Ultradot polarizing filter

At an outdoor match yesterday the dot on my Matchdot2 "washed out" from the sun coming out periodically. During the morning it was cloudy but in the afternoon the light conditions became highly variable (sun in and out). I had the dot on a low setting for cloudy and when sun came out I had real hard time picking it up on the target white.   This wasn't a big problem during SF as changes can be made on the fly but during RF there isn't the same option.  As this was my first outdoor match, obviously a lesson learned to be mindful of light conditions during ready time. Q:  I have the polarizing filter that came with the unit. Has anyone found this to be helpful during variable light conditions, and if so any tips on how to best use it?  I recall using it once before  at practice but found it had a tendency to get out of adjustment and black out.

On the front of the filter if you look closely, you can see an "O" ring. Use a small pick and carefully remove the "O" ring. Then you will have 2 screens. Remove one (it doesn't matter which one) and put the other back in the scope and reinstall the "O" ring. 
My opinion only

OK.  I'll try that. Does removing one prevent it from blacking out perhaps?

yes, it reduces the blackout entirely, now you have enough filter to get you thru most situations. You no longer have to be constantly turning the filter

I'm confused, the reason the polarizing filters work as they do, is there are two polarizing filters.  When they are both oriented the same, there is minimal difference in what you see.  If you turn one filter 90 degrees to the other, most of the light is blacked out, making everything very dark.  You can select whatever amount of cutting back on the outdoor lighting you want.

It's supposed to cut out completely, or not cut out at all, or anything in-between.

The red dot doesn't change - it's the "outdoor" light that looks as if you're dialing down the brightness of the day.

If you remove some of the glass, you'll lose the ability to do what it was designed to do.


For me, it's very useful.  The red dot is "fixed", but if it's too bright to really see the dot, I adjust the polarizing filter to "turn down the sun", making the dot stand out better.  
If outdoor lighting conditions change, you just turn the filter as needed to adjust the outdoor lighting.

It's not something you set once, and forget it.  You set it according to conditions.

your right in being able to adjust the amount of light. That being said, if you remove one lens you remove the ability to black out the dot completely. It's always the same amount of filtering. I put mine on at the beginning of spring/summer shooting and have always found sufficient amount of filter. I leave it on all through the season and remove it when I go indoors in fall. Some shooters I know put a paster on if they don't remove the second lens once they have it adjusted to the amount of filter they require to keep it from turning darker/lighter while their shooting. I don't have to be concerned with that as I've found sufficient filtering with one lens removed. At my range the sun sets facing the targets and I've never had an issue
But be careful when removing and putting the filter back on as the threads are very fine and easy to cross thread. Additionally, I take a "Q" tip and just put a very small amount of grease on the threads, both on the filter and the scope itself. I tighten it up just so it contacts the scope, and check it before and after I shoot. If you make it too tight you'll play hell getting it off again. I have never had a problem with this arrangement not so much with my 22 but I always check my 45.
Again my opinion only

I adjust mine to where i want it then simply tape it in place so it won't move.

whitez06 wrote:.......if you remove one lens you remove the ability to black out the dot completely. It's always the same amount of filtering......

Something doesn't sound right.

If you have the Ultradot II mounted on a gun, and you turn the entire filter assembly, some things in the image you see may get a little brighter and darker, but the overall image should not change.  (What you're seeing is the ability of the polarizing filter to block reflections and some other light.)

If you turn ONLY the outermost ring on the Ultradot II, the ENTIRE image of the outside world should get as dark as you want, to the point where it's blacked out.  You are then controlling what percent of the outside light from getting through the filter to your eye.

Meanwhile, it should not be possible to "black out" the dot, as that light does not go through the polarizing lenses.

When everything is all set:

• you can control the brightness of the dot with the sight controls.
  
• you can control the brightness of the day outside, leaving it normal, or making it darker (so the dot stands out more).
  
• you can control the polarizing effect if you wish to, by turning the entire filter assembly.
  

Removing one polarizing lens, while leaving only the other, defeats the designed purpose of the filter.  Used as designed, you can adjust everything as you wish, dot brightness, and "outside" brightness.


Try it out - it's lots of fun to see how all these parts interact with each other.

jglenn21 wrote:I adjust mine to where i want it then simply tape it in place so it won't move.

Great idea, not to mention if the whole assembly happens to come loose during shooting, it won't come completely loose and fall of the front of the sight.
I'll do the same thing.   Thanks!!

Lesson learned the hard way. Nothing like shooting a rapid fire string and the target disappears

I had the same problem and tried to tape it but the problem is that the filter inside the ring comes loose too. These filters are junk.

^^  Exactly!

Even when taped it can change with every shot.

I had one fail on me as well.

Seems like everything is built to fail, unless you talk to the experts.   I got an Aimpoint Micro, thinking it was a better sight.  I still feel that way, but the standard mount may not hold up to using the sight on a 45.  Solution to that is to get one of KC's "Kodiak" bases for the Aimpoint.  Seems like an ideal sight, if you can afford the sight and the Kodiak.  There's the H1, and a newer H2, with flip-up lens covers.  Just be sure to follow KC's instructions on how to tighten all the screws.  

(I must be lucky - I have never once had a problem with my Ultradot II, and whenever I had questions, I call them directly and they're happy to discuss things.  If you have Ultradot problems, and you haven't taken the sight apart, call them.  Given a choice though, I prefer the Aimpoint.)

jglenn21 wrote:Lesson learned the hard way. Nothing like shooting a rapid fire string and the target disappears

True that I have a MD2 on both 22 and 45 and filters for each.  So, I think I'll try both suggestions which were to remove a disc on one and tape down the adjustment on the other to see what happens.  Here's to hoping the filter might prevent the dot from completely disappearing when I lose focus and forget to change intensity with sun coming out strong. It may seem strange but experience to date has shown they can indeed can change shot to shot or even black out.  Maybe the filter is a good idea that just hasn't been perfected yet.  Transition glasses for the optics some day?