Sightron Japan SD-33XX Review

This time, I'll be reviewing my first real-steel optical device, the Sightron Japan SD-33XX (dot sight).

Speaking of Sightron Japan (formerly Tasco Japan), if you look at training photos of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, you'll often see the Type 89 rifle with an MD-33 attached (apparently they also have AIM POINT COMP2 and Eotech holographic sights).

The product reviewed here is not the MD-33, but rather the SD-33XX, which appears to be a lower-priced version of the MD-33, maintaining the same level of durability and waterproofing, but omitting the "AUTO mode: automatic dimming" and "NV mode: night vision" features.

The MD-33X was also sold in a similar price range, but since I personally don't own night vision equipment, and the SD-33XX is the latest model and comes with a genuine high mount, I decided to buy the SD-33XX.

I purchased the product directly from Sightron Japan at an event and was able to hear various things from them, so I will introduce it in this review while incorporating what I learned.

Let's start with unboxing.

Outer box, contents

First, let's look at the outer box.

The outer box has a stylish look.

At first glance, it appears that you can't tell what's inside the box, but the product name is printed on the side of the box.

Let's open the box.

The fact that the main unit is packaged in a plastic bag with a desiccant inside, showing careful attention to detail, feels very Japanese.

I laid out the contents.

That's all for the contents.

If you are planning to purchase this product or have already purchased it, please use this as a reference for checking whether the contents are included or not.

It's a pretty impressive set, and I appreciate that the included accessories can basically be used to mount airsoft guns.

Next, let's look at the main unit.

appearance

This is the exterior of the main unit.

It has "SIGHTRON" printed on it.

Let's look at each view.

Top view.

サイドビュー

The opposite side.

Bottom view

This is a simple red dot sight.

Upon closer inspection, it appears that there is a great deal of machining (cutting) involved, giving it a luxurious look.

The material is aluminum, but in my experience, it's likely one of the Al2000, Al6000, or Al7000 series (the Al5000 series is often welded).

I think that, prioritizing durability, at this price point, it's probably Al6000 grade with T6 treatment.

Next, let's try attaching the mount.

The included mount was a high mount with a height of 16mm.

Looking at the mounting section, it appears to be the AIMPOINT T1 standard (as stated on the Sightron Japan website).

This is the mounting shape on the main unit.

These are attached using the included Torx screws and Torx wrench.

This is completed.

I think it's great that the mounting is positioned using the shape of the mounting part rather than screws.

Surprisingly, it's often difficult to achieve precise positioning using only screws, so it's not wrong to assume that the accuracy of anything that relies solely on screws for positioning is questionable.

The company's MD series had a ring-type mount and was also low in height (this is my impression after comparing the products in a store).

It may look a little large, but if you compare it to the Vector Optics Maverick and Nautilus that I introduced previously, you'll see that it's not that big.

In terms of size, it's somewhere between the compact Maverick and the larger Nautilus.

Next, let's measure the weight.

It's surprisingly light for its size, weighing 278.5g with the mount. For comparison, the Vector Maverick weighs 184g and the Nautilus weighs 310g.

Similar to how they look side-by-side, the weight order is Maverick < SD33XX < Nautilus.

Next, let's look at the controls.

Operation system

This is the power switch and dot brightness adjustment dial.

It's a standard dial-type control. Brightness can be adjusted in 11 steps from 1 to 11.

Incidentally, the battery, which provides the power, is located inside this dial.

Removing the cap reveals the included CR2032 battery.

Next is the vertical adjustment of the dot, or elevation.

Unscrew the cap on the top of the unit.

Removing the cap reveals the height adjustment and elevation dial.

The dial has a firm feel, so I don't think the dot will shift much during use. What I personally liked was that you don't need any tools to operate the dot adjustment dial; you can adjust it quickly by hand.

When playing airsoft, I often want to adjust the vertical position of the dot depending on the situation during the game, so this is very helpful (I rarely adjust the horizontal position).

Furthermore, the adjustment dial cover is attached to the main body with a rubber band, which is great because it significantly reduces the chance of losing parts while adjusting the dots during gameplay.

Next is the left/right adjustment of the dots, and then the vintage dial.

Remove the cap on the opposite side of the power dial.

Removing the cap reveals the same dial used for adjusting the height.

The dial is also quite stiff, similar to the one used for vertical adjustment.

I can't comment on the adjustment range as I haven't used it in practice, but since it's a real-world model, I think zeroing should be no problem.

While I'm at it, I'll try attaching the included hood and kill flash.

By the way, the kill flash has a rather coarse appearance.

We will now attach it to the main unit.

The lens comes with a protective cap attached, so remove it (simply pull it off).

