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Posted: 4/3/2009 9:46:03 AM EDT
| Anyone having any issues with? How's the automatic photosensing dot doing? Search was limited to 30 days. Please no pissing contest between Aimpoint, etc. Have a few of those too. Just want options/experience with this optic. |
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Here's an old thread on optic talk:
http://www.opticstalk.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=10016 An old ARFCOM thread: http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=18&t=382690&page=1 |
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[considering M4 flat top applications]
I bought one from US Armorment.com ($269), along with the quick-mount recommended by Millet $59.95. The item is very clean and well-constructed. The intensity of the dot does actually adjust automatically with changing light conditions. We haven't been able to sight it in, yet. We encountered a problem when mounting. The co-witness with the flip-up's was difficult. Without the flip-up's, when shouldering the weapon and looking through the tube, the dot was low in the middle of the front post riser. That's not to say that the product is poor, just the formula that we selected. I suppose if one was to use the millet recommended quick-mount, a mounting rail would be needed. We were going to use a mounting rail, but have decided to try the QD LT150 mount from Larue $124.95. It's a bit more $$$ and the model is designed for an Aimpoint, but a 30mm tube is a 30mm tube so we're gonna try it. The Larue mount seems higher and will most likely provide us the needed remedy. As for the money, if one was to purchase the Millet mount and a rail, it works out to be about the same. A note on US Armorment: It was the most reasonable price I could find but the return policy is a bit strict for my taste. |
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A post of mine from overseas regarding the Zoom Dot from a year or so ago (1300 hours of battery life):
I put fresh batteries in mine a week before I left home in mid March. Yesterday was at the range when I noticed the dot had started to dim. It is left on with the covers open 24 hours a day. The dot was still there just a lot dimmer than it normally is. It had two LR44 installed and they were replaced with a single Aimpoint style battery. I'll see if there is a difference in lifespan between the LR44's and the Aimpoint style. So far the scope seems to be holding up well. No loss of zero despite being bumped and abused. The Larue mount used to mount it is great, no issues at all with the mount. The lense covers taht came with it aren't the greatest and will get replaced with Butler Creeks or something similar. A post by me a while back: I got my Zoom Dot about a week before I left to go overseas in March. So far it has held up well with no loss of zero after being banged and bumped around. It probably has 500 rounds through the gun it is mounted on with no problems. The lens covers are pretty crappy and poorly designed. It will get new covers when I get back. It does what it is supposed to do and I have no complaints about it. The autoajusting brightness works well as long as the dot is in the larger half of the size range, in the smaller range it does get hard to see in bright light. The battery life is about 1300 hours before it starts to dim. It does not work well with NV, even when turned down all the way. The dot balloons and makes it nearly impossible to use at night. I was able to use a blue flashlight filter to improve it but it still is a PITA to use at night. Overall I do think it is a novel idea but in application I think this version is a bit overpriced for what you get. If they would make the same version with the ability to change to NV mode I think it would be worth it but as it stands I don't think it worth the MSRP. For the same money you can get a decent optic with NV capability. It would probably be a good optic for someone who won't every need it at night or on a range gun. If you have any specific questions please ask and I'll try to answer. Dolomite |
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Dolomite,
This is an eye-opener. I thought that the Zoom Dot is NV capable. Does anyone out there who is a rep for Zoom Dot have an explanation? While I wouldn't want this thread to turn into a back and forth banter over products, I thought someone migtht have an explanation or even a remedy. Especially, since Dolomite seems to be in the sand-box with something that is reported to be useless w/ night vision. Thanks, blue4good |
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Quoted:
Dolomite, This is an eye-opener. I thought that the Zoom Dot is NV capable. Does anyone out there who is a rep for Zoom Dot have an explanation? While I wouldn't want this thread to turn into a back and forth banter over products, I thought someone migtht have an explanation or even a remedy. Especially, since Dolomite seems to be in the sand-box with something that is reported to be useless w/ night vision. Thanks, blue4good Without the blue filter on the rear of the Zoom Dot it is absolutely worthless through NV. Works great during the day but at night it sucks. I was actually going to try a IR filter over the rear of the scope to see if that made a difference but never got a chance. I was talking with some scope manufactuers about making a illuminated scope that had red/IR rather than the red/green so common today. Their advice was to hang the NV in front of the scope. This is fine unless you actually have to move around in a dark enviroment. I always had the NV hanging off my helmet and never mounted on my weapon. I tried mounting it once and realized real quick that lowering your weapon resulted in no vision. I have used Aimpoints and Eotechs through NV and I like the Eotech through NV way better than the AImpoint. What I don't like about the Eotech is its inate ability to shit the bed at the worst possible moment. I quit using them for that reason. I will stick with Aimpoints for now. There are a lot of great sights out there that I haven't used and I'm sure some I would like better than the Aimpoint but the Aimpoint has proven itself reliable as long as no water gets into the battery comaprtment. Dolomite |
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I ran the Zoom dot for a year or more on my patrol rifle. While I never tried it with night vision I can't imagine that it would work that well given that at its lowest intensity it is still bright enough to see with the naked eye. I would think it would bloom.
The scope worked as advertised and I never had any problems with the auto brightness in training or on the road. It was always as it needed to be. I liked the versatility it offered but it was a little dark with a magnifier due to the tinting. I'm running a trijicon tripower now and I actually shot better groups with the magnifier and the zoom dot than I do with the tripower and magnifier. The glass of the tripower is much clearer, though, and brighter with the magnifier. |
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