INDUSTRY INSIGHT: PULSAR OPTICS

Gun Trade World takes a deep dive into the world of Pulsar’s thermal and digital optic offerings. This a fast-paced sector that you really need to stay on top of in order to sell more stock in this competitive product segment.

MODERN WAY OF HUNTING

When we seem to reach the limits of our vision capabilities, the developers of thermal and night vision technology continue to surprise us, time and again. For instance, Pulsar – the Vilnius based manufacturer of thermal and digital optics with manufacturing facilities in Lithuania, Latvia, and the UK – is one of the few European brands drawing inspiration from the rich hunting traditions of the old continent and turning them into inimitable modern devices that serve the most selective hunters on their outdoor adventures.

TELOS: THE THERMAL MONOCULAR FOR LIFE

Leading the race in thermal innovation is in Pulsar’s DNA. And that’s based on clear facts. Even through challenging times such as the Covid pandemic, the global economic crisis, the passing away of the company’s main shareholder and CEO – you name the challenges, Pulsar met them head on in 2023.

Pulsar closed the year with a big bang, presenting the market with a future-proof concept of the first ever upgradeable thermal monocular line – Telos. First in this line comes the Telos LRF XP50 and the Telos XP50, two monoculars with many notable features, including a European-made Lynred sensor with truly incredible thermal sensitivity and the possibility to upgrade the device to an even more powerful one.

No matter how cool it is to have a new device every season, it’s truly challenging, and financially painful, to keep up to date with ever-changing technology. And that is why the new concept by Pulsar looks so attractive from many perspectives. On the one hand, the chance to upgrade your device means cost-efficiency, on the other hand, it adds to being socially responsible. In other words, Telos might become your thermal monocular for life.

Pulsar plans to launch the Telos upgradeability program this year. It will offer the options of upgrading the device sensor, its optics, and electronic parts, and even add a laser rangefinder to the non-LRF models.

And to give you a hint at what’s coming next, let’s say that a variety of different sensor devices are in the pipeline: from the XQ and XG to the most powerful XL which will offer impeccable 1024x768 pixel resolution and HD quality.

PICTURE PERFECT IN POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS

For now, let’s focus on the Telos LRF XP50, just recently introduced. As a premium device, it comes with the Pulsar signature 640x480 pixel resolution, 17-micron pixel pitch sensor. Add an NETD below 18 millikelvin, and you’ll have a more sensitive device than any other monocular, not only in the Pulsar range but on the market too.

In case those numbers don’t mean much to you, we asked several European hunters to share their first-hand experience with the Telos.

British hunter Phil Taylor notes that the sensitivity of the Telos LRF XP50 truly shines in poor weather, day and night. His counterpart from Sweden, Stefan Orman, adds that lower NETD means more detailed terrain. Producing a high range of midtones and with the ability to capture temperature differences as small as 18 millikelvins (and as little as 0.018 degrees Celsius), the Telos clearly displays grass, leaves, stones and, of course, all the minute yet important details of your target.

Those who tried the Telos on the field mention ergonomics as one of its key features as well as its stunning image quality. Comfortable to hold and easy to operate, it’s probably Pulsar’s most intuitive monocular so far.

One of the biggest advantages is the objective zoom ring control mimicking that of professional cameras. It’s as intuitive as it is convenient. Moreover, Telos is fully ambidextrous. The ring controls are easy to access with both hands. So are the buttons, which are placed in a single row on top of the device. Even the hand strap is attached in a way that allows you to move it from one side to the other.

Obviously, when creating a new device, Pulsar has a particular type of hunter in mind. It would be accurate to say that Telos is designed to serve those on the move.

“For stalk hunting in the field or for damage control of wild boar, this unit being a monocular with an LRF gives me agility and range, and the insane NETD value provides me with excellent, unrivalled awareness of my surroundings,” says the Swede, Stefan Orman.

Taylor is convinced that Telos is likely to gain a huge fan base in the UK: “Monoculars are certainly the most popular devices out there. They suit many people’s needs – from the stalker to the pest controller and especially the mobile hunter who doesn’t want the extra weight of a pair of thermal binoculars swinging around their neck.”

EVERY DETAIL MATTERS

Taylor happens to be one of the hunters who lobbied for rubber-coated housing on monoculars for years. Now, he finally has it. “It gives the unit a nice, soft touch and feel, and on a wet day, it will certainly give you more grip,” reasons the British hunter.

While Pulsar users won’t be surprised to receive a specially designed case when they purchase a new device, Telos takes a step further with its highly ergonomic holster. “I, like most people, would buy a unit, take it out of the box, take it out of the case, then put the case back in the box and never see it again. But the 3-point harness of the new case makes it really usable out in the field. Sitting just off the center of your chest, it’s easy to take the Telos in and out,” Taylor notes.

Speaking of its use in the field, the new case is also good for protection, fast access to the unit, and even crawling on all fours.

