night pesting - best budget thermal, as of july'25

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liamda

liamda

Member
Jan 31, 2022
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Tx, 'merica
looking to go thermal - low power pcp (notos) for ratt'n out to about ~20 yds - small postage stamp yard w/ wood fence.
I do not need magnification given the close range so 1x-3x is just fine. i recognise the difference between gen1, gen2, etc night vision vs thermal - which is why i prefer budget thermal at this point in my search.
i prefer a unit that i can watch vs have my eye right up to - as it is usually 20-30 minutes in between shot opportunities.
So something along these lines seems appropriate. vs a Zulus which is the traditional eye cup.

Anyone have insight as to what is coming down the pipe for that ~$350 or under price point. And if Ali/Temu is even a consideration vs amazon or similar 'traditional' online retailer?
Thank you in advance All


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Question - i find that looking at an lcd screen - detracts from my native night vision when i look away from that screen (in scope or an external screen) - anyone have a solution for this?
And or does the zulus have dark enough brightness settings to help mitigate loosing your own (human) night vision until your eyes readjust - after looking at the screen? Thanks Again
 
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This is a comparison between night vision, and an LED lamp. And in terms of a scope, were talking about $350'ish minimum, vs., a $16 LED garden lamp.
I use a dirt cheap Winchester scope, and the LED lamp. My shot is about 35'

https://www.airgunnation.com/threads/me-vs-my-cat-pt-two.1317015/page-6#post-2002997

I went with this one from Amazon - $15.99
I went with the 120v.ac version, rather than a solar lamp. I didn't want to run shy on power, and have a close outlet. Decision made.
 
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liamda said:
Question - i find that looking at an lcd screen - detracts from my native night vision when i look away from that screen (in scope or an external screen) - anyone have a solution for this?
And or does the zulus have dark enough brightness settings to help mitigate loosing your own (human) night vision until your eyes readjust - after looking at the screen? Thanks Again
Click to expand...
Red Monochrome or Sepia color palettes on Pulsar thermals are very easy on the eyes. While they are not the ultra low budget thermals this thread is about, they do have a feature that allows remote viewing on an iPad, phone or computer screen. It would be easy to set up something to monitor a bait site while watching TV or sitting at a desk.

pulsarvision.com

Which Thermion riflescopes support remote control, and how can I use it? | Pulsar Vision

Certain Thermion riflescopes support remote control functionality via the Pulsar BT Wireless Bluetooth Remote Control. These models include: Thermion 2 LRF 50 line, Thermion 2 50 line, Thermion 2 LRF 60 line.
pulsarvision.com pulsarvision.com
 
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Hal4son said:
Red Monochrome or Sepia color palettes on Pulsar thermals are very easy on the eyes. While they are not the ultra low budget thermals this thread is about, they do have a feature that allows remote viewing on an iPad, phone or computer screen. It would be easy to set up something to monitor a bait site while watching TV or sitting at a desk.

pulsarvision.com

Which Thermion riflescopes support remote control, and how can I use it? | Pulsar Vision

Certain Thermion riflescopes support remote control functionality via the Pulsar BT Wireless Bluetooth Remote Control. These models include: Thermion 2 LRF 50 line, Thermion 2 50 line, Thermion 2 LRF 60 line.
pulsarvision.com pulsarvision.com
Click to expand...
That is pretty cool, I was not tracking this. I’ll do some googling to better understand it but two things immediately jump to mind. I’m assuming it is a Bluetooth connection, so you could turn it into a data stream once you are on the iPad and send it wherever you want. That’s neat. Second, do these modern thermals have a life expectancy? If so, how is that measured?
 
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ZZP100 said:
That is pretty cool, I was not tracking this. I’ll do some googling to better understand it but two things immediately jump to mind. I’m assuming it is a Bluetooth connection, so you could turn it into a data stream once you are on the iPad and send it wherever you want. That’s neat. Second, do these modern thermals have a life expectancy? If so, how is that measured?
Click to expand...
I don't know. Old model Pulsars had an hour meter running. None of mine have died, nor have I had any issues with them. They are electronics and I expect that someday they will need to be replaced. I plan on having a couple (or eight :) ) until I'm in the ground.
 
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AGM Rattler V2 in 19-256 can be had for less than $700 new. AGM app uses a hotspot WiFi on the scope to connect your phone and not need to be behind the scope. Different settings for brightness, contrast, palette etc. Go up if you need more resolution at zoom, but at 2.5x and at the price point, I am more than happy with the features. 12 ųm thermal sensor.
 
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Hal4son said:
I don't know. Old model Pulsars had an hour meter running. None of mine have died, nor have I had any issues with them. They are electronics and I expect that someday they will need to be replaced. I plan on having a couple (or eight :) ) until I'm in the ground.
Click to expand...
🙂

I’ll do some googling, even the cheapest solid state components these days seem to do great if you take care of them. Now I’m getting excited!
 
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