I'm not sure I have the best answer for your question but I have some recent experience. The autodarkening was very appealing to me especially for GTAW. (I was playing with very low amp. e.g. 10A.) A salesman, probably trying to help me save money, sold me a Solex 2100. Well, that was ok for some general stick/higher amp welding but terrible for low amp/tig. It would "flash" or at times not even darken at the lower amp settings. Very distracting and or painful! A welding instructor I talked too recommended the SpeedGlass as have others. I took a different approach and tried a chin-lift helmet by Cherokee Industries, www.accustrike.com. I was a bit shy about trying another autodarkening lens, especially a pricy one. The chin-lift helmet is a bit heavy and takes some tinkering to adjust but it works fine for what I am doing at this point and a variety of lenses can be installed. Overall, I look at this like buying a computer. It is often best to consider what the use will be and what software will be used, then buy the hardware. If you find a good solution let me know. I may just start a hood collection.
Ken Dougherty

I also had problems with the electronic hoods with TIG welding. Even the best ie. most expensive hoods are not reliable enough for me. Plus the visibility is way better with a regular hood. I use the chin operated hood and I think it's the best alternative to electronics. Especially if you need to SEE the puddle as I do. Try it, you'll like it. Scott

Bud-

I have a salesman who grants me enough courtesies that I felt obliged to buy something from him. Of the various shields he offered was a top line Jackson model with adjustable sensitivity, delay, and darkness controls. The battery is backed up by a solar cell and is a standard size (AAA) size available anywhere. The suspension system is a tiny bit cheezy, but the field of view is great; overall, so was the value.

Shop safety is an improtant feature of the field of view, as well as convenience (if not necessity) with corrective lenses I wear. The larger the view the better.
A mere 1/2 inch subtends a significant angle that close to your face and it translates into significant additional peripheral area.

I am happy with this product. I was living without one for many years, but, like a second bathroom in a house, one never knows how they got along without it. The cover lenses interchange with other hoods I already own- they are standard sizes, easy to find, and cheap, and although I only use it for light SMAW and GMAW I feel confident with adjustment range it has it can be tuned for anything. I also suspect the electronic lense can be transplanted into a helmet with superior mechanical characteristics and better suspension; so far it is not a real issue for me. Although changing tint is more convenient than changing lenses on my old hood I would find real value in a control I could adjust from the outside even while welding... and given enough time I'd probably break it off as well.

For what little it cost I am not married to the thing. As LCD technology continues to advance (or whatever is driving these things) and costs continue to fall I am sure this technology will find a place relegated to back-up or visitors spare equipment within the next decade or so. Consequently I was not ashamed to skimp on reputation and what might be considered quality or prestiege. I did not skimp, though, on field of view; get all you can and you will not regret it.

Overall, though, there are considerations of ventilation, comfort, and protection common to all welding shields, whatever the lenses, to consider as well... for me the field of view is top priority.

And thats my view on the topic-
good luck with your choice.
d

let me tell you what happened the other day

we work almost on all metals from low to high amp settings, so the drive to have a auto darkening helmet with adjustable tint is very high. But the auto darkening helmets just do not work.....untill....
The jackson rep said that their new lens the Nexgen would solve all my problems. So at the cost of 300 dollars I got one. Everything worked great but when it came to aluminum the darkness would swim and then the helmet would just shut off. After calling Jackson I was informed that there was a software update and to please return it and they would send me a new one. The new one arrived and it works great this is the only helmet(and belive me I have tried them all) that works in all ranges with all metals that is worked with in our shop...I'm very impressed.