And that’s still not the end of the Telos story. Pulsar covers the whole manufacturing process and by ‘whole’ we mean from sewing its own cases to producing batteries for the devices to ensuring their safety and efficiency. But with Telos, Pulsar took a step further and introduced a whole new battery system. Powering the monocular for more than eight hours, it can now be charged directly via any USB Type-C cable or, in most cases, wirelessly – no special chargers required.

 FIRST THERMAL HD QUALITY BINOS

If you prefer the comfort of observation with both eyes for less eye fatigue than you get from using a monocular, Pulsar has great news. The brand has been actively expanding its line of Merger binoculars, adding a variety of new models throughout the year.

The line starts with:

• The very first Merger LRF XP50 features a high-sensitivity 640x480 pixel resolution Lynred sensor with a 17-micron pixel pitch and an NETD under 25 millikelvins.

• Then Pulsar offers a compact and lightweight yet powerful XQ version in the body of the Merger LRF XQ35. Its sensor resolution of 384x288 pixels and the 17 microns pixel size guarantee a highly detailed and precise image.

• The star of the current line is the Merger LRF XL50, which has arguably become the most asked-about thermal product of the year and with good reason.

 Let’s dive deeper into the ‘why’...

All the Mergers have something in common: a significant design update compared to its predecessor, the Pulsar Accolade. Aside from the aesthetics of the classic design, the ergonomics of the Merger are first class. The control buttons are intuitive and scrolling through the menu feels user-friendly.

What makes the Merger LRF XL50 so special is its extended sensor power capabilities. It’s the first Pulsar device to feature an HD thermal sensor with a staggering 1024x768 pixel resolution. As you can imagine, this huge number of pixels provides an incredibly informative image, even when you zoom in on it 20 times.

LET THE HUNTERS SPEAK

But let’s focus on what hunters have to say about this device. Dimitri Hullebroek, a hunter from Belgium, describes the experience with the Pulsar Merger LFR XL50 as “...like watching a Full HD TV in your living room. It renders sharp images with great reflection of the surroundings of the animal.”

Phil Taylor, an avid Pulsar product tester from the UK, seconds that: “The new HD sensor, with its 12-micron pixel pitch, has taken the Merger to the next level of thermal imaging – the image quality is insane.”

As well as the excellent quality, the large sensor has two very positive side effects that are slightly less obvious yet just as beneficial – a wide field of view and high-level image detail at any level of zoom. In the Merger XL case it ranges from 2.5x to 20x. Dimitri Hullebroek proves the point: “It’s the first time that the image stays clear with a device. Others lose sharpness quite fast, but not this one.”

The Merger LRF XL50 was obviously created for long distances – as we see from the hunters’ feedback, that’s exactly where it shines the most. “I don’t often use digital magnification for target identification – I prefer the pixel density and clarity a device offers at base magnification. And with the Merger XL, I have legitimately identified a fox at 800 metres in an open field as it pounced on rodents,” says Australian hunter Nathan Stuart.

“Laser rangefinder is good with precise measurements and fairly easy to get a good fixpoint at the game – head and back sticking out of the crops – or at least in the near vicinity,” adds Christian Rysgaard, a Danish hunter, who recently had the opportunity to test the Merger XL in real hunt conditions.

Obviously, Merger LRF XL50 thermal imaging binoculars are ideal for long-distance observation be it scouting for wild boar or deer from a high vantage point. If observation is your main goal, this is your go-to device.

THE MAGIC OF MULTISPECTRAL

Pulsar has one last surprise for binoculars fans. You could describe it as ‘the cherry on top’ of the entire Merger line cake. Launching just about now is the new concept multispectral binoculars Merger Duo NXP50. Imagine a device equipped with the best of both technologies – thermal and digital. With this device you’ll be able to uncover night scenes like never before despite ever-changing weather conditions.

To sum up the versatility of this device let’s put it this way: under usual circumstances the Merger DUO allows you to detect the target through the thermal channel and evaluate its peculiarities and the surroundings through the digital one. Moreover, you can use the Picture-in- picture mode to have both options displayed before your eyes. Switching between the two channels is simple and requires only the touch of a button.

The extra low-light full-HD digital night vision offers a never-before-seen rendering of the image. Silhouettes, anatomical differences, and behavioral peculiarities of the animal provide just as much information as is needed for a precise decision.

And if it happens to be a very dark night, use the attachable invisible 940 nm IR illuminator with adjustable spot positioning. This will allow you to increase the image detail in the digital channel.

Meanwhile the highly sensitive 640x480-pixel resolution, 17-micron pixel pitch thermal sensor with NETD less than 25 millikelvins ensures stunning thermal image quality under any weather conditions.

It’s worth mentioning that the Merger DUO binoculars feature outstanding detection capabilities. Due to the high-quality optics and sensitive sensor, these binoculars can detect a 1.8m high object at an 1800-metre distance in complete darkness.

THE NEW STANDARD OF RIFLESCOPES

Now let’s look at your favourite section – riflescopes. Pulsar has great news here too. The end of last year marked the release of the Thermion 2 LRF XL50, the first premium class riflescope by Pulsar featuring an HD- quality thermal sensor.

