It’s been a few months since the official launch of the Pulsar Merger LRF XP50 thermal imaging binoculars with a built-in laser rangefinder, giving professional hunters just enough time to test the new device in various conditions. Today, we’re pleased to share a comprehensive review of the new binoculars by seven hunters from all over the world.
Hunter's review
A new favorite to many
If there’s one common thread from the reviews, it’s that the Pulsar Merger LRF XP50 is becoming a favorite device to many hunters, including Nathan Stuart from Australia, Night Vision Viking from Sweden, and Freddy Lietz from Germany.
There are many reasons for it, but let us begin with perhaps the most important one – unprecedented image quality. “The image quality is magical! There are so many details to discover in the thermal image, invisible through most of the other thermal spotters I’ve tried previously. You can see details like branches, leaves, and grass in the forest. Not to mention how good the animals look. Around my summer house, I have a roe deer family that I can depend on when evaluating new thermal devices. Usually, it can be difficult to see the antlers on the buck, but with the Merger, I could see them clearly,” says Night Vision Viking.
Stefan Orman, a professional hunter from Sweden, even says that the image quality “is so good, you don’t even want to look at it, as nothing else will be good enough after the Merger.” He also goes on to explain some of the reasons behind that goodness: “The clarity of the F1.0 50 mm lens helps to define objects at a longer distance than ever, and the NETD <25mk helps to define the terrain even in really bad weather. This ensures that you can always confirm that you have a sufficient backstop!”
The image quality is also increased by our brand-new proprietary image processing algorithms and, of course, an incredibly sensitive thermal imaging 640×480 pixel, @ 17 µm sensor. Speaking of which, Night Vision Viking adds: “I’ve used the Merger both in dry and wet, and the thermal sensor really cuts through the fog like it didn’t exist.” Both he and Nathan also note that the image is very “deep” and “immersive” on the Pulsar Merger binoculars.
The image quality is magical! There are so many details to discover in the thermal image, invisible through most of the other thermal spotters I’ve tried previously.
Night Vision Viking, a hunter from Sweden
Hunter's review
More precise information
As the name suggests, the Pulsar Merger LRF XP50 comes with a built-in laser rangefinder, also known as the LRF, which Agnieszka Walczak, a huntress from Poland, defines as “an undeniable advantage”. As she explains, “Sometimes at night, it can be more difficult for the hunter to estimate the distance through the thermal imaging device. The rangefinder helps us to decide whether, for example, we should continue the stalking to take a safe shot. During a successful boar hunt, I had the opportunity to find out that Merger estimates the distance very accurately.”
Both Nathan and Freddy also agree it’s a great addition to the device – it measures distances up to 1 kilometer in complete darkness, has two modes (continuous scanning and single-time measurement), and guarantees the accuracy of ± 1 meter.
The clarity of the F1.0 50 mm lens helps to define objects at a longer distance than ever, and the NETD <25mk helps to define the terrain even in really bad weather.
Stefan Orman, a hunter from Sweden
Hunter's review
The ultimate comfort
What strikes most people after testing out the Pulsar Merger LRF XP50 binoculars is the ease and comfort of use, which comes from both the ergonomics of the device and the dual eyepiece.
Nathan admits that one of the reasons it became a favorite so quickly is “the larger, both-eyes, open screen”. And all of the hunters we spoke to emphasized the ergonomic design: “It’s not just about the look (of course, the binoculars look is awesome!), but also the positioning of the function buttons. Women’s hands are smaller, and fingers are usually shorter than men’s, but I can easily use all the buttons without taking the binocular away from my eyes. I can freely use the function buttons while observing the game,” says Agnieszka.
Her fellow huntress from Sweden, Erica Victoria Egonsson, also says that “the buttons are easy to access when looking through the device” and admits to really loving the classic daytime binocular design. Night Vision Viking and Nathan also note the ergonomic button layout, while Freddy tells us that the convenience helps to react quicker when hunting, and he also finds “the optics particularly beautiful, because they are reminiscent of daytime binoculars and can hardly be distinguished from the outside.”
Speaking of intuitive use, Freddy didn’t just tell us about operating Merger while in the field – he also added some of the perks you can experience once you get home: “It is also interesting for me that you can take videos and photos. The videos and images can be easily dragged onto the smartphone via the Pulsar Stream Vision 2 app that’s intuitive and easy to use.”
The image quality is brilliant, the LRF works great, and the design is really pretty. It's a cool solution for someone that likes a more classic hunting look design-wise, but wants to use new technologies at the same time.
Julia Nowak, a huntress from Poland
It's not just about the look, but also the positioning of the function buttons. Women's hands are smaller, but I can easily use all the buttons without taking the binocular away from my eyes. I can freely use the function buttons while observing the game.
Agnieszka Walczak, a huntress from Poland
The verdict
“It’s light, comfortable, really easy to use, and has the best thermal image quality on the market today,” says Night Vision Viking when we ask him to summarize his opinion about the Pulsar Merger LRF XP50.
Julia Nowak, a huntress from Poland, currently based in Sweden, agrees: “The image quality is brilliant, the LRF works great, and the design is really pretty. It’s a cool solution for someone that likes a more classic hunting look design-wise, but wants to use new technologies at the same time.”
And when it comes to new technologies, there are surely many of them packed into the Merger, including a dual battery system which guarantees up to 10 hours of continuous operation on a single charge. “Impressive,” says Freddy of it, and we think this one word summarizes the Pulsar Merger LRF XP50 perfectly.
Before purchasing any night or thermal vision device, please make sure you adhere to the local legislation and only use it when it is allowed. Our ambassadors come from various countries and travel a lot, which allows them to test different devices. We do not encourage or support the illegal use of our devices in any events. If you wish to learn more about export and sales restriction policy, please visit the following link: Export and Sales Restriction Policy.