HIKMICRO hasn’t been on the shooting optics scene for very long, but the brand has certainly made a big impression over the past couple of years. Its success hinges very much on an unstinting commitment to pushing the boundaries of technological performance while keeping prices realistic. The Raptor RQ50L Thermal Fusion Optical IR LRF Binoculars continue in that vein, and while their £3,999.99 retail price isn’t cheap, you will appreciate just where that spend has gone if you pick them up and judge their performance for yourself. These binoculars are special because, apart from providing thermal viewing in four colour palettes (Red Hot, White Hot, Black Hot and Fusion), they also provide optical viewing in full HD colour by day and in infrared at night. They can even be set to produce a hybrid image that’s a fusion of thermal and infrared, which shows your quarry’s heat signature while also giving a detailed insight of the landscape around it. Those viewing modes ensure optimum performance for spotting alongside sharp, detailed observation for confident quarry identification and confirmation of safe backdrops. The Raptor also boasts a built-in rangefinder, which can be set to either give a single reading or to track – just place the cursor on the target and press the button. Accurate to within 1m out to 1000m, this is a brilliant feature, instantly confirming range to target so the shooter can apply correct aim-off with confidence. Despite being very simple to operate, the Raptor binoculars have a vast array of useful features, including a clever sensor which switches them to standby mode when you take them away from your eye – not only does this extend battery life, it also boosts stealth by preventing you from being illuminated by any shine-back. They can also record still images and video to 64Gb onboard memory at the press of a button and can connect to the Hikmicro SIGHT app via built-in wifi, so you can pair with your phone to access controls and save and share recorded footage. They also come supplied with a very tough travel case, two sets of rechargeable batteries (each of which gives a continuous runtime of up to eight hours), a fast-charger, plus neck and side straps. As for optical specifications, the 50mm F0.9 thermal lens works with an industry leading 640x512px sensor to deliver sharp viewing with a detection range of up to 2600m for a man-sized object. The optical camera runs at 2560x1440px resolution and the built in IR illuminator gives a detection range of up to 400m. The viewing experience is further enhanced by Hikmicro’s Smart IR and image stabilisation features. Day, Night, Auto and Defog modes ensure optimum viewing in all conditions. Both eyepieces feature width and dioptre adjustment to ensure comfort and sharp focus. Optical magnification is 3.4x with 1-16x digital magnification. Getting the most from the Raptor’s various functions is not difficult, because its controls are a doddle to master. Most are operated by short and long presses of …Continue reading »