Rifle Scopes What technology drives an “Ultradot” RDS?

[jlow]

Having used a few RDS in my time, I thought I understood them…. So for example, the Aimpoints are LED-based reflex sights, and the EoTechs are laser-based holographic sights. For me at least, the reflex sights are a “blur comet” that many of you have experienced, but the holographic sights like the EoTech and more recently the Vortex UH-1 are better, still some blurring but I can get a reasonable slightly fuzzy dot.

The other day at the pistol range, a bullseye shooter had an Ultradot on his handgun and having heard about these ask if I could look through it. I was shocked when I did because what I saw was a 100% clear round dot in his sight…

So I am 100% sure it is no reflex sight and not even likely that it is a holographic sight, but what tech drives these Ultradots and if they are so clear, why do we not see them on rifles?

I have done some searches on the web but it is still not clear what technology drives these. Maybe someone here knows?

 

[koshkin]

It is a perfectly conventional reflex sight with longer lens focal length which improves collimation quality.

Some reflex sights have better collimation quality than others and length compared to diameter (F/#) helps with that. With compact red dot sights, Leica Tempus is very good. Crimson Trace CTS-1400 is quite good as well. Mepro MOR is good.

ILya

 

[MJF]

I have an Ultradot Matchdot on my Hammerli and it is great. It has 10 levels of brightness and an adjustable dot of 2,4,6 or 8 MOA. Why can't anyone else make an adjustable dot size? Mine is over ten years old, so it is not new technology.

 

[jlow]

It is a perfectly conventional reflex sight with longer lens focal length which improves collimation quality.

Some reflex sights have better collimation quality than others and length compared to diameter (F/#) helps with that. With compact red dot sights, Leica Tempus is very good. Crimson Trace CTS-1400 is quite good as well. Mepro MOR is good.

ILya

That's amazing. One has to wonder though with an Aimpoint which generally have this problem, considering their cost which is the highest, why they don't have the best collimation quality?

 

[koshkin]

That's amazing. One has to wonder though with an Aimpoint which generally have this problem, considering their cost which is the highest, why they don't have the best collimation quality?

Larger Aimpoints are usually pretty good at that. However, Aimpoints are a lot more durable than Ultradots from what I remember. It has been a little while since I have looked at anything from Ultradot. I did not like the people there, so I have been mostly ignoring them.

ILya

 

[jlow]

Aimpoints, especially the CompM4/M5s are of course the gold standard when you are talking about durability and battery life (and of course cost). But they are certainly not the gold standard when it comes to a blurred dot - thus the question.

I think the Ultradots are about 1/3 the price of a quality Aimpoint, and I doubt they come close in terms of durability or battery life, but the clarity of the dot is incredible....

 

[gmcrigger2007]

I have been using Ultradot for the last 10-15 yrs too, and they've been great! I also picked up a trijicon red dot last year and it's been fine.

 

[jlow]

There are people, some with astigmatism that have problems with reflex sights. It's hard to say whether you are one of those unless you have looked through an Aimpoint.

 

[gmcrigger2007]

There are people, some with astigmatism that have problems with reflex sights. It's hard to say whether you are one of those unless you have looked through an Aimpoint.

I have an astigmatism problem myself and i use corrected lenses. I never tried a an Aimpoint ,but i think whatever dot i would look through I would have to use my glasses to make the dot clearer.