The elements of the display reflect a lot of any sunlight hitting them.
It really washes out in direct sunlight, but when it doesn't it is very nice!
I haven't gotten around to play with any polarizing filter yet, which might help.

Don't know if the MkII smoke ones are any darker than the MkI's, which
isn't very dark at all.

/Michael - quite happy user of a smoked faceplate on my MkI