Experience with Hikmicro FQ35 and FQ50

[Envillegc1]

I would go for a different brand. I have had a Zeiss DTI 3/35 gen 1 which was brilliant. I sold this for Hik Habrock which fell apart. I now use Infiray which are also great. Gemini and Eye EH35. I had a look at the Gen 2 Zeiss at the Stalking Show and was really impressed with them.

Given Hik have just updated the Habrok within 4 months, I would be wary that they will do the same on other lines!

They are becoming the Callaway/Taylor Made of the Optics world!

 

[Blackwood Outdoors]

The FQ35 and FQ50 are great thermal monoculars.Your not going to get a better image at this price point, unless you jump upto the Telos XG/XP range, but there a chunk more money but have a host of benefits, battery life, build/durability, eye display , etc .. I'd say it comes down to budget and requirements..

 

[Blackwood Outdoors]

I would go for a different brand. I have had a Zeiss DTI 3/35 gen 1 which was brilliant. I sold this for Hik Habrock which fell apart. I now use Infiray which are also great. Gemini and Eye EH35. I had a look at the Gen 2 Zeiss at the Stalking Show and was really impressed with them.

Given Hik have just updated the Habrok within 4 months, I would be wary that they will do the same on other lines!

They are becoming the Callaway/Taylor Made of the Optics world!

The full NV and Thermal market is moving very fast, which leaves people with a loss when selling to upgrade or disappointed when there new release product has been superceded months later.. I'll be honest, I do not like constant price drops, it hammers residual values and ****es customers off massively who have invested in a brand.. Excellent for a new buyer but the ones who invest in a brand with price drop after price drop get sick very quickly..

 

[Borders Mike]

Bruce, that's really useful, thanks.
What's your view of the FQ35 v's the FQ50?

 

[2teal]

Thanks for all the replies, one other factor is how ambidextrous these units are. The new Telos is completely convertible from right handed to left handed. What is the Condor like? I have had a look at pictures online and it appears that the hand strap only has mounting points for a right hander?

 

[GBR66]

I just purchased a HikMicro Condor LRF CQ35L Thermal Monocular, I also own a more expensive Pulsar Telos. I really like the Condor with 35mm, it’s a great fit to the hand and nice and compact. I was on a short trip to Scotland for roe buck last week and got to test the new Condor out, it performed amazingly, I can not say enough good things about the Condor.

A reasonable thermal monocular is a serious game changer when trying to spot deer.

Same for me, the integrated LRF and fantastic “optics” are a gamechanger

 

[mealiejimmy]

I would go for a different brand. I have had a Zeiss DTI 3/35 gen 1 which was brilliant. I sold this for Hik Habrock which fell apart. I now use Infiray which are also great. Gemini and Eye EH35. I had a look at the Gen 2 Zeiss at the Stalking Show and was really impressed with them.

Given Hik have just updated the Habrok within 4 months, I would be wary that they will do the same on other lines!

They are becoming the Callaway/Taylor Made of the Optics world!

If you buy a Zeiss thermal, then most of your money goes on that little sticker that says ZEISS
it's the same for the Swarovski and Leica thermals - you pay for a name stuck on a product made in China - like virtually all the other thermals out there
Another thing about thermals from companies that have well deserved reputations for making excellent glass scopes and binoculars is that there's almost no glass in a thermal - it's a germanium lens -which they don't make, and bunch of electronics - which they also don't make

Cheers

Bruce

 

[Pellet Pinger]

I went up to the Stalking Show at the weekend and had my mind set on a Telos XQ35 LRF but after comparing it with the Condor CQ35 LRF I am undecided. The image quality (within the show) of the Condor seemed a lot more detailed.
What are peoples thoughts?
I heard there were a few issues with the early Condors and I like the build quality of the Pulsar.........

I hope @Borders Mike does not mind me jumping in on his post.
2Teal

Couldn’t agree with you more, one of my things to do at the show was take a look through the latest Pulsars, i was expecting to be blown away with all the talk of them being the benchmark.
Fully appreciate it was only in a hall but the image wasn’t anywhere near as crisp as the Condor, and all the other footage you see backs this up, even though i’ve been using one for a while i still went to the HIK stand to confirm.
As i said i’m not a fan of the shape and the LRF module makes it a right lump.
This guy does some of the best gear comparisons, @Borders Mike this may help
you, i’d like to know where the extra £1K and some goes into the Pulsar being any better.

