Ok guys I bought an Aimpoint Pro and also demo’d 2 others ones with the same results and I have questions about the brightness levels.

First let’s clear this up: the usual “off” position on the dial is actually position 1. The last / “Super Bright” setting is position 10.

I have to use the brightest setting outdoors during the daytime whether it’s sunny or cloudy for it to be bright enough. If I go down one setting from max I can see the dot still but it’s pretty dim. (I live in the south)

Indoors fully lit daytime I use the second to last setting (9) and that’s bright enough for me but If I use the 3rd to last setting (8) I really have to search for that dot to find it.

I can use setting 8 for indoors dimly lit at night, sometimes 9.

I use setting 7 for an almost blacked out indoors setting at night.

Does this seem normal? I’ve researched as much as I could online and the results are very mixed (I understand everyone’s eyes are different). Some people say they never go higher than 5-7 outdoors in sunlight. I can’t even see the dot on 7 outdoors during the DAY. So I thought we’re could gather a lot of Aimpoint PRO users to see what’s normal.
Online research with lots of other forums and reviews have opposite results... some say the PRO is plenty bright and way too bright on a few settings and that you’ll never need to use and you’ll never use the super bright setting even outdoors on a really bright sunny day. The other side says they basically only have a couple daytime(NON-night vision) settings that really work for them.

Just to be clear: The max setting (10) is bright enough for outside daytime / bright sun. But no other setting is suitable in these conditions which is shocking to me. I feel I should I should be able to have more than one brightness setting that works outside during the day. Now indoors fully lit settings 9 and 10 are bright enough although setting 10 can be too bright (shows a red ring around the lens edges) but anything below setting 9 indoors fully lit is not bright enough.

I’m just trying to figure out what’s normal and hope it helps others as well.

FYI: I’m using all new batteries on 3 different Aimpoint PRO’s. And I do understand the first 4 settings are for night vision.

Not really familiar with that sight, but seems you should have more adjustment than to have to have it almost max just to see the dot. Did you try new batteries?

BTW, I responded to your email about 10 minutes ago.

Hey thanks so much! I’ll check my email.

I am using new batteries.

In broad day light, setting 10 is the only usable one. Setting 9 is barely visible.

My PRO is pretty much the same. Last setting outdoors, which is barely acceptable. Second to last setting indoors. Seems like the first 4 or 5 settings are useless unless you have NV. I'm less than impressed with my PRO as my RMR blows it away as far as brightness.

Why I didnt buy them . really want to go with the PRO since I cant use  Eotechs anymore I thought it was me or just the PRO. I only got to play with one though.

Well this is good to know that I’m not the only one.

And I agree about those first 5 settings - I can BARELY see setting 5 in a very very dark room, and that’s suppose to be the first daytime setting.

FWIW - this is the only red dot I’ve experienced like this when it comes to lack of brightness and it’s settings.

FWIW, mine is brand new with factory batteries. At some point I may get around to changing out the batteries, but it appears some people have had issues with the brightness that are not battery related and are the sight itself.

Something is wrong. The highest I've shot mine is setting 7 on a bright day. If I crank it up to 9 or 10 it's way too bright and I see the reflection off the inside of the housing.

Having said that, my Comp M4S is a way nicer sight. Well worth the money.

When you say brightness issues ... you mean an actual defect that was confined and fixed by Aimpoint?

For me I’m trying to debate returning it or sending it into Aimpoint to check out. But i hate having to send in a brand new item under warranty... especially if there’s nothing wrong and this is normal.

Ok so when you state your experience of never going higher than 7... was that on a PRO or M4S?

That is on my Pro. The Comp M4S seems to go a little brighter and also has a crisper dot. It's also built like a friggin tank compared to the Pro.

Ok thats good to know. I wonder why others have such dimmer settings similar to my experience. And for me it’s not cuz of batteries.

Oh yah I’m sure the M4 is awesome... just not in my price range.

Definitely get it checked out. When I crank my Pro up to the max setting it's very bright. Even when lighting up a dark room with a 600 lumen Surefire Scout Ultra. That seems to wash out the dot more than a bright sunny day.

On my Pro, I use setting 7... That settkng is plenty bright to see the dot against a white wall 5 ft away with a bright weapon light shining on the wall.

7 is bright enough for most daylight shooting, but I might go to 8 or 9 if it is very bright and the target is light in color.

Generally I find the brightness acceptable, but it isn't the brightest red dot sight.

For accuracy I set the brightness one click higher than when I first see the dot. Relatively dim is more conducive to small groups IME.

I only go a click or two higher for action shooting. I can't take looking at the damn thing turned all the way up, even on the brightest days. It's too bright for me.

In the house, especially at night, it's set very low.

the first 4 or 5 settings are for night vision . it tells you that in the maual . I also seldom go past 7 maybe 8 if Im out in a field at high noon . if you think its broke send it back they will fix it .

My M4S is the same way. I have to go max on sunny days.

Crazy. So varying results again.

Thank you for chiming in.

Aimpoint asked me to send mine in. Curious to see if there is any difference when it comes back.

Yah lemme know

I’d be very interested to hear the results.

Had my PRO at the range today. Setting 9 shooting underneath overhead canopy. Setting 10 too bright, setting 8 I was using for shooting Clay's at 100 yards.

