Thermal update please

What would you consider your budget?
I paid $4700 for a FLIR RS32 35mm when they first come out. Got a Serial number of 000013x. Now they can be had for $3800-3900.

bout the lowest cost option I have seen is the torry pines imager-- not a true sight though as I don't think it has a reticle

http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/96...gic-_-969457&gclid=CLaCk6-V8tECFcm4wAod8EQFUw

I've got a weapon scope (Armasight Zeus 640 3x) and a hand held spotter (Pulsar HD38A 2x 336 core). I got great deals on both about a year or so ago, and February is the month to buy last year's models since all the new toys came out at SHOT. The hand held gets a ton of use- a lot more than the twice-as-expensive scope. I've seen the Pulsar handhelds going for around $2K new- I demo'ed two of the Pulsars, a 19mm 1x and a 30mm 2x. The 2x was worth the extra coin. If I were in the market for a starter thermal, I'd look real hard at the lower end ATN and the Pulsar Apex line up. I;ve been very, very impressed with the Pulsar. I use it deer hunting during the day and have been blown away at all the deer I miss with just binoculars.

Anyone looked at the Obsidian based ATN THOR 640 2.5-25x Thermal scope?

I do like abiliities of the Obsidian features and S/W.

The Brother in law ordered a Zeus 640 42mm 30hz and had buyers remorse. I'm halving the upgrade cost with him to the 640 75mm 30hz and ordering a DVR.

Well scratch that, someone at optics planet talked him out of upgrading by saying the zeus 640x75 wasn't worth the extra money over the 640x42.

i have the sig echo 1, its awesome, not really a zoom to brag about and doesn't work great in really cold weather. I asked the guy at sig about it and he said to put a heating pad on the screen, and that its not the thermal imaging thats the problem but the screen. Haven't tried that yet being that I'm in texas and its cold like 3 days a year.

I tried out the new leupold thermal scanner and it was amazing, i ordered one. i think it was 800 or 700 bucks, something like that, really cheap and awesome .

cheap in the thermal world.....im single and no kids, i understand that this crap aint cheap.

How would you compare the LTO and the Echo against each other?

Ebhegele said:

i have the sig echo 1, its awesome, not really a zoom to brag about and doesn't work great in really cold weather. I asked the guy at sig about it and he said to put a heating pad on the screen, and that its not the thermal imaging thats the problem but the screen. Haven't tried that yet being that I'm in texas and its cold like 3 days a year.

I tried out the new leupold thermal scanner and it was amazing, i ordered one. i think it was 800 or 700 bucks, something like that, really cheap and awesome .

cheap in the thermal world.....im single and no kids, i understand that this crap aint cheap.

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Wray said:

Well scratch that, someone at optics planet talked him out of upgrading by saying the zeus 640x75 wasn't worth the extra money over the 640x42.

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I've had both. The guy at OP is wrong IMO. I sent back the 42mm and got the 75mm.

Wray said:

Well scratch that, someone at optics planet talked him out of upgrading by saying the zeus 640x75 wasn't worth the extra money over the 640x42.

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I'm with steeltiger. The 3x 75mm is where it's at. Oh, and if you have the 75 mm, do yourself a HUGE favor and get a Vortex Defender flip cap and replace that POS factory original objective lens cover. I've doen it on mine and my buddy's 75mm 640s and it is easily the best $19 I've ever spent in anything NV related.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AIFSX78/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

ncorry said:

I'm with steeltiger. The 3x 75mm is where it's at. Oh, and if you have the 75 mm, do yourself a HUGE favor and get a Vortex Defender flip cap and replace that POS factory original objective lens cover. I've doen it on mine and my buddy's 75mm 640s and it is easily the best $19 I've ever spent in anything NV related.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AIFSX78/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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Great find! I was always hoping butler creek would make one that fits the 75mm. When did this happen? I've got my Zeus 75mm up for sale currently but if I end up keeping it I'm going to definitely get one of those Vortex caps.

Scottytuned said:

How would you compare the LTO and the Echo against each other?

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I can't fully respond to that because I'm yet to get my LTO. back order. I used it briefly at the DSC show. I loved it. The sig echo is a weapons sight and the LTO is a handheld scanner.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Pulsar stuff mentioned as "new" in latest NRA flash emails,
http://www.pulsarnv.com/cat=112&cid=52&ThermalRiflescope

I like these product info emails a lot more than the life insurance and "double down on that life membership you have with our new Ultra membership with toys included" membership emails.

Field reports? If so i humbly thank you for your efforts, as i am making another attemp at retiring from learning from my own foibles (fat chance).

Follow up, I did convince the BIL to upgrade to the Zeus 75, split the cost and he's pretty impressed with the difference.

Scottytuned said:

How would you compare the LTO and the Echo against each other?

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the LTO can't even piss in the same pot as the echo1.

Im not upset with the LTO because you get what you pay for, its just kind of stupid, they have a 6x zoom that makes an object you can't make out even less able to make out. I want to walk up to the engineer and just say "really?"

also when you accidentally use said pointless zoom you have to zoom all the way to 6x before going back to 1x which is annoying

in reference to "does it pick up heat" yes, 100%. I jerry rigged a paracord necklace for it, i wear it around my my neck, scan, pick up something and then switch to the echo. I am not upset i bought it, just annoyed with it.