distortion.

Also, people who wear glasses do not have to deal with the obtrusive reflection of the dot. This is a great fix, the only downsides are a smaller eye-box and the lack of unlimited eye relief.

Prism Scope

Steiner S332 3x Prism Scope

What is the difference between prism scopes and red dots?

The most significant difference between Prism scope and the Red dot is that red dot sights feature 1x magnification, while prism scopes can have various magnification powers: 1x, 2x, 3x, 4x, or 6x.
Prism scopes are lightweight and small, yet still bigger than red dots. They have reticles in a shape of a dot or a cross, surrounded by a circle, which is different from reticles in red dots, which have, as the name suggests, only a dot in the center.
The latter are unusable without battery-powered illumination, while prism scopes (with an etched reticle) work without batteries.
Prism scopes also oftentimes allow the user to switch between a red or green illumination, while red dots usually do not offer the same option (it is mostly only red).

Overall, red dot sights are used for close distances, while prism scopes for close to medium distances. But if you ever find yourself using a prism scope with 1x magnification, keep in mind that it can also be used as an alternative to a red dot.

Burris prism scope

Burris RT-3X Prismatic

Second Focal Plane reticle position

VIDEO

General features of Second focal plane scope

Second focal Compare to the First focal plane

Reticle in second focal - plane

Video presentation of Second - focal plane scope

Burris AR-332 Prism Sight

VIDEO

General properties of Prism scopes

Why are prism scopes better for astigmatism?

What is the difference between prism scopes and red dots?

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Second Focal Plane reticle position

VIDEO

General features of Second focal plane scope

Second focal Compare to the First focal plane

Reticle in second focal - plane

Video presentation of Second - focal plane scope

Burris AR-332 Prism Sight

VIDEO

General properties of Prism scopes

Why are prism scopes better for astigmatism?

What is the difference between prism scopes and red dots?

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