Armasight Zeus review-D grade to date

[Navygator]

I think if you had sent it back 4 mos ago when you first experienced problems it could have gone regular shipping and you would have had it all week...whatcha think?

You are correct. The tech I dealt with then was different from the last one. The first one was reluctant to provide return authorization and seemed adamant on over the phone troubleshooting. I should have been more aggressive but, I have been dealing with all sorts of other issues and the sight just took a back seat. Sometimes life gets in the way.

 

[FrankT]

well hope you get what you want this time, I would give this service an A+ at least

 

[TEXASLAWMAN]

well hope you get what you want this time, I would give this service an A+ at least

Well let's see what he gets back first before we give out A+ hopefully it's a working zeus.

But on the same note I don't think a D grade is fair to Armasight with the circumstances surrounding this scope.

 

[bimini]

Still no Reply from Armasight. Not my first Thermal scope. Will update.

 

[bimini]

Are you sure it's the unit and not the weather? Did you watch my last video? If there is no sun to heat up the landscape after rain or several days of wet weather then the landscape will not show up. Look at a running car a human or a animal something that produces heat. I have used many thermals now and had many with me last week they all looked bad due to the climate.

Yes I watched your video here (

). Thank You !, excellent work there . The Pro 100mm, 640, 60hz in your video is great ! Mine, before return, looked like somebody smeared snot all over the lenses
( but they were clean) In fact ALL of your many scope videos looked WAY better than my scope. (And yes I know how to run of these modern wonders, including front and rear adjustment rings. ). Current update: Armasight has had it for about 3 weeks and says it checks out OK but they recalibrated the camera, and did a recoil test--this according to SteveB at NVG. He has been very helpful. I hear the scope is coming back to me this week. It might take me a little time, but if it's still problematic, I will post a side by side comparison with the Zeus 3, 640, 30 hz, 75mm. I surely hope my next comment here is one word ("Fixed"). We'll see...

 

[Curly Shuffle]

Hope it is fixed also, nothing would be worse than them to say it was o-k and send it back and it still messes up on you. I'll keep my fingers crossed and send the good luck your way and you get it back in great working condition. BANG BANG!!

 

[TEXASLAWMAN]

Let us know and hopefully post up some video when you get it back!

 

[bimini]

Let us know and hopefully post up some video when you get it back!

Still waiting on my returned 100mm Zeus pro scope. No word from Armasight or retailer. Dang! Must have been really messed up scope to take this long without any word from Co. !

 

[Brian Shaffer]

Companies doing warranty or repair work usually do not make progress calls to the customer or the retailer. So the proposed correlation between length of time and without word from them isn't relative to being contacted. Besides, did you return it to the retailer or to the Armasight? If you returned it to the retailer, then YOU aren't going to hear from Armasight since they are dealing with the retailer. If you returned the scope to Armasight, then the retailer isn't going to hear from them. So you have set of something of a faux set of conditions to make the situation seem worse.

There probably isn't any sort of correlation between how "messed up" the scope is and timing either.

Have you contacted the party to whom you returned the scope?

 

[bimini]

I returned my "top of the line" Zeus Pro 640 4-32x 100mm (60hz) directly to Armasight, (via an RMA by retailer). I have been in contact with my retailer who has been very helpful. This was 2 months ago ! Yes, Mr. Shaffer, I concur that time in repair has no correlation with the presumed defect. In fact I can say that you are correct with absolute certainty because I received the "repaired" scope today and the IMAGE STILL LOOKS LIKE DOG SCAT ! Resolution is so poor that it is grossly unusable. Therefore time in service has absolutely no correlation with the significance of repair, because obviously they cannot repair.
Side by side comparison with my (excellent) Zeus 75mm 640 30hz is stunning in the difference. Argue with that all you want, but I can tell you with certainty this is a bad deal.

I have stated that I would put up a side by side comparison video with my other properly functioning Armasight scope. You would be shocked...it looks like something out of 1968 Russia. However in fairness to Armasight and retailer, I am going to wait to see how they handle my request for refund. Surely they don't want these images plastered all over the internet nor do they deserve that...yet. ( or maybe they do deserve it, but I'm not that mean). Will update within 7 days.

 

[TEXASLAWMAN]

Bimini This is all on assumption but a few things. I have the 100m Zeus pro 640 30hz, I had the 100mm Zeus and Apollo pro 640 60hz for several weeks, I have the 50mm 640 30hz apollo pro, 42mm apollo standard, 75mm zeus 30hz standard.

Depending on your local weather conditions the image can be stunning to so so.

With the new core there is the enhancements option you can go in there and adjust the contrast sharpness and something called smart scene if you go in there and set all of these depending on the conditions you are facing at the time and drastically improve the image in most cases.

Im afraid you are seeing the washed out background from the active gain control and smart scene which FLIR purposely programmed into the cores so that the targets would pop against the faded background. Since this is a weapons scope the primary function is target identification and not landscape appreciation. The reasoning behind this was with the higher resolutions and detail of the newer thermals targets were starting to blend into the background detail and not stand out or cause information overload in some shooters.

