Photon XT 4.6x Night Vision Scope Review
- Thread starter 6mm06
- Start date
6.5x61Super
New member
Thank you Bob!
6.5x61Super
New member
mtnbowhunter
New member
any more nighttime shooting experiences with the PHOTON XT out there??
Originally Posted By: mtnbowhunterany more nighttime shooting experiences with the PHOTON XT out there??
I keep hunting and the pigs keep no showing...
I am really having a drought as of late
I hear more Photons are coming to America so hopefully more opportunities to get people recording and sharing results.
BB
I keep hunting and the pigs keep no showing...
I am really having a drought as of late
I hear more Photons are coming to America so hopefully more opportunities to get people recording and sharing results.
BB
Originally Posted By: HTRN57Originally Posted By: bobschauberAny word on the 6.5 version?
I have heard nothing about the Sightmark Photon XT 6.5x50L. Last update was a couple of weeks ago. I will ask again when the others are delivered. Kevin
PHOTO OF A PROTOTYPE FROM A VENDOR IN THE UNITED KINGDOM (UK)
I have heard nothing about the Sightmark Photon XT 6.5x50L. Last update was a couple of weeks ago. I will ask again when the others are delivered. Kevin
PHOTO OF A PROTOTYPE FROM A VENDOR IN THE UNITED KINGDOM (UK)
mtnbowhunter
New member
Bennybone
Thanks for the picture
maybe soon??
did sightmark indicate when they may have the 4.6 and 6.5 available to ship???
Thanks for the picture
maybe soon??
did sightmark indicate when they may have the 4.6 and 6.5 available to ship???
DoubleUp
Well-known member
This is the one I'm using. 6mm06 put me on it, and it has done well for not much money. Out of stock right now, but probably be back in soon.
http://hobbywireless.com/recorders-stora...reen-p-772.html
It comes with battery, charger, remote, and all the cords you need to record except the one which comes with the Photon and all you have to do is connect them. You will of course need an SD card.
http://hobbywireless.com/recorders-stora...reen-p-772.html
It comes with battery, charger, remote, and all the cords you need to record except the one which comes with the Photon and all you have to do is connect them. You will of course need an SD card.
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For the folks who haven't tried it yet, I removed the insert from my photon objective cover last night (leaving a large hole in the lens cover instead of the pin hole) and it really improved the image vs having the cover open. I removed the insert at dusk and I was able to see clearly out to 100yd with no IR and the image was much crisper than with the cap open. As it got darker I used my external IR illuminator and I could get a clear enough image to see a raccoon well enough to see the rings on his tail on the hillside 240 yd away. The focus was much easier to use with the large hole vs with the cover open.
6mm06
Well-known member
It sounds like the hole in the cover has solved the clarity issue. That was always my peeve with the Photon as I never could get a proper focus, but the correct size hole adjusting the amount of light apparently is the key. I only wish something could be done about the white-out issue when shooting.
Originally Posted By: 6mm06
It sounds like the hole in the cover has solved the clarity issue. That was always my peeve with the Photon as I never could get a proper focus, but the correct size hole adjusting the amount of light apparently is the key. I only wish something could be done about the white-out issue when shooting.
I have witnessed the "white-out" after my shots. I don't record my hunts for video, but the white out does make quick follow-up or an immediate shot on another animal pretty much impossible. I think that the white-out that I see is related to the smoke/gas from the muzzle after the shot and only happens at night with the IR on. I think that I am going to try using the IR off the rifle (on a tripod pointed at my bait site) to see if this reduces the white-out.
It sounds like the hole in the cover has solved the clarity issue. That was always my peeve with the Photon as I never could get a proper focus, but the correct size hole adjusting the amount of light apparently is the key. I only wish something could be done about the white-out issue when shooting.
I have witnessed the "white-out" after my shots. I don't record my hunts for video, but the white out does make quick follow-up or an immediate shot on another animal pretty much impossible. I think that the white-out that I see is related to the smoke/gas from the muzzle after the shot and only happens at night with the IR on. I think that I am going to try using the IR off the rifle (on a tripod pointed at my bait site) to see if this reduces the white-out.
Wade,
You are correct since I have seen the same issue in video where the NVD was a Gen 3 PVS 14. It is a general NVD issue and not a Photon specific issue.
