Pulsar XP vs XQ image quality

Darknight

Darknight

Member
Do any of you have hunting video of the XP vs XQ units to help compare image quality?
Is the 640 resolution that much better in the arena of coyote hunting?
 
Never seen through the XQ but have an XP and can tell you the image quality is phenomenal. I will however say that uploaded videos on the computer are not near as clear as actually looking through the scope itself.
 
What I gathered when I was making my choice was this.. going to stick with the 50 versions to compare like sizes.. With the XP50 it will be clearer up close (within say 50 yards) than the XQ. Native mag on the XP is 1.6, and it's 2.7 on the XQ. So if you have a target at 100 yds say, and increase mag to 2x on the XP (so it's now 3.2), it now looks very comparable to the XQ at 2.7. You gain a little with the XP, but in my opinion it wasn't worth the extra $1200. Maybe if you had all close-range hunting the XP might be better because of the fov.. but I'm usually hunting fields so the FOV isn't that big of a deal.
 
I don't have an xp yet. What I do have is a xd19a with 340 microbiometer, my buddy has an xq30f with a 384 microbiometer. You can see further & clearer with the xq30f. If there is that much difference between those two, what do you think the difference Will be like comparing a 384 with a 640. I opted for the 640.
 
my buddy has XP 50 and looked through my Apex XQ 50 . He liked it so well that he ordered a Apex XQ 50 2.8 native . I think for coyote hunting XQ will be fine . when I zoom the XQ50 the picture stays pretty clear unlike my old Apex 38A that would get real grainy. New Pulsars are hard to beat !!!!
 
It comes down to FOV and native magnification. As a coyote calling thermal scope, I would prefer enough magnification to feel comfortable with the shot but not so far zoomed in, you can't find the animal. I own the Trail XQ38 scope and the Helion XP38 monocular. Does the Helion XP38 provide a better image than the Trail XQ38? Yes, but when a coyote is within shooting range, the XQ scope is fine. With PIP, my Trail XQ38 scope is at 2.1x and my PIP is at 4.2x. Honestly, the Trail XQ50 might even be a better option at 2.8x and 5.6x (PIP). It would be nice to see what it looks like at 2.8x to see if that is too close if they are coming in fast but my XQ38 is fine.

The Helion XQ line might be a great scanner for certain things or certain conditions, but for a coyote scanner in wide open country, my preference would be lower magnification and a wider FOV, so this is why I went with the XP on the scanner. In addition, you are looking through your scanner 95% of the time, and only through the scope for the shot, most likely.

I personally believe almost anyone who owns a Pulsar Trail or Helion in the XQ line or XP is going to like it and get used to using whatever they buy and adapt. Unless a person tries out all the different XQ and XP options in real life hunting scenarios, it is hard as I haven't heard of too many people who don't like their current Pulsar scopes. I would give one of the thermal vendors here a call and chat, such as Tom from Night Goggles as your calling location and hunting style may help narrow down the choices.
 
I put together this list when I was looking at purchasing a thermal scope and monocular. I believe this is pretty close to prices at most places and magnifications and FOVs.

MODEL____PRICE___MAG____CORE_____FOV___DETECT
Trail XP50: $4999: 1.6x-12:(640 core): 12.4x9.3: 1800m
Trail XP38: $4449: 1.2x-9.6:(640 core): 16.3x12.3: 1350m
Trail XQ50: $3799: 2.7x-10.8:(384 core): 7.5x5.6: 1800m
Trail XQ38: $3299: 2.1x-8.4: (384 core): 9.8x7.4: 1350m
Trail XQ30: $2799: 1.6x-4 (384 core): 12.4x9.3: 900m

Helion XP50: $3999: 2.5x-20:(640 core): 12.4x9.3: 1800m
Helion XP38: $3799: 1.9x-15.2:(640 core): 16.3x12.3: 1350m
Helion XP28: $3449: 1.4x-11.2:(640 core): 22x16.6: 1000m
Helion XQ50: $3299: 4.1x-16.4:(384 core): 7.5x5.6: 1800
Helion XQ38: $2999: 3.1x-12.4:(384 core): 9.8x7.4: 1350
Helion XQ30: $2499: 2.5x-10:(384 core): 12.4x9.3: 900m

I also sent you a PM on a video sample.
 
I have a Trail 50xq and a Helion 38xp. The xp is noticeably clearer but the xq is all you need. So it’s want vs need.
 
Thanks for sharing that chart. I've been looking at the Zeus 640 75mm due to its 3x native mag and am waiting to see what the new FLIR 12 micron 640 scopes look like but am wondering for the coyotes if 640 is wise to get the most detail of the coyote. I'm angling at positive target ID but want to avoid that debate in this thread.
I'm not concerned about recording my hunts, rather I'm looking to find enough magnification for coyote shots between 50 yds & 200 yds.
Again, thanks for sharing your experiences!
 
