Pulsar Thermion xq38 or XP50

Yellowhammer

Yellowhammer

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Staff member
First question:

Is the XP50 "worth" $1700 more than the XQ38?

Second question: What is the main difference in the Thermion and the Thermion 2?

Third question: If you had $5k to spend on a thermal, what would it be?

Keep it simple and on point- thanks...............

My plan is to get something by end of summer. Primary target is hogs, coyotes secondary. My coyote light works plenty well for coyotes.
 
Originally Posted By: YellowhammerIs the XP50 "worth" $1700 more than the XQ38?Depends on your usage.
XQ38: 2.5x base (optical) mag: 9.8° FOV: (384x288 res)
XP50: 2x base (optical) mag: 12.4° FOV (640x480 res)

The XP50 is going to have a clearer image, with more detail at base magnification. It will also hold the image better under digital zoom. To me, I have never felt like I needed 640 resolution for the scope, so to me it isn't worth the extra $1,700 but that is me. The XP50 is a more all-around scope because it has a wider FOV and won't pixelate as much under zoom.

Originally Posted By: YellowhammerSecond question: What is the main difference in the Thermion and the Thermion 2? More sensitive sensor and slightly different aperture of the lens. Seems like people are saying it does better in humidity. There is a video comparison shown here. Article By watching this video, I could make a case that the overall image looks better on the 2, but the animal detail looks better on the first. The image of the hog on the video of the 2 to me is over-saturated and you loose some subtle heat differences. I shoot at animals and not backgrounds. However, as earlier mentioned, many other forums seem to suggest the 2 holds it image better under humidity.

Originally Posted By: YellowhammerThird question: If you had $5k to spend on a thermal, what would it be? I would save around 6K and get a Super Hogster for the gun and a Phenom as your scanner. The only reason not to go this route is if the 2.9x base mag is too high on the Super Hogster which might be the case if shooting at close groups of hogs or if you are in tight cover. If that is the case, go for a Hogster 35 and Phenom and save a little money.

Originally Posted By: YellowhammerMy plan is to get something by end of summer. Primary target is hogs, coyotes secondary. My coyote light works plenty well for coyotes. If you haven't used thermal, you will be shocked at how many hogs/coyotes you did not see. I would honestly start with a thermal scanner (Phenom), and once you see first hand the advantages of thermal, you will quickly move to a thermal weapons sight. Even if you decide not to switch, using a thermal scanner and either red light, NV, or thermal for the weapon's sight vs thermal scope only will lead to more versatility and more successful hunts.
 
Thanks for the info Kirch. I will check out the video. I have used thermal several times but always someone elses. I have used the Thermion XQ38, EP 50 trail and the ATN Thor 4 and an older, cheaper Flir of some sort that had poor definition at any distance.

Like, I said it was always someone else's and I didn't have it long enough to figure out the controls, play with video or site it in.

I just looked through and shot.

Of those, the XP50 Trail was the best obviously. The ATN Thor 4 seemed to always have a white flash on the shot that I didn't notice with the Pulsar. The muzzle flash was evident on the video.

I definately know what you are talking about in seeing stuff with thermal especially in open country. Cover is thick where I live and mainly hunt, and we are also pretty humid.

I will check out the phenom too.

I would say I am leaning toward xq38. Not sure 1 or 2, but if same price probably 2 just because it is the newer model.

Hard to make a decision when the costs are so high.
 
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as far as coyotes most my hunting area they show up suddenly and usually less than 100 yards unless hunting pastures. I can scan a lot faster with a red light than I can with a thermal especially if I don't have a scanner.

If I was hunting open country where I could pick them up hundreds of yards or farther out, thermal would be ticket. Would be a plus in helping to find them too.
 


... if you watch this comparison video: Helion 2 XP50 vs Helion 2 XP50 Pro from 4:30 onwards, you might have an idea of the difference between Thermion XP50 and Thermion 2 XP50. A friend of mine was able to try the Helion 2 XP50 Pro and also the brand new Thermion 2 XP50. He told me they are fabulous and amazing. But Korey is right, the new versions are particularly difficult in perfect adjustment. If the right combination of brightness, contrast and viewing mode (forest, rock, identification ...) is not adjusted well, the thermal image easily becomes saturated. In any case ... the step forward is truly impressive. Returning to the advice for the purchase .... the thermal scanner is the indispensable and most important purchase compared to the NV or thermal riflescope. And if you have the possibility to also buy the thermal riflescope, as I have already written in another post, I would buy the Thermion 2 XP50 or the Super Hogster or the brand new Super Yoter. Out of these 3 models, I think they would all be wrong purchases (IMO ...)
 
