Sightmark Photon XT 4.6x42 Digital Night Vision Rifle Scope
- Thread starter Boss Hogg
- Start date
robertjay53
New member
bump for good read under Pharmer Jon
Originally Posted By: 6mm06
One other issue to address with the Photon is that of white-out when shooting with an IR illuminator attached to the rifle or scope. If a guy is looking for video while out calling, he will not like the white-out that occurs when the trigger is squeezed.
DoubleUp has solved the white-out issue at his bait site since he has IR lights mounted on a shed and aimed at the site. As well, he has trail cameras that provide IR light at the site, so no IR is needed to be cast from the shooter, thus eliminating white-out. That works great for bait site hunting, but for hunting out and about, it isn't so good.
But also, even if a guy doesn't record video, and attaches an IR light to the scope, he will still have the white-out issue to contend with, which will cause him to lose sight of a coyote (or whatever) momentarily once the trigger is squeezed. The white-out reminds me of shooting a muzzleloader, with all the smoke etc. It takes a few seconds for the air to clear. DoubleUp missed a coyote with the Photon and a mounted IR illuminator. He got white-out and lost sight of the coyote when shooting, so was unable to tell at the time if it was a hit or miss.. Maybe he will chime in with that and relay more information.
Just mentioning some real issues here. Not bashing the Photon for the sake of it, nor am I being too critical of it. There is a need for something better, and hopefully the company is taking notes of posts like this and will make improvements down the road. That's how we all will come by a good product that works the way we want it to and the way it should. If everyone is content with mediocre, then that's all we may ever get.
Below is a video I took of a Possum at 60 yards. As you can see, the focus leaves a lot to be desired. However, that was with the scope as it came, out of the box, without the newer lens cover with the 22mm hole, and without a doubler. I could never bring the scope to a good focus as the video reveals. Also, you can see the white-out when an illuminator is mounted on the scope.
Click both videos and have them going at the same time to get a side-by-side comparison.
Here is a link for a larger view in YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iv6Smqp8Dw0&feature=youtu.be
Now, for the sake of comparison, look at this video below of a possum at the same 60 yard site,
viewed through my home-made unit. The scope setting is at 6x. No doubt the clarity would
be even better if I had backed the scope off to 4.6x like the Photon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMPC5OX4OYU&feature=youtu.be
As to white-out with the home-made unit, it does give slight white-out at times, but rarely. Most shots are clean and easy to see.
So, maybe you can begin to see why I was disappointed with the Photon after having used the home-made unit for two seasons.
I had great expectations of the Photon and it didn't deliver to my liking. Still, it's a good scope for the money, and hopefully it will
only get better as time goes on. With modifications, it can be made better, however, as DoubleUp has proved, but if you go the
doubler route you will spend another $200.
I have not used the Photon but I also have several versions of homemade units that sound like they beat out the Photon ( though I could be wrong ) . I am hoping to do a head to head comparison in the next couple of weeks. Here is a link to a video of a pig I shot with one of my previous versions ( my newest version parts were at the anodizer )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDLrzYq81uM&sns=em
One other issue to address with the Photon is that of white-out when shooting with an IR illuminator attached to the rifle or scope. If a guy is looking for video while out calling, he will not like the white-out that occurs when the trigger is squeezed.
DoubleUp has solved the white-out issue at his bait site since he has IR lights mounted on a shed and aimed at the site. As well, he has trail cameras that provide IR light at the site, so no IR is needed to be cast from the shooter, thus eliminating white-out. That works great for bait site hunting, but for hunting out and about, it isn't so good.
But also, even if a guy doesn't record video, and attaches an IR light to the scope, he will still have the white-out issue to contend with, which will cause him to lose sight of a coyote (or whatever) momentarily once the trigger is squeezed. The white-out reminds me of shooting a muzzleloader, with all the smoke etc. It takes a few seconds for the air to clear. DoubleUp missed a coyote with the Photon and a mounted IR illuminator. He got white-out and lost sight of the coyote when shooting, so was unable to tell at the time if it was a hit or miss.. Maybe he will chime in with that and relay more information.
