Why did you get rid of your Yukon Photon XT?

Alantoo

Well-Known Member
Would any ex-owners of a Photon XT mind telling me what they did not like about it...why they got rid of it?

The 4.6 and 6.5 seem to be a similar base unit with just a difference in the objective lens, is that right?

I have heard some people upgrade to Drone pro...does that produce four times the rabbits or four times the range for the four times cost?

Thanks in advance.

Alan
 
I may have mistaken the tone of your post, but you appear to be someone who loves the Photon XT and can't quite believe that not everybody shares your feelings for it.
You're correct, the only difference between the 4.6 and 6.5 is the objective lens assembly.
I have both a Photon and a Drone and they are both excellent products and IMHO, the photon is the best "bang for your buck" dedicated NV device available at the moment.
How many rabbits they will produce has a lot less to do with the devices and a lot more to do with your field craft and the amount of rabbits on your land.
The Drone Pro isn't 4 times better than the Photon, but there's a big enough improvement in it's performance over the Photon to make some people (me included) decide that it is worth the extra money.
An £800 Tikka T3, shoots just as well as a £3000 Blaser, but if you want, and can afford a Blaser, then why not?

Cheers

Bruce
 
As said above - lens is the difference between the 4.6 and 6.5. I also concur it is the best 'bang for buck' scope out there. It's perhaps not as refined as other scopes - but it does what it says on the tin very well - and if you want to do the Xtreme conversion, I think it is questionable as to whether the Drone remains clearly better, as the better glass (and the opportunity to increase the mag) make it even better value. I sold my first to a mate when supply was a bit short. I have another sat, BNIB here, that I may do the conversion on, albeit I have other NV I use more often.
 
I may have mistaken the tone of your post, but you appear to be someone who loves the Photon XT and can't quite believe that not everybody shares your feelings for it.
You're correct, the only difference between the 4.6 and 6.5 is the objective lens assembly.
I have both a Photon and a Drone and they are both excellent products and IMHO, the photon is the best "bang for your buck" dedicated NV device available at the moment.
How many rabbits they will produce has a lot less to do with the devices and a lot more to do with your field craft and the amount of rabbits on your land.
The Drone Pro isn't 4 times better than the Photon, but there's a big enough improvement in it's performance over the Photon to make some people (me included) decide that it is worth the extra money.
An £800 Tikka T3, shoots just as well as a £3000 Blaser, but if you want, and can afford a Blaser, then why not?

Cheers

Bruce

No I don't have one. Nor do I feel defensive about them.

But all the posts I have read about them say much as you have done...very good for the money. I was not sure if there was an element of "damning with faint praise".

I have however seen a fair number of little-used ones for sale and wondered why.

I thought posing the question that way might get me a slightly different insight. The sort of response on equipment threads where someone says "I've got one and its great" doesn't really help much when you don't know if they have ever used or even seen the competition.

Thank you for you thoughts, that sort of analysis and experience is just what I was after.

Alan
 
As said above - lens is the difference between the 4.6 and 6.5. I also concur it is the best 'bang for buck' scope out there. It's perhaps not as refined as other scopes - but it does what it says on the tin very well - and if you want to do the Xtreme conversion, I think it is questionable as to whether the Drone remains clearly better, as the better glass (and the opportunity to increase the mag) make it even better value. I sold my first to a mate when supply was a bit short. I have another sat, BNIB here, that I may do the conversion on, albeit I have other NV I use more often.

What do you use more often...and why?

If you don't mind me asking!

Alan
 
I had one and sold it. But for the money it was ok.
i didn't like the mag and I didn't like the digital image. I've been using tube for about 5 years and much prefer it. Yes it costs more but clarity of image, distance, variable zoom. I'll stick with tube.
Ive never looked through a drone pro but I don't like the idea of a fixed 10 mag scope cos I would never find the fox that pops out at 20 yards :D.

just my opinion.
 
My friend sold it , as it was a pain in the ... to get zeroed. Hard to find good, useable adjustable mounts. I still don't understand why Yukon doesn't make decent, easy to use, adjustable rings to fit a picatinny rail. Would boost the sales a lot.
 
I had the mk1 and the 6.5 and extremed them both, Night vision forum is superb for info. for what they cost they are unbeatable however I was always blood well faffing around with zero , adjustable mounts helped and I believe this is a easy fix now, on nvuk where you don't need the adjustable mounts, however with both standard lense and after market lense I wasn't totally happy with the focus , just couldn't get it right , have sold both but I think when prices drop , as they always do I may get another but leave it as standard and keep it on my .22lr , I'm actually trying to save for a ward800 , but tthats like juggling cats
rgds
craig
 
have had the mk1 with doubler fitted,which i quite liked,then got the 4.6xt which i did the extreme conversion,the takuma lens i bought was buggered and i couldnt get away with the one shot zero thingy so sold it,would i have another,no, will wait for the new spectre to come out or would just but one of some blokes kits
 
I have the 4.5 xt and a mate has the mk1. We both get on fine with them and would like to get another to go on my air rifle. I zeroed in about 10 shots. You need to spend time and get use to them and get the focus and ir right.
 
No I don't have one. Nor do I feel defensive about them.

But all the posts I have read about them say much as you have done...very good for the money. I was not sure if there was an element of "damning with faint praise".

I have however seen a fair number of little-used ones for sale and wondered why.

I thought posing the question that way might get me a slightly different insight. The sort of response on equipment threads where someone says "I've got one and its great" doesn't really help much when you don't know if they have ever used or even seen the competition.

Thank you for you thoughts, that sort of analysis and experience is just what I was after.

Alan


Alan

I owned one and they are indeed very good for the money

However if you compare the performance a 2K night vision scope with a Photon XT? the £2000 one is miles ahead as you would expect

As for why I sold it?

The novelty wore off.

IF i could have a dedicated night vision rig I might have kept it but swaping back and forth between day scope and night scope became tedious

What i would say is you are better off with a flat shooting rifel because I found judging distance through the XT to be difcult so with a 22 rimfire I had a lot of missed shots but perhaps that was just my lack of skill.

Best way I found was to lamp the bunnies and estimate the range then get them with the XT

ATB
 
have had the mk1 with doubler fitted,which i quite liked,then got the 4.6xt which i did the extreme conversion,the takuma lens i bought was buggered and i couldnt get away with the one shot zero thingy so sold it,would i have another,no, will wait for the new spectre to come out or would just but one of some blokes kits
I've got the mk1 with the doubler and had lots of great nights with it on .223, it's great upto about 200meters, at that price it takes knocking. When I got it I was in 2 minds and I'm pleased that I diD. Hopefully will get a few more years out of it
 
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