I have also seen the view through a PVS 14 occluded by just the smoke as well, where no IR light was used. In that situation the wind was right to left and when the hunter shot the pigs went left. The cameraman was right behind the shooter and as the shooter was swinging his rifle the cameraman was keeping pace. There was a good four second when the view was occluded, which seemed like an eternity under the circumstances. You could see that the shooter was PVS equipped, and the voice over informed that the video was shot through a PVS. While watching the video I was thinking, "Dirty ammo!" but the voice over mentioned that the ammo was a good brand, don't recall which now.
I think that if you are hunting over a bait pile mounting the IR light on a tripod on the upwind side of your position is a great idea!
FWIW thermal sights are immune to the issue, and "see" right through the smoke.
JPK
You are correct since I have seen the same issue in video where the NVD was a Gen 3 PVS 14. It is a general NVD issue and not a Photon specific issue.
I have also seen the view through a PVS 14 occluded by just the smoke as well, where no IR light was used. In that situation the wind was right to left and when the hunter shot the pigs went left. The cameraman was right behind the shooter and as the shooter was swinging his rifle the cameraman was keeping pace. There was a good four second when the view was occluded, which seemed like an eternity under the circumstances. You could see that the shooter was PVS equipped, and the voice over informed that the video was shot through a PVS. While watching the video I was thinking, "Dirty ammo!" but the voice over mentioned that the ammo was a good brand, don't recall which now.
I think that if you are hunting over a bait pile mounting the IR light on a tripod on the upwind side of your position is a great idea!
FWIW thermal sights are immune to the issue, and "see" right through the smoke.
JPK
6mm06
Well-known member
You are definitely right about hunting over bait and having an IR device mounted in some other location, eliminating white-out. I have used DC-Powered IR lights numerous times at a bait site. DoubleUp has experienced the same thing.
As to white out with all scopes, even Gen 3, let me ask a question since I don't know. Is the white-out on par with that of the Photon, or is there a difference, ie, is the white plume more noticeable on one and for longer times than another? I know the wind could be a factor as has been discussed, but I am wondering if both scopes, Photon and Gen 3, with all else being equal, would give similar results.
I do know that my home-made NV outfit rarely has white-out, though it has on occasion. What I have noticed with it is, that the white-out doesn't last very long and doesn't appear to be as thick as it does with the Photon. Makes me wonder what the camera has going for it that the Photon doesn't, and maybe if the Photon could incorporate that feature, whatever it is, to work better. I'm not sure about that and I'm definitely no electronics engineer. Just wondering out loud.
I haven't tried enough combinations with enough shooting to tell you, or seen enough video with on point narrative, but it seems to me that the more IR light the worse the problem.
A Gen 3 NVD is going to need a heck of a lot less (or no) IR light in any given circumstance than a Photon. Perhaps the same with your set up?
But smoke is a problem for NVG, even without IR light.
I have a Gen 3 monocular on the way and can try to replicate shooting targets at night, with and without external IR light.
Edit to add: Don't you use your set up with the IR lights at the bait as opposed to the gun most of the time? If so, the whiteout may be smoke and not smoke plus IR reflection. And maybe you get it on windless nights, where on nights with a breeze, with your "inside the shed" set up the breeze is blowing the smoke to the side.
JPK
A Gen 3 NVD is going to need a heck of a lot less (or no) IR light in any given circumstance than a Photon. Perhaps the same with your set up?
But smoke is a problem for NVG, even without IR light.
I have a Gen 3 monocular on the way and can try to replicate shooting targets at night, with and without external IR light.
Edit to add: Don't you use your set up with the IR lights at the bait as opposed to the gun most of the time? If so, the whiteout may be smoke and not smoke plus IR reflection. And maybe you get it on windless nights, where on nights with a breeze, with your "inside the shed" set up the breeze is blowing the smoke to the side.
JPK
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6mm06
Well-known member
When I first began bait hunting with night vision, I used my DC-powered IR lights that were mounted at the bait site, 60 yards away. I could turn them on and off remotely. I was using a Gen 1 scope and naturally I didn't have any white-out at all due to where the lights were mounted.
With the home-made unit, I have been using the LLTL-001 illuminator, mounted on my scope. I haven't used DC lights at all with it. The T-20 on it's highest setting, to my understanding, is similar in brightness to the LLTL. I also used the LLTL-001 on the Photon when I had it. I got white-out at every shot, and lots of it, whereas I rarely get white-out with the home-made unit, with both being mounted on the scope. When I do get white-out on those rare occasions with the home-made unit, it isn't nearly as bad. I don't really know why.