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Photon Yukon 5x42

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Photon Yukon 5x42

Postby Judge Ali » Thu Dec 19, 2013 4:53 am

Anyone used one? Have spent ages looking at NV gear lately and every time I think I have made my mind up keep seeing something else! This has great reviews and seems remarkable value for money. It was even mentioned as 'taking market by storm' by Robert Bucknell in recent magazine article.

Plenty on eBay, guntrader, etc and coupled with a decent IR illuminator would seem to be a good bet.

Anyone got one or had first hand experience?
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Re: Photon Yukon 5x42

Postby Hornet 6 » Thu Dec 19, 2013 1:17 pm

I thought about one as well, but the number of nearly new one getting sold on, plus the number of complaints about day light use put me off.
(and the number who had change in zero between daylight and night mode)

Neil. :)
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Re: Photon Yukon 5x42

Postby leadpig » Thu Dec 19, 2013 8:31 pm

Ditto.
I was wanting one, but there are as as many bad reports as good.
Will probably get a ns50, I was also thinking about a second hand n550 but the warranty is non transferable
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Re: Photon Yukon 5x42

Postby Judge Ali » Sat Dec 21, 2013 1:31 am

leadpig wrote:Ditto.
I was wanting one, but there are as as many bad reports as good.
Will probably get a ns50, I was also thinking about a second hand n550 but the warranty is non transferable


Really? What were the bad reviews saying? Have so far only seen good comments other than requires a better IR illuminated than the one it comes with.
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Re: Photon Yukon 5x42

Postby leadpig » Sat Dec 21, 2013 2:04 am

Judge Ali wrote:
leadpig wrote:Ditto.
I was wanting one, but there are as as many bad reports as good.
Will probably get a ns50, I was also thinking about a second hand n550 but the warranty is non transferable


Really? What were the bad reviews saying? Have so far only seen good comments other than requires a better IR illuminated than the one it comes with.

mainly bad short range focusing,useless during daytime and poi shift between day and night,i had my heart set on one,but for the same money i can get a ns50 which is proven and enough for my needs,
yes they can be made good but then your in second hand pulsar n550 Territory price wise
i also like high mag and 5x may be good enough for 15 yard vermin,but not enough for 35/40 yard rabbits for me.
with the ns50 i can put it on my air rifle or rimfire without worrying about range or poi change ;)
Sidebyside wrote:Leadpig is probably right,( though I hate to admit that :mad: ;) ) .


Fenrir wrote:It is often better to let people think you are a bit simple rather than removing all doubt.
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Re: Photon Yukon 5x42

Postby Judge Ali » Sat Dec 21, 2013 4:09 am

The low magnification is a recurring issue I have noted on all the nv gear I have looked at. Am not too concerned about the day to night issues as this will going onto a .223 as a dedicated night foxing set up but the 5x mag isn't great.

I considered the N750 but that's only 4.5x and am yet to see anything higher that isn't silly money.
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Re: Photon Yukon 5x42

Postby Hornet 6 » Sat Dec 21, 2013 11:18 am

leadpig wrote: 5x may be good enough for 15 yard vermin,but not enough for 35/40 yard rabbits for me.


http://www.specsavers.co.uk Pretty sure they can help you :razz:

Neil. :)
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Re: Photon Yukon 5x42

Postby Clive Ward » Sat Dec 21, 2013 2:23 pm

Hi All,

The Photon has turned into a bit of 'Emperors New Clothes' unfortunately.

It got bigged up beyond belief by someone who it seems has a vested interest in flogging doubler lens attachments and extra IR illuminators for it. Saying you could shoot at hundreds of yards, etc. People bought them, he sold plenty of bits of plastic and modified chinese torches to go with them, and then as you have seen the crying started :grin:

Don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with the Photon for it's intended purpose and that is to be something that is a bit better than a Gen1 dedicated rifle scope. So it should be fine on an air rifle or a .22 rimfire. Beyond that is asking too much of it due to it's main limitation (aside from the other problems noted earlier in this thread) which is resolution.

The camera may have a decent resolution which they quote, but what is not advertised is the screen resolution is a very poor 300x225 so each pixel subtends roughly an inch at 100 yards. Call me less than impartial but if you compare that to our Ward-D-Visions 640x480 display you end up with pixel subtensions of .1" at the higher magnifications you can use the system at, but then it is 50-75% more expensive depending on what IR you go for, but you do only have to buy one of them as it's an add on system ;)


Cheers





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Re: Photon Yukon 5x42

Postby Judge Ali » Sun Dec 22, 2013 5:20 am

Clive Ward wrote:Hi All,

The Photon has turned into a bit of 'Emperors New Clothes' unfortunately.

It got bigged up beyond belief by someone who it seems has a vested interest in flogging doubler lens attachments and extra IR illuminators for it. Saying you could shoot at hundreds of yards, etc. People bought them, he sold plenty of bits of plastic and modified chinese torches to go with them, and then as you have seen the crying started :grin:

Don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with the Photon for it's intended purpose and that is to be something that is a bit better than a Gen1 dedicated rifle scope. So it should be fine on an air rifle or a .22 rimfire. Beyond that is asking too much of it due to it's main limitation (aside from the other problems noted earlier in this thread) which is resolution.