From the outside it looks like any other Thermion LRF, but on the inside is where the fun starts. This new riflescope stands out from the crowd primarily with its revolutionary HD image quality and powerful sensor capabilities. It’s perfect for long- distance shooters and for observation with a wide field of view.

Moreover, the HD sensor resolution maintains optimal image quality even at high zoom levels. And the internal ballistic calculations make it much easier to shoot straight at the target.

The image generated with the new 1024x768-pixel resolution European made Lynred sensor with less than 35 millikelvin NETD is crystal clear and features high definition and rich detail. All this makes this scope unbeatable for trophy identification.

FROM PEST CONTROL TO WILD BOAR HUNTS

For British hunter Phil Taylor, the massive thermal sensor of the Thermion XL is the biggest benefit. He also cites its magnification range and wide field of view as two other major advantages: “With any digital zoom, you are always going to get pixelation, but the HD sensor seems to hold the image stable and minimize the pixelation, which, when you are taking it to 14x mag, really helps. The massive 14-degree field of view is also fantastic on the base mag.”

As Taylor notes, the real efficiency of the HD sensor is uncovered when hunting at significant distances. Variable 1.75-14x magnification (x8 digital zoom) provides improved focus and better overall recognition. Imagine exceptional image detail quality across the entire magnification range!

Swedish hunter and shooting instructor Stefan Orman praises the new Thermion 2 LRF XL50 for its intuitive capabilities and the overall versatility of the scope. He adds: “It’s well known, there are no surprises in operating it. The real impression, or the wow factor, is when you look through it. First, the wide field of view is very, very usable. We, in Sweden, mostly hunt wild boar, and it can be very close range. But the high resolution of the 12-micron pixel pitch and the long detection range that it offers through a 50 mm lens gives you a much, much further identification range.”

Taylor predicts that the new Pulsar scope will be used mostly for pest control in his homeland, the UK. While his Swedish counterpart Stefan Orman’s guess is that due to Swedish regulations, the Thermion XL will be the perfect tool for wild boar hunts. “There are, occasionally, people with special permits who can hunt fallow deer and other game with thermals. This is a very good optic because of its great identification possibilities. As it is HD, it gives you more detail, a better image, and more information about the animal to see if it’s the right size, the right gender, and all the other things.”

A CHOICE FOR A VERSATILE SHOOTER

If you own a device with a laser rangefinder, you know the importance of understanding the target distance. Undoubtedly, this is the essential factor in making the right decision. The compact built-in LRF with a range of up to 800 meters is seamlessly integrated into the slim design, ensuring shooting accuracy at greater distances.

Using the proprietary Stream Vision Ballistics application by Pulsar, you can now upload various ballistic profiles directly to the Thermion’s memory and turn your riflescope into a high-accuracy and efficiency long-range aiming tool.

“The ballistics calculator is a fantastic addition if used correctly. You need to spend time making sure the information you add is correct,” says Phil Taylor. “The Thermion 2 LRF XL50 is certainly a scope for the professional shooter and serious pest controller. With the laws changing in the UK, specifically in Scotland, allowing thermal to be used for deer management, this will certainly be a scope for that job. Especially with the aid of the ballistics calculator, I can see this being an advantage on the open hill.”

“For someone who needs maximum versatility, from close range to long range, the XL50 outshines everything,” according to Stefan Orman. He’s convinced the Thermion 2 LRF XL50 is a brilliant choice for those with a dedicated rifle with a dedicated scope for various situations: “Because of the wide field of view and long detection range, it’s by far the most versatile scope. You’re basically buying everything that Pulsar can offer you in one scope.”

BALLISTICS CALCULATIONS: MADE FOR ACCURACY

More good news – all the Pulsar Thermion LRF riflescopes (and that’s a large family of riflescopes!) now come with an integrated ballistic calculator. As Pulsar states, it’s a must-have part of any modern riflescope.

Liudas Abišala, head of marketing at Pulsar, is directly responsible for Stream Vision Ballistics, the new mobile application designed for improved long-distance shooting accuracy.

He says the goal of his team has always been to create the best user experiences for the customer. “We want our devices to be as simple and pleasing to use as possible. Ballistics is basically a science that’s not accessible to everyone because it can be quite complicated. It might sound funny to those who understand it well, but essentially, it’s an additional skill you need to develop. Of course, the importance of ballistics depends on the type of hunt. If you’re aiming for less than 100 meters, it’s not as crucial because at such distances, the bullet goes fairly straight, and most of the time, your point of impact will match your aim. But when we’re talking about shooting from greater distances, and especially at smaller targets – like foxes, coyotes, and even hares – any shift to the point of impact can be crucial.”

The benefit to the user is that you don’t have to manually calculate how many clicks you need to make to hit the target where you want to. Stream Vision Ballistics does this for you, so you can be sure that the math that you did is correct. It gives you more accuracy in a shorter amount of time – which can be crucial in hunting.

What makes the Pulsar Stream Vision Ballistics app stand out is that it’s the only calculator that allows creating a profile and then uploading it directly to your riflescope, and the firmware does the calculations – meanwhile, you get information about what adjustments you need to make directly on your screen.