Red Dot Finders - How to Use

I see a lot of posts here and elsewhere regarding the use of Red dot and similar "unity" finders. Many people complain about the "window" or "lens" of these finders being too dark or too heavily coated to allow the user to see "through" the finder. They miss the point -- the reflective coatings are necessary to make the projected image of the red dot visible. To properly use a red dot finder, you must have both eyes open. Align one eye on the red dot finder and let the other focus on the sky beyond. Your brain then interprets the red dot as being projected out on the sky beyond. It doesn't matter that you can't see clearly through the finder because you're seeing the sky with your other eye.

There is also a thread going in another forum regarding a new red dot type finder that has been recently announced by a telescope manufacturer which is actually based on a gun sight. Hello! My original red dot finder was a $9.95 Daisy BB gun sight modified per Phil Harrington's book, "Star Ware." Besides the fancy gun sight now being sold by the telescope manufacturer, Walmart carries a similar (but less feature laden) red dot gun site for $29.95 which is easly adapted for use as a telescope finder. Cabela's and other sporting/hunting/outdoor retailers carry similar items.

Jim

"Many people complain about the "window" or "lens" of these finders being too dark or too heavily coated to allow the user to see "through" the finder. They miss the point [...etc.]"

You know, I was wondering if I was some sort of oddball in how I used red-dot finders, because I never felt like I looked "through" them at all, but used both eyes, but I had often read complaints about how much they dimmed the view. I only in the last few days have purchased one of my very own (and for only $169, it came attached to an Orion Starblast, what a deal!). I'll try the single eye/looking through method, just to see what people are complaining about...

" Hello! My original red dot finder was a $9.95 Daisy BB gun sight modified per Phil Harrington's book, "Star Ware."

The Tele Vue red dot finder (not the $200 one) actually has "Daisy" imprinted on it! Nothing new about the use of these red dot gunsights at all.