ISO 20711:2017

Optics and photonics - Environmental requirements - Test requirements for telescopic systems

ISO 20711:2017 specifies requirements to be met with regard to resistance of the optical, mechanical, chemical and electrical properties or performance data of instruments to environmental influences and hence determines geographical and technical areas of application. It applies to consumer telescopic systems and accessories, such as hunting and sporting products. Environmental test methods as specified in relevant parts of ISO 9022 are assigned to the various areas of application for the purpose of ascertaining the suitability of the instruments in their respective area of application. ISO 20711:2017 is the basis for the specification of environmental requirements and environmental tests in instrument standards. If necessary, these requirements and tests can be amended in the instrument standards. ISO 20711:2017 does not deal with the requirements to be met by the packaging of the instrument during transport from the manufacturer to the user. NOTE Nominal values of properties and performance characteristics as understood by this document are predetermined by specifications provided by the manufacturer, technical terms of delivery and instrument standards.

Optique et photonique — Prescriptions d'environnement — Prescriptions d'essai pour les systèmes télescopiques

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 26-Apr-2017
• ICS: 37.020 - Optical equipment
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 172/SC 4 - Telescopic systems
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 172/SC 4/WG 2 - Telescopic devices
• Current Stage: 9093 - International Standard confirmed
• Start Date: 09-Nov-2023
• Completion Date: 13-Dec-2025

Relations

• Consolidated By: ISO 1346:2021 - Fibre ropes - Polypropylene split film, monofilament and multifilament (PP2) and polypropylene high-tenacity multifilament (PP3) - 3-, 4-, 8- and 12-strand ropes
• Effective Date: 06-Jun-2022
• Revises: ISO 10109-4:2001 - Optics and optical instruments - Environmental requirements - Part 4: Test requirements for telescopic systems
• Effective Date: 04-Nov-2015

Overview

ISO 20711:2017 - Optics and photonics - Environmental requirements - Test requirements for telescopic systems defines environmental test requirements and application areas for consumer telescopic systems and accessories (e.g., binoculars, spotting scopes, telescopic sights, amateur astronomical telescopes). It specifies how optical, mechanical, chemical and electrical properties or performance data shall resist environmental influences and assigns appropriate environmental test methods from ISO 9022 to determine suitability for geographic and technical usage. ISO 20711 is intended as the basis for environmental clauses in instrument standards and does not cover transportation packaging.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope of applicability: Consumer telescopic systems and accessories used in hunting, sporting and amateur astronomy.
• Instrument subtypes: Binoculars/monoculars/spotting scopes; telescopic sights (airgun, rifle/handgun, extreme conditions); amateur astronomical telescopes (occasional and continuous use).
• Extent of testing: Distinguishes type (T) testing and series (S) testing; environmental requirement designations follow the form ISO 20711-xx-T/S.
• Assigned environmental tests: Uses relevant parts of ISO 9022 (cold, heat, humidity, mechanical stress, salt mist, rain, pressure/immersion, solar radiation, contamination).
• Representative test areas: cold, dry heat, damp heat, temperature shock, solar radiation/weathering, shock and vibration (sinusoidal, bump, free-fall/drop), salt mist corrosion, rain/immersion and contamination resistance.
• Reference performance criteria: After testing, instruments are expected to meet the applicable instrument specifications such as ISO 14133/14134/14135 (binoculars, astronomical telescopes, telescopic sights).

Applications and who uses it

• Manufacturers of binoculars, spotting scopes, telescopic sights and amateur telescopes use ISO 20711 to define environmental requirements in product specifications, R&D and qualification testing.
• Test laboratories implement the assigned ISO 9022 methods to validate product robustness against environmental and handling stresses.
• Product engineers and QA managers rely on the standard to select appropriate test severity (type vs series testing) and to demonstrate that instruments meet market claims for outdoor, marine, hunting or sporting use.
• Procurement and regulatory teams reference ISO 20711 when specifying environmental suitability in tenders or compliance documentation.

Related standards

• ISO 9022 (Parts 1,2,3,4,7,8,9,12) - Environmental test methods for optics and photonics
• ISO 10109 - Guidance for selection of environmental tests
• ISO 14133 / ISO 14134 - Specifications for binoculars, spotting scopes, astronomical telescopes
• ISO 14135 - Specifications for telescopic sights

Using ISO 20711 helps ensure telescopic products are tested and specified consistently for real‑world environmental performance, improving reliability and supporting clear market claims.

Standards Content (Sample)

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 20711
First edition
2017-05
Optics and photonics —
Environmental requirements — Test
requirements for telescopic systems
Optique et photonique — Prescriptions d’environnement —
Prescriptions d’essai pour les systèmes télescopiques
Reference number
©
ISO 2017
© ISO 2017, Published in Switzerland
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on the internet or an intranet, without prior
written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below or ISO’s member body in the country of
the requester.
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ii © ISO 2017 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 2
4 Subdivision of the instrument group “telescopic systems” . 2
5 Designation of environmental requirements and environmental tests .3
6 Specification of technical requirements and appropriate environmental tests .3
6.1 Acceleration of free fall . 3
6.2 Binoculars, monoculars and spotting scopes (instrument types 01 and 02) . 3
6.3 Telescopic sights (instrument type 03, 04 and 05) . 6
6.4 Astronomical telescopes (instrument type 06 and 07) . 8
7 Procedure. 9
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www .iso .org/ directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www .iso .org/ patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation on the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see the following
URL: w w w . i s o .org/ iso/ foreword .html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 172, Optics and photonics, Subcommittee
SC 4, Telescopic systems.
This first edition of ISO 20711 cancels and replaces ISO 10109-4:2001, which has been technically
revised.
iv © ISO 2017 – All rights reserved

