The difference between ordinary prism and roof prism

The main difference between ordinary prism and roof prism lies in their structure,application scenarios and performance characteristics.

Structure:
Ordinary prisms usually refer to standard pentaprisms or prisms that change the direction of light by total internal reflection.
The ridge prism consists of two perpendicular reflecting surfaces with an angle of 90 degrees to form the ridge surface.This structure makes the roof prism have unique reflection characteristics.

Application scenario:
Common prisms are widely used in various optical instruments,such as telescopes,microscopes,etc.,to change the direction or path of light.
Because of its small size and the ability to position the objective and eyepiece in a straight line,ridge prisms are often used in the design of compact binoculars and other equipment.

Performance characteristics:
Ordinary prisms (such as Proprism) usually have better light transmission efficiency and are less difficult to manufacture,but may be larger in size and weight.
Although the volume of the roof prism is small,it has the problems of more light loss and dark imaging,and the assembly accuracy is high,and the manufacturing cost is high.In addition,roof prisms may reflect more times than ordinary prisms,which can lead to more light loss and higher manufacturing difficulty.

To sum up,the common prism and the roof prism have their own characteristics and application scenarios.Common prisms occupy a place in the market for their efficient light transmission and low manufacturing costs;The roof prism, with its compact design and light volume,is more popular in products requiring a high degree of portability.