Thread: first time with thermal

Originally Posted by Ben Waimata

It's an older model pulsar hd38s with 4xAA batteries, but hey guys a complete stranger let me me borrow it so I was not complaining it was not top of the range! It's test of concept to see how it performs in my situation. What I really wanted to see is how far into the bush I could see relative to just visual. The AA batteries were new but it's always possible they had been sitting around too long. 15 minutes did seem extremely fast to run down.

How much has the performance changed since this model?

The newer ones are a lot better but nothing wrong with that model


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batteries should last longer than that I use sony eneloop rechargable batteries in mine usually get 3-4 hours

I have the same model thermal and run the white and black Eneloop rechargeables. I get 4-5 hours of use without turning it off since it so slow re boot. Less obvs if its cold. Keep a spare set in your undies. That battery cage is a piece of crap though.

Well I've been out with the thermal, in between rain event. Interesting that I can see cattle through trees pretty clearly, but I was disappointed watching deer in the paddock, as they jumped into the treeline they disappear a lot faster than I had hoped, so I don't have confidence in being able to see them in the trees. I had no idea cattle dung would stay warm so long! We've got a lot of rocks on this place, they shine almost as brightly as the cattle. I would never admit to wasting some time stalking rocks throught he trees... that must have been someone else...

My initial conclusions is my personal results are not as good as I had hoped for (no fault of the thermal!), this is obviously because the deer are not just hiding in the long grass as I had hoped, and as some people had suggested might be the case. The deer I have seen have been ones I would not have noticed without the thermal, so there is a clear advantage for finding them. I couldn't find any hares wiht the thermal but coming home tonight I saw hares everywhere, now the dairy grazers have mowed the grass down the hares are back. Next fine night I'll be out looking for hares with the thermal (plus the .223 for anything bigger), will be very interesting.

Originally Posted by Huntfisheat

I get 4 or 5 hours out of a Pulsar XP50 Trail. 2 batteries for a nights work, job done.
But i also take a power bank and charger cable with me to top up the used one when the second one goes in , just in case.

Is that continuous use...? Like, turned on and being used for the entire time, or is that intermittent on and off run time? (Excuse my ignorance - I'm just uncertain whether it has some kind of 'auto-off' or standby mode when sitting for a few mins between shots)

I use the display off function with mine (XQ28F ) and can do a full night and have about 1/3 battery left. The instant restart is an excellent feature plus it acts as a bit of a handwarmer.