Reflex vs. Holographic Sights vs. Red Dot Sights: On the Differences

Nowadays, with high-tech red dot sights on the market, you don’t need to choose between iron sights and some sort of optic, since you can run both simultaneously, using them for co-witness over each other. 

With that said, the modern market offers a dizzying array of options in terms of optic types, of which some of the most common types (for handguns, at least) are red dot sights, and two subcategories, holographic sights and reflex sights. 

This short post will explore each type, breaking down some of the details. 

A red dot sight consists of a body and a lens (which is usually non-magnifying) along with an emitter that projects a spot of light (usually red, hence the name) onto the lens.

Red dot sights offer a variety of advantages over shooting over iron sights (as well as through a scope) including the following:

• Red dot sights allow a clearer sight picture as well as fast target acquisition.
• Red dot sights allow for faster, more instinctive shooting when compared to iron sights and scopes.
• They’re effective in the dark as well as in bright conditions, making them perfect for all lighting conditions.
• Red dot sights are free from the issues of parallax distortions and sight radius, which plague scopes and iron sights, respectively.
• Red dot sights are easy to learn to use, with shorter learning curves than iron sights.

This makes red dot sights attractive to many - but here are some of the considerations that must be made:

• Footprint: Not all red dot sights are compatible with all slides or mount types.
• Brightness settings: Quality red dot sights have adjustable brightness so that they can be used in both light and dark conditions.
• Dot color: Red dots are better in the dark as they preserve your night vision, and they also draw less battery power. However, blue and green dot versions are better in bright light, as they are crisper and easier to see.
• Dot size: Dot size,measured in minutes of angle (or MOA) is an important factor, as smaller red dots allow for more precise shooting, though they can be a little harder to see.

There are also two other types of similar sights that are slightly different - holographic sights and reflex sights. Here are some of the distinctions.

Whereas a red dot sight has an emitter that projects a spot of light onto a lens, with a holographic sight, there is an emitter and a series of mirrors to project a spot that appears to be 3-dimensional onto the lens. Some reflex sights have a reticle with a ring and a spot in the middle.

One of the main functional differences between holographic and red dot sights is that, since the former are considerably more complex, they tend to cost much more. This makes red dot sights a simpler and more cost effective option.

Holographic sights also tend to be larger and heavier than red dot sights, which means that for the most part they are used on long guns - though there are still handguns with which they can be used.

For the most part, the larger size and footprint is a result of that fact that holographic sights produce a very clear reticle and sight picture that prioritizes accuracy over speed.

Next we have reflex sights, but there is only a fine line dividing red dots from reflex sights. Truly, reflex sights are a subcategory of red dot sight.

To put it properly, a red dot sight is a red dot if the housing is enclosed in a tube, and it can be called a reflex sight if there is no tube. Basically, think of a reflex sight as a simplistic version of a red dot.

Mini reflex sights, as they are the smallest and lightest of all red dot sights, are generally favored for handguns not only because they tend to be more affordable, but because they minimally change the weight, footprint, and handling of the gun.

Just as importantly, smaller reflex sights offer great eye relief, are generally parallax-free, and keep a very open sight picture, enabling instinctive shooting, which can be difficult when shooting through a red dot enclosed in a tube.

Think of it this way: most of the most basic red dot sights are reflex sights (hence the common name “reflex red dots”), and the more complex ones with complicated internals and reticle systems are holographic sights, with basic red dots filling the middle ground.

Want to learn more about the different types of red dot sights and optics out there? Get in touch with our customer service and we’ll be happy to break down the utility and features of each different category.