But knowing that people want to see the detail and not all people are shooting performance oriented Armasight is working with FLIR to make the active gain control an on off option. So you can have a pretty thermal camera and a high performing weapons scope.

I do not know it it will be a 0-100% option or just a on off option yet.

 

[bimini]

Retailer is taking the scope back. I'm considering Q14 in exchange. Anybody have any input on the Q14?

 

[BigRedDog]

I think that will be a great choice for you

 

[TEXASLAWMAN]

Retailer is taking the scope back. I'm considering Q14 in exchange. Anybody have any input on the Q14?

Depends on what you want? Q14 is the only true mini thermal it is a great spotting scope wide field of view light weight small package. Its role is to spot targets then switch to nv or a bigger thermal scope after.

To achieve the size, weight, wide fov some image detail is sacrificed. Thermal just like anything else you have to give something up to achieve other goals.

But if you hated the 100mm pro 640 I do not see how you will be happy with a 19mm mini monocular.

Not trying to be rude but I suspect a degree of operator error is in play here.

 

[bimini]

Maybe I am experiencing operator error, true. But I'm really happy with my other Armasight scope. Doubt it's operator error... I made my living by looking through lenses for 20 years. A target floating in a washed out background of gray is not only "unappealing" but possibly dangerous in its lack of spatial reference information. But your point is well taken. Maybe I should take the refund and walk away... happily taking successful head shots on coyotes at 200+ yards at night.
Not trying to be rude, but why do I feel like I'm talking to an Armasight salesperson?

 

[TEXASLAWMAN]

Maybe I am experiencing operator error, true. But I'm really happy with my other Armasight scope. Doubt it's operator error... I made my living by looking through lenses for 20 years. A target floating in a washed out background of gray is not only "unappealing" but possibly dangerous in its lack of spatial reference information. But your point is well taken. Maybe I should take the refund and walk away... happily taking successful head shots on coyotes at 200+ yards at night.
Not trying to be rude, but why do I feel like I'm talking to an Armasight salesperson?

Not trying to be rude but you come in on someone's topic post one response about getting a 100mm zeus that does not work and sending it back. No info no anything then you respond a couple more times with half responses.

Sorry but I have found the night vision industry to be cutthroat and you sound like someone trying to sabotage the pro line to me. Either that or someone who has no idea what you are doing.

I am sponsored by Armasight but I make no money for sales nor am I an employee.

I do like their product and don't take kindly to someone coming in and bashing the product with no explanation much less proof. Maybe you are legit and you just have a hard time getting your thoughts out, I do not know. I find your claims highly suspect due to your responses.

 

[keatonskidmore]

I don't see how the 100mm 640 pro could have a poor image. Every video I've seen from TLM the 100mm had the best image even in rainy conditions.
Even with my 50mm 336 pro I could read a spray painted sign with it. I could even see the long hairs whipping around on the hogs tails as they ran. That's pretty darn impressive to me. While our standard Zeus 336 42mm looks to have a higher detailed image on landscape, I feel like the pro has a better target image.

 

[bimini]

Not trying to be rude but you come in on someone's topic post one response about getting a 100mm zeus that does not work and sending it back. No info no anything then you respond a couple more times with half responses.

Sorry but I have found the night vision industry to be cutthroat and you sound like someone trying to sabotage the pro line to me. Either that or someone who has no idea what you are doing.

I am sponsored by Armasight but I make no money for sales nor am I an employee.

I do like their product and don't take kindly to someone coming in and bashing the product with no explanation much less proof. Maybe you are legit and you just have a hard time getting your thoughts out, I do not know. I find your claims highly suspect due to yo

 

[bimini]

I see that you are sponsored. That is without question a conflict of interest. Your forum is a sham. And that's really too bad. Armasight should pay attention to who speaks for their product and be completely transparent.
I 'm just an individual consumer & hunter trying to sort out a problem. No conflict here- I just want a good product, or help figuring out what went wrong. It seems that's not what this forum is about. Take your sponsored comments, and....... realize that the truth will eventually come out and you will lose credibilty. I'm done here. Over and out.

 

[bimini]

PS. I'm very happy with my Armasight Zeus 3 640 75mm 30hz. It rocks! I'm completely disappointed that it's successor, the Zeus Pro 100mm was so poor. In Armasight's defense, maybe I just got a bad one. Steve B. at Nightvisionguys took it back. He has been great. Really, I am just so, so disappointed that the next gen scope, instead of spectacular, was the opposite. I would even trial another one, if I wasn't on the hook for $10k. Still I have faith that the Armasight Q14 ( yes even with its 19mm objective), can be the lightweight ~ 6oz spotter scope. I've ordered it. I think it's going to be fine. Regardless, you won't see any further notes from me on this conflicted forum. Tschuss!