NOTE: Fieldsports Guardian articles can include affiliate links. If you purchase a product through our links, we may get paid a small commission from the retailer at no extra cost to you.
If you are looking for a low budget, entry level thermal imaging monocular to assist you whilst out in the field, whether it be for deer stalking or squirrel shooting, Hikmicro definitely have products that you may want to consider. Fieldsports Guardian have been out in the field putting the Hikmicro Lynx Pro LE10 10mm thermal imaging monocular through its paces to see how it performs. We purchased our Hikmicro over on Amazon https://amzn.to/3R2nKDU for £550.
Let's begin with the basics and jump straight into the product features of the Hikmicro LE10. The Hikmicro LE10 has a noticeably small and compact design which allows ease of use and can easily be stored away in a jacket or trouser pocket. Built in Wi-Fi and recording allows the user to record footage whilst in use, that can be exported to another device. The built in Wi-Fi allows you to connect to the T-Vision app where you can stream, record and control the Hikmicro LE10. This particular model boasts a 500 metre detection range and a F1.0 10mm objective lens which gives you a large display and a better view of your surroundings. Other features include sub 35mK NETD thermal sensitivity and a 256 x 192 12 micron thermal sensor. Magnification of the Hikmicro LE10 offers 1 x optical and 8 x digital zoom.
So what exactly does all that mean? Let's explain...
Some of the above product features are self explanatory, whilst others could almost certainly leave you feeling very confused. The small and compact design allows ease of use, easy storage or carrying whilst out in the field and at only 260g is very lightweight. The design allows a lanyard to be fitted to the LE10 that gives you the option of carrying the monocular around the neck allowing quick access when needed. In the field we were wearing the Deerhunter Pro Gamekeeper jacket which has a very useful chest pocket that was fully utilised for carrying the Hikmicro LE10. There are only four buttons built into the design of the Hikmicro LE10, allowing ease of use and their functions explained fully in the included instructions. One important feature to mention is that it is also IP67 waterproof rated. Absolutely no issues with the build quality, the unit feels robust with the added bonus of being waterproof.
The built in Wi-Fi and recording can be a useful feature if you wish to capture footage seen through your Hikmicro LE10. This model is capable of capturing video footage and snapshots that can then be exported from the Hikmicro to other devices such as your mobile phone or computer. The LE10 has 8GB of built in storage which we thought was enough to capture what you wanted throughout the day. The built in Wi-Fi feature can be used with the app to connect to your mobile phone, allowing remote operation if required.
The detection range is a feature that we put to the test whilst using the Hikmicro LE10 out in the field. Hikmicro specifies that this model is capable of a 500 metre detection range so we were intrigued to find out if the budget LE10 was capable of such distances. The results we got concluded that the Hikmicro LE10 can indeed detect heat sources at this range, however, due to the smaller diameter lens size, identification at longer ranges is very challenging and in some instances, near impossible. Having said that, Hikmicro also specifies that smaller heat sources only have an identification range of up to 65 metres, but we were able to identify Muntjac that exceeded this distance. Over 100 - 250 metres, in our opinion, the image quality is greatly reduced, however the Hikmicro LE10 will absolutely find you a heat source out to these distances giving you an advantage in the field. Other methods can then be used to identify the heat source.
Battery life is always a hot topic when it comes to discussing thermal imaging equipment. So how does the LE10 perform when it comes to battery life? The LE10 has a built in rechargeable lithium battery that Hikmicro specifies has an operating time of 6 hours with the hotspot function on, which we found to be about there give or take. It should last you a full day in the field with ease and only take a couple of hours to fully charge.
Hikmicro thermal jargon
Let's now explain some of the more confusing features which may or may not help you determine whether the LE10 is the right model for you. The LE10 has a F1.0 10mm objective lens, but what difference does the lens size make? Lens size and their purpose is easily explained. In simple terms, the larger the number, the bigger the objective lens. In practical terms this means that the bigger the objective lens, the further the detection range. Typically, a larger objective lens generally comes with a much higher price tag. A larger objective lens also has a smaller field of view due to the higher base magnification. The Hikmicro LE10 has a small 10mm objective lens meaning that your detection range is limited but you have a much wider field of view.
The Hikmicro LE10 has a 256 x 192 12 micron thermal sensor. The size relates to how many pixels are on the sensor. The larger this figure, the more pixels contained within the image. The more pixels contained within the image, the higher the quality of the image. The LE10 has a small thermal sensor size resulting in a poorer quality image but a much smaller price tag. You will generally hear this being compared to the difference between standard definition and HD.
We mentioned earlier that the LE10 has 35mK NETD thermal sensitivity, so for those of you that are unaware, let's explain what that means. NETD or Noise Equivalent Temperature Difference, is the measure of small differences in temperature. The lower the NETD or mK, the more detailed image you will receive. This is particularly beneficial in adverse weather conditions such as rain. Currently Hikmicro are some of the most sensitive thermal imagers available at only 35mK.
Conclusion
The Hikmicro Le10 thermal monocular definitely has its place amongst fieldsports enthusiasts. In terms of its design, it is extremely light weight and compact which is always a bonus if you want to add minimal extra weight to your kitbag. The monocular feels durable, has a fool proof system of operation and is IP67 rated waterproof. At the time of writing this article, you can pick up a Hikmicro LE10 on Amazon here https://amzn.to/3R2GrY7 for as little as £550, so we would consider it to be a budget, entry level thermal monocular. The Hikmicro LE10 has a small 10mm objective lens so has a limited identification range, so if you are after a thermal imager that can identify a fox out to 500 yards, it's probably not the thermal for you. Having said that, it is absolutely capable of finding a heat source out to 500 yards, just be prepared to use other methods to identify what the heat source is. In a stalking environment, finding a heat source at 500 yards could be the difference of an exciting stalk into shooting range of a deer, or completely missing an opportunity. In a woodland environment the Hikmicro LE10 is very capable of identifying heat sources from squirrels and could make an enormous difference in success rate no matter what time of the year you carry out your grey squirrel control. If your intended use of the Hikmicro LE10 is to accompany you whilst out lamping rabbits, rats, or even spotting foxes out to 100 yards in certain conditions, then it would be a great choice of an entry level, reasonably priced thermal monocular. Generally speaking, when it comes to thermal imaging technology, you get what you pay for. Fieldsports Guardian will continue to use the Hikmicro Lynx LE10 in the field and update you on any findings that we may discover.
As always we value your support here at Fieldsports Guardian. To help us continue to grow and bring you all the latest news, blogs and for exclusive access to future competitions, offers and giveaways, you can subscribe here completely FREE.
Comments