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Sorry Yellowhammer. Maybe I haven't been able to express the concept well, or the Google translator has distorted what I wanted to mean. So now I try to explain better and in more detail: my mountain hunter friend (to whom in June I sold the Pulsar Accolade lrf XP50 binoculars ...), in a senseless haste (the hunting season had just ended. ...) wanted to buy the Pulsar Thermion XQ38 ..... After only one month, Pulsar has put on sale the new Thermion 2 XQ38 model .... Of course now he is repentant and angry and he "eats his hands" . He made a "wrong purchase". So right now, if we exclude all the Pulsar Trail 2 models .... (because surely the "PRO" versions will be released in the near future ...), we must focus on the Thermion 2 models .... For you I would exclude the Thermion 2 XQ50 ($ 3799) because it has a FOV (7.5 ° x5.6 °) that is too narrow. (... it would be a "wrong purchase" ... because, if you really want the tight FOV ... then you better buy the Super Hogster which is cheaper, $ 3195, has a better Vox sensor, it's great in extreme cold and with fog, as Kirsch has tried several times ...). Now let's see the new Thermion 2 XQ38 ... it has a fairly large FOV (10.7 ° x8.0 °), but it costs $ 3299 vs $ 3195 (Super Hogster) and $ 2675 (Hogster-R35 which has the same FOV, 10.7 ° x8 °). Certainly the Thermion 2 XQ38 would be the "least wrong" purchase, if you like Pulsar "bells and whistles" ... The new Super Yoter will have Vox 640x480@12micron sensor, 50mm lens and 8.8°x6.6° FOV and will certainly cost less than the very expensive Thermion XG50 ($ 5999). Now let's talk about the brand new Thermion 2 XP50 (50 mm effective diameter lens, 640x480 @ 17micron sensor with NETD
 
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If I could ranking the choices and therefore the best purchases for American night hunters, I would style it like this:
1) Bering Super Hogster;
2) Bering Super Yoter;
3) Pulsar Thermion 2 XP50;
4) Pulsar Thermion 2 XQ50;
5) Pulsar Thermion 2 XQ38;
6) Bering Hogster-R 35;
 
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If the list is about value, then the Hogster - R 35 is still a tough one to beat.

Without stating a budget range and typical usage, a list like this is really difficult. A lot of additional factors including terrain, typical shot distances, and more are important. Listing the Super Yoter as #2 on the list is a bit premature as there isn't even a prototype available for this scope yet.
 
Ernest, listing the top thermal scopes is interesting! My short list would probably be something like:

1. NVision Halo XRF
2. Trijicon Reap-IR type 2
3. Trijicon Hunter MK III
4. Iray Rico MK1 LRF
5. Bering Optics Yoter
6. Bering Optics Hogster

Unfortunately I don't have them all sitting in front of me to test and rank more precisely. For the record I'll volunteer to take a prototype Yoter it might actually be #1!
 
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Originally Posted By: P&YErnest, listing the top thermal scopes is interesting! My short list would probably be something like:

1. NVision Halo XRF
2. Trijicon Reap-IR type 2
3. Trijicon Hunter MK III
4. Iray Rico MK1 LRF
5. Bering Optics Yoter
6. Bering Optics Hogster

Unfortunately I don't have them all sitting in front of me to test and rank more precisely. For the record I'll volunteer to take a prototype Yoter it might actually be #1!
P&Y, the budget for the list would have to be around 9K just for the scope for a couple of the highest ratings. I go back to the Original Post, as the budget was listed as 5K, and I believe the reason Ernest made the list, he did. I know I said this already on this topic, but my point will continue to be, if a person has a budget around 5K, I firmly believe they are better off with a good scanner, and a good thermal scope. I firmly believe they will kill more coyotes vs using one high-end scope only. For those that want to spend money on a high-end scanner and high-end scope, that is great if you have the budget. P&Y, for the list you made, I may need your job
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P&Y and Kirsch ... both of you are absolutely right ... But I forgot to enter a maximum budget value ... (which I had implied and not explicit). In my quality / price ranking I thought of excluding thermal riflescope costing more than $ 4999 ...
... and as for the Bering Optics Super Yoter, I am sure it will have an almost unbeatable quality / price ratio
 
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Kirsch and Earnest, having been married a long time, as a matter of principal I never take an "implied" budget into consideration! Hahaha

Please excuse the misdirect!
Seriously I am holding my breath to see the yoter and very curious what base mag maybe. I suspect it will be awesome!


 
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P&Y you have an infinite passion for hunting, for weapons, for optics and for thermal devices, you are a true professional, you are kind, nice, ironic and funny ( you made me die laughing with your comment!) ... .. if I could I would "marry" you too, even better I would "marry" with all your gear for night hunting. In fact I am like a "hunter-prostitute", I would "marry" the wonderful night hunting gear of all you American professional night hunter boys. I envy you and love you all at the same time… if I could, I would go hunting with each of you to your wonderful country. You always make me dream with your videos, with your sophisticated hunting equipment and with your beautiful landscapes.

Now I get out of the joking and stupid metaphor and try to get serious again and do some calculations to evaluate the quality / price ratio. In fact I am only a retired math professor and I can only do theoretical calculations and theoretical predictions…. It remains up to you to confirm or deny, by testing the thermal devices in the hunting field. So I open another post so as not to go off topic.
 
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