Chris Redlich had the upper hand with a thermal monocular
The perfect partner for hunters is a good pair of binoculars as, apart from the capability of a compact rangefinder, the appeal of a standalone monocular would never enjoy any such popularity. A thermal imaging monocular on the other hand is a luxury worthy of precious space in the hunter’s pack or pocket, while the perfect complement to my recently-reviewed LRF XG50 thermal imaging riflescope is the Pulsar Thermion Telos XG50 thermal imaging monocular.
With ongoing advancements in technology it’s hard to keep up with what’s new and what’s improved, and while thermal image capturing is advanced it’s certainly not ‘new’. In fact I was first exposed to it 17 years ago, though back then I don’t remember image clarity being all that great. After reviewing more ‘civilian’ thermals recently, it’s clear the technology behind image capturing is on the rise.
Firstly I must reinforce the message that thermal imaging is not to be confused with night-vision equipment. For ease of understanding, night-vision devices use any available ambient light to enhance a complete image in darkness, while thermal imaging optics identify a subject and surroundings by detecting and processing a heat signature regardless of night or day. I’ll leave the technology theory behind the gadgetry for another time so, rather than playing science teacher, I assessed the Telos XG-50 monocular from a practical hunter’s point of view.
While fairly new to me, Pulsar is a respected optics firm specialising in thermal imaging which caters to military, hunting and law enforcement. Using Germanic lenses and based in Lithuania, they produce the high-quality optical equipment we’ve come to expect from European manufacturers. Recent exposure to their LRF XG-50 thermal scope left me impressed with its optical clarity and performance, so I expected likewise with the Telos XG-50 monocular sharing the same objective lens.
It came supplied with a sturdy padded carry pouch, shoulder sling, quick-start guide, lens cleaning cloth, battery pack and charging cable. Weighing 670g and measuring just 238mm, the monocular was compact enough to tuck in my jacket pocket and became my premier detection device when shooting with the XG-50 scope.
The Telos has a strong padded hand-strap which, coupled with the durable black rubber armour, provides a secure grip when viewing, while all electronic touchpad functions are within easy reach. Starting at the top is the ‘power on’ button. One touch opens the scope for thermal use and a quick flick of the lens cover will reveal your imagery. I mention this because yours truly was caught out a couple of times searching for an elusive thermal image, before realising the lens cover was still on!
Behind the power button is a separate bank of three, with the clearly-marked menu (centre) supported front and rear by the up and down buttons. A long press of the menu button opens a wealth of functions including colour mode, wi-fi settings, amplification level, calibration, user modes, display settings and film/photo mode. Scrolling through the modes is as easy as pressing the up or down button.
On reaching the desired setting, briefly press menu again to retain your selection while pressing power on for three seconds will turn off the device. For those who find technology a little intimidating, there’s no need to panic here. I thought I’d struggle at first but, after reading the quick-start guide, found the process easy and commend Pulsar for a superb job in relaying simplified product information to the novice.
Before hunting I familiarised at home to avoid any headaches later, which paid dividends as the Telos was a breeze to use in the dark on my first outing. Of the eight colour modes available, three took my fancy including Rainbow, Red Monochrome and my favourite White Hot. The thermal image pauses by default to recalibrate every so often, a vital process in order for the microbolometer to provide a clear image. The Telos monocular shares the same high resolution 640 x 480 pixels as the XG-50 scope so, when looking through one then the other, both images appeared identically defined.
Alternatively the device can be selected to manual calibration if required but I was happy for the Telos to take care of itself. The zoom adjustment of 3.5-14x magnification is easily dialled via the second ring back from the objective and, to sharpen the image further, simply rotate the front focus ring. Like all scopes, the ocular ring adjusts for dioptre further by customising the device to the user’s eyes, while a rubber flap blocks out any glare which may impede viewing.
The battery pack provides around 8½ hours of use but can vary greatly depending on video recording, amplification level, colour brightness or amount of ‘standby’ use. The supplied USB charging cable was compatible with my android phone and could be plugged into either a 240v wall point or USB port in my vehicle, making it handy for charging on the run.
The integral camera-style base thread ensures secure fixture to a tripod or vehicle mounting and while a novel concept to me, many pest controllers in our area have been vehicle-mounting thermal monoculars for years. The Telos can be used instead of a traditional spotlight by mounting to a hand control on the roof. Furthermore, downloading the Pulsar ‘Vision Stream 2’ app to a smart phone or tablet and syncing the device, allows the thermal view to be displayed alternatively via your screens in the vehicle.
This ability is what sets thermals apart from standard optics, enabling the shooter to sneak around paddocks under complete cover of darkness, detecting nocturnal ferals and despatching them using the thermal scope. While I trialled and exploited the advantages of live streaming images from both the monocular and XG-50 scope to my phone, I didn’t have the means for vehicle mounting but nonetheless made good use on foot.
Like its companion XG-50 the Telos has a massive thermal detection range of 2300m on deer-sized animals, with an on-screen display providing optimum detection guides for varying sizes of game. A generous 6.6m span on 14x zoom provides ample field of view way out yonder, though at that range you’d need a good tripod to tame vibration. When using hands-free I preferred to leave it on lowest zoom to avoid fuzzy images.
I’ve made plenty reference to night-time shooting but put both thermal devices to work equally in daylight. Early morning hunts with my son resulted in arriving at the property before first light where on one occasion three wild dogs ran across a ridge at 600m. Although we were unable to cut them off on foot, I was impressed by how clearly identifiable they were as were cattle, hares and wallabies which littered the foreground. Later that morning the monocular was used repeatedly for target identification well after sunrise, reinforcing its credentials for thermal use in all types of light (or lack of).
Taking full advantage of this new thermal gear meant I’d a dream period of field testing to enjoy. We wasted no time hunting with the Telos and XG-50 scope combo which became a family affair with myself, daughter Rachel and son Carl accounting for numerous feral pigs and critters. The still shots and video recording functions of the monocular captured the moments and hopefully my photos attest to our success.
And finally
My experience with the Pulsar Telos monocular left me impressed and removed any prejudice I had towards thermal equipment. Pulsar have done a great job in making the Telos a breeze to use and I’ve spared you the boredom of explaining every detail to focus on what appealed most to me as a hunter.
New generation thermals like Pulsar models are setting the standard for thermal imaging excellence but naturally come at a price. But can you put a price on capability and convenience for pest control? Check your local retailer and I’ll let you be the judge. I believe they’re competitively priced, considering the advantages of early detection and filming of feral animal heat signatures by stealth. Sold across Australia and proudly backed by distributor TSA Outdoors, Pulsar products come with a three-year manufacturing warranty. More at www.tsaoutdoors.com.au