There's a ring attached that I don't understand the function of, so I'll remove that ring and attach a kill flash.

Next, let's look at the lens of the red dot sight.

Lens, how dots appear?

Let's take a look with the dots turned off.

It has a slight bluish tint, but the lens distortion is minimal and it's quite clear. Furthermore, the lens diameter is a relatively large 33mm, making it very easy to see through.

Since it's difficult to see what's behind the lens through the white copy paper, let's try looking through it with a different background.

You can see that there is little lens distortion.

For reference, here's a photo of what it looks like when looking through a Vector Optics Nautilus, which has a similar lens diameter.

The SD-33XX has less distortion, but the Nautilus is simply clearer in terms of lens clarity.

The important point here is that having blue lenses isn't necessarily a bad thing; in bright sunlight outdoors, the surrounding light is strong, so blue lenses can actually make things easier to see. Therefore, I think the evaluation of blue lenses will vary depending on the situation.

One reason the SD-33XX lens is blue is that when I spoke to the manufacturer about the specifications at the time of purchase, they told me it was "influenced by the opinions of the Self-Defense Forces deployed overseas, such as to Iraq." So I think it's one of the features designed to allow it to be used in bright environments like deserts.

This is with the kill flash attached.

This is the first time I've personally not found the kill flash to be a hindrance. I think it's a very well-designed kill flash.

Next, let's look at the objective lens.

It has a solid anti-reflective coating. I think the coating is more robust than on other products.

Next, let's try lighting up the dots.

It will light up at level 1 out of 11.

You can barely see the individual pixels. I think you'd only use it in a very dark room.

Next, let's try lighting it up at level 5 out of 11.

It's looking pretty good.

Next, let's try lighting it up at the maximum level, level 11 out of 11.

The dot is quite bright. It's so bright that the light from the dot reflects off the eyepiece and becomes visible.

According to the manufacturer, the brightness of this dot was intentional, and it seems to be set to be usable even in extremely hot outdoor conditions.

As expected from a real-steel dot sight, the brightness can be adjusted properly, so even if the maximum brightness level of 11 is too bright, you can use levels 4, 5, or 6 without any problems (the MD-33X is a bit dimmer).

Also, I have astigmatism, so I rarely see the dot clearly as a dot on many red dot sights, but thanks to its impressive performance, I can see the dot clearly. I can't explain it with a photo because it's just my eyes, but I was so impressed just to see the dot clearly as a dot.

Let's look through the objective lens with the dot still lit.

The light source is located on the top.

For reference, here's a picture of the Vector Nautilus in the illuminated state (the brightness level is not visible because it has an automatic dimming function).

Incidentally, the dot size is 5 MOA, which is a standard size dot.

Next, let's try moving the dot up, down, left, and right (the brightness level is 5).

上

under

left

When I moved it to the left, the brightness of the dots decreased.

The image is left-aligned to the extent that the brightness of the dots does not decrease.

right

As expected from a realistic model, you can clearly see the dots on all sides—top, bottom, left, and right.

However, the only slight drawback is that the brightness decreases when the dots are shifted to the left, but I think it's at a level that doesn't cause any problems in actual use.

Finally, here's how to view the dot with the kill flash attached (brightness is set to 5).

The kill flash doesn't get in the way even when the dot is lit. It's fantastic.

For reference, this is the Vector Nautilus with the dots shifted.

By the way, I've also included information on Vector Optics' Maverick and Nautilus for comparison, so please take a look if you're interested.

Summary

It is a summary.

As expected from a genuine red dot sight, I think its basic performance is excellent.

I believe this specification is more suitable for outdoor use in strong sunlight while still meeting basic performance requirements (of course, it can be used for all-around purposes).

What I personally found amazing was how surprisingly light it is despite its size (278.5g). Also, I have astigmatism, and with most red dot sights, I can't see the dot clearly (I usually see 3-4 dots), but with this product, I could see the dot perfectly.

I believe it's trustworthy because it's made by Sightron Japan, a manufacturer whose products are actually used by the Japan Self-Defense Forces.

I haven't been able to test its strength, durability, but since it's made to actual specifications, I think it's quite sturdy.

However, one thing that bothered me personally was that the brightness level seemed too bright at level 6 or higher out of 11. The manufacturer says that it was designed to be usable outdoors, even in deserts, and that the brightness level can be adjusted properly, so I think it's not a problem.

This is one of the most affordable real-world optical devices with this level of performance and durability, so I highly recommend it.

That concludes my review of the Sightron Japan SD-33XX.

・Sightron Japan SD-33XX
For some reason, it's become cheaper compared to before.

I've reviewed other red dot sights as well, so please check them out if you're interested!