Hot property
If you want a sure-fire way to spot your quarry in all conditions, the InfiRay Zoom thermal imager could be just what you are after, says Bruce Potts
The use of thermal devices has changed the way we look at the environment in which we shoot. This applies whether we are using a handheld or gun-mounted device.
Thermal imagers rely on a heat source and these work day or night. Nothing can hide from the thermal’s gaze if unobstructed and the faintest trace of heat will give a very obvious signature for you to look at. In contrast, night vision relies on enhancing available light sources to gain an image and this is not always possible.
I use a thermal sight, but 80% of the time it is used as a handheld observation tool, as it helps to cut down on time spent looking in the wrong places. This is why most people opt for a handheld or observation thermal for hunting and it is also why the new InfiRay Zoom ZH38 is about to cause quite a stir.
This Chinese-made monocular thermal boasts great performance, with fine detail produced by the new 1440x1080 pixel HD AMOLED display (active matrix organic light emitting diodes — a type of display used on smartphones), fed by the 640x512-pixel, 12-micron and sub-25mK NETD sensor. NETD, or noise equivalent temperature difference, distinguishes minute differences in thermal radiation in an image.
It can switch between a 1.6x optical mag for scanning or 3.2x optical magnification for detailed or longer-range detection and there is a digital 12.8x power boost, too.
Good runtime
As soon as you pick up the Zoom, you can feel the good build quality. The well-thoughtout controls all fall to the hand very easily, with a top central bank of push buttons and a convenient side strap.
I like the slide-out battery on the left and, with the included spare, you get a runtime of 10 hours apiece, which is more than enough. There is a non-rotating eyepiece cup, but good front lens cover to keep it clean and clear. This model is called the Zoom as it has an optical magnification range from 19mm to 38mm or 1.6 to 3.2x magnification for wide field of view and closer recognition. This is operated by the front ring, with very smooth transitions between the two, and you can see the icons change focal length on the AMOLED screen.
This AMOLED display is HD, with 1440x1080 pixels for really fine-detailed images combined with a wide, non-eyestraining field of view. This, in combination with the latest 12-micron sensor thermal technology with 640x512 resolution, achieves sub-25 millikelvin (mK) NETD sensitivity (less than 40mK is rated excellent). There is also a 50Hz refresh rate that guarantees the image is not blurred as you move the Zoom around in the field.
You will also appreciate the shutterless technology — the Zoom self-calibrates for differing environments without an annoying lag in image that besets many other thermal devices. The operation is instigated from
four buttons on top of the Zoom, all of which have combined roles. My advice would be to read the manual and play around with it to familiarise yourself.
The on/off button is a long press, taking at least seven seconds to fire-up the device, which is a bit annoying. A short press wakes the device from standby, returning to the main menu without changing parameters.
There are three other buttons: the middle one is the menu button and either side the up and down buttons to scroll through the menu. A short press of the front operates the digital zoom, while a long hold turns on the picture-in-picture feature, which gives a magnified second image in a small box above the centre of the screen. I like this. A short press on the bottom button takes a picture and long press takes a video. There is also a very useful sound recording feature.
Combined presses of the centre menu button and the up or down buttons activate the rangefinder stadia (distance) on the screen, or turn hotspot tracking on and off. This is very handy for tracking game in cover as the Zoom picks up the hottest pixels, so you don’t lose game if it is moving.
Pressing the centre menu button alone accesses the menu and you can change between colour options of white or black hot for instant recognition and finer detail, as well as red hot, colour or hot target highlight, which can really help with identifying game species.
Contrast and brightness can be altered. I would adjust these to maximise image quality and stop large image compensations between sky and forest thermal signatures that can overexpose or underexpose an image. Ultra Clear mode helps to nullify rain or fog interference for a much finer image.
Hard to beat
I like the build quality and dual optical field of view of the Zoom. Combined with the fine-detailed images and shutterless technology, it gives a constant clear image in all environments. It has a substantial running time. The menu-led screen options are easy to operate and the detailed pictures and sound recordings are also good.
The price of £2,999.99 may seem a lot, but for a pure observational monocular thermal device, the InfiRay Zoom gives you tip-top performance that is hard to beat. When you start to detect game with it, you will forget that price very quickly.
“You can feel the Zoom’s build quality and it boasts great performance with fine detail”