THERMAL SCOPE SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON.

Louis Richards

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Well, you left out the discovery of just how dumb this smart person can be... :)

LMBO. James... LOL. Thank you but I'm good now. All this time I've been "in the dark" with a device specifically purchased to prevent me from being there.
 

Louis Richards

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Is there such a thing as "loaning" a target? I mean it's POSSIBLE I could return it unscathed, if I was using my 640 in the manner I've been using it :)
 

Ratdog68

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Well, you left out the discovery of just how dumb this smart person can be... :)
When YOU say it, it's funny. If I'd've said it, it could be perceived as a personal attack. LOL

(stop watch still running to see how long before someone asks for the video)
 

Louis Richards

LSB Member
See that's the thing I've learned long ago in open public forums. If you your attack yourself first, you take away all the opportunity for others to do it! Lol

I could just read Brian's mind as he read my post. WTF??? Who's this little peep saying I doctored my damn videos, why I'll ^#*%+}*{%]*}+#*#^^{ so fast it'll make his head spin!
 

Ratdog68

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I could just read Brian's mind as he read my post. WTF??? Who's this little peep saying I doctored my damn videos, why I'll ^#*%+}*{%]*}+#*#^^{ so fast it'll make his head spin!
LOL... I was talking about the video of you discovering your wife was hot.
 

Ratdog68

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LOL... Otay, just making sure.
 

customcutter

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Take your thermal to the park, you can look at the birds, dogs, squirrels, etc. It works in the daytime, just as well as it does at night. No need to go slipping around in the dark and all the neighbors thinking their is a prowler on the loose.
 

Louis Richards

LSB Member
Well.... I have a sick wife and I am pretty much her 24/7 caretaker. Don't get out much... Why I'm looking soooo forward to this Moab 4x4 trip. Out there I should get a really good idea how this thing performs :)
 

Dinmax82

New Member
Read the reviews and watched some videos. Could the Apollo 640-30hz 42mm be said to give a better picture using a quality 1-6 optic then a 5x Zeus 640 or so?
 

Brian Shaffer

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There seems to be some debate about that. When you mount a daylight scope behind an Apollo or other thermal scope, you are getting no better optical resolution than the optical resolution of the thermal scope. So if it is a 1x thermal scope, any magnification that you get via your daylight scope is just a magnified view of a little display screen of a 1x image inside the thermal scope. So what you are magnification is not optical. There isn't a 5x Zeus but a comparison between a Zeus 3, 640 and an Apollo 640 (1x) with a 3x daylight scope would show that the better image would be in the Zeus 3.

Think of it this way. Which looks better? A big screen TV or the display on your smart phone with a large magnifying glass held up to it? When you blow up the image of the cell phone, or the display screen in a thermal scope, you start seeing artifacts of the display such as the structure of the screen, and not just the image you are hoping to see.
 

wigwamitus

LSB Active Member
Other than the statement that there is no 5x Zeus ... agree with Brian ...

Optical magnification on the front end is superior to digital or backend magnification applied against the "TV Screen" ...

With thermal we look at a TV screen inside the thermal unit, whether it be clipon or dedicated scope. But the optical magnification is in front of the TV screen looking at the real world, so it gathers more information to present to the back end. Magnifying the backend just zooms in on the TV screen.

So 3x Zeus is superior image to 1x Apollo with 3x on Vortex ... that being said ... Vortex reticle is superior Zeus reticle for holding elevation or wind :).


(evidence of existence of Zeus 5x)

Armasight Zeus 336 5-20x75 (30Hz)
 

TEXASLAWMAN

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How did I miss all this chatter?!?!
Read the reviews and watched some videos. Could the Apollo 640-30hz 42mm be said to give a better picture using a quality 1-6 optic then a 5x Zeus 640 or so?


In my opinion a dedicated scope outperforms the clip-ons easily. The clip-on is for someone who is trying to fulfill multiple roles, use one weapon day and night, or switch between multiple weapons.

Think of it this way.

Dedicated scope (zeus ect) best at being dedicated scope.

Prometheus monocular great at being a spotting monocular nothing else.

Clip-on good at both but not the best at either.
 

Ratdog68

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The thermal clips in front because the day scope works behind it. Thermal doesn't work behind a piece of glass outside of itself.
 

Ratdog68

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Not as late yet, out here on the west coast. LOL
 

Dinmax82

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How did I miss all this chatter?!?!



In my opinion a dedicated scope outperforms the clip-ons easily. The clip-on is for someone who is trying to fulfill multiple roles, use one weapon day and night, or switch between multiple weapons.

Think of it this way.

Dedicated scope (zeus ect) best at being dedicated scope.

Prometheus monocular great at being a spotting monocular nothing else.

Clip-on good at both but not the best at either.

Ok, Saw your video on the Apollo and the image looked really good and the convenience is what is drawing me to clip ons at the moment.
 

TEXASLAWMAN

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Clip on cost more because they are collimated this process ot what maintains the day scopes zero after placing the Co in front. The main objective of a CO is military where you can convert your weapon instantly while in the field.

For hunters I think a dedicated scope is a better option. The main people I see getting clipons have high dollar day optics and rifles that they want to use at night. Now if you are a guide service a Co may make sense since you can turn the customers rifles into a night rifle easily.
 

Brian Shaffer

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Of course then there is the video aspect where clip-ons at 1x do not make nearly as good of video...not that video is a priority for all that many people, but this should be a consideration if you want to make video.
 

Louis Richards

LSB Member
Either case, you still have to carry a CO with you, somewhere at all times so that you can be ready for the conversion. Why not just carry the scope itself and swap when needed?

So I guess the only advantage that I see is that your scope is zero at all times still? The "instant conversion" can be achieved both ways.

Hmmmmm. Just have to think it out. I guess being in the military, being able to maintain zero at all times is a major advantage :)

I only thought of collimation in terms of parallel, like the advantage of my mod -3 is it can be and is collimated. Never thought about it in terms of two scopes lined up together, but I guess you have to do it there also.
 
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