#ThermalMonocular

Pulsar has just announced the start of sale of the Telos LRF XL50 and the Telos XL50. It’s not common for any type of product to be available on the date of the press release, but here’s a pleasant exception. If you already read our review of its little brother, the Telos LRF XP50, you know a little more about what to expect.

This is a review of the brand-new Pulsar Axion XQ30 Pro, a pocket-sized thermal monocular. Unlike quite a few of the thermals we review, the price of this thermal monocular should also fit most people’s pockets. To begin with, the small size of this device has to be mentioned. Previously, a small-sized thermal has always meant a compromise in image quality, but modern technology and development can also put old truths and preconceptions to shame. Let’s see how the XQ30 Pro performs!

A few years ago, Liemke Thermal Optics became a part of the Blaser Group. Liemke have been active in the market for thermal imaging technology since 2008, and for ten years they’ve been developing their own products and solutions. It’s now time for the introduction of the German-made Keiler 25.1 Thermal Monocular, which features a thermal sensor with 384×288 pixel resolution and an OLED display with 1024×768 pixel resolution. The base magnification is 2.4x, with a digital zoom up to 10x. There are five color modes and the unit is waterproof according to IP67. All this for an MSRP of $2,777.

Armasight has announced the  Sidekick 640 Mini Thermal Monocular, intended for handheld use or helmet mounting. The thermal sensor is 12 micron, 640 pixels, 60 Hz, which is displayed on a 1024×768 OLED display. The user interface is through a three-button control, and the display can run several color palettes. The unit is light, only 384 grams, and uses a composite body. In terms of connectivity, there’s a USB-C interface for external power. There’s also a compass and an internal video recording and image capture function.

This is a review of the Infiray Outdoor Zoom ZH50 V2 Thermal Monocular. It is a handheld, high-end device, with a powerful 640-pixel thermal sensor, and a unique dual FOV (Field Of View) functionality. The dual-lens system works either as 25mm or 50mm, with 2x or 4x base magnification respectively. In this review, you will find an introduction, a technical overview as well as a lot of images and a video to display what sort of performance you can expect.

The new Pulsar Telos LRF XP50 has been in development for some time and was released at IWA in Germany earlier this year. It takes over where the  Pulsar Helion 2 XP50 PRO thermal monocular left, and TFB got a pre-production unit to try out for a few months. Just like its predecessor, the Telos is a high-end thermal monocular, but more or less everything has been changed and upgraded. For instance, the overall body shape, thermal sensor and the ability to use an integrated laser rangefinder.

Pulsar Vison releases a long list of new thermals at IWA Outdoors in Nuremberg, Germany. The Pulsar Telos LRF XP50 is the first model in the new Telos series, using a European-made Lynred sensor that features 640×480 pixel resolution with 17 microns pixel pitch. But, apart from the design, the coolest thing is the NETD thermal sensitivity below 18 millikelvin, which is the lowest I’ve ever seen on a commercial device. The lower the value, the better the sensitivity.

Friday the 13th is here but rather than consider it to be unlucky you have Friday Night Lights to shine a light and give you hope. Today we will take a close look at a thermal device that has got the thermal users all excited. The IRay USA RH25 Rico Micro. It is an all-in-one thermal device that works as a monocular, clip-on and thermal weapon sight. The best part is that there is not much compromise and the price is actually not terrible. So let’s get into it and check out the RH25 Rico Micro!

If you haven’t used a thermal monocular yet you should at least try one. Thermal monoculars work both day and night and can be used for target and terrain observations more or less anywhere. X-Vision Optics now has a new thermal monocular called the TM1, which features a 400 x 300 thermal detector and a 1.7 to 6.8x digital magnification. Furthermore, the unit has picture-in-picture functions and is said to have a 1900-yard detection range and a 750-yard recognition range.  The price for the XVT Thermal Monocular – TM1 is $2,499.99.

The Texas-based company iRayUSA has just announced the US availability of a new series of thermal imaging devices called the ZOOM Series. The Zoom ZH38 has a dual field of view, 640×512 thermal sensor resolution and a 1440×1080 pixels display. The device also has shutterless technology and a variety of color options for the “hot”, PiP, digital zoom and hot spot tracking. Devices like the iRayUSA Zoom are mainly used for night hunting, observation and terrain positioning as well as search and rescue. We recently tested the excellent InfiRay FH35R Finder II Thermal Monocular and TFB now has the iRayUSA Zoom on a review at the moment, and you got a peek view recently here.

This is a review of the InfiRay FH35R Thermal Monocular. These devices are typically used by hunters for scouting before and after the shot, but there are many other uses like finding missing persons. I really like this InfiRay. It has a good image quality, it’s easy to use and it’s relatively small and light. On top of that, there’s a Laser Range Finder (LRF) built-in, and while not cheap, the device is reasonably priced. It’s been my companion on several driven hunts, and I’ve used it to scout various areas to discover the performance and possible limitations.

At SHOT Show ATN had their latest on display. One of them was this thermal monocular they call the ODIN LT Series. It is a handheld device that can be helmet mounted.

Thermal imaging devices have come a long way over the last 20 years in terms of affordability and availability. Organizations like ATN have truly made thermal and day/night digital scopes affordable for the average man and their latest thermal monocular, the ODIN LT 320 is shaping up to be a great handy little tool for spotting animals for hunting or just keeping an eye on your property at night.

Thermal Imaging Monoculars are the new black for almost any outdoor life, and the performance you can expect even from a small, relatively cheap device is quickly getting better and better. iRayUSA has now released a new line of Thermal Imaging Monoculars called the Cabin Series. The two models are made to be operated with one hand and include a built-in LED flashlight, which can come in handy. The thermal sensors have a detection range between 1,070 yards and 1,420 yards depending on the model. Both the Cabin CBL19 and the CBL25 Thermal Monoculars have 384×288 pixels, 12μm, sensors.

In the world of night vision hunting, thermal monoculars have become indispensable. For a long time, the BAE SkeetIR has been the monocular of choice for many serious hunters. Recently a Chinese thermal company has come out with a monocular to rival the SkeetIR. The iRay MH25 has been colloquially dubbed the “China-Skeet”. I got to borrow one and check it out.