The problem is my "old eyes". I'm significantly nearsighted, and have progressive bifocals on top of that. The 8099 is nice because you can line up on your target, and then pull the compass totally away from where you were working, point it any-old-where, and still read the bearing from your targeting work. That is a lifesaver for those of us who cannot focus on the distant target, align the needle (or disk in the case of the 8099), and also read the bearing at the same time. Pictures I've seen of the GI lensatic make me thing you have to be able to work on all those planes of focus at the same time. If you move the compass from your sighting position, you lose the bearing with a lensatic. Is that correct?
The GI does lack the rotating, settable bezel found on clear plastic base plate type compasses. You need to sight the target and read the bearing at the same time. My vision is ok, so I don't know how hard it is to use with glasses.
Nice thing about your type of compass is you can set the bearing from the map without ever having to read anything in degrees.
I'm in the opposite position, never having used a mirrored compass - how exactly do you use the mirror?
Reading a mirror sighting compass is similar to the reading a GI compass. You fold up the mirror to maybe a 50` angle (depending on the model). You sight through the "V" above the mirror while simultaneously aligning the needle on the dial of the compass with the red needle outline on the baseplate of the compass. While you're sighted in, you can read the bearing in the mirror, or just position the compass at waist level for readability and move the red arrow back into alignment and read the bearing.
When one uses a non-mirrored sighting compass, one generally has to take the compass off the target to align the needle and to read the bearing. One typically has to do multiple looks back and forth between the sighting object and the compass, which leads to a less accurate reading. A mirrored compass allows one to set the bearing
while sighted in on the sighting object.
A GI compass is more accurate still with front and rear sights, and the magnifying lens in the rear sight allows you to more or less set the bearing while still sighted on the sighting object. It takes a bit of practice, but a GI Compass is about as precise as one can get with a handheld device.
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