Night Vision hunting Thread

[Outdoor Legacy]

This thread needs some action..Jason have you got to get out and do some field testing with the pulsar? And what about the new product they have coming out called the core?

Yep I've gotten out with it and it's simply amazing. I'm just blown away by the quality for the price. I'm hesitant to show any of the video I've got out of it because 1) I was free hand 2) The video quality is 50% as good as what you actually see looking through the scope. It's so much clearer and sharper when you look through the scope vs what the video image looks like. I think part of that might be because I have about 3 video cable adapters hooked up to get it to connect to my UNV MDVR. I talked to UNV and they are still working on a cable that connect directly to the Apex from the MDVR but it should be available soon.

As for the Core thermal unit, I actually saw a hot off the press prototype at the SHOT Show in January and it was so new that the Pulsar USA guys knew nothing about it. They had the prototype there but it had been shipped straight to Vegas so they hadn't had any training with it. Basically in it's current state, it's a 3 function thermal device.

1) It will function as a handheld monocular.
2) It will function as a weapons mountable rifle scope.
3) It will function as a clip on thermal device in front of your day scope.

The quality was awesome, I'd say on par with the Apex and it was a very small compact unit and I can see where it's going to be a HUGE success. There was no pricing available and no ETA. The guesstimates were it MIGHT be released at the 2016 SHOT Show but several Pulsar reps thought it might even be 2017 before it's ready for the general public. So don't wait around on it but if it continues down the path its going right now, it's going to be a game changer.

- Jason

[miket]

I killed this monster Friday night with the miket NV. I didnt weigh him but Im thinking somewhere around 5lb.
Been wanting to shoot a small one for a while now, this is my smallest ever. Unfortunately the 6.8 destroyed both shoulders.....

[keatonskidmore]

I killed this monster Friday night with the miket NV. I didnt weigh him but Im thinking somewhere around 5lb.
Been wanting to shoot a small one for a while now, this is my smallest ever. Unfortunately the 6.8 destroyed both shoulders.....

[ATTACH]705378[/ATTACH]

Ha! Got to love those little football sized ones. Nice kill

[keatonskidmore]

Yep I've gotten out with it and it's simply amazing. I'm just blown away by the quality for the price. I'm hesitant to show any of the video I've got out of it because 1) I was free hand 2) The video quality is 50% as good as what you actually see looking through the scope. It's so much clearer and sharper when you look through the scope vs what the video image looks like. I think part of that might be because I have about 3 video cable adapters hooked up to get it to connect to my UNV MDVR. I talked to UNV and they are still working on a cable that connect directly to the Apex from the MDVR but it should be available soon.



As for the Core thermal unit, I actually saw a hot off the press prototype at the SHOT Show in January and it was so new that the Pulsar USA guys knew nothing about it. They had the prototype there but it had been shipped straight to Vegas so they hadn't had any training with it. Basically in it's current state, it's a 3 function thermal device.



1) It will function as a handheld monocular.

2) It will function as a weapons mountable rifle scope.

3) It will function as a clip on thermal device in front of your day scope.



The quality was awesome, I'd say on par with the Apex and it was a very small compact unit and I can see where it's going to be a HUGE success. There was no pricing available and no ETA. The guesstimates were it MIGHT be released at the 2016 SHOT Show but several Pulsar reps thought it might even be 2017 before it's ready for the general public. So don't wait around on it but if it continues down the path its going right now, it's going to be a game changer.



- Jason

As for the video quality from the Apex, that's what I've been reading on other forums and YouTube videos. Everyone says the image through the eye piece is far better than the recorded video. My only complaint with the Apex is its not a lever type QD and the optical zoom is just 1 or 2x depending on model.
I hope to see that core model out soon. I saw a little video of them changing it from monocular to clip on and it was pretty awesome. Real cool concept of having both a clip on and monocular or riflescope in one unit with a quick attachment.

[Outdoor Legacy]

As for the video quality from the Apex, that's what I've been reading on other forums and YouTube videos. Everyone says the image through the eye piece is far better than the recorded video. My only complaint with the Apex is its not a lever type QD and the optical zoom is just 1 or 2x depending on model.
I hope to see that core model out soon. I saw a little video of them changing it from monocular to clip on and it was pretty awesome. Real cool concept of having both a clip on and monocular or riflescope in one unit with a quick attachment.

Yep for anyone who wants to get an Apex, I wouldn't consider the XD38A but instead opt for the XD50A. The reasoning is simple. The XD38A is $2,999 and the XD50A is $3,499. For $500 more you are doubling the optical magnification from 1x to 2x. So then you get twice the digital magnification. Also to be clear, the digital magnification is 3x-8x (actual) on the XD50A. There is some confusion on this and I'll explain why. Ok the XD50A is a 2x optical magnification. If you double that with digital magnification you are at 4x actual magnification and if you quadruple it you are at 8x magnification. That seems pretty logical, just like any standard digital or video camera. The problem is, the on screen display shows 2x, 3x, 4x etc as you increase the digital zoom. That's misleading because it's not really 2x, it's actually 4x and when the display shows 4x, it's actually 8x. I hope that makes some sense.lol Basically the display shows what level of digital magnification you are at, not what level of magnification you are seeing.