The camera may have a decent resolution which they quote, but what is not advertised is the screen resolution is a very poor 300x225 so each pixel subtends roughly an inch at 100 yards. Call me less than impartial but if you compare that to our Ward-D-Visions 640x480 display you end up with pixel subtensions of .1" at the higher magnifications you can use the system at, but then it is 50-75% more expensive depending on what IR you go for, but you do only have to buy one of them as it's an add on system ;)


Cheers





Clive


Cheers for info Clive.

Basically I guess it comes down to the same old 'you get what you pay for' scenario!
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Re: Photon Yukon 5x42

Postby Shootist » Sun Dec 22, 2013 8:48 pm

Judge Ali wrote:The low magnification is a recurring issue I have noted on all the nv gear I have looked at. Am not too concerned about the day to night issues as this will going onto a .223 as a dedicated night foxing set up but the 5x mag isn't great.

I considered the N750 but that's only 4.5x and am yet to see anything higher that isn't silly money.


The N750 zooms up to 7x. They are alarmingly expensive, but I have the N550, also alarmingly expensive, but slightly less so. I've added a 1.7multiplier to the front, giving about 7x and a variable power laser illuminator, the result allows me to shoot with confidence rabbits up to 60-70 yards using a Falcon FN19 FAC air rifle. Further with an HMR but I don't use that much. The laser illuminator is also very handy fitted on an old Yukon Gen1 night sight. With the laser illuminator you are straight into Gen 2+ territory, albeit at only 4x. The beauty of the Pulsar digital night sights is that they can be zeroed in daylight without any problem. That's worth a lot. Zeroing Gen 1 and 2 sights in not really on during the day, which means a lot of faffing at night.
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Re: Photon Yukon 5x42

Postby Judge Ali » Tue Dec 24, 2013 5:21 am

Shootist wrote:
Judge Ali wrote:The low magnification is a recurring issue I have noted on all the nv gear I have looked at. Am not too concerned about the day to night issues as this will going onto a .223 as a dedicated night foxing set up but the 5x mag isn't great.

I considered the N750 but that's only 4.5x and am yet to see anything higher that isn't silly money.


The N750 zooms up to 7x. They are alarmingly expensive, but I have the N550, also alarmingly expensive, but slightly less so. I've added a 1.7multiplier to the front, giving about 7x and a variable power laser illuminator, the result allows me to shoot with confidence rabbits up to 60-70 yards using a Falcon FN19 FAC air rifle. Further with an HMR but I don't use that much. The laser illuminator is also very handy fitted on an old Yukon Gen1 night sight. With the laser illuminator you are straight into Gen 2+ territory, albeit at only 4x. The beauty of the Pulsar digital night sights is that they can be zeroed in daylight without any problem. That's worth a lot. Zeroing Gen 1 and 2 sights in not really on during the day, which means a lot of faffing at night.


What's the multiplier unit you have? Am guessing its compatible with n750 also? If that's the case and the n750 goes to 7x to begin with as well then that might be the one. A bit pricey as you say bit essentially a one off purchase.
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Re: Photon Yukon 5x42

Postby Shootist » Tue Dec 24, 2013 9:30 am

Judge Ali wrote:What's the multiplier unit you have? Am guessing its compatible with n750 also? If that's the case and the n750 goes to 7x to begin with as well then that might be the one. A bit pricey as you say bit essentially a one off purchase.


It was an old camera front telephoto adapter attached to a Dr Bob's adapter. If you look around the internet you can find some reviews on the N750 which I recently discovered may be a digital zoom which loses a little resolution. The N550 loses none if you add a front element adapter, although it makes the assembly just a little delicate as far as handling goes, but they are not for knocking about anyway. For either item I thing a laser illuminator is an essential, it increases both range and definition greatly (as well as increasing cost!) I've owned one Gen2+ sight, which broke and couldn't be fixed due to USA export regs, and I still have the Yukon Gen1, which works well with the laser illuminator. The N550 is way ahead of either IMO. One good feature is the ability to design and upload your own reticule, which is very useful. I made one up that is much finer than the standard ones.
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Re: Photon Yukon 5x42

Postby leadpig » Tue Dec 24, 2013 10:37 am

have you any pics of your n550 set up steve :)
whats the build quality like :)
Sidebyside wrote:Leadpig is probably right,( though I hate to admit that :mad: ;) ) .


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Re: Photon Yukon 5x42

Postby Judge Ali » Tue Dec 24, 2013 11:59 am

Was thinking of maybe adding something like this to N750



Pulsar N550 / N750 / N770 Doubler Lens Conversion Adapter

http://bit.ly/1e819ec
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Re: Photon Yukon 5x42

Postby Shootist » Wed Dec 25, 2013 12:33 pm

OK, I have to apologise for the crappy images. Wrong camera, wrong setting, taken in a hurry.

Build quality is excellent, IMO, save for the cheap weaver rail to hold the illuminator and a squashy eye shield. The daft advertising 'feature' of one shot sighting in is a bit stupid, nothing that can't be done with an ordinary scope, in theory. The battery cover is a bit of a bitch, fiddly and hard to see polarity indicators. But, nobody's perfect. All of the gripes are small ones. I'm not feeling ripped off by any means, even though the price paid required a stiff drink, a lie down in a darkened room and a short fit of weeping, but that's just me being tight.

Image

Image

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