The time has come for me to purchase a "Thermal Monocular"

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Plummer

Plummer

Well-Known Member
I first mentioned this in February this year, I have watched and read many posts on the subject of thermal monoculars, and I am about 90% sure I am going to buy a Pulsar Axion XQ30 Pro..
It will be used for mainly night hill walking, and foxing/rabbiting on our land, I already have a Pard NV007SP LRF on my rifle, so a thermal would be useful for scanning..

The real question is, is there a better one available for similar money?

Pro's & Con's please
 
Hmmm.
From what I read all of the myriad spotters will do what you expect of them and quality/functions seem to increase daily. My own choice after borrowing an Axion 30 was an Axion 35 - nearly two years later I a still marvel at what it reveals both day and night.
Your enjoyment of shooting and just being out will increase dramatically whichever brand or model you decide upon.
Good luck.
🦊🦊
 
Now there's a question you should never of asked!
It's like asking should I get a .243, you'll be told of every other deer legal calibre people own and how they shoot like a laser, shoot bigger smaller bullets of various construction and the deer fall over like they were hit by Thor's hammer.
Good luck.
 
Pixfra 635 ranger. Up at Nightmaster for under a grand.. it's 1800m detection, 35mm lens and 640 x 512. Great deal. The Pulsars detection range is around 800m and it's 320 unit and I think it's actually gone down to a 19mm lens now? They used to 30mm.
The HIK binos is around 1200m detection and although you do get a colour day mode, the thermal side is only 256 x 192 I believe and 25mm lens? So pretty pixilated.
I used a similar model once, which was an older Thermtec 635, good value for what the discounted costs are and easy to use. Pulsar or Infiray or hik 640 units will look better side by side to it but the under a £1000 it's a bargain and will look better than 320 or below unit resolution models.
Thomas Jacks are the main importers like they are for Pulsar, so same aftercare service and similar warranty. They are only reducing because the Pixfra Arc and Mile 2 range are the latest models.



www.nightmaster.co.uk

Pixfra Ranger R635 30mK Thermal Imaging Monocular

The Ranger R635 features a sensitive 640×512, 12µm, 30mK NETD thermal sensor and a 35mm f1.0 objective lens, providing users with a generous 1800m range.
www.nightmaster.co.uk www.nightmaster.co.uk
 
Last edited:
Pulsar or HIK, both market leaders, both have their price points, pros and cons. But both are well versed in the industry and have good service centres!
 
Dickie said:
Now there's a question you should never of asked!
It's like asking should I get a .243, you'll be told of every other deer legal calibre people own and how they shoot like a laser, shoot bigger smaller bullets of various construction and the deer fall over like they were hit by Thor's hammer.
Good luck.
Click to expand...
You are so right.. ..
 
Pulsar XQ38 second hand for the same money. A far better unit IMO. Far bigger screen so less eye strain. There may be one in the classifieds if you do a search. These small units just don't compare IMO.
 
Austin.243 said:
Take a look at

Thread 'Which thermal - Infiray Fh35r or Hik Micro condor' Which thermal - Infiray Fh35r or Hik Micro condor


Did a bit of a comparison between the two. Kept throwing Hik Micro Condor. Cracking unit, very impressed.

If you can stretch the Infiray FH35R is an amazing unit for the price ~£400 more.
Click to expand...
Austin.243, you mentioned the Hik Micro Condor, which on?

HikMicro Condor CH35L​

Hik Condor CQ35L​

I also googled the Infiray FH35r, to me it doesn't look very ergonomically designed for the hand!
 
I had a good look at the pulsar you’ve mentioned at the game fair, I then went next door and looked for the hik micro that matched the stats and the price essentially.

I walked away with a hik micro lynx lh19 2.0 and iam happy with it.

Having now used it for a few months I can see me upgrading it in the future and possibly wish I had spent abit more money initially.

