IR Hunter MarkII to date

[TEXASLAWMAN]

It's just like cameras the better the lens the better sharpness and light gathering capabilities. A thermal is nothing more than a camera that sees heat but it still needs a lens to send that image to the core. This is just me speculating but I think IR Defense used a smaller lense with a better core to try and reduce prices and improve profit margin. The germanium lens is usually the most expensive part. I would love to see that BAE 12 core behind a 100mm lens.

 

[Terry]

I did have a chance to peak through a MK II and can tell you performance is very ,very impressive from what I saw. I didn't get to do any shooting or real field use so my information is very limited.
1. First the OLED had kind of a slight green tint to it but looked very high quality/sharp
2. MK Housing is slick to be honest it's my favorite thermal scope housing looks and feel. I own a MK I so have lots of field experience with the housing and controls.
3. Crossarrows are #1 very nice
4. Controls simple and easy to use
5. Edge mode pretty cool not sure how useful it is for hunting
6. I did notice a few firmware hiccups sometimes when running through the menu quickly it would freeze and once I move to another crossarrow and it would return to the one I was in. Powered on/off to re set then zero problem
7.Twice I flip the on switch and it didn't power up had to do it again.

Dollar for Dollar the MK II looked pretty darn nice I have to say. I choose not to order one right now figuring IR defense will be updating a few firmware issues soon and I didn't want to have to return the scope.

I do plan to sale my MK I and order a new MK II 19mm this summer

 

[Brian Shaffer]

It's just like cameras the better the lens the better sharpness and light gathering capabilities. A thermal is nothing more than a camera that sees heat but it still needs a lens to send that image to the core. This is just me speculating but I think IR Defense used a smaller lense with a better core to try and reduce prices and improve profit margin. The germanium lens is usually the most expensive part. I would love to see that BAE 12 core behind a 100mm lens.

Yes. A bigger lens would improve the image, no doubt, and I would think that on a 12 core, the improvement would be significant.

 

[TEXASLAWMAN]

I'm with you on the design and controls Terry I'm just now getting used to push buttons. Guess the younger guys grew up with the buttons.

 

[Oso Grande]

Buttons are fine but knobs with positive clicks are just nice. I always question how hard I need to mash buttons if it's not immediately doing what I expect it to.

 

[JPK]

I just spent some time looking at specs of different thermal scopes and one thing that stands out is that the bigger the lens the smaller the field of view, I'm sure because of the higher native optical magnification which all of the bigger lenses seem to come with.

I am finding a fair bit of contradictory info on the Apollo. For example, specs for the Apollo 640 30Hz 42mm unit are typically given on line as 24 micron, but the pdf manual I printed off gives the core as a 17 micron FLIR.

Quoted FOV numbers vary as well, for the 640 units from 11* to 14* and the variability seems entirely dependent on the core quoted, with the 17 micron cores having 14* FOV and 24 cores having 11* FOV. But the size of the lens does not seem to have any effect on the FOV and none on the 1x optical zoom.

JPK

 

[TEXASLAWMAN]

As FLIR releases new cores the new cores get put in the Zeus and apollos that are coming out now have the tau2 17 core and some other nice things like contrast and sharpness adjustments.

 

[rgilbert]

I agree, I like seeing real user reviews and you did a great write up. Knowledge wise I know just enough to be dangerous, I'm by no means a expect still learning every day. LOL

Thanks Terry and Frank. I think these units with a larger lens would be the cream of the crop. I need to look through and hunt with some others before I could honestly tell anyone what I thought was the best. These are what I have and I really like them so far. I killed two hogs this past weekend and a bobcat. If I can figure our how to up load the video I will. I may have to send it to TLM for editing and posting. I'm still trying to figure out that whole process. It was a whole lot easier just to shoot them. I really applaud TLM and Brian for their efforts. Its not that easy. LOL

 

[ppapago]

To the IR Hunter owners...

When using it as a clip on are you able to zoom in with the day scope. For example, on 1-4x scope will everything still work on 1x, 2x, 3x, and 4x.

 

[rgilbert]

To the IR Hunter owners...

When using it as a clip on are you able to zoom in with the day scope. For example, on 1-4x scope will everything still work on 1x, 2x, 3x, and 4x.

Yes you can zoom in with the day scope.

 

[ppapago]

Yes you can zoom in with the day scope.

Thanks

 

[Oso Grande]

Hooked up my PVS-14 Iphone adapter to my IR Hunter tonight to take a couple clips. I know a couple folks had asked about minimum focal distances, this might help.

 

[FrankT]

Very nice, yep that is all I need for 50-200 yd shot on my lease! Thanks...by the way who is carrying these for the best price point?

 

[Oso Grande]

When I was filming out the window, it was not zoomed in at all for reference.

 

[Wildfowler]

Oso or anyone else with a mark 2. Have you tried this in clip on mode? What day scope are you using if so?


Thanks

ps - there may be more questioning from me depending on your answer.

 

[rgilbert]

Oso or anyone else with a mark 2. Have you tried this in clip on mode? What day scope are you using if so?


Thanks

ps - there may be more questioning from me depending on your answer.

I've used it for clip on with a cheap 1-4 scope. It worked, but I believe a better scope will make a ton of difference.

 

[rgilbert]

Very nice, yep that is all I need for 50-200 yd shot on my lease! Thanks...by the way who is carrying these for the best price point?

PM sent

 

[BigRedDog]

I've used it for clip on with a cheap 1-4 scope. It worked, but I believe a better scope will make a ton of difference.

in a TLM video he mentions a nice Vortex 1-6

should be just fine

 

[DaveABQ]

Just because of the PITA to record video I wouldn't own one. Hopefully they get that resolved.

 

[rgilbert]

Just because of the PITA to record video I wouldn't own one. Hopefully they get that resolved.

It can be a PITA. I finally got it figured out and it doesn't take me long to set it up. I have spoken with them about this and they are talking about some firmware updates.