atn x-sight 3-12

[treetop]

Been reading this thread from start, and thought I would add my opinion..

I had it's big brother, and to be honest... I thought it was upto scratch at night, we ( friends and I had 4 between us ) used them solid for 3 weeks.
i disliked its 'soft' picture quality and the lack of depth of field to the eye, I also believed IMO that it could be dangerous as ( can be seen in the vid ^^^^ ) there is no vision behind the object you see, it's as though the unit can only see the nearest object that reflects IR .. So you can't see the backstop.
in day, they are great ... But not better than a decent tube of glass , and as said, I found them wanting at night.

Shame cos I loved the concept.. But for me.. It wasn't a compromise I was willing to take.. Not when there were better cheaper options out there . That I felt were safer to use.

i now use a photon xt on the rifle that the x sight was intended for, with a T20 on an adjustable mount, and doubler lens , I put a green filter in the eye piece to reduce glare. It's a simple unit, but it does the job well.

i do understand and agree that you should test them 1st, and each person will find a unit they like.. But Im also a believer that one should share there experience , to allow others to get all the facts.

 

[Eric the Red]

Been reading this thread from start, and thought I would add my opinion..

I had it's big brother, and to be honest... I thought it was upto scratch at night, we ( friends and I had 4 between us ) used them solid for 3 weeks.
i disliked its 'soft' picture quality and the lack of depth of field to the eye, I also believed IMO that it could be dangerous as ( can be seen in the vid ^^^^ ) there is no vision behind the object you see, it's as though the unit can only see the nearest object that reflects IR .. So you can't see the backstop.
in day, they are great ... But not better than a decent tube of glass , and as said, I found them wanting at night.

Shame cos I loved the concept.. But for me.. It wasn't a compromise I was willing to take.. Not when there were better cheaper options out there . That I felt were safer to use.

i now use a photon xt on the rifle that the x sight was intended for, with a T20 on an adjustable mount, and doubler lens , I put a green filter in the eye piece to reduce glare. It's a simple unit, but it does the job well.

i do understand and agree that you should test them 1st, and each person will find a unit they like.. But Im also a believer that one should share there experience , to allow others to get all the facts.

Completely agreed with your points and like you I hope I have been clear in saying it is a compromise. Focus is a little fussy and so the depth of field does give the illusion of not covering backstop - but it does. Using the vid as an illustration is a little harsh given the 'backstop' in the vid is over 500m away.....!! I do agree that a tubed NV would give you that - and the issue is a generic downfall of digital night vision where IR light is not bounced back to the unit. I do think the auto brightness control on the X-Sight does no favours in areas of high contrast - typically foreground v background as you say. Getting a balanced picture is something that needs practice. I can understand that for some, it is not an usable tool - but as you say, each needs to make their own mind up.