AEMS-EVO - Reflections - Let's talk about it.
Over the last few days, I've seen several photos shared of the AEMS EVO showing reflections, reticle bloom, and other optical artifacts. I thought it would be helpful to explain why photos often don't represent what the optic looks like during normal use.
The appearance of a red dot in a photograph can change dramatically depending on several factors, including:
- Camera angle
- Reticle position within the viewing window
- Camera exposure and focus
- Brightness setting
- Ambient lighting
Even small changes in any of these variables can make the reticle or internal reflections appear significantly different than what your eye sees.
Below are a few examples taken through the same optic.
AEMS-EVO-RD
Max Brightness Setting 8 - reticle centered & in the top of the window.
Brightness Setting 6 - reticle centered & in the top of the window.
Brightness Setting 5 - reticle centered & in the top of the window.
To my eyes, Brightness Setting 5 was more than adequate for the indoor environment where these photos were taken. Increasing brightness beyond what the environment requires can make the reticle appear larger, increase bloom, and make reflections that are normally subtle much more noticeable in photographs.
The most meaningful way to evaluate any optic is:
- Mounted on a firearm
- Aimed at an actual target
- Looking through the optic from a normal shooting position
- With the reticle centered in the viewing window
- Using a brightness setting appropriate for the ambient lighting
Photos taken from off-axis angles or with the brightness set much higher than necessary can exaggerate reflections, tint, bloom, and other optical characteristics that are far less noticeable during normal shooting.
This doesn't mean every optic is perfect, and if someone believes they have a defective unit, we absolutely want to inspect it. That's the purpose of the RMA process: to determine whether there's a genuine manufacturing issue, identify any trends through serial number tracking, and repair or replace affected units when necessary.
The goal of this post isn't to dismiss anyone's concerns. It's simply to provide some context on why photographs alone can sometimes paint a very different picture than what the shooter actually experiences behind the optic.