Worth getting a new helmet?

I've just bought a esab a40 the savage true colour, been wearing it all day today at work. Its a really nice helmet and very clear. I tested it before I welded with it with my wife's camera flash on her phone and weirdly it would darken when it was on flash mode but she hadnt actually pressed the button. She thought I was making it up till she tried it, there must be an infrared beam or something invisible to the human eye.

 

That's the red eye reduction on the phone.

 

Well I finally got one sent mail order.
Tried it out for the first time today.
I can see what’s going on much better, doesn’t seem to made my welds any better
Thanks for everyone’s advice.

 

My welds look best through a fixed shade 14.
As the masks progressively get better the welds look worse and worse..

 

So which one did you go for?

 

Got the ESAB Sentinel a50
Got it from TigMigArc as they were cheapest with carriage as we’re in the Outer Hebrides.
Happy with it