Fisher F70 or Teknetics Omega?

[John 3:16]

The more I research this, the less I feel the answer is concrete.  That Teknetics Omega sounds like a vastly underappreciated machine.  If I found myself in the market for one of these machines, which would you suggest?

Has anyone here tried both?   Anyone have comments from long-term use of either?  I know the depth question gets annoying, but how do the depths compare on dimes and quarters? 

I have read that the F70 can be cranked up for sensitivity on par with the F75, but that it gets some instability and falsing.  I have also read that the Teknetics Omega is smoother on deep targets. 

I would appreciate any in-depth insights here.

I was offered a Omega to play with for a weekend.  It might just be me, but I didn't like it.  I can't put my finger on what it was that bothered me about it, but I had no confidence in it.  Confidence is everything and I would stick with the Fisher.

The Omega is newer and hasn't had the time for a lot of people to try it out.  However, what I have read about the Delta-Gamma-Omega series has been very positive so far.  I haven't read anything yet that would be a deal-breaker.

I was offered a Omega to play with for a weekend.  It might just be me, but I didn't like it.  I can't put my finger on what it was that bothered me about it, but I had no confidence in it.  Confidence is everything and I would stick with the Fisher.

Anything more concrete, Sandman?  Thanks for your input, though.

There has to be somebody on Tnet who's logged some months on each of these machines.

I owned an F-70 for about 7 months and it was a nice detector but it isn't built too sturdy. It got good depth on coin size targets but had some falsing issues when cranking the sensitivity up but even at 35 on sensitivity I still dug coins at a measured 8 inches in red clay. I currently own the Omega and it is much more sturdy and it feels good in your hand. It seems to hit a little harder on silver and copper but not as good on nickels and gold. Both units are very fast  ( line up several coins side by side with about an inch and a half between them and they sound like a machine gun, then try that with another brand detector and you won't get all the coins because of the lag in response time). So I believe the Omega is a better coinshooter and the F-70 is a beter relic machine. Both are excellent detectors but the Omega just seems to be better build quality. Hope this helps.

The Omega is newer and hasn't had the time for a lot of people to try it out.  However, what I have read about the Delta-Gamma-Omega series has been very positive so far.  I haven't read anything yet that would be a deal-breaker.

I was offered a Omega to play with for a weekend.  It might just be me, but I didn't like it.  I can't put my finger on what it was that bothered me about it, but I had no confidence in it.  Confidence is everything and I would stick with the Fisher.

Anything more concrete, Sandman?  Thanks for your input, though.

There has to be somebody on Tnet who's logged some months on each of these machines.

I am sorry that I wasn't able to use it for a longer test.  I only have so much time and there are so many detectors.  Only thing that hit me off the bat was the "fish bone" coil that First Texas has on the detectors.  Nothing wrong with that, only weird to me.

Thanks for your replies, both.   

If anybody else has experience too, please also sound off.

I have owned both and still own the Omega. I really like the Omega better. The TID numbers are a LOT more stable on the Omega. It has been a little while since I owned the F70 but from what I am remembering it was pretty bad, jumpy target ID numbers even on shallower targets. I would pick the Omega any day over the F70.

thanks, lms7652.   I'm really starting to like the sound of this.

thanks, lms7652.   I'm really starting to like the sound of this.

I have used the F70 for almost a year now and the Omega would have to be some kinda good to beat it.

Rusty,

I just got done with my first days hunt with the Omega.  Let me say I was impressed.  Target ID around iron is very good.  Deeper wheats tend to jump around a bit, but hit in the range you would expect.  I did not hit any deep silver today although I was hoping for a Merc or Barber dime as they have come from the site I was at.  Best find depth wise was a small lead seal about 3/8" dia. that gave a distinctive hit.  Most of the wheats had iron very close and is why I feel I had missed them in the past. 

If you decide to buy one be sure to get the DD coil!!

HH Tom

I'm going to chime in here with an "extra" thought related to the discussion.

I own the Fisher F5 that has a commonality with both the Omega and the F70. A balance of both, if you will. The F5 works like the Omega except that the threshold follows the sensitivity on the Omega where the F5 let's them be adjusted separately like the F70. If you can't get the hang of the separate adjustment relating to stability, get the Omega. If you do get the Omega, I would suggest getting the 11" DD coil like the F70, and as I did for the F5. It brings you close to the F70 depth. I, like Sandman, find the stock coil a little strange, though it is deep, and once you get used to the 2 settings for stability, it actually is a pretty nice coil, especially in the AM mode.

I like the constant readout of the ground mineralization on the Omega/F5. I feel the Omega/F5 has features that will be incorporated into future detectors as far as on screen readout. It's too bad that many see these new implementations as "not the norm" and don't learn the benefits that they provide. Many think that First Texas made these units cheaply with thinner plastic. I will admit that the screen protector is a little thinner than my Deleon, but I do not misuse my detectors and take care of them. It's light and finds metal better than most I have used, with the best ability to set up for different types of hunting in different types of areas. and all this at competitive pricing. My move up from the F5 (or Omega) would be the F75, bypassing the F70.

Just another thought.

Dan

Thanks for your replies everyone!