IR illuminator for hikmicro

[allthegearandnoidea]

G'day all
Any suggestions for illuminator to replace illuminator that came with my gen 1 hik alpex?
Just can't see clearly beyond 100m ish
Cheers

[mchughcb]

Yeah try pulling the beam focus out for spot then you can see 300m

[allthegearandnoidea]

I must have a dud torch as I couldn't make out rabbits at 150 despite turning focus

[mchughcb]

Is it 850nm or 940nm wavelength?

[allthegearandnoidea]

Pretty sure it's 850

[mchughcb]

I setup a hikmicro alpex a week ago for a mate and it was 850nm and I could see as clear as day on a back fence at 175m. Something not right.

[NTSOG]

G'day,

I'm using 850 IR illuminators produced by the Night Vision store in England.

https://www.nightvisionstore.co.uk/blac ... 2x40038869

and

https://www.nightvisionstore.co.uk/blac ... 2x33563384

I'm using both on top of old ATN scopes [X-Sight II and 4K pro] which are pretty limited compared to more modern scopes. Even so these IR torches have allowed me to hit foxes and hares out to 280 yards on clear, still nights using my rifles in .222 Rem. [I did fluke a fox at 340 yards one night.] I don't pretend the images are crystal clear, but I'm still hitting the little blighters using a set quad sticks for a rest.

Generally the factory illuminators that come with NV scopes are pretty weak. The Blade is the newest model.

Jim

[allthegearandnoidea]

Thanks Jim
They're pretty highly rated from what I've read on UK forums
Was it easy to buy through the UK store?

[NTSOG]

G'day,

Clive at NV UK is very helpful and there were no problems buying the devices. I had a problem with the pill in the BSDE-Max and Clive replaced both switch and pill for free immediately. When I bought the BSDE-Blade Clive set it up to suit my ATN scopes. Obviously the exchange rate and shipping make them a little more expensive, but they're worth the money as far as I'm concerned. The old ATN scopes have limited range without really good IR probably because the Yanks tend to be shooting pigs and coyotes which are obviously bigger targets than foxes and hares. I'd be tempted to buy a more modern scope than the ATNs, but I'm having such good success with them because of the excellent IR I'm using that I will keep them until they die.

Jim

[FTL]

+1 on the Black Sun blade. Best one I've ever used (850nm) Using with Pard.If you're going to be shooting at longer ranges then get the adjustable holder which allows elevation and windage adjustment.

[NTSOG]

G'day,

I forgot to mention that the IR illuminators from NV UK are quite small unlike some of the other LED types on the market. Also they are a type of laser [Vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser] but are different from the types of lasers that are prohibited and potentially dangerous.

Jim

[allthegearandnoidea]

Ordered the blade today although figured out the hikmicro torch was not faulty after all - hadn't fully opened the iris.
Still not happy with it though - my 200 yard target is not really clear

[mchughcb]

Ordered the blade today although figured out the hikmicro torch was not faulty after all - hadn't fully opened the iris.
Still not happy with it though - my 200 yard target is not really clear

Focus has to be setup at both ends. Even during day it should be pretty clear.

[FoxSpotter]

I've had good luck with pbir
Wait times from England though.

I hear there are torches with 3 gloves now
850, 940 and white or red etc...maybe coyote cannon?

[NTSOG]

G'day,

Sniper Hog lights such as Coyote Cannon are still LED based, not VCSEL laser. I have a Sniper Hog 850nm illuminator which did a reasonable job, but it was not as good as the VCSEL laser illuminators by a long shot. The sniper Hog lights are also much larger and heavier than the VCSEL lights.

Jim

[FoxSpotter]

I read or saw recently that some one thought laser gave a poor type image
I found lasers had better image than leds.

Bulky is not ideal...but..the options could be convenient...940 for starters...850 if struggling to see...white or red to identify or find..

[NTSOG]

"the options could be convenient...940 for starters."

I have only used 850nm illuminators. I know that some shooters believe that foxes can see 850nm and use 940nm instead though range is a little less. I have not, in my brief time shooting foxes, seen any indication that they can see 850nm illumination. When a fox has reacted to my presence, I have judged that it either heard me make a noise, e.g. safety catch making a 'click', saw me move in some way or perhaps scented me. Kangaroos do seem to react to being 'illuminated' by the 850nm and stare back at the light before going on eating. As for "poor type image" the quality of the image does depend on the range and the scope. As I mentioned in another post the ATN scopes I'm using are not very sharp except at closer ranges but are still clearer to my eyes with the VCSEL 850nm than say the LED Sniper Hog 66LRX I own.

Jim.

[FTL]

I am 100percent sure foxes see IR 850, both from seeing them react at range to switching on IR and also from hundreds of trail cam stills and videos , where they will look specifically at the IR source. The trail cams are all silent and use the 850.
I've also seen it when out shooting and seeing a fox react to another shooters IR going on.
I don't know about 940, but if you have issues with the blade, you can get a 940 pill and swap it out.

[NTSOG]

"The trail cams are all silent and use the 850."

I thought so too until it was explained to me by European shooters that there is a mechanical shutter or cutoff filter in them that operates and does make a noise. I had noted foxes looking straight at one of my cameras. A Finish shooter wrote when I queried on the Nightvisionforum-UK whether foxes were hearing something when one of my trail cameras 'fired':

"the camera makes [a sound] when it moves the IR Cut filter out of the way." There was consensus amongst respondents in the discussion that trail cameras do make a subtle noise due to the IR filter moving.

Trail cameras do make a noise though I can't hear it. As for the blighters seeing 850nm I have seen nothing to suggest that.

Jim

[FTL]

It may be the noise for the trail cameras that causes them to look directly. But using the ir at range they definitely see that. I can see 850, albeit not like a torch but it is clearly visible at 200m when I have forgotten to switch off the torch when retrieving a fox.

[NTSOG]

G'day FTL,

I also have seen the red glow of the IR [850nm] out in the paddock when picking up a dead fox, however that's not the point. All the research I've read indicates that foxes cannot 'see' red. Foxes possess dichromatic (two-color) vision, which essentially makes them red-green color blind.

Here's an interesting test video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8HbhjpA4x8

Jim

[stihl88]

Z-Bolt have their 200mW VCSEL range coming Q4 2024, otherwise their LED range seems to get a good wrap and it will throw a beam out to 1000m ~ https://www.z-bolt.com/led-illuminators You could always buy the LED version now and swap out to the 200mW (civ-legal) VCSEL head later when released.

Here's a comparison of their LED IR illuminator vs their 400mW VCSEL illuminator (non-civ legal) out to 100yds: https://youtu.be/YTBpwNRZ5Ro?si=jh68_Fvc8cAXmUMs&t=153

I run their LEP visible illuminator and that thing is a WEAPON in it's own right!!! viewtopic.php?f=14&t=16007#p321444

John and his wife at Z-Bolt are great to deal with, quick to resolve any issues and are happy to ship to Australia at a reasonable rate. I believe their torches are manufactured in Taiwan? but this helps keep prices down, you could easily double the cost if they were made in the US.

[NTSOG]

Cripes stihl88 some of those US lights are like death rays. I would have liked to see some video taken through NV rifle-sights but they appear very good.

Jm