I shot my first coyote with the 50xq Saturday at about 175-200 yards. There was no doubt it was a coyote. It was clearly defined by light and dark shades. My partner’s son came with and I let his son use the Helion so I didn’t see the difference. Now of course it could have been a coyote looking dog (although we were in the boonies), but
I doubt that any level of sophistication in thermal could distinguish that difference.
 
I also have shot coyotes at 200 yards and some at further ranges with no issues with the Trail XQ38. Is 200 yards a chip-shot with the thermal, no but it isn't a stretch either.

If magnification is a huge deal, I would consider the Trail XQ50 at 2.7x base magnification, you are going to be pretty high to start with. Once you have used the PIP function of the Pulsar, you will love it. The base view helps find the coyote and you pull up and center the coyote, and your eye naturally goes up to the PIP and you are now at 5.4x to really isolate the location of the shot. To me, it is one of the biggest selling points of the Pulsar.

Unless you don't plan to use a monocular, you are confident the animal is coyote before you even pull up your gun, so again the 640 may be better served in the monocular than the gun.
 
One of the posts asked for images up to 200 yards, so here they are, but this is from a Pulsar Trail XQ38 and no comparison to same on an XP. Also, Pulsar has said the newer firmware takes better video/pictures as these were mainly on older firmware. It is also a fact, it looks way better through the scope than the pictures/videos on most thermals. These are screen captures from actual hunts, so I didn't always have time to tweak the focus etc. 200 yards and 225 yard were very out of focus, but I knew they were coyotes before I pulled up and didn't take the time to adjust the focus. Also, notice when no PIP how much further away the coyote looked. The 50 yard coyote would have been huge in PIP but the shot was facing and no PIP. If the 200 yard shot was in focus, there is still no issue knowing this is a coyote. 225 not so much because he is sitting, it is out of focus and black hot masks the id a bit, but again, I knew from monocular, so no issue with taking the shot.

50 yards (no PIP)
Coyote_50.jpg


75 yards:
coyote_75.jpg


125 yards:
coyote_125.jpg


150 yards: (No PIP)
coyote_150.jpg


200 yards:
Coyote_200.jpg


225 yards:
Coyote_225.jpg
 
Thanks for the screen shots Kirsch. I scan with a pulsar hd 19a currently. I guess I've always had the blinders on thinking I need a 640 unit but also wanted a little higher native mag as well, hence the Zeus. I'll have to rent one of these xq units and see what I think!
If anyone else has video I'd like to take a look.

Thx again.
 
My purpose was not to convince you that you don’t need a 640. It was just to show there are lots of options and the XQ may work well for some and not for others.
 
Nice work on the photos Kirsch. Just a minor correction, but I believe the specs on the HD19A are a 384 core and 25 micron. I just wish Pulsar had incorporated the color schemes in the Trail scopes like they did with the Helions, and that colored crosshairs were an option. I really like the Sepia color scheme in my Apex XD50A as well as the red crosshairs. Has Pulsar added sound to the videos yet in their firmware updates?
 
Thanks Kirsch, I hope I didn't come across abrasive in my last post, it was more of me thinking out loud & asking for others experiences. I agree the XQ should fit the job just fine. Thanks for taking the time to post images of your unit!
 
Originally Posted By: DarknightThanks Kirsch, I hope I didn't come across abrasive in my last post

Not at all. I was just starting to think maybe I was hard selling the XQ line too hard when the XP series is so good.

Originally Posted By: DoubleUp I just wish Pulsar had incorporated the color schemes in the Trail scopes like they did with the Helions, and that colored crosshairs were an option. Has Pulsar added sound to the videos yet in their firmware updates?

The color schemes are nice in the Helion but I end up using white hot for scanning and black hot for finding calling locations or analyzing terrain, etc. For the Trail, I was told Pulsar went with a Black/White OLED screen to allow for higher recoil tolerance on larger calibers. For me, the colored crosshair would be the biggest game changer, but apparently not possible due to the BW screen. This is the main reason I switched to using black hot on the scope for now, as the white crosshair works very well on the black hot background with the reticle I am using now.

And unfortunately, no there is still no audio on the recordings yet on the latest firmware updates.
 
varminter 223, we would all love to see some of your videos. There is nothing like seeing a unit in real hunting conditions. Thanks in advance, and thanks Kirsch for the reply. I didn't see it before I posted, and so just went back and edited it!
 
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Originally Posted By: DoubleUpvarminter 223, we would all love to see some of your videos. There is nothing like seeing a unit in real hunting conditions. Thanks in advance, and thanks Kirsch for the reply. I didn't see it before I posted, and so just went back and edited it!

Well, If I ever remember to hit record and figure out how to post them I will.
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Believe me when I am consistently killing running coyotes out to 260 plus yards at night the equipment is definitely making a difference. I can dump 12 or 13 rounds and the nv guys are just like what the [beeep], " how much did you pay for that scope?
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I am glad I have 750 new 22 Nosler brass in the basement
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