 

[Envillegc1]

If you buy a Zeiss thermal, then most of your money goes on that little sticker that says ZEISS
it's the same for the Swarovski and Leica thermals - you pay for a name stuck on a product made in China - like virtually all the other thermals out there
Another thing about thermals from companies that have well deserved reputations for making excellent glass scopes and binoculars is that there's almost no glass in a thermal - it's a germanium lens -which they don't make, and bunch of electronics - which they also don't make

Cheers

Bruce

Yes, that maybe the case, but there back up service is far superior to Hik who couldn’t give a fig!
All Hik are trying to do is kill off the competition by swamping the market with low entry point costs. When they control the market watch out!!!
Personally because of the

 

[mealiejimmy]

I have no doubt that the Zeiss back up service on their glass scopes is excellent - I wouldn't be so sure if one of their thermals needed repair.

Cheers

Bruce

 

[Johntoo]

I have been using a Hikmicro FQ35 for a while now and find it excellent. I did try the FQ 50 but found it bulky to handle and not worth the performance gain over the FQ35, if there is in fact a gain as the FQ35 has a wider field of view .
John

 

[Blackwood Outdoors]

Couldn’t agree with you more, one of my things to do at the show was take a look through the latest Pulsars, i was expecting to be blown away with all the talk of them being the benchmark.
Fully appreciate it was only in a hall but the image wasn’t anywhere near as crisp as the Condor, and all the other footage you see backs this up, even though i’ve been using one for a while i still went to the HIK stand to confirm.
As i said i’m not a fan of the shape and the LRF module makes it a right lump.
This guy does some of the best gear comparisons, @Borders Mike this may help
you, i’d like to know where the extra £1K and some goes into the Pulsar being any better.

Shows are pointless for deciding on a thermal, they are in fact the worst place to view a thermal... Always best in the field .

 

[Pellet Pinger]

Agree, out in the field is the test but, if it can’t cut it in the same scenario in a hall compared to the others then it’s not the best starting point.
Again not an acid test but in the above vid for me the Telos is the worst performer
For an extra grand plus it should be able to demonstrate superiority somewhere.

 

[Blackwood Outdoors]

Agree, out in the field is the test but, if it can’t cut it in the same scenario in a hall compared to the others then it’s not the best starting point.
Again not an acid test but in the above vid for me the Telos is the worst performer
For an extra grand plus it should be able to demonstrate superiority somewhere.

I own all the above. So as a comparison.

The Telos has much larger eye display than most of the other spotters, if your driving from a vehicle spotting, then there is no lag with a Telos. The actual animal detail at longer range is superior with the Telos and it pulls out finer details, the battery life is best in class upto 10hrs, the build quality is rock solid... etc ... Yes they cost more money BUT, all of the reasons above is why...

If my budget was under £2k, I'd go for the Falcon FQ35/FQ50 , if I had a budget under £3k , then I would get a Telos XG50/XP50 . Some prefer the HikMicro Image, some prefer the Pulsar also..

 

[Cyres]

Telos 35 mm LRF is just over £2k the none LRF £1.8K. 8 years ago my Quantum 38 was £2400
Performed flawlessly. Awaiting 35mm for 1week demo load.
D

 

[Nrl72]

Hi. I'm thinking about buying my first thermal (having had the advantage of stalking with others who carried on). I have narrowed it down to the Hikmico FQ35 or FQ50 (unless I'm missing a better option), and the price difference is around £200.
The FQ35 has the advantage of a wider field of view and being a little smaller and lighter (as well a a bit cheaper), while the FQ50 has the advantage of having a clearer like-for-like image as you don't need to magnify the image something you are focussing on so much.

Any thoughts or experience of using these in the field would be great to hear. I'm hoping this is a one-off purchase so I need to call it right.

Hi Mike

I'm in the same boat. Leaning towards the FQ35 .... what did you go for in the end and are you pleased with it?

 

[NorHunt]

Hi!

I have tried both models.
I ended up buying FQ35.
Only reason is wider point of view, which is less stressful when have to be quick in the heat of the moment...

 

[Nrl72]

Thanks very much for the reply .... I am of similar mind on FoV on practical grounds as well. And I like the simplicity of the design too - think the Falcon looks to sit easier in the hand vs LRF models.