Ideal scope opinions please? 24 hours to buy or not!

[tampabull]

Just got the idealscopes of my top 3 choices from JA:

Stone 1:


Stone 2:


Stone 3:


I have another thread with the specs of each, but now am looking for opinions solely based on the scopes. I was trying to decide between #1 and #3, with #2 being slightly more included than I prefer.

#1 looks like it scoped the best light return to me? Are those smaller black spots around the widest part of the "arrows" on 2 and 3 leakage? I noticed stone #1 had noticeably smaller dark spots there, wondering if that means it's a better performer?

 

[TRIALnERROR]

#1 appears to be the better performer to my untrained eyes, but I'm sure the experts will weigh in.

 

[TitanCi]

I like #1 the best because it appears to have a smaller table, which I like. The arrows are tighter, I like the overall look of the IS. But TBH, all the IS images look great.

The black around the shafts are not points of leakage. If I'm not mistaken, the blacks around the shafts are a result of increasing the LGF lengths and that helps to improve fire/scintillation. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but having that there is good! With that said, #3 would have the most of that.

 

[tampabull]

Thanks so much for the opinions, keep them coming please! Anxious to hear what the spots are on the arrow shafts and if TitanCi is right. I'm also furiously Googling to see what else I can turn up.

This 24 hour time limit is exciting! To think I could be <24 hours away from swiping my CC and taking the plunge!

 

[Laila619]

The black around the shafts of 2 and 3 is not leakage at all; I think it has to do with the star length and the LGF. http://www.goodoldgold.com/Articles/MinorFacets/ Jonathan from GOG says those black spots are a good thing.

All three IS images are great. You really can't go wrong.

 

[yssie]

All look fine - all will be very bright, sparkly stones

The biggest influences on light return are crown/pav/table etc. As Titan says size of those black reflections is a function of star/lgf length. The stones in the set of 4 will look very different IRL for dozens of reasons, all of which play together... a stone with longer lower halves (skinny mains - skinny arrowshafts) will be more "sparky", more quick sizzle and splinter, one w/ short lgf (fat mains) will tend to bolder, slower flashes... just personal preference.