dfmike
Well-known member
I've been using a Fisher F5 for some time and like it. I had a chance to get a new Omega 8000 for a good price on closeout so I bought it and wanted to test it to compare what should be near identical machines internally. I saw many claims on the net saying that one or the other was superior in depth, solidity, stability of signals, etc. Some claims mentioned that coil choice miraculously turned the 8000 into a depth beast but not the F5 (or to a lesser extent). Few posts seem to had been written by people who had actually used both machines at the same time. I decided I was going to test both on my own and see. I have 3 coils that are of course interchangeable (stock 10" concentric, 11 DD and Detech Ultimate).
I can't do ground tests yet as it's frozen stiff over here. That will have to wait a few months at least. I did the following air tests for fun mainly. We all know that the real test is in the packed and mineralized ground where it counts. Take these numbers with a grain of salt. The machines were tested with good batteries, sens at maximum (99 on the F5 and 70 on the Omega which from what I have read is considered maximum). Threshold on the F5 was set at 0. Both detectors were on all metal (no discrimination) and freq 1 was used. I couldn't use the Omega at maximum sensitivity with the Detech coil because of EMI indoors. Just a slight cut back to 65 was OK. One thing I noticed by this simple test and it is of no surprise, the stock 10" coil is less sensitive to EMI than the DD or Detech. The Omega 8000 is more sensitive to EMI at these settings than the F5 especially with the 11" DD coil and the Detech.
I tested each detector with the 3 coils on a copper penny, a silver dime, a silver quarter, a toonie (2 dollar coin) and a plain sterling silver ring. My findings are that for these tests, results are almost always equal. In most tests they are the same and in some one or the other detector has a 0.5 inch advantage which is trivial. The 11" DD coil added about 0.5 to 1.5 inches to the stock 10" coil depending on target and the Detech added another 0.5 to 1.5 inches to that. I would have liked to test both units with a positive threshold but didn't because of EMI issues. Both units got 13 inches on a silver quarter with the Detech which is pretty impressive to me. All other targets were really very close. I'll post some numbers if somebody wants them.
Other observations: The F5 doesn't have any parts that move in the slightest in use. The Omega's control box is definitely not as solid. It moves or flexes when pulling the coil connector for example. The F5 seems more solid overall. The F5 has a badly designed coil input connector in the sense that it's more difficult to screw and unscrew a coil connector because the box is in the way. The coil connector on the 8000 is completely free so no issues there. I find the battery compartment is also easier to access on the 8000. Although the display is different on both, I like them equally. BIG numbers and lots of info.
Can't wait to actually test the Omega on the ground.
I can't do ground tests yet as it's frozen stiff over here. That will have to wait a few months at least. I did the following air tests for fun mainly. We all know that the real test is in the packed and mineralized ground where it counts. Take these numbers with a grain of salt. The machines were tested with good batteries, sens at maximum (99 on the F5 and 70 on the Omega which from what I have read is considered maximum). Threshold on the F5 was set at 0. Both detectors were on all metal (no discrimination) and freq 1 was used. I couldn't use the Omega at maximum sensitivity with the Detech coil because of EMI indoors. Just a slight cut back to 65 was OK. One thing I noticed by this simple test and it is of no surprise, the stock 10" coil is less sensitive to EMI than the DD or Detech. The Omega 8000 is more sensitive to EMI at these settings than the F5 especially with the 11" DD coil and the Detech.
I tested each detector with the 3 coils on a copper penny, a silver dime, a silver quarter, a toonie (2 dollar coin) and a plain sterling silver ring. My findings are that for these tests, results are almost always equal. In most tests they are the same and in some one or the other detector has a 0.5 inch advantage which is trivial. The 11" DD coil added about 0.5 to 1.5 inches to the stock 10" coil depending on target and the Detech added another 0.5 to 1.5 inches to that. I would have liked to test both units with a positive threshold but didn't because of EMI issues. Both units got 13 inches on a silver quarter with the Detech which is pretty impressive to me. All other targets were really very close. I'll post some numbers if somebody wants them.
Other observations: The F5 doesn't have any parts that move in the slightest in use. The Omega's control box is definitely not as solid. It moves or flexes when pulling the coil connector for example. The F5 seems more solid overall. The F5 has a badly designed coil input connector in the sense that it's more difficult to screw and unscrew a coil connector because the box is in the way. The coil connector on the 8000 is completely free so no issues there. I find the battery compartment is also easier to access on the 8000. Although the display is different on both, I like them equally. BIG numbers and lots of info.
Can't wait to actually test the Omega on the ground.
