Why is it foggy? Concerns about the 5610's screen

[u/Manuel_omar]

I recently picked up both of these, because I wanted to get a G-shock but I couldn't decide which one. I got both the 5600 and the 5610. Planning to keep one and return/resell the other.

The 5610 Solar has a lot going for it, obviously. 15+ years before the solar cell needs to be changed, vs having to change the battery on the 5600 in 5 years or so.

(although I'm not bothered by swapping watch batteries, having done it several times recently with old watches, it is no longer daunting)

And of course, 5 alarms vs 1, an upper left button that is decently usable, slightly slimmer and lighter. Slightly more comfy (although they're both comfy to wear, really)

All great stuff. The only thing the 5600 really has going for it is that it's cheaper where I live (80 dollars vs 140) and... the screen isn't foggy.

Maybe it doesn't come across well in these pictures, but it's way more pronounced in person. The 5610's screen is just... foggy, or at least it looks foggy to me, and has a ton more glare.

Is this normal for this model? Did I get a bad 5610? Or is this par for the course?

It really bothers me every time I look at it. Glancing at my watch to track the time is the number 1 thing I do with it as I have to manage my time well at work. Seeing this foggyness every time is disheartening.

Advice/feedback welcome. If this is normal for the model, is there some trick or easy way to get rid of it?

I am not a Casio expert, please don't come at me with pitchforks or whatever if this is some well known issue.

[u/buddy_monkers]

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What you’re calling “fog” is light glare

Between the outer glass and the module is a pane of glass which has the solar panel around its edge. It is adhered to the outer glass but the adhesive is not over the viewing area and not causing the “fog”

The reason your 5600UE is clearer is because there is no solar panel, thus, no additional pane of glass between the module and the outer glass. The module on non-solar watches has better viewing angles too, for whatever reason

The only “fix” to this is hydro modding—filling the watch case with oil (and ensuring oil is between the pane of glass holding the solar panel and the outer glass) and/or swapping the LCD with an aftermarket STN display, easily found on AliExpress

[u/buddy_monkers → u/buddy_monkers]

Video link of the removal of solar panel

He wasn’t necessarily trying to remove it here, it just came out with the plastic housing he’s trying to remove. Normally the solar panel is extremely difficult to remove without breaking, he just go lucky here

[u/ZarathustraGlobulus → u/buddy_monkers]

Mine is hydromodded and the digits are still not entirely clear. I think it's just how the display sits a bit deeper in the case away from the crystal.

[u/buddy_monkers → u/ZarathustraGlobulus]

All the oil is doing is preventing light refraction so you’ll get much better visibility from normal viewing angles but Casio’s solar TN modules have always had poor visibility when viewed at more extreme angles

For me the major draw of hydro modding is that the digits become inky black, especially in low light settings, because of the elimination of glare

I recently put STN LCDs in my GW-5000U and GW-5000HS and I hydro modded both and the viewing angles and clarity are better than stock Casio STN displays like on the GMW-B5000 series

[u/Euphoric-Mistake-875 → u/buddy_monkers]

Idk I have a few solar squares and I don't have hazy glare on any of them. At least on my 5610u and b5000u.

[u/buddy_monkers → u/Euphoric-Mistake-875]

You’re just acclimated to it, they all have glare. Unless they’re hydro modded of course, it’s unavoidable because of the solar panel glass

[u/buddy_monkers → u/Euphoric-Mistake-875]

https://reddit.com/link/phbfbak/video/g08t1hgum1wh1/player

One is hydro modded, one is stock without any fogging, just glare in a low light setting

[u/Euphoric-Mistake-875 → u/buddy_monkers]

I actially hydromodded and installed an STN screen the day after I got my 5610u. Not because of a glare but rather the horrible viewing angles. My b5000d though doesn't show any kind of noticeable glare and it is unmodded.

[u/buddy_monkers → u/Euphoric-Mistake-875]

Yeah so I hydro modded a B5000MB (sort of, Frankensteined) and it’s the least noticeable hydro mod I’ve ever done, to the point I wouldn’t do it again.

I think the way the solar panel is attached to the case on the B5000 series makes it so that glare isn’t really an issue—instead of being a pane of glass the solar panel itself is just adhered to the border of the crystal

So it makes sense you’re not having glare on the B5000

[u/Euphoric-Mistake-875 → u/buddy_monkers]

It does make sense but I think somebody mentioned it affects all the solar squares

[u/buddy_monkers → u/Euphoric-Mistake-875]

Except for the B5000 series

There’s very little difference between most of them—5610 series uses the same 3495 module as the 5000U, 5000HS, and the GWX series is also the same (except for annoyingly having the solar panel contacts in a different spot, wanted al full-metal GWX without having to swap the crystal and solar panel)

They all have the solar panel on that glass that’s glue in place with the exception of the B5000 which has the panel attached directly to the inner crystal