That being said it has accounted for several foxes now and is a complete gamechanger in efficiency
 
Foxyboy43 said:
Hmmm.
From what I read all of the myriad spotters will do what you expect of them and quality/functions seem to increase daily. My own choice after borrowing an Axion 30 was an Axion 35 - nearly two years later I a still marvel at what it reveals both day and night.
Your enjoyment of shooting and just being out will increase dramatically whichever brand or model you decide upon.
Good luck.
🦊🦊
Click to expand...
Hi Foxyboy43,
Which Axion 35 have you got, I read your post with interest, I have short listed a few makes and models, now I'm trying to refine my choices.. I found 4 models of Axion 35... Axion 2 XQ35 Pro, Axion 2 XG35, Axion 2 XG35 LRF, and Axion 2 XG35 LRF Pro!
 
Plummer said:
Axion 2 XG35 LRF,
Click to expand...
I have this thermal now and it's a great unit, no problems at all, used a few times each week, for ratting, foxing, and stalking. I upgraded to this from an Axion Key XM, which was also bullet proof and my nephew is also now using the old Key.
A friend who uses an older Helion borrowed my XG35lrf and was in love with the rangefinder within a few minutes, he could see how useful it is.
I looked through a Hik Falcon FQ35 a few months ago and the image was fantastic, completely different experience to looking through a Pulsar... the guy in the shop told me they are selling three Hik spotters for every Pulsar unit they sell... the viewing image is what is selling it to people..
 
Don’t get the Hik 4k binos if you are using them for night work. Get a monocular. Budget wise there is a myriad of things out there that will do the job for not too much money.
Couple of things. Look carefully at the spec. The better the spec the better the image. I would prefer a unit that you can remove the battery and replace it. My monocular lasts about 4 hours which is not enough.
 
Plummer said:
Hi Foxyboy43,
Which Axion 35 have you got, I read your post with interest, I have short listed a few makes and models, now I'm trying to refine my choices.. I found 4 models of Axion 35... Axion 2 XQ35 Pro, Axion 2 XG35, Axion 2 XG35 LRF, and Axion 2 XG35 LRF Pro!
Click to expand...
Morning P.
Pulsar Axion 35XQ - does all I need and is very compact - I can see heat signatures of sheep/lambs across the hill from my house at 1.2kms (according to Google Earth) if you are into reds stalking on a glen it will detect them at silly distances; at shooting distances it has very good definition in even heavy cover. Two nights ago I was standing over a cut field watching a fieldmouse at 75 yards.
My pal has the lrf version which is very good - same kit with the lrf added but is noticeably bulkier in the hand. I bought the 35 after seeing what a borrowed 30 could do on a trip to Scotland - based on what we saw that week my gamekeeper/stalker pal bought the 30 version second hand after he saw what the borrowed 30 could detect on the hill. Last night he told me he had shot 9 foxes this year rather than the more usual 1 or 2 - all down to being able to detect them now - a gamechanger is how he described it!
This was a nice bit of footage from earlier this year which is better than words..

Other thermals are of course available but I am a fan of Pulsar - very well made and great battery life.
Good luck.
🦊🦊
 
The Singing Stalker said:
Don’t get the Hik 4k binos if you are using them for night work. Get a monocular. Budget wise there is a myriad of things out there that will do the job for not too much money.
Couple of things. Look carefully at the spec. The better the spec the better the image. I would prefer a unit that you can remove the battery and replace it. My monocular lasts about 4 hours which is not enough.
Click to expand...
Good advice SS.
🦊🦊
 
The Singing Stalker said:
Don’t get the Hik 4k binos if you are using them for night work. Get a monocular. Budget wise there is a myriad of things out there that will do the job for not too much money.
Couple of things. Look carefully at the spec. The better the spec the better the image. I would prefer a unit that you can remove the battery and replace it. My monocular lasts about 4 hours which is not enough.
Click to expand...

Just shows how different we all are doesnt it
I would use nothing else bar binos ?

Whats makes you say not Singing Stalker ?
 
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