Thermal Imagers - alternatives to Pulsar
- Thread starter Rob P
- Start date
Without going into it all , simply a Helion is better in every aspect.
Fair enough..I don’t have time to wrote long speels currently , best thing you can do is buy one and try it first hand and gather your own opinion.
Buy a Helion they are just streets ahead of everything else. Anything marketed as an introduction to thermal will be a let down in my opinion. I’d guess quality will be poor and most people will then want to upgrade and loose the money on the cheap one. Buy cheap buy twice.......
I don't need to buy one as I already own thermal , but I thought it would be helpful to the stalking community to learn about all makes and types, obviously you do not have the same wish to enlighten the public about whats out there.
Perhaps there are people out there who will share their thoughts and experiences.
Perhaps there are people out there who will share their thoughts and experiences.
The Nightsite pearl range of thermal spotters are a re-badged vesrion of the standard turd shaped thermal spotter and there's nothing special about them.
The 35 Pro would be about the closest equivalent to helion XQ38F.
Compared to the Pulsar the pearl has:
the same sensor
less magnification
slightly higher resolution display, but it's LCOS rather than the more highly regarded AMOLED
non removable battery and a claimed run time of 4 hours which is not long enough for many outings
About the same weight
Price £2099 and currently unavailable - and maybe unavailable for rather a long time !!!
The XQ38F has a list price of £2250, but call any of the major sellers and you can expect to get around 10% discount - and they are in stock at Blackwood Outdoors
There, I've just enlightened the stalking community and if they can read, then they'll see the Pulsar is the one to buy.
Cheers
Bruce
The 35 Pro would be about the closest equivalent to helion XQ38F.
Compared to the Pulsar the pearl has:
the same sensor
less magnification
slightly higher resolution display, but it's LCOS rather than the more highly regarded AMOLED
non removable battery and a claimed run time of 4 hours which is not long enough for many outings
About the same weight
Price £2099 and currently unavailable - and maybe unavailable for rather a long time !!!
The XQ38F has a list price of £2250, but call any of the major sellers and you can expect to get around 10% discount - and they are in stock at Blackwood Outdoors
There, I've just enlightened the stalking community and if they can read, then they'll see the Pulsar is the one to buy.
Cheers
Bruce
Perhaps there are people out there who will share their thoughts and experiences.
Yes but as 243hunter says get a Helion, and if you can afford it get the XP50. I thought it was good before but since doing the latest firmware update it is absolutely amazing.
Yes but as 243hunter says get a Helion, and if you can afford it get the XP50. I thought it was good before but since doing the latest firmware update it is absolutely amazing.
Bruce
a proper answer unlike the unhelpful one from 243hunter. thank you.
Both outside my price range and went this virus is beaten I will have a look to see what is available. I would think we will see lots of people cash strapped and £2000 for the normal person is a lot on a luxury item.
I have been looking at the XM22/XM30 but they get slated so that leave options limited.
a proper answer unlike the unhelpful one from 243hunter. thank you.
Both outside my price range and went this virus is beaten I will have a look to see what is available. I would think we will see lots of people cash strapped and £2000 for the normal person is a lot on a luxury item.
I have been looking at the XM22/XM30 but they get slated so that leave options limited.
Yes I’m really unhelpful .. basically I’m sick of trying to keep people on the right path, do a forum search on the reasons why the Helion is the best thermal spotter currently available for multiple reasons , it’s been re-iterated multiple times, do people need spoon feeding , I’ve had it upto my neck with know it alls, people who own something and it’s the best, tyre kickers and tight wads 
. You can take my advice or not, listen to some salesmen who don’t use the units to compare and they will sell you anything or they are totally biased . My time is limited , sorry for not being more helpful but , I currently have three kids round my ankle and missus is a keyworker.. as well as orders, accounts, etc , etc
You want to know what’s best? Go spend £25k plus and go compare yourself, see for yourself in the real world
. You can take my advice or not, listen to some salesmen who don’t use the units to compare and they will sell you anything or they are totally biased . My time is limited , sorry for not being more helpful but , I currently have three kids round my ankle and missus is a keyworker.. as well as orders, accounts, etc , etcYou want to know what’s best? Go spend £25k plus and go compare yourself, see for yourself in the real world
I tested a Nightpearl 19 the other day
I tested a lot of the FLIR chassis based "turd shaped" ones as someone above so eloquently described
I was underwhelmed by a lot of the reseller/rebadger/manufacturers that I tested in Germany
Have to say I was very impressed with the Nighpearl 19
Not a long term review but view image quality was exceptional, better than the XQ38 with much sharper detail., with a very easy to access focal adjustment.
