Let me begin by stating the usual disclaimer: I purchased this scope with my own money and wasn’t paid to write this review.
Having researched this scope, I wanted it to live up to its marketing claims.
Since Pulsar launched the C50 in 2021, interest in day/night digital scopes has surged. Despite its relatively low resolution, the C50 was a hit, prompting HIK to introduce their first-generation Alpex shortly after. In a clever marketing move, HIK significantly reduced the price of the first-gen Alpex about 12 months after its release, gaining market share as a result. This market share further increased when they launched the second-gen Alpex, which featured LRF and 4K sensors as its standout features. Consequently, the 4K Alpex has become the benchmark device for comparison, a crown the Alpex has confidently held for quite some time. In the digital age, maintaining such a prestigious position for over 20 minutes is quite an achievement. However, now, a couple of contenders are vying for this crown: the upcoming Nocpix Nite D70r and the Pard Nightstalker 4K EX.
Since the Nocpix isn’t available until later this month and is reportedly being shipped in limited quantities, with each dealer receiving only two devices from the first shipment, the Pard Nightstalker 4K will be the focus of this review.
In terms of form factor, Pard has likely produced its most aesthetically pleasing device to date. Their first-generation 30mm tubed day/night scopes couldn’t even be described as attractive by their mother (if they had one). However, the new EX has a sleek design and, without the optional LRF/IR module, could be mistaken for a standard glass scope. Adding the LRF, IR, or a combined LRF and IR module instantly identifies it as a digital scope, but the days of Pard’s Star Trek-style attachments on the front are gone.
With a 60mm eye relief (some sources claim 100mm and others vary, but the manual specifies 60mm and my measurements confirm it), a compact objective and a relatively long 30mm section mounted on two-piece rings and a Tika rail proved manageable. The scope includes two 30mm rings but they’re cheap and ridiculously high. I detest scopes mounted so high that birds can fly through the gap, so I’ve kept them in the box!
Software and menus-wise, I must admit it’s still a bit of a Pard-style mess compared to modern HIK products. However, it’s functional, I suppose. In fairness to Pard, I’m quite familiar with HIK menus, so I might be being overly critical. The zeroing function was actually easier to set up than the HIK, but finding the ballistics entry required a search through both the online manual and a YouTube video. Neither mentioned the need for a long press at a specific point to enable ballistics entry!
Let’s dive into the optical performance. As mentioned, I benchmarked the Pard against the Alpex 4K in low light, nighttime and daytime conditions. While both devices have the same 4K sensor size, the Pard boasts a 5.5x base magnification compared to the Alpex’s 3.5x. This, coupled with its higher internal screen resolution, results in a significantly better daytime image, which is also more conventionally round. In low light (first 30 minutes and last 30 minutes of stalking), the Alpex has a slight colour mode advantage of about 10-15 minutes, but in black and white mode, it’s only marginally better by 5-7 minutes. I believe this difference stems solely from the base magnification; the Alpex’s 3.5x base magnification combined with its 50mm lens likely gathers more light than the Pard’s 5.5x base magnification and 70mm lens. However, the difference isn’t substantial, and once the Alpex’s magnification surpasses its base magnification, the advantage diminishes, but it still holds a slight edge. In nighttime conditions, using both devices on black and white mode with the same IR, the Pard’s superior screen gave it a slight advantage.
Display specifications:
- Alpex: 1920x1080 round OLED
- Pard: 2560x2560 round OLED
Range test with built in VSCL 850nm IR:-
Roe Deer 250m with built in VSCL 850nm IR:-
Fox 60m with Built in VSCL 850nm IR:-
As previously noted, the Pard features its own built-in IR module. The scope I’ve used is the 850nm VSCL version, which I find has a useful range of 350-400 metres. LED versions are likely to have a shorter range, but you can opt for a LRF-only or bare scope-only Pard.
Regarding the LRF system and built-in ballistics, I prefer the Alpex system. The Pard’s aim point is either a large crosshair or a straight line. I’ve only done limited testing of the ballistics up to 300 metres due to time constraints, but it appears to function adequately.
With an internal and external 18650 battery, the run time is approximately 5-6 hours. This is likely more, but I’ve been using it extensively to record footage while off the rifle, so it’s been subjected to frequent on and off periods.
Now, let’s discuss some downsides:
Having researched this scope, I wanted it to live up to its marketing claims.
