Red dot sights

Red dot

— like optics, these scopes use a lens system and may even be similar in appearance. At the same time, the aiming mark in them is not applied to the glass in the form of a fixed mark, but is projected onto the lens using a powerful light source. Such devices are configured so that the visible position of the mark in the sight may be different, depending on the location of the eye relative to the optical axis, but the mark itself constantly points exactly at the aiming point. And the parallax effect (see "Functions and Capabilities — Parallax Adjustment") in sights of this type is either absent at all, or so insignificant that in most cases it can be neglected.

Thus, for accurate aiming through the collimator, you do not need to keep your eye strictly in the centre of the sight — it is enough to see the mark. In addition, unlike traditional optics, such a device can be installed at any distance from the eye — as convenient for the shooter himself. However, it is incorrect to directly compare these two types of sights, since collimators have their own specialization: they are designed mainly for short distances, the ability to quickly fire offhand and maximum control of the environment when aiming. It is worth noting that batteries are required for the operation of such a sight.