Any discussion of light, its transmission and interpretation by the human brain can get technical, fast. Rather than venturing deep into that dark hole, here’s a look at the Eotech Vudu 1-8×24 mm SFP performance as it explores some less friendly optical arenas.
The human eye is best at detecting colors in the green spectrum. It’s built into our genes, a holdover from when we were the prey and spotting movement in the forest—even slight changes in tone—was critical to survival. Some companies tend to over-compensate by leaning their coatings so far into that color range that it surrenders contrast.
That’s not the case with the Vudu. Across 200 yards of fall bright, yellow grass, it easily distinguished between evergreen pines and the few holly leaves hiding within that thick and dark stand of trees. Oak branches and autumn leaves stood out extremely well. That ability didn’t diminish with magnification, on cloudy days, or at sunset and sunrise.
Rendition is ideally suited for target acquisition and identification—even at dawn and dusk. Color remained true at those times as well, leaning slightly toward those naturally occurring warmer colors of autumn.
The 24 mm objective lens, with XC HD full multi-coating, does a very good job collecting light. Visual inspection of it does not indicate any sort of color-compromising tint applied to the exterior glass.
Lighted Reticle
The performance is of little consequence if the reticle obscures an unduly large amount of real estate downrange or doesn’t hold true point of aim. I’m impressed with Eotech’s REV2 reticle.
Reticle discussions can get complicated, fast. Even expert opinions vary as to whether a wire reticle is inferior to an etched version. Rather than expanding on that in this article, here’s a series of interviews I did with some of the most knowledgeable people in the industry.
The REV2 reticle in this scope is located on the second focal plane of the riflescope, which means it does not change “size” as you alter magnification settings. It’s the traditional setup for American-made riflescopes, and the only drawback is the fact it does not lend itself to fast range estimation through the optic.
Its lighted red dot at the crosshair’s junction subtends only .5 MOA at 8 power. That’s a huge improvement over those commonly bulbous circles that surrender downrange precision in an effort to speed target acquisition.
The REV2 dot is brightness adjustable, and in testing plainly visible at all settings, even in broad daylight. A single, readily available CR2032 battery in a hidden compartment on the left side of the riflescope (under the Vudu name) provides power. An O-ring tightly seals the compartment.
To activate the dot, change brightness or turn it off, three rubberized pressure switches found at the 9-, 12- and 3-o’clock positions surrounding the battery compartment are depressed. The latter, toward the shooter, turns on the red dot or brightens it with each push until it reaches maximum setting. The scope then lets you know when its output is at maximum by blinking several times. Pushing the forwardmost button decreases brightness and the top switch, 12-o’clock, turns it on or off. At high output the battery lasts through roughly 500 hours of continuous use and to preserve power the unit shuts down after roughly two hours of non-use.
Unlike some of the lighted reticles on the market, this red dot doesn’t bleed into or overwhelm portions of the view at all. There were no reflections or spillover detected during testing and the reticle focus ring is at the back of the scope.
Repeatability and Precision
Windage and elevation is adjustable in increments of .25 moa per click. To confirm of the accuracy and repeatability of the internal movements, the scope went on a pair of rifles—one chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor and the other a .22 rimfire—then zeroed and a box walked on a target. The measurements were precise and repeatable in both tests, returning to the bullseye each cycle.
The turrets are low profile, measuring 1.2 inches in diameter and protruding just .700 inch from the main body. Caps protect each from inadvertent adjustment and modifying settings requires no tools. Simply rotate. Each click is firm, palpable and indeed moves point of aim by .25 moa reliably.
The primary (unlit) reticle is black and remains visible even when the red dot is off. Stadia lines at different elevation points provide holdovers for longer shots.
Distant or Close?
Three-gun stages routinely feature long-distance targets, followed by some so close enough finding them in a scope at high magnification is tough. A throw lever affixed to and protruding from the magnification ring provides a solution. Simply push left or right and field of view adjusts instantly.
It’s not standard equipment on most hunting riflescopes, but the Eotech Vudu 1-8×24 mm SFP comes with one. The owner decides whether the 1-inch long and .25-inch wide extension is mounted, or not.
Hunters who find themselves in situations where their prey appear at unpredictable distances, fast, will appreciate the advantage it offers. A speed bump on the magnification ring makes dialing things up or down, fast and easy with gloved hands, regardless. Angular texturing improves purchase more for those inevitable poor weather we all encounter.
Construction
The main body is one-piece T6 aircraft-grade aluminum and is 30 mm wide. Aluminum is also a complicated subject. My interview with materials experts explains the alloys in more detail.
The construction reflects an ability to take years of abuse afield, but the scope also comes backed by the Eotech Advantage Warrantee. “Should your Vudu rifle scope ever experience any defects in materials or workmanship,” it states, “we will repair or replace it, as determined by EOTECH, with a comparable product, free of charge (except for electronic components of an illuminated rifle scope…).” The electronics are covered for two years after the purchase date.
1951 Test
A United States Air Force 1951 resolution test chart at 50 yards was used to rate optical performance. The military retired it, but the descending-in-size pattern of bars allow inspection of lens rendition side to side and top to bottom with confidence.
It was a bright and sunny day when the black-and-white chart, printed on an 8 1/2×11-inch sheet of paper, was placed downrange. There was no blurring, even on the small patterns. Each were crystal clear at all magnification settings.
The edges of the field of view were slightly less tack sharp, regardless of power setting. There is no way it’s noticeable while hunting, where concentration focuses on the reticle’s crosshair. It’s barely detectable. In running nearly 100 optics through this procedure, none have passed with 100-percent flying colors—not even expensive camera lenses.
A light chromatic aberration was also visible, but oddly its effect was only evident when looking at bright white subjects. Nearly every lens shows some degree of this effect. In this case a thin and dim line of purple was bordering the right side of the target. It’s potentially disastrous in photography, but sportsmen have grown so accustomed to it that it’s rarely mentioned.
It never appeared next to foliage downrange, even white tree trunks. It was also undetectable near grass or when holding the riflescope toward the sky.
It’s of little or no consequence until looking at a bright white target and, even then, its diminished and translucent. The effect is exclusive to bright subjects with a sharply contrasting background.
Overall Impression of the Eotech Vudu 1-8×24 mm SFP
The Eotech Vudu 1-8×24 mm SFP is a winner. Top magnification of 8X may seem pale by comparison to some of the other riflescopes, but used properly it will connect at long-distance with precision.
It’s performance in low light is undeniably very good. At 1X, no magnification, taking those predators that appear up-close and personal unexpectedly is fast enough to border on intuitive. Add a red dot that somehow doesn’t bleed all over the sight picture and it’s worth a serious look if you’re looking for an optic that performs.
Manufacturer: Eotech
Model: Vudu 1-8×24 mm SFP
Main Tube: 30 mm
Objective Lens: 24 mm
Reticle: Fiber Optic Reticle REV2
Field of View at 100 Yards: 13.2 Feet at 8x, 105.8 Feet at 1x
Eye Relief: 2.95 to 4.02 Inches at 1x, 3.19 to 3.86 Inches at 8x
Overall Length: 10 3/4 Inches
Weight: 21.2 Ounces (with battery and throw lever0
Power Source: 1 CR 2032 Battery
Accessories: Lens Covers, Battery, Manual, Reticle Manual, Removable Throw Lever, Lens Cloth
MSRP: $1,399
—Written by Guy J. Sagi, crafting the words and images that capture the spirit of the outdoor sports and the beauty that surrounds them for magazines, websites and marketing materials for more than three decades.