The physical size in smaller than a Helion, larger than an Axion
Can't comment on battery life as it was a short test
I have had and used the majority of the XQ range and now personally use an Axion for size and portability alone
Two very small batteries (one spare, one in the unit) make for a very quick change over and you can go all day with ease
For the recreational stalker they are a great option.
I tested a lot of the FLIR chassis based "turd shaped" ones as someone above so eloquently described
I was underwhelmed by a lot of the reseller/rebadger/manufacturers that I tested in Germany
Have to say I was very impressed with the Nighpearl 19
Not a long term review but view image quality was exceptional, better than the XQ38 with much sharper detail., with a very easy to access focal adjustment.
The physical size in smaller than a Helion, larger than an Axion
Can't comment on battery life as it was a short test
I have had and used the majority of the XQ range and now personally use an Axion for size and portability alone
Two very small batteries (one spare, one in the unit) make for a very quick change over and you can go all day with ease
For the recreational stalker they are a great option.
Even the best Nightpearl or Iray 640 50mm lens model currently available is not better than an XP50 with the new firmware , the design, recording, digital zoom, pip, image boost, replaceable battery, two mount points for sling, menu, make it better in every aspect... others will beg to differ, hey ho there a big outlay you have to convince yourself !!
A quick comparison of the pulsar xp50 and xeye E6Pro side by side. I’m my opinion the xeye is better clarity but the pulsar wins on practicality
See when I compared both alongside I preferred everything about the Helion better, the E6pro image was cartoon like, and very short battery life, menu and functions poor. This was before the image boost firmware on the Helion also, which makes them better again.. i also compared the both in muggy conditions and neither were great.
Are the brightness/contrast settings on the helion setup right ?
I've seen in real terms and I can assure you its not.. have you tried both alongside ?
Never trust videos from thermal imagers - they never look the same as you see when looking at the display.
Could anybody honestly say that, from the video, they could positively identify the black blob in the video as a "fox at 100m" with either thermal.
It's probable that when looking through the near eye display of either thermal, positive identification would have been possible.
Cheers
Bruce
Freeforester
Well-Known Member
Have to say I was indeed tempted when the E6 pro came about, but like SGA and another post here mentions, the impracticalities of a non removable battery swayed me away from it, irrespective of its good performance; it has to be practical in the field, and if you are using one daily, the question of getting a worn down battery replaced arises, this would entail a significant downtime, possibly weeks rather than days, an aspect that would both impact ones effectiveness and also the probable reselling value, unless it could be demonstrated that the battery replacement could be turned around here in the U.K.
No such issues with the Pulsar, so taken in the round, there's no contest.
No such issues with the Pulsar, so taken in the round, there's no contest.
As with all things there are plus points for each, and at every price point. The xeye has a transferable warranty the pulsar does not. The pulsar is bigger, battery arrangement is better. Having read many reviews what is for sure there is not total agreement which models are the best as difficult people have their own preference.
My understanding is battery replacement for xeye Is available in the uk, and turn round time is unlikely to be long.
My understanding is battery replacement for xeye Is available in the uk, and turn round time is unlikely to be long.
Pulsar warranty is transferable as long as the original receipt is retained ?
See this is the internet , someone asks what’s the best , you have lots of people saying this is, that is , but not as many honest people who have tried most units . It is very easy to be misled , taking from your post your pro XEye or own one .. Definitely not my cup of tea, but end of the day they detect heat sources like most thermals, there not a bad image, but lack seriously in other departments... again give me a Helion model all day long ...
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