Enclosed red dot VS open emitter, The main difference on the surface is that a closed emitter is weatherproof. but, closed emitter won't help if the rain and snowflakes keep falling on it, and you basically can't find with it if you have to constantly clean it.
Open VS Closed Emitter Red Dot
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Closed Emitter
The closed emitter design fully protects the LED emitter diode and the internal to keep dirt, and debris out of the optic.
This design is more common for long guns setups.
This means it works in rainy conditions, and the user can quickly wipe the lens clean even if it gets dropped in mud, wet sand, snow, and other nasty weather conditions.
Most red dot sights on the market feature the closed emitter design.
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Weather Proof
Melting snow and dirt don't enter the optic at all. Just wipe it off and you're good to go.
No obstruction of the emitter LED
Field Of View
Bigger window gives wider field of view.
Pros
- Protects internal againts mud and rain droplets
- Rugged and durable
- Fully weatherproof include fog and icing
- No sight removal required for battery swap (Almost all of them)
Cons
- Too big for a pistol optic unless using
Popular closed emitter red dot sights:
Open Emitter
The open emitter design exposes the emitter without a rear lens, and the internal is NOT fully protected.
Sights like the Trijicon RMR and Holosun 507K are in the open emitter category, and are very popular for conceal-carry users and used as offset aiming sights.
The downside of an open emitter design means water droplets, mud, sand, snow, or other debris can get inside the pocket, and potentially obscure the reticle mirror projection, and the user has the dig everything out.
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Weather Proof
Melting snow is easier to deal with, and try to dig with a hook shaped object.
Play with the slider below to see why a closed emitter is better at fighting against water droplets and debris.
Melting snow is easier to deal with, and try to dig with a hook shaped object.
If the water droplet or dirt don't come off completely, it will refract the LED reticle projection on the glass, and gives the user a blurry reticle.
After cleaning out the melting snow. It will be much hard when dealing with wet dirt or sticky debris.
Field Of View
No noticeable difference between open emitter or closed emitter. Bigger window gives bigger field of view regardless the type.
Dot Clarity
Dot clarity is the same for open emitter or closed emitter optics. However, it can be challenging for shooters with astigmatism or other aging related eye problems.
Vision problems that exist in your everyday life will affect how the reticle looks through an optic.
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