Introduction
Optical and photonic instruments including additional assemblies from other fields (e.g. mechanical,
chemical and electronic devices) are affected during their use by a number of different environmental
and handling parameters which they are required to resist without significant reduction in performance
and to remain within defined specifications. This is what the manufacturer attempts to ensure and the
user expects to receive.
This expectation can be assessed by exposure of the instrument to a range of simulated environmental
parameters under controlled laboratory conditions. The cumulative combination, degree of severity
and sequence of these conditions can be selected to obtain meaningful results in a relatively short
period of time.
Technical requirements as given in the tables of this document are abbreviated and the reader has to
consult the referenced standards (i.e. the relevant parts of ISO 9022) for the full specification of the
technical requirement.
For the purposes of this document, nominal values for properties or performance characteristics
are understood to be the manufacturer’s internal technical data and do not directly reflect the
manufacturer’s product specifications.
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 20711:2017(E)
Optics and photonics — Environmental requirements —
Test requirements for telescopic systems
1 Scope
This document specifies requirements to be met with regard to resistance of the optical, mechanical,
chemical and electrical properties or performance data of instruments to environmental influences
and hence determines geographical and technical areas of application. It applies to consumer telescopic
systems and accessories, such as hunting and sporting products.
Environmental test methods as specified in relevant parts of ISO 9022 are assigned to the various areas
of application for the purpose of ascertaining the suitability of the instruments in their respective area
of application.
This document is the basis for the specification of environmental requirements and environmental tests
in instrument standards. If necessary, these requirements and tests can be amended in the instrument
standards.
This document does not deal with the requirements to be met by the packaging of the instrument
during transport from the manufacturer to the user.
NOTE Nominal values of properties and performance characteristics as understood by this document are
predetermined by specifications provided by the manufacturer, technical terms of delivery and instrument
standards.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 9022-1, Optics and photonics — Environmental test methods — Part 1: Definitions, extent of testing
ISO 9022-2, Optics and photonics — Environmental test methods — Part 2: Cold, heat and humidity
ISO 9022-3, Optics and photonics — Environmental test methods — Part 3: Mechanical stress
ISO 9022-4, Optics and photonics — Environmental test methods — Part 4: Salt mist
ISO 9022-7, Optics and photonics — Environmental test methods — Part 7: Resistance to drip or rain
ISO 9022-8, Optics and photonics — Environmental test methods — Part 8: High internal pressure, low
internal pressure, immersion
ISO 9022-9, Optics and photonics — Environmental test methods — Part 9: Solar radiation and weathering
ISO 9022-12, Optics and photonics — Environmental test methods — Part 12: Contamination
ISO 10109, Optics and photonics — Guidance for the selection of environmental tests
ISO 14133-1, Optics and photonics — Specifications for binoculars, monoculars and spotting scopes —
Part 1: General purpose instruments
ISO 14133-2, Optics and photonics — Specifications for binoculars, monoculars and spotting scopes —
Part 2: High performance instruments
ISO 14134, Optics and optical instruments — Specifications for astronomical telescopes
ISO 14135-1, Optics and photonics — Specifications for telescopic sights — Part 1: General-purpose
instruments
ISO 14135-2, Optics and photonics — Specifications for telescopic sights — Part 2: High-performance
instruments
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO 10109 and the following apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— IEC Electropedia: available at http:// www .electropedia .org/
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at http:// www .iso .org/ obp
3.1
extent of testing
sum of all required tests to ascertain operability, as well as product performance within the intended
use and life span
Note 1 to entry: The extent of testing is subdivided into type (or sample) testing and series testing.
[SOURCE: ISO 10109:2015, 2.3, modified.]
3.2
type testing
sample testing
extent of testing required of initial or qualification samples sufficient to ascertain whether the
instrument complies with all the environmental requirements of the relevant specification
Note 1 to entry: Type (or sample) testing is designated by the code letter T.
3.3
series testing
extent of testing required of ensure constant production quality
Note 1 to entry: Sampling procedures can be used.
Note 2 to entry: Series testing is designated by the code letter S.
4 Subdivision of the instrument group “telescopic systems”
The group telescopic systems is subdivided into instrument types with the type numbers given in
Table 1.
Table 1 — Subdivision of telescopic systems
Type number Instrument type
Binoculars, monoculars and spotting scopes which are designed for occasional use in mod-
erate environments by users such as tourists and spectators of sporting events, etc.
Binoculars, monoculars and spotting scopes which are designed for continuous use in mod-
02 erately harsh environments by professional users as, for example, emergency personnel, ship’s
captains and forest rangers, etc.
Telescopic sights for airguns which are designed for mounting on airguns and for use in mod-
erate environments, mainly in sports.
Telescopic sights for rifles and handguns which are designed for mounting on rifles and
handguns and for hunting.
2 © ISO 2017 – All rights reserved

Table 1 (continued)
Type number Instrument type
Telescopic sights for extreme conditions of use which are designed for mounting on rifles
and handguns and for consumer use in severe environmental conditions.
Amateur astronomical telescopes which are designed for occasional use in moderate envi-
ronments.
Amateur astronomical telescopes which are designed for continuous use in moderately
harsh environments.
5 Designation of environmental requirements and environmental tests
The designation for environmental requirements shall be formed as follows:
Environmental
requirements ISO 20711 -xx -x
Name
Reference to this document
Type number of the instrument (see Table 1)

Extent of testing code letter (T or S)
The relevant specification and other technical documents shall indicate the environmental requirements
applicable to this document using the above designation.
EXAMPLE Environm
...