I am utterly certain that there is no detectable difference in weight
or mass of SC versus MC. The reason that MC lenses "generally" out-test and
out perform SC lenses has to do with a phenomena called "scatter"--whereby
when light hits a lens surface, all of it does not go through! Some is
bounced back to scatter through the other elements in the opposite direction,
causing a reduction in contrast. Moreover this bouceback usually varies with
frequency (color). If I recall correctly no coating results in a scatter of
some 5 to 10 percent, sc reduces this to 1 percent or so, while MC reduces
this to tenths of a percent.
I cannot remember who discovered it but SC usually means a coating of
Magnesium Fluoride(?), which was in and of itself a vast improvement over
"no" coating at all! In the 70s (think Austin Powers), Pentax came up with
what they called "Super Multi Coating" which improved on the SC still
further! They (and Zeiss) are still regarded as the best of that technology.
Alex
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