I've been thinking about this for some time, and I finally pulled the trigger! Is anyone else using a thermo scope?
Anyone using Thermo Scopes?
- Thread starter N2 Shooter
- Start date
Thermal scopes are great if you are willing to spend the money for a good one $3500+. Otherwise I think that that the far less expensive digital night scopes have much better resolution. I personally believe that a decent thermal spotting scope and a digital night vision unit werqing together are the perfect pair. They both have their good points for sure.
I know others around here have thermal so hopefully they will join in.
I know others around here have thermal so hopefully they will join in.
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Aloha,
I have atn thor 4 1.5 x 15, I have done some hunting with it and have got videos of the hunt. While I have not had any problems with this unit I have heard others that use atn have minor issues but after performing a firmware update and factory reset they are not having issues like before.
I did look at other thermo makers (pulsar thermion) but it was out of my price range. The only thing that I would complain about with the atn is the weight other than that for the price, battery life, and not having issues, I would buy atn again maybe with a little more magnification.
Aloha, Keone
I have atn thor 4 1.5 x 15, I have done some hunting with it and have got videos of the hunt. While I have not had any problems with this unit I have heard others that use atn have minor issues but after performing a firmware update and factory reset they are not having issues like before.
I did look at other thermo makers (pulsar thermion) but it was out of my price range. The only thing that I would complain about with the atn is the weight other than that for the price, battery life, and not having issues, I would buy atn again maybe with a little more magnification.
Aloha, Keone
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Have you posted the videos anywhere? Just curious. Considering a night vision scope for several years now, but the quality of the digital zoom and price always made me stop looking.
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I have a atn thor HD 5x to 50x , it works great for me , I also have a pulsar N-550 Nite vision which also works , I have hunted many times with both and for me the thermal wins hands down any time and any condition I can spot a squirrel over 200 yds away I can spot a deer at 2500yards , so yes it reaches out ,
I will be selling both units as I want to go with a high end clip on next
LOU
I will be selling both units as I want to go with a high end clip on next
LOU
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There is some persistent confusion about the different kinds of scopes. Here is my take..
Basically, Night Vision is an amplifier of light compared to thermal vision which shows heat gradient (different amounts of heat are translated to different colors or grey levels)
Night vision is like a hearing aid expanding your senses ability to detect what is just beyond sensory ability, while thermal is like a radio receiver – showing your senses what they cannot detect.
There is no way to boost the performance of thermal scopes. Designator lasers do not help with thermals. Those do not impart enough energy to the target to heat it above ambient temperature. No temp difference = no show on thermal
Night vision scopes can be aided by external IR lights.
Basically, Night Vision is an amplifier of light compared to thermal vision which shows heat gradient (different amounts of heat are translated to different colors or grey levels)
Night vision is like a hearing aid expanding your senses ability to detect what is just beyond sensory ability, while thermal is like a radio receiver – showing your senses what they cannot detect.
There is no way to boost the performance of thermal scopes. Designator lasers do not help with thermals. Those do not impart enough energy to the target to heat it above ambient temperature. No temp difference = no show on thermal
Night vision scopes can be aided by external IR lights.
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Thermal works amazing for detecting if something is there. Depending on the quality of the unit, distance, humidity it can be difficult to tell exactly what it is. If I added up the cumulative time I’ve spent staring at rocks and sitting in wait of what I hope is a coyote only to have it be a deer well at least I enjoy just being out there. Also difficult to positively ID a rat from a flying squirrel. I usually try to carry both night vision and thermal in some form, each a compromise. I’m currently running thermal scope zeroed to my rifle with my infrared illuminator mounted and aligned with the crosshairs. If I’m in question of my target I turn on the ir while trying to hold the rifle steady with one hand and use my pard nv007 as a stand-alone monocular. Works fairly well though still awkward.
Then there’s this..
Then there’s this..
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RobR,
That's a crazy setup. How much does it weigh? I know it gets tiring when you use your gun's scope to scan and the reason I got a handheld thermal monocular. IMO a 4x thermal scope is good enough for our lower powered pellet guns. If you increase the zoom on the scope, you are zooming in digitally which will pixelate your screen.
That's a crazy setup. How much does it weigh? I know it gets tiring when you use your gun's scope to scan and the reason I got a handheld thermal monocular. IMO a 4x thermal scope is good enough for our lower powered pellet guns. If you increase the zoom on the scope, you are zooming in digitally which will pixelate your screen.
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About a pound too much to hold steady unsupported for more than 20 seconds. It’s as ridiculous as it looks but on a tripod to shoot rats in an area with a lot of cover where it’s near impossible to find something twice/ spot and confirm in a reasonable amount of time it justifies the weight. I’ve had the 4K and the Thor LT for a few years but recently purchased a Thor4 1-10 640 and while satisfied now 100% convinced there is far from any 1 ideal night vision optic. Within my budget anyways
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I have night vision, -ATN 4k 3x14 night vision for what it is is totally acceptable. Not PVS7 or PVS 14 level, but good enough. It's heavy and has a huge form factor. What we need is an optic that can run both thermal and IR at half the weight and size for less than a grand. a rat unicorn....
MB
MB
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Thermal works amazing for detecting if something is there. Depending on the quality of the unit, distance, humidity it can be difficult to tell exactly what it is. If I added up the cumulative time I’ve spent staring at rocks and sitting in wait of what I hope is a coyote only to have it be a deer well at least I enjoy just being out there. Also difficult to positively ID a rat from a flying squirrel. I usually try to carry both night vision and thermal in some form, each a compromise. I’m currently running thermal scope zeroed to my rifle with my infrared illuminator mounted and aligned with the crosshairs. If I’m in question of my target I turn on the ir while trying to hold the rifle steady with one hand and use my pard nv007 as a stand-alone monocular. Works fairly well though still awkward.
Then there’s this..
Well, now you're talking!
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Here is a video I just slapped together. I misspelled Raccoon as I am too tired to be up this late!
The quality you see in the scope far surpassesd the quality of the recorded video it produces. Expensive, but oh so worth it! I'm a go yote calling if I can get out before deer gun season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKCjCCvbupU
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I have been pretty happy with the ATN Thor 4 384, but now think the 640 would have been better for object recognition.
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Then there’s this..
Boy, and here I thought the ATN 4k with rangefinder was heavy!!!! I guess I'm just a wuss!
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