Thermal scope advice

[RD88]

That makes detecting hot spots and potential targets easier, but as can be seen from those same video stills there is an outline of the fox, but no detail within that outline, or much background detail
The differences in the image seen on the screen is down to the sensors they use and how the signals from those sensors are processed before reaching the screen
Some prefer the Pulsar image, whilst others prefer the HIK image

Cheers

Bruce

That's all Im after really to detect a target quick and get on it and be able to know that its a fox im looking at out to 150 yards. Alot of good information there thanks Bruce

I'll be honest as I said earlier a friend of mine had a TL35 infiray and before I got my spotter i was out with him 1 night and the battery had gone dead in his spotter so i was standing beside him looking into the black dark listening to him calling and squeaking for 20 minutes saying this lad is not interested I finally got bored and turned on the lamp turns out he had spent the last 20 minutes trying to call in a water trough around 180 yards away and couldn't make out that it was a fox or not I looked through his scope and whatever way it was behind a Bush it looked like the blob of a fox sitting down but that's all it was was a blob

 

[the prowler]

Well lads I fell asleep on the sofa and never woke till now alot of good information and advice to read when I woke. The stills taken by the Thunder TQ50 definitely look good enough to me as I say my furthest shot will be 200 MAX mostly between 100 and 150 I must look into the HIK a bit more.

Out of interest is the image the same in the HIK Panther the same as the Thunder only with a rangefinder

There's a panther for sale on here is there not

 

[the prowler]

 

[the prowler]

Recently put a pulsar xp50 on the 10.5ftlbs impact for rats on low 2mag and its excellent for around viewing. Target and background. Seems to suit my eyes anyway. Got the xp50 lfr on the 223. Can view on 2mag and jump up to 4mag when Charlie turns up. Great image on target and background. Will try it out against the xq50 sometime.

 

[the prowler]

 

[the prowler]

 

[the prowler]

Pulsar thermion2 xq50 on the airarms tdr

 

[Blackwood Outdoors]

I've tested them all a lot..

Thermtec, Senopex, Pulsar, HikMicro, iRay , etc

I was out last night with a Thunder 2.0 TQ50 and a Thermion 2 XG50

All the 12 micron chinese brands use big amount of denoise filters to smooth out the image, whilst leaving grain actually adds detail to the full scene.

I tested Senopex against Thermtec, some of the Thermtec offerings they are clearing are cheap and a good price, although the Senopex definitely spanks them without question..

I kept a Thermion 2 XG50 LRF myself, because the target ID and detail at range for a 50mm unit is the best in it's class 640x480, 12 micron, 50mm focal, others with similar spec didn't retain the same detail, especially throughout the mag range when using Digital zoom. The standard model of these have just been released and there priced very well at £3500.

The Thunder 2.0 TQ50 is a nice compact unit, the initial firmware scared me away from them, but a firmware update improved things a lot, I must admit the Pulsar has an overall more natural image but the Thunder is priced very cheap and its tiny if you want to keep weight down.. I've been using one on my bullpup to keep the weight right down.

IF it was me and I had to choose a thermal scope currently for my own needs, wide field of view, decent image and multi functional as in close/long range.... just purely thermal it would be

Thermion 2 XG50 LRF
Senopex S7
Thunder 2 TQ50 2.0

IF I wanted the best poor weather performance it would be

Thermion 2 XP50 PRO
Thermion 2 XQ50 PRO (Bargain)
Thunder 2 TQ50 2.0

If I wanted the best long range foxing scope it would be

Senopex S10
Senopex S7
Senopex A7
Thermion 2 XG50
Thermtec Ares 660

If I wanted a really good day time 4K scope and stunning thermal image upto medium ranges and excellent poor weather performance.

Thermion Duo DXP55

 

[the prowler]

In Scotland you need the poor weather performance alright.

 

[RD88]

Recently put a pulsar xp50 on the 10.5ftlbs impact for rats on low 2mag and its excellent for around viewing. Target and background. Seems to suit my eyes anyway. Got the xp50 lfr on the 223. Can view on 2mag and jump up to 4mag when Charlie turns up. Great image on target and background. Will try it out against the xq50 sometime.

View attachment 331990

Nice looking setup thanks for the info

 

[the prowler]

Nice looking setup thanks for the info

No problem. Most of my guns don't have picatinny rails, and am old fashioned. So prefer the 30mm tube scopes

 

[RD88]

No problem. Most of my guns don't have picatinny rails, and am old fashioned. So prefer the 30mm tube scopes

I'd be sort of old fashioned meself but then if a yoke worked and worked well I wouldn't mind what it looked like. How do you find IDing foxes at 150 to 200 with the xp50 no problem at all I'd say.

 

[the prowler]

No problem. I can look out the bedroom window at 175 yards and clearly see everything.

 

[mealiejimmy]

In Scotland you need the poor weather performance alright.

Aye, if you live in the central belt, not nearly so much if you live in the east.
I shoot around Aberdeen and I'd say over 80% of our outings are in good thermal conditions
In fact, I look at the forecast before I go out and if the humidity is less than 90% then the thermal image will be good
Between 90-95% it will be poor and above 95% I simply don't go out
In that 90-95% band is where you'll see thermals like the Telos and XP50 50 outperforming the HIK thermals - not so much by detecting potential targets better, but by providing more background detail.

Cheers

Bruce

 

[mealiejimmy]

Well lads I fell asleep on the sofa and never woke till now alot of good information and advice to read when I woke. The stills taken by the Thunder TQ50 definitely look good enough to me as I say my furthest shot will be 200 MAX mostly between 100 and 150 I must look into the HIK a bit more.

Out of interest is the image the same in the HIK Panther the same as the Thunder only with a rangefinder

The following HIK thermal scopes with 640 sensors use the same 35mK sensor: Thunder V1,0, Panther V1.0, Gryphon and Stellar
The following HIK thermal scopes with 640 sensors use the same 20mK sensor: Thunder V2.0, Panther V2,0

Cheers

Bruce

 

[the prowler]

Aye, if you live in the central belt, not nearly so much if you live in the east.
I shoot around Aberdeen and I'd say over 80% of our outings are in good thermal conditions
In fact, I look at the forecast before I go out and if the humidity is less than 90% then the thermal image will be good
Between 90-95% it will be poor and above 95% I simply don't go out
In that 90-95% band is where you'll see thermals like the Telos and XP50 50 outperforming the HIK thermals - not so much by detecting potential targets better, but by providing more background detail.

Cheers

Bruce

Unfortunately with work Bruce I've got to go out when I can. And the rain can and will come on at anytime. I certainly don't go out in rain or fog if I can help it.

 

[RD88]

The following HIK thermal scopes with 640 sensors use the same 35mK sensor: Thunder V1,0, Panther V1.0, Gryphon and Stellar
The following HIK thermal scopes with 640 sensors use the same 20mK sensor: Thunder V2.0, Panther V2,0

Cheers

Bruce

Thanks Bruce think I'm even more confused now as to what to buy with all the reply and info I'm after getting

 

[mealiejimmy]

Don't be confused, as long as you're happy to pay the price, an XG50 will do everything you want
In the computer industry it was said that nobody ever got fired for buying IBM
In the thermal world you could say the same thing about buying Pulsar

Cheers

Bruce

 

[RD88]

As I say I have a budget of about 4 to 4.5k euro so think my mind is sort of made up but it was good to hear of other people's experiences aswell with different makes and models

 

[the prowler]

Would certainly like to try the pulsar duo, can't see me getting another 223 to put it on unfortunately