Question; Comparing the F5 vs Omega 8000

[greenmonster66]

Hi All,

I am a newbie and took up a fascination with MD. I have been doing some thorough comparisons on the Fisher F5 and the Teknetics 8000. My typical use will be in playgrounds,schools,sidewalks,yards and some S. Fl Beaches.

What do you think would serve me best in your opinions?

Thank you and great forum that I am happy I came across!

 

[Cache Man]

Get the Omega and you will be glad that you did, I have one and it is a very good detector. HH

 

[Mike Hillis]

Omega works better for newbies since it is fairly idiot proof. No offence meant.
The F5 gives the user more control for site conditions, has a better audio and a tighter ground balance. Takes a bit longer to get proficient with it as the Gain and Threshold controls creates setting combination options that takes a little while to learn.
I prefer the F5 over the Omega because I like the audio better and the extra control helps me respond to the varying site conditions with a better setup than I could get with the Omega.
Good luck with your choice,
Mike

 

[greenmonster66]

Great advice Mike.. Thanks to you both for your insight!

 

[Markmac]

greenmonster66 i personally have not used an f5 but i do own the Omega 8000 with the three coil combo and for me the Omega has been the best metal detector i have ever used, its fun it works and i have found more coins with this machine just this summer then all my other ones i used there years ago.I have had the Omega now for about three months or so and i cant say enough about how good this detector is.It fits well its light weight it ground balances well has four tones to choose from i prefer d4 and has the ability to notch and has an all metal mode as well for relic hunters.each coil has its advantages and all three work well.the other advantage i see with the Omegs is that it runs on one 9volt battery which i was a little sceptical at first with but its amazing how long you can hunt on one battery easily over 20 hours so the cost of operation is even less.hope this helps you some and which ever one you decide on we all wish you the best, have fun and let us know what you find first..Markmac

 

[autopilot42]

I love my F5 it is the bridge from analog to digital. I have found that hunting certain places that you need to go in easy with the F5 and it will speak to you.


Take care
Bob

 

[earthmansurfer]

This review seems to prefer the Omega, which apparently is an upgraded F5, but as Mike said, perhaps simplified (and it's interesting that Mike says the F5 has better sound). I am loving mine but am curious the difference, having never used an F5. So far (on coins) my Omega has outperformed my T2 (which I owned for 3 years) and which is why I just sold it. Also, if you can believe it, there is no doubt in my mind that the O8000 is better in iron than my T2.
Review
Note the user comments at the bottom after the review.

ps - Mike Hillis, I think I remember that name. Didn't you post about the Nautilus a lot? Maybe I'm mixing those posts up with the T2, but if that was you thanks!

 

[Mr.Bill]

electrically, sharing the same circuit design.

The F5 allows the user more manual control over the operation of the detector. The Omega is been trimmed down on the manual adjustments, and users find it friendlier to operate. You will discover performance is about the same.

The F5 will cost you $100. Less than the Omega 8000. The MAP price on the F5 is $499., and the price on the Omega 8000 is $599.

Mr.Bill

PS: both models in stock, summer sale in still in affect.

 

[Mike Hillis]

Here is some comparison.

F5 & Omega review

More review

Both the F5 and the Omega are fine machines. I just preferred the F5 feature set and audio over the Omega. A personal preference thing. I feel it was made just for me and the targets I hunt (inland jewelry).

HH
Mike

 

[Mike Hillis]

Joan Allen

Fisher Labs # 1

Fisher Labs #3

 

[earthmansurfer]

Thanks Mike (and Bill) for those comments. Those were great comparison reviews you gave of the F5 and O8000. I just sold my T2, which was a pretty simple detector, control wise, to operate. I'm enjoying the O8000 but do wonder about some of those comments you mentioned.

A few things. The O8000's expanded iron range seems to function excellent for me regarding pulling coins from iron. You didn't do the follow up on if it's indeed better than the F5 in that way. Interesting what you said about the O8000 iron range as I had no idea about the breakdown and how you could use it to help with shapes of targets. Perfect description of pulling coins from iron regarding the signal ( I didn't get as good separation on my T2!). I too picked up quickly on the iron falsing (which the T2 didn't really do) - the high tone bounce is extreme where as a coin target is lower and it locks on (if I got you correctly).

Since the modes are the same (and I've posted this on the Teknetics forum with not much of a response yet) and you touched on this, what do you think about the d2 mode and depth? I have only used the d2 and d3 mode. (Being in Germany 2 tones is actually enough for me as the coins are all over the place on the ID). It seems to me that the d3 mode is a little louder on deeper targets compared to the d2 mode (and that makes sense considering d2 is a vco mode). I just love vco because I seem to get more information about the target, not just the depth, but maybe I'm off there. Can you elaborate more on the d1 mode as I didn't really use that on the T2 either but here it's the best mode to use in iron (on the T2 anyway.)

Anyway, for only 2 or 3 hunts I'm learning the O8000 really quickly.

Thanks again - You are teaching me a lot

 

[earthmansurfer]

Forgot to mention. Is there something to F5 users not being able to run their units wide open? I couldn't run my T2 wide open hardly at all, but I can turn my Omega 8000 on in the house to half way with no problem. In the field I turn it to 99 sens 95% of the time, really. I see the same thing on the Teknetics forum and after checking the fisher forum it seems a lot of F5 users can't turn theirs that open at all. Perhaps they did something there with the O8000?

 

[obolusman]

I had an F5 that I couldn't even turn up to the beginning of the black -either knob plus it had the old software.
I was the 2nd owner.
I paid to ship it to fisher on their advice and they upgraded the software and they field tested it and adjusted for my mild soil I think and shipped it back all for free.

when I got it back-it had amazing depth. The knobs were much nicer and smoother working Stiff but very buttery, -I could turn the Gain and the threshold up just about all the way,
after 5 or 6 " it was not accurate though but I have said many times it had a unique chime on a dime or silver
and I found a 1950's snap shirt button with a pearl inlay at 14" .It was only 1/4' in size. No other detector I have had has ever done that.
Like a dummy I sold it because it was not accurate after 5 or 6'.
I found out later most machines are like this.

 

[AIRFORCEMIKE]

Since im have a toss up between the 2 this is a great thread thanks to all of you for giving great reviews. Now I just need to find a great deal on a 8000. thanks

 

[TerraDigger]

No one mentioned that the Omega shows a greater performance enhancement with the optionaal DD coils than the F5, or any of the other Teknetics units in the Greek series. However, both machines are excellent. Just a matter of preference/hunting styles. Actually, if I had money to burn, I would like to give the F5 a whirl for its gain adjustment capability. And Earthman, it is not your imagination, the Omega is way quieter in iron (using DD coils) than the T2 Thats why I switched to the Omega.