Low Cost Thermal Spotters?

[ShootyBang]

Thinking of getting a second thermal spotter for when I bring my friends or Old Man out stalking with me... so both people in the party have a chance of spotting something. My stalking is all mature woodland... animals are 80% under 120m, usually spotting a head or a portion amongst the trees & bush. My main therm is a Pulsar Helion XQ38F.

Are the <£1000 thermal spotters good for this purpose? Like the Hik Micro Lynx Pro LE10 (£695), Infiray Affo AP13 (£730), the HIKMICRO Lynx Pro LE15 (£949) or the Pulsar Axion XM30F (£979). I am sure the Axion will be better than the HikMicro Lynx, the latter being 50% more expensive. But are any of them worth the money?

I'll discount the super-cheap ATN OTS XLT 2-8X (like £300!) as likely useless, based on what I've seen online & the general view that ATN are a poor company.

Thoughts welcome!

(Pic a screenshot from "Simaboru.hu" on Youtube)

 

[JTO]

What are the refresh rates of the units on the market nowadays?
I had a look through a Flir soon after I bought my Quantum and it was no contest.

 

[ShootyBang]

What are the refresh rates of the units on the market nowadays?
I had a look through a Flir soon after I bought my Quantum and in was no contest.

In the sense that the tech has come along quickly? Refresh rates are better? i.e. even the cheaper ones are now useful?

 

[mealiejimmy]

Other than FLIR (which nobody is daft enough to buy because of its ITAR restricted 9Hz refresh rate) all the others on the market are at least 25Hz and more likely 50 or 60 Hz
Refresh rate is simply not an issue with the current crop of thermals on the UK market

Cheers

Bruce

 

[Kernow_Stalker]

I exclusively use the axion for my stalking needs these days. Used to have a Helion which clearly was a better unit. But to be honest the axion does everything I need, shows a heat source that I can then guide my glass onto. Performs well in both woodland and open heath etc. For the money I really do think they are brilliant.

 

[Cyres]

You could get a SH Helion for sub £1000

 

[Acm]

The helicon is a big lump to carry, the axion fits in your pocket comfortably

 

[takbok]

Axion xm30 for me. Nice and compact and can spot deer at 500m+. I can't justify spending any more on more bulky spotters.

 

[Blackwood Outdoors]

This !

Pulsar Axion XQ30 Pro Thermal

The Pulsar Axion XQ30 Pro thermal monocular features a 17 micron, 25mk netD, 384 pixel sensor, with a compact magnesium alloy waterproof body.

www.blackwoodoutdoors.co.uk

 

[Foxyboy43]

I have the Axion 35 and a pal the Axion 30. They will both serve you very well at the distances you are shooting at. For longer reach my 35 detects lamb-sized heat signatures at 1.5k (according to Google Earth) and reds at even further. Saturday night in poor thermal conditions (mild and wet) I could identify badgers at 400m plus.
There are/have been a few pre-owned on this site at good prices.

 

[Motul1974]

Looked at the Hik Lynx 19 at the Game Fair and have happily ordered one today off local rfd, he did me a deal and just under your 1k budget

 

[Will the chippy]

See Edinburgh rifles post on here.

 

[Deano75]

Anything with a 50+ Hz refresh rate will do you just fine. My old Pulsar unit (50 hz) is still going strong with an excellent quality picture.

 

[Buchan]

Really pleased with the picture in the XM30F. Picking up the heat from velvet antlers at about 200m. easy pocket size too

 

[shoppe]

I have one of the first axion xq 38 Spotters.
It's brilliant. I am able to cover much more ground in the same time.

 

[disco_ike]

I had a try of a few units the other week at a photography show of all places.
Hik are very good but some new units are just coming into the country made by Pixfra and imported by ThomasJacks. Their units are about the same price as the Hik but just felt better made so may be worth checking out.

 

[Terrydeer]

Thinking of getting a second thermal spotter for when I bring my friends or Old Man out stalking with me... so both people in the party have a chance of spotting something. My stalking is all mature woodland... animals are 80% under 120m, usually spotting a head or a portion amongst the trees & bush. My main therm is a Pulsar Helion XQ38F.

Are the <£1000 thermal spotters good for this purpose? Like the Hik Micro Lynx Pro LE10 (£695), Infiray Affo AP13 (£730), the HIKMICRO Lynx Pro LE15 (£949) or the Pulsar Axion XM30F (£979). I am sure the Axion will be better than the HikMicro Lynx, the latter being 50% more expensive. But are any of them worth the money?

I'll discount the super-cheap ATN OTS XLT 2-8X (like £300!) as likely useless, based on what I've seen online & the general view that ATN are a poor company.

Thoughts welcome!

(Pic a screenshot from "Simaboru.hu" on Youtube)

I have a HIKMicro Lynx 6 and have had it for a couple of years, it does a great job, has been out in all westher

 

[hendrix's rifle]

Xm30 for me, cheap enough now too. Will pick up roe considerably further than you can shoot but when shooting in forestry, it picks out body parts that are concealed. The thermal accounted for probably 50 percent of my deer last year that I just wouldn't have seen without it. It accounted for my last roe buck a few days ago that again, without it, I wouldn't have seen. Maybe buy one second hand to keep prices down?

 

[Brighty3006]

Xm30s. Perfect for my needs and so easy to carry.

 

[JTO]

Xm30s. Perfect for my needs and so easy to carry.

How long will the battery last before a recharge?
My old Quantum will last all night with the auxiliary power supply.