At one time, thermal imaging devices were reserved for use by security specialists or the military alone, but now such technology is in the hands of consumers and more affordable with it. That being said, devices including the Pulsar Axion XQ30 Pro thermal imaging monocular we’re examining here are still very much niche, specialist tools. Not everyone wants or needs to observe and identify their subject day or night by their heat signature alone – and so inevitably this thermal imaging monocular is priced at a premium compared with a standard analog monocular or binocular.
If it’s just being able to pick out subjects in the dark you’re after, there are also less expensive alternatives to be found in night vision goggles and scopes. But those don’t possess the ability to ‘see’ and identify skittish creatures via their heat signature, the advantage here being that we can pick out subjects even when they’re partially visually obscured by natural or man-made objects, such as fences, walls, or foliage. That’s a definite advantage.
