Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Overall, I think this optic was a solid purchase for me. I mounted it on my AR using the high base for absolute co-witness, and headed to the range today. As is usually the case, the positives and negatives Quickly emerged for me. On the negative side: 1. The red dot will not appear solid if you have astigmatism. It has a slight "starburst" appearance to me, but this can be mitigated by using it in conjunction with back up iron sights, as I did. Not the sight's fault really, just something to keep in mind. 2. The adjustments (brightness, windage, and elevation) to me, are on the "soft" side. In other words, it can be difficult to feel the "click" when making corrections, or powering on the unit. I'm comparing it to other optics I've owned, from Redfield to Zeiss. 3. The close proximity of the windage cap, and the cover for the battery compartment makes removing either one awkward. Also, the tethers that hold on to the caps have to be held to keep them from binding as you turn the cap. Those with larger fingers will likely have trouble with this. 4.The base requires an allen wrench to apply/remove it. Quick detach (Larue) mounts are available from various suppliers though. Also, the elevation and windage turrets must be turned with a coin, or the like. 5. The S2's lens caps flip up nicely, but are just pressed on, and shift easily from side to side if bumped. 6. It uses the Cr 2032 battery. AAA's would be nice, but that would make it bulkier. Can't have it all, I guess. These are the positive attributes as I see them: 1. The SPARC II has an overall good fit and finish, with a quality (good machining) feel to it. The base I chose fit very securely to my picatinny rail, and didn't show any sign of moving after 100 rounds of 5.56 at the range. 2. Zeroing the S2 was easy. After a couple of adjustments, I was able to put most shots within a few inches at 25yds shooting off hand. Yes, it's a fairly short distance. To me, the point of the S2 is rapid target acquisition at short to medium range with reasonable accuracy. If I wanted to shoot 1MOA out to Pluto, I would scope my AR accordingly. 3. The lowest 3 brightness settings worked well for me, even in daylight. Also, these buttons are smartly placed, facing the shooter. 4. The glass is crystal clear, with no hint of fogging, and remained so in heat and humidity that had sweat pouring off of me. 5. It's compact enough that it doesn't interfere with the iron sights, and leaves room on a standard length picatinny rail for a magnifier if desired. For $200 you're unlikely to find another product that's waterproof, fog proof, night vision compatible, and has a solid warranty. If my life depended on it (law enforcement, military), then I would likely upgrade, but the S2 meets the requirements of a non-professional like myself. Hopefully, this review will give some prospective buyers good info to base a decision on. It's not a comprehensive list of +'s and -'s, but should offer some guidance beyond the useless "it sucked", and "love it" reviews I see all too often.