I know some people really like QD mounts and I'm definitely not against them because they do make sense at times. I just think it's less important on high end optics (even though I know some high end optics have them). Most of the guys I deal with shooting high end optics have multiple rifles and when they put a high end NV optic on a rifle, that is the dedicated rifle it's staying on. They aren't taking off thermal to pop an EOtech on there for daylight shooting. Again painting with a broad brush but talking to Pulsar I think they were thinking a long the same lines. I could be wrong but I don't suspect they will be adding QD to the Apex's unless there was just a huge out cry for it.

Also, I just talked to Pulsar and asked about the Core again and they said not to get anyone's hopes up on it coming out within the next 18 months. They said it's possible but extremely unlikely. I'll still be interested to hear what the price is going to be. It won't be cheap, that's for sure, but it is very cool!

[keatonskidmore]

Yep for anyone who wants to get an Apex, I wouldn't consider the XD38A but instead opt for the XD50A. The reasoning is simple. The XD38A is $2,999 and the XD50A is $3,499. For $500 more you are doubling the optical magnification from 1x to 2x. So then you get twice the digital magnification. Also to be clear, the digital magnification is 3x-8x (actual) on the XD50A. There is some confusion on this and I'll explain why. Ok the XD50A is a 2x optical magnification. If you double that with digital magnification you are at 4x actual magnification and if you quadruple it you are at 8x magnification. That seems pretty logical, just like any standard digital or video camera. The problem is, the on screen display shows 2x, 3x, 4x etc as you increase the digital zoom. That's misleading because it's not really 2x, it's actually 4x and when the display shows 4x, it's actually 8x. I hope that makes some sense.lol Basically the display shows what level of digital magnification you are at, not what level of magnification you are seeing.



I know some people really like QD mounts and I'm definitely not against them because they do make sense at times. I just think it's less important on high end optics (even though I know some high end optics have them). Most of the guys I deal with shooting high end optics have multiple rifles and when they put a high end NV optic on a rifle, that is the dedicated rifle it's staying on. They aren't taking off thermal to pop an EOtech on there for daylight shooting. Again painting with a broad brush but talking to Pulsar I think they were thinking a long the same lines. I could be wrong but I don't suspect they will be adding QD to the Apex's unless there was just a huge out cry for it.



Also, I just talked to Pulsar and asked about the Core again and they said not to get anyone's hopes up on it coming out within the next 18 months. They said it's possible but extremely unlikely. I'll still be interested to hear what the price is going to be. It won't be cheap, that's for sure, but it is very cool!

Yeah for the apex it just makes sense to get the XD50 for the zoom and lens size.

For me QD is the best option. I hunt a lot of land and most of which borders highways and county roads so most of the time I'm checking it from the road and it's a lot better to just roll down the window and look out using the thermal scope as a monocular. And when I spot something and get out of the truck I then clip it on the rifle and go shoot.

[Outdoor Legacy]

That makes sense Keaton, I can definitely see why thermal doubling as a monocular would make sense for you in that situation. You could just buy 2 Apex's.

[Outdoor Legacy]

Also, quick update, I'm caught up on the back order list for the Sightmark Photon XT 4.6x and I have a few IN STOCK and ready to ship. Anyone interested can shoot me a PM for the TBH discounted pricing.

Thanks guys!

- Jason

[chwfish]

Used thermal for the first time this weekend. It was awesome.

[fisHRman]

Got some with the Photon!

Used my Photon XT for the first time in a while last night. My buddy has a pulsar and we teamed up to bring down 16 pigs from 20-200 lbs last night on some property south of hwy 73 in Jefferson County.

I need a recorder for my photon,so I can share these hunts with y'all. Anybody got any suggestions for a good set up?

[LastHurrah]

Used my Photon XT for the first time in a while last night. My buddy has a pulsar and we teamed up to bring down 16 pigs from 20-200 lbs last night on some property south of hwy 73 in Jefferson County.

I need a recorder for my photon,so I can share these hunts with y'all. Anybody got any suggestions for a good set up?

Talk to Jason on here with Outdoor Legacy. He will get you set up

[35remington]

I need a recorder for my photon,so I can share these hunts with y'all. Anybody got any suggestions for a good set up?

You need the UNV MDVR. It is AWESOME, and even the top-of-the line pros use it. Not that expensive either.

http://www.outdoorlegacygear.com/unv-mdvr.html

[LastHurrah]

FYI, I've got a brand new X-sight for sale in the classifieds if anyone is interested

http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=525246

[fisHRman]

Thanks for the suggestions.

[fisHRman]

Got some video my buddy recorded of some of the hog kills. If anybody knows how to post video, I can either email it to you or you can tell me how.