Following on from previous reviews of HIK Habrok products, I thought I’d give an update on their latest release. While it’s technically a new product, it’s actually the love child of two existing ones. The HQ35 4K is the optical channel from the HE25, and the thermal channel is from the first-generation HQ35.
Now, even though it’s basically two existing products, it’s the best of both worlds. For the first time, the Habrok is a viable product for deer stalkers.
The first-generation Habrok had decent thermal and an all-in-one format, but the optical channel was poor and didn’t allow me to identify animals well. For example, it was almost impossible to determine the number of points on a roe buck at anything over 50m, and there was no way to tell if it was a shed buck or a doe at that critical early winter period.
The HE25 solved this issue optically with the introduction of the 4K optical sensor and boosting the base magnification to 5.5x. However, they chose to mate this with the worst thermal sensor you can buy and gave it a base magnification of 4.3x. This base magnification did slightly improve the poor thermal image, but it also gave a ridiculously low field of view of 12.7m at 100m.
Okay, maybe this is good for large open areas, but try using it in woodland or close country, and it certainly has some limitations.
Enter the HQ35 4K, and suddenly, a device emerges that the stalker can use. The thermal sensor boasts a 640x512 resolution with a base magnification of 3x, resulting in a 22m FOV at 100. The optical channel is 4K, with a 5.5x base magnification. While light gathering falls slightly short of the Alpex 4K, it still outperforms anything glass-based at dawn and dusk. However, let’s not be deceived; digital is nowhere near as effective as glass in daylight and likely won’t be anytime soon.
For a stalker in lowland UK, dawn and dusk are crucial, and I, for one, can forgive the daytime performance in favour of the light gathering abilities. Nevertheless, I fully understand that many won’t.
There are a few drawbacks, though. Firstly, they weigh significantly more than a monocular-style spotter due to having the twice as much glass and twice as many batteries. This becomes noticeable after several hours of one-handed use (with the other hand holding sticking). Additionally, I find them harder to walk and scan simultaneously due to the dual-eye approach. Over the years, I’ve perfected the ability to walk slowly through woodland while scanning with my left eye on a monocular, but I still find myself needing to adjust again.
Despite these downsides, the advantages far outweigh them. The ability to spot, identify, and range if required almost instantly, with just two button presses, is incredibly powerful. This capability is especially valuable when hunting in conditions like summer fallow or roe, as it helps account for a higher deer population. Add in the low light performance and the Habrok HQ35 4K is an effective deer stalking tool.
Now, even though it’s basically two existing products, it’s the best of both worlds. For the first time, the Habrok is a viable product for deer stalkers.
The first-generation Habrok had decent thermal and an all-in-one format, but the optical channel was poor and didn’t allow me to identify animals well. For example, it was almost impossible to determine the number of points on a roe buck at anything over 50m, and there was no way to tell if it was a shed buck or a doe at that critical early winter period.
The HE25 solved this issue optically with the introduction of the 4K optical sensor and boosting the base magnification to 5.5x. However, they chose to mate this with the worst thermal sensor you can buy and gave it a base magnification of 4.3x. This base magnification did slightly improve the poor thermal image, but it also gave a ridiculously low field of view of 12.7m at 100m.
Okay, maybe this is good for large open areas, but try using it in woodland or close country, and it certainly has some limitations.
Enter the HQ35 4K, and suddenly, a device emerges that the stalker can use. The thermal sensor boasts a 640x512 resolution with a base magnification of 3x, resulting in a 22m FOV at 100. The optical channel is 4K, with a 5.5x base magnification. While light gathering falls slightly short of the Alpex 4K, it still outperforms anything glass-based at dawn and dusk. However, let’s not be deceived; digital is nowhere near as effective as glass in daylight and likely won’t be anytime soon.
For a stalker in lowland UK, dawn and dusk are crucial, and I, for one, can forgive the daytime performance in favour of the light gathering abilities. Nevertheless, I fully understand that many won’t.
There are a few drawbacks, though. Firstly, they weigh significantly more than a monocular-style spotter due to having the twice as much glass and twice as many batteries. This becomes noticeable after several hours of one-handed use (with the other hand holding sticking). Additionally, I find them harder to walk and scan simultaneously due to the dual-eye approach. Over the years, I’ve perfected the ability to walk slowly through woodland while scanning with my left eye on a monocular, but I still find myself needing to adjust again.
Despite these downsides, the advantages far outweigh them. The ability to spot, identify, and range if required almost instantly, with just two button presses, is incredibly powerful. This capability is especially valuable when hunting in conditions like summer fallow or roe, as it helps account for a higher deer population. Add in the low light performance and the Habrok HQ35 4K is an effective deer stalking tool.
