Fusion, pricy but if you have the money… - Pulsar Trionyx T3 Multispectral Fusion Binoculars

I got Pulsar’s entry thermal unit for a rifle and was so impressed I decided to try the Fusion monocular. The thermal portion is amazing for spotting wildlife, even mice. You can also change the color of the thermal image, there are many choices, but for night work I like the view with a red ‘cast’ to it. During the day I use the grayscale default (useful for finding chipmunks and squirrels for my dog to chase. The little critters show up like lightbulbs in the woods). The digital is ok for IDing deer gender after picking them up with the thermal. The resolution is pretty good, but the output is black and white, color would have been great. I think that is the next model they are working on. The illuminator for digital imaging has three levels. It functions like a bright spotlight and gives clear images out to about 150 yards. The downside to this is the ground or any brush in the foreground ‘whites out’ which makes it more difficult to see distant targets. Without the illuminator, depending on ambient light, the image can be grainy. The illuminator causes a visible red glow on the front of the unit. I chase this model for the longer range but I would have bought the less visible, shorter range model. The ‘fusion’ aspect is more of a gimmick, (kind of like a bad acid trip, weird colors and shades as it overlays a smaller thermal image over the digital). I haven’t found fusion real useful. The real beauty of the unit is having thermal and digital in one and being able to quickly switch between the two. The ability to record video or images is really cool. There is also a ‘range finder’ function that approximates the range to the target. The solid flip up/down lens cover works well, much better than rubber lens covers. Battery life is surprisingly longer than I expected. It also comes with a USB for an external power source. The menu is manipulated by five buttons on the top. It takes practice to find the correct ones while looking through the unit. Most buttons have a ‘short press’ or ‘long press’ function. Trying to remember which one does what takes time. Overall, I’m happy with the unit. Three grand is a lot to spend on anything, but if you want night vision and thermal, you won’t be disappointed.