Oehler 35P - $595
Pros:
-Industry Standard for decades
-Used commercially and privately
-Is THE chronograph all others are compared to
-Extremely accurate
-Good Customer Service, but you will pay for replacement parts if you break or shoot them.
-Can register air guns, arrows, bolts, etc. If it shoots through the photosensors it should work may require some programming in the settings.
Cons:
-Set up Minimum 5mins< probably closer to 15 including mounting three detectors to a long metal rod, setting up one to two bipods depending on set up, putting on sunscreens, three sets of long wires to be uncurled and hopefully not tangled, Said wires plugged in order, and finally adjusting the detectors with your bore with practice I'm sure you can get it down to the 5 minute-ish mark, but usually my set up from start to getting an actual reading averaged 15-20mins...as the unit is very positional and uneven ground and other shooters on the firing line are issues you have to work around.
-Heavy and bulky. Comes packed in a rifle case
-Require you to go downrange at minimum once, likely more often as you get the bore aligned with the sensors. This is only a problem if you shoot on a range with other shooters.
-Requires proper lighting to shoot, Cannot shoot prior to sunrise or sunset, may have problems on cloudy days
-Potential to shoot the chronograph since you "shoot through" it.
-Difficult to use shooting prone, may be able to with a special bipod/setup.
Magnetospeed - $180 V1 / $399 V3
Pros:
-Ease of use
-Accuracy is comparable to Oehler
-Does not require lighting to work, can be shot in any weather conditions
-Presumably good Customer Service. I've talked to them but haven't verified
-Do NOT have to go downrange to adjust chronograph! This was the biggest selling point to me, as every time I used my other chronographs inevitably another shooter would share the range with me and I would sit for a while working around them to readjust, or to get another weapon ready to shoot with the other chronos.
-Can be shot prone, standing, sitting, any position as long as bayonet is mounted to barrel.
-Easy adjustment
Cons:
-Mounting to barrel requires use of (included) shims. Set up is about 5 mins, maybe less if you already know which shim(s) to use.
-Chronograph must be affixed to a barrel with 1/4'' of dropdown from the bore. Shims accomplish this on most but not all weapons.
-Cannot be readily used on semi-autos or snub nosed weapons. There is an adapter for railed pistols, revolvers that are not snub nosed should be good to go.
-V3 works with suppressors, V1 does not (Can work with SBRs)
-Cannot use for archery. I believe it should work with an airgun but I'm not positive.
-Possible POI Shift. This isn't a big drawback unless you plan on hunting/sniping with the bayonette? Get FPS with the chrono, get your dope based on that data and actual range impact without chronograph. Granted not every single shot will be chronographed, but still beats having to shoot through a "window" with a standard chrony.
Lab Radar - $ 559
Disclaimer: I don't have experience with this set up. I read plenty of reviews and have a fair understanding of the technology.
Pros:
-Neatest coolest tech out there
-Don't have to go downrange to set up
-Appears to be the easiest set up
-Accuracy supposed to be on par with the other guys
-Does not require lighting to work, is independent to climate issues.
-Do not run the risk of shooting the chronograph, or bayonette as it sits next to you and points downrange
-Can be used prone!
-Big easy to read display that's right next to shooter
-Can be used with any barrel length, suppressors, revolvers, pistols, air rifles, arrows, etc'
Cons:
(From reviews I've read online, some of these issues may have been early production units and some may be fixed with firmware)
-Must toggle between Archery, Pistol, Rifle settings prior to shooting. Probably not difficult, but an extra step the other's don't requrie, very minor issue.
-Although this system should be the easiest to set up it is still pickier in placement than the magnetospeed to my understanding. I've read multiple reports of missed shots based on how the chrono is facing outward, also an easy fix and doesn't require going downrange like the Oehler, but probably still annoying.
-If you have too much muzzle blast from a muzzle break device or if you don't have the unit positioned correctly you will have to adjust your shooting equipment to get a little further, no big deal, but you also have to change the programming settings with the change in your shooting set up.
-If you are shooting suppressed you will have to change the sensitivity setting since the unit triggers by muzzle blast. This may cause the unit to trigger by the muzzle report of other shooters on the firing line with you. That would be annoying.
-Battery Life. Estimated to be around 5 hours on 6AA batteries. This is much worse than the others expect battery changes every few range trips if you forget spares, it's possible the chrono dies on you mid session. Preventable but I like extremely user friendly systems.
-Read one review with the Labradar having trouble with small grain projectiles...probably fixed by now. Dunno since it wasn't first hand.
Most of these cons may be preventable or updateable. This is a brand new product and there are growing pains, that may be fine for others or a deal breaker for some. I am not trying to slam the LabRadar as I strongly considered one.
The one I decided to stick with is the Magnetospeed V3. I have a cheaper backup chrono for arrows, airguns, pistols, SBRs...not that the Magnetospeed can't work with some of those set ups. If you got the money and want an end all be all I'd look at the Labradar although they haven't been around as long they seem popular enough that they will likely catch on. The battery life may be less forgiving, but the set up seems to be really simple. Any of the three can miss shots.
I'm done with the photo style chronos. I believe they are lagging far behind. Hope this helps.