Anyone seen the new Swaro TM35 thermal?

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Antonyweeks

Well-Known Member
For £4K seems v expensive when compared with the Leica Calonox or Zeiss offerings. Is it really going to be worth the money when compared with my Pulsar Axiom thing? I don’t have much experience with these devices so wondered if anyone else had high end thermals and thought them worth the extra cash?
 
Just to play devil's advocate, its not all about technical specs and microns (whatever the hell microns are!) when assessing thermal.

Some of us are pretty basic thermal users - its purely to spot a heat source that then requires investigation with the bins. That said I my basic pulsar has alerted me to foxes and deer at up to 3/4 of a mile in perfect conditions. I don't use zoom, focus or any of the other settings. It has lasted for a two years, but I am concerned that it may not last forever. Everything feels plasticky and cheap from the battery compartment, charging socket and the rubber buttons. The battery life and battery health (maintaining charge once charged but not used) is poor.

I have not used the high end thermals from the German brands, but I will definitely look for something that is built better for my next one.
 
muddy42 said:
Just to play devil's advocate, its not all about technical specs and microns (whatever the hell microns are!) when assessing thermal.

Some of us are pretty basic thermal users - its purely to spot a heat source that then requires investigation with the bins. That said I my basic pulsar has alerted me to foxes and deer at up to 3/4 of a mile in perfect conditions. I don't use zoom, focus or any of the other settings. It has lasted for a two years, but I am concerned that it may not last forever. Everything feels plasticky and cheap from the battery compartment, charging socket and the rubber buttons. The battery life and battery health (maintaining charge once charged but not used) is poor.

I have not used the high end thermals from the German brands, but I will definitely look for something that is built better for my next one.
Click to expand...
That’s a good point. My pulsar is a year old and has been superb even if the heat source images aren’t as crystal clear as those on the premium brands. What I like about the Pulsar is that I have three easily changeable batteries and they and the imager fit into the front pocket of my bino harness.
Would be good to look through the Swaro ones just to compare.
 
im like muddy 42, i use a helion xq38f, im not techy i switch it on i spot stuff and thats it, it works, im not interested in wi fi ive never had an update?, i dont use probably 75% of the stuff it has, why dont they make one you just switch on and use, it seems nowdays you have to have a degree in computers to go out and shoot now i shall stay as i am jeez how did i manage to shoot anything 40 years ago. bs.
 
For those who own/use Pulsar thermals, reading the user manual does wonders for learning how to use it.

I'm sure the Swaro and Leica versions come with a built in butler who whispers sweet nothings into your ear whilst gently guiding you onto given quarry... or at least they should at that price point! :lol:
 
caberslash said:
For those who own/use Pulsar thermals, reading the user manual does wonders for learning how to use it.

I'm sure the Swaro and Leica versions come with a built in butler who whispers sweet nothings into your ear whilst gently guiding you onto given quarry... or at least they should at that price point! :lol:
Click to expand...

I did read the pulsar manual and cycled through the various settings for a few weeks whilst stalking. I genuinely didn't think anything was any better than factory settings, so that's how I leave it now. I would love a thermal with nothing but an on/off switch. Not a button that you have to press and hold for 3 seconds, an on/off switch like a light switch.
 
muddy42 said:
I did read the pulsar manual and cycled through the various settings for a few weeks whilst stalking. I genuinely didn't think anything was any better than factory settings, so that's how I leave it now. I would love a thermal with nothing but an on/off switch. Not a button that you have to press and hold for 3 seconds, an on/off switch like a light switch.
Click to expand...

Fair enough, yes Pulsar should have an option to turn off some of the buttons. Sometimes accidentally hit 'Record' or 'Zoom In/Out'.

The power button has a press and hold so it does not turn on accidentally and drain the battery whilst sitting in a backpack. Also handy to have a sleep/display off function to save battery.

I think the HIK units are more simple but image quality isn't as good.
 
i give up on tech years ago i bought a casio watch and binned it theres buttons in my car ive not got a clue what the do bs
 
muddy42 said:
Just to play devil's advocate, its not all about technical specs and microns (whatever the hell microns are!) when assessing thermal.

Some of us are pretty basic thermal users - its purely to spot a heat source that then requires investigation with the bins. That said I my basic pulsar has alerted me to foxes and deer at up to 3/4 of a mile in perfect conditions. I don't use zoom, focus or any of the other settings. It has lasted for a two years, but I am concerned that it may not last forever. Everything feels plasticky and cheap from the battery compartment, charging socket and the rubber buttons. The battery life and battery health (maintaining charge once charged but not used) is poor.

I have not used the high end thermals from the German brands, but I will definitely look for something that is built better for my next one.
Click to expand...
The "High End German brands" use the same critical components (objective lens, sensor, display, processing electronics) as the non "high end" brands because zee Chermans don't make ANY of those bits
Anyone buying a Zeiss, leica or Swaro thermal is being ripped off - and it's people like you, who openly confess to knowing nothing about them ("what the hell are microns") who they are waiting for with open arms.

Cheers

Bruce
 
muddy42 said:
I did read the pulsar manual and cycled through the various settings for a few weeks whilst stalking. I genuinely didn't think anything was any better than factory settings, so that's how I leave it now. I would love a thermal with nothing but an on/off switch. Not a button that you have to press and hold for 3 seconds, an on/off switch like a light switch.
Click to expand...
Yup, I have had an Axion XQ38 for about a year after upgrading from a quanum 30 Lite. After an initial play it now stays on white hot, very occasionally change between the "forest", "rocks" and "ID" modes but thats about it.

Can spot a heat signal a loooooong way away and can usually ID from teh way the heat signal moves. I looked through a few high end ones recently and yes they where clearer but I can't see the point really.
 
It could be a rebadged HIK but even for the larger 35mm lens version it would need to be selling for well less than £2k to be competitive.
For the 25mm it would need to be selling for less than £1500 to get many buyers.

Cheers

Bruce
 
slider said:
I looked through a few high end ones recently and yes they where clearer but I can't see the point really.
Click to expand...

Very latest pulsar spotters cut through rain and fog a lot better, also better definition means less chance of looking at 'hot rocks/stumps'.
 
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