I have two dot sights on two rifles - a SIG cheapo mini red-dot and an MRO. Both are approximately the same in brightness/numbers. For example, in the above situation (shooting at the range under a roof) I will be way down at around #3 to get a less fuzzy dot that I can still see. Out in the sunlight, I might get up to #5 or #6 on either one. At night, we're talking maybe #1. Personally I would not own a red-dot that wasn't usable except in the brightest range. Sounds like a defect in that unit or a design defect in all of them. Hopefully for you it will be in your unit and they'll replace it. Otherwise I guess you'll have to eat it and get a better sight.

I got my first ever PRO today and wondered the same thing. It's definitely not as bright as my T2, RMRs or Razor GII 1-6. I might try a different battery.

I tried another model at a Cabela’s far away from where I live and the brightness seemed to be better. But it was in different conditions so it’s hard to make a solid comparison.

I may buy a killflash just to see if it makes a difference. Otherwise I'll be ponying up for another T2. I love everything else about the PRO though especially in a LT150 mount.

I like the PRO a lot too. Just want better brightness levels.

Yes, normal.

Setting 8,9,10 outdoors in full sun ... depending on conditions.

I have a Aimpoint PRO that is about 3-4 years old. Outdoor in bright sunlight settings 9,10 are way too bright. I usually use settings 7/8 in outdoor bright sunlight.

For those that have multiple Aimpoints, are the brightness level supposed to be similar? Like I said above the only brightness level even comparable to my T2s is on the highest setting. I ordered new batteries to see if that helps.

Wow yah this is very different than my experience. The last brightest setting was the only truly usable setting outside in bright sunlight.

So there’s people with experiences like mine and then ones like yours. I know everyone has different eyes but could there be a large tolerance difference between models or even eras of production concerning the Aimpoint Pro ?

TacticalTavorian, I replied to your email.

Thank you sir.

I got to compare an older CompM4, h-1, t-1, and PRO today.

Aimpoint customer service says that all models have the save amount of max brightness. My experience today says differently. The PRO doesn’t have the maximum amount of brightness the h-1/t-1 models have. Maybe it just “appears” this way cuz the micros are smaller in size / lens. I’m not sure. But the CompM4 also seems to have a couple extra usable daytime settings IMO too.

I understand where you’re coming from. But since the M2, M3, and PRO are all pretty old foundation designs maybe those are all the same. The M4, and Micro series options are newer updated / upgraded options so maybe they differ somehow?

Either way - I trust your experience as well. I was just stating mine.

Same as above.   I have three of them.  No issues.  Mine take a beating too.

Switch dot brightness
10 positions: 4 NVD, 6 daylight of which 1 extra bright.
(When turned all the way to the left , which would be number 1 NVD, I can see the dot with my NVG’s.)

The last setting on all 3 of my Pros would be too bright during the day while I’m shooting in sunlight. I’m on setting 8 for sunny days.   10 Is so bright it creates a halo.

Call them to see if they want you to return it for repair.

I received an update on my PRO and they sent it to Sweden to be repaired. If your PRO doesn't get very bright, it is not normal.

Great to know. Thank you for the update.

Please keep us updated.

I’m just gonna add this info here...

I’ve tested 2 Aimpoint Pro’s at my local Academy Sports, 1 locally at another small gun store, 1 Aimpoint Pro in a Cabela’s in MN, and I bought 1 online from a dealer in TX (returned). All of these with the exception of one lacked brightness IMO. And the one that was an exception seemed brighter but not by a ton. And the one that was an exception was still not NEAR as bright as the 2 micros I directly compared the PRO with.

I just bought another one online and it comes in tomorrow. I’ll let you know my results. If this one is not as bright as the micros I just tested yesterday, there’s a couple probably scenarios:

1.) they had a bad batch (of either LED’s or possible circuitry) and they need repair
2.) this is NORMAL

I chime in more tomorrow.

I live in the desert and during the daytime my Pro is fine at 7 or 8. I also use the ARD on it. 9 and 10 are just too bright and there's a noticable light bloom at 10.

Great to know. In my experience with the ones I’ve tried - no setting will get it to bloom outside in sunlight. And 9 is hard to see at all in bright sunlight. Hopefully my next one will be better.

How old is yours?

I'm not the original owner. I've only had it about a month. I didn't ask how old it is.

FYI,

The Comp ML3 first couple of settings are dim enough to use with night vision;even though it's supposed to be a non night vision compatible sight.

Reportedly the ML2 is the same.

Also reportedly, the PRO and the old M3 are essentially the same thing.

I got to try a new Aimpoint Pro. Basically the same, it seems a little brighter for each setting but still outside on a sunny day, setting 8 is very hard to pickup. 9 is now more usable but I’d still use 10 outside on a sunny day.

Yeah I agree, too much consistency with too many models all across very different areas of the country.

I went outside today to check mine and thought I’d come back to report my observations. Weather conditions were bright and sunny, 87 degrees. I checked two PROs and setting 9/10 appeared most practical given lighting conditions. On setting 8/10, the dot was visible, but washed out in light colored backdrops. Setting 10/10 was overkill and too bright. Both PROs appeared consistent in my observation, YMMV.