Just mentioning some real issues here. Not bashing the Photon for the sake of it, nor am I being too critical of it. There is a need for something better, and hopefully the company is taking notes of posts like this and will make improvements down the road. That's how we all will come by a good product that works the way we want it to and the way it should. If everyone is content with mediocre, then that's all we may ever get.
Below is a video I took of a Possum at 60 yards. As you can see, the focus leaves a lot to be desired. However, that was with the scope as it came, out of the box, without the newer lens cover with the 22mm hole, and without a doubler. I could never bring the scope to a good focus as the video reveals. Also, you can see the white-out when an illuminator is mounted on the scope.
Click both videos and have them going at the same time to get a side-by-side comparison.
Here is a link for a larger view in YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iv6Smqp8Dw0&feature=youtu.be
Now, for the sake of comparison, look at this video below of a possum at the same 60 yard site,
viewed through my home-made unit. The scope setting is at 6x. No doubt the clarity would
be even better if I had backed the scope off to 4.6x like the Photon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMPC5OX4OYU&feature=youtu.be
As to white-out with the home-made unit, it does give slight white-out at times, but rarely. Most shots are clean and easy to see.
So, maybe you can begin to see why I was disappointed with the Photon after having used the home-made unit for two seasons.
I had great expectations of the Photon and it didn't deliver to my liking. Still, it's a good scope for the money, and hopefully it will
only get better as time goes on. With modifications, it can be made better, however, as DoubleUp has proved, but if you go the
doubler route you will spend another $200.
I have not used the Photon but I also have several versions of homemade units that sound like they beat out the Photon ( though I could be wrong ) . I am hoping to do a head to head comparison in the next couple of weeks. Here is a link to a video of a pig I shot with one of my previous versions ( my newest version parts were at the anodizer )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDLrzYq81uM&sns=em
Last edited:
6mm06
Well-known member
Mike T, Looking forward to your review.
The hog video looks pretty good and I didn't notice any white-out. My home-made version occasionally gives a bit of white-out, but rarely and not much when it does. In comparison, the Photon always gave white-out when I used it.
Keep us posted.
Originally Posted By: 6mm06
Mike T, Looking forward to your review.
The hog video looks pretty good and I didn't notice any white-out. My home-made version occasionally gives a bit of white-out, but rarely and not much when it does. In comparison, the Photon always gave white-out when I used it.
Keep us posted.
Will do. The camera has high light comp that knocks out the white spots pretty well. I have heard a fair number of complaints about the "competitors" clarity in daylight too. I have 1 video of day usage with my unit but it was recorded with a crappy c-dvr so the video is terrible. I will get a better one up pretty soon.
Mike T, Looking forward to your review.
The hog video looks pretty good and I didn't notice any white-out. My home-made version occasionally gives a bit of white-out, but rarely and not much when it does. In comparison, the Photon always gave white-out when I used it.
Keep us posted.
Will do. The camera has high light comp that knocks out the white spots pretty well. I have heard a fair number of complaints about the "competitors" clarity in daylight too. I have 1 video of day usage with my unit but it was recorded with a crappy c-dvr so the video is terrible. I will get a better one up pretty soon.
Hi guys, I'm looking into picking up a sightmark photon in the next month or so. Before I pull the trigger on one I was just wondering if any of you have had much experience with pulsar n550? It looks to be about double the price of the photon, does anyone believe that the pulsar n550 is worth the extra coin?
6mm06
Well-known member
Brownshoe,
I have never used a Pulsar N550, but know people who have. I can only go by what they say. The scope is still digital and has some of the issues with it that the Photon, ie digital scopes have.
Personally (just my opinion based on my knowledge at the moment), I can't see paying the difference. At one time the N550 was revolutionary and there wasn't anything else equal for the money, but that is quickly changing. The Photon, while it doesn't suit me personally, seems to be working well for a lot of guys and at a fraction of the cost of the N550.
I also have a friend who has an Armasight Drone 10X that is also digital. He has owned the N550 as well and in comparison he tells me the Drone is far superior. He really likes it, but also it's not cheap at around $2,000.
I think at the moment, the best bang for you buck is the Photon.
ncfiretiger
New member
i see ad's referring to Yukon Photon and Sightmark Photon....look the same but Yukon is usually cheaper.....what's the difference, if any....thanks