Since Pulsar launched the C50 in 2021, interest in day/night digital scopes has surged. Despite its relatively low resolution, the C50 was a hit, prompting HIK to introduce their first-generation Alpex shortly after. In a clever marketing move, HIK significantly reduced the price of the first-gen Alpex about 12 months after its release, gaining market share as a result. This market share further increased when they launched the second-gen Alpex, which featured LRF and 4K sensors as its standout features. Consequently, the 4K Alpex has become the benchmark device for comparison, a crown the Alpex has confidently held for quite some time. In the digital age, maintaining such a prestigious position for over 20 minutes is quite an achievement. However, now, a couple of contenders are vying for this crown: the upcoming Nocpix Nite D70r and the Pard Nightstalker 4K EX.
Since the Nocpix isn’t available until later this month and is reportedly being shipped in limited quantities, with each dealer receiving only two devices from the first shipment, the Pard Nightstalker 4K will be the focus of this review.
In terms of form factor, Pard has likely produced its most aesthetically pleasing device to date. Their first-generation 30mm tubed day/night scopes couldn’t even be described as attractive by their mother (if they had one). However, the new EX has a sleek design and, without the optional LRF/IR module, could be mistaken for a standard glass scope. Adding the LRF, IR, or a combined LRF and IR module instantly identifies it as a digital scope, but the days of Pard’s Star Trek-style attachments on the front are gone.
With a 60mm eye relief (some sources claim 100mm and others vary, but the manual specifies 60mm and my measurements confirm it), a compact objective and a relatively long 30mm section mounted on two-piece rings and a Tika rail proved manageable. The scope includes two 30mm rings but they’re cheap and ridiculously high. I detest scopes mounted so high that birds can fly through the gap, so I’ve kept them in the box!
Software and menus-wise, I must admit it’s still a bit of a Pard-style mess compared to modern HIK products. However, it’s functional, I suppose. In fairness to Pard, I’m quite familiar with HIK menus, so I might be being overly critical. The zeroing function was actually easier to set up than the HIK, but finding the ballistics entry required a search through both the online manual and a YouTube video. Neither mentioned the need for a long press at a specific point to enable ballistics entry!
Let’s dive into the optical performance. As mentioned, I benchmarked the Pard against the Alpex 4K in low light, nighttime and daytime conditions. While both devices have the same 4K sensor size, the Pard boasts a 5.5x base magnification compared to the Alpex’s 3.5x. This, coupled with its higher internal screen resolution, results in a significantly better daytime image, which is also more conventionally round. In low light (first 30 minutes and last 30 minutes of stalking), the Alpex has a slight colour mode advantage of about 10-15 minutes, but in black and white mode, it’s only marginally better by 5-7 minutes. I believe this difference stems solely from the base magnification; the Alpex’s 3.5x base magnification combined with its 50mm lens likely gathers more light than the Pard’s 5.5x base magnification and 70mm lens. However, the difference isn’t substantial, and once the Alpex’s magnification surpasses its base magnification, the advantage diminishes, but it still holds a slight edge. In nighttime conditions, using both devices on black and white mode with the same IR, the Pard’s superior screen gave it a slight advantage.
Display specifications:
- Alpex: 1920x1080 round OLED
- Pard: 2560x2560 round OLED
Range test with built in VSCL 850nm IR:-
Roe Deer 250m with built in VSCL 850nm IR:-
Fox 60m with Built in VSCL 850nm IR:-
As previously noted, the Pard features its own built-in IR module. The scope I’ve used is the 850nm VSCL version, which I find has a useful range of 350-400 metres. LED versions are likely to have a shorter range, but you can opt for a LRF-only or bare scope-only Pard.
Regarding the LRF system and built-in ballistics, I prefer the Alpex system. The Pard’s aim point is either a large crosshair or a straight line. I’ve only done limited testing of the ballistics up to 300 metres due to time constraints, but it appears to function adequately.
With an internal and external 18650 battery, the run time is approximately 5-6 hours. This is likely more, but I’ve been using it extensively to record footage while off the rifle, so it’s been subjected to frequent on and off periods.
Now, let’s discuss some downsides:
- I’m concerned about reliability given Pard’s somewhat questionable reputation. However, I’ve had a few NV007s and a DS scope and they’ve all been quite solid.
- There’s no auto screen-off feature for putting the device into standby mode when the rifle is slung. You can do it with the power button but not the gyroscope.
- The weight is 896 grams, which is only about 200 grams lighter than the bulky 4K model.
- The colour and black and white low-light performance aren’t as good as the Alpex 4K. Under IR light, the Pard performs better but its low-light performance, especially in colour mode, lags behind the Alpex by about 10-15 minutes.
