The race is on to be crowned the ‘King of the Ultra HD Thermals’. The two front-runners are the all-new Stellar 3.0 SX60L and the equally impressive InfiRay Tube TS60. I have tested the TS60 and was very impressed, so the new arrival from HikMicro has a lot to live up to.
The SX60L is clearly the flagship product in the Stellar 3 lineup, featuring a 1280×1024 thermal sensor paired with a 60mm lens, a base magnification of 2.5x that extends to an extravagant 28.5x, and a 25.6m field of view at 100m.
I won’t bore you with all the details, as the tech spec box at the end of this review should answer any lingering questions. In short, the flagship Stellar offers all the bells and whistles of its competitor – or at least all those that actually matter.
They are essentially very similar – stunning imagery, amazing tech, and an eye-watering asking price. The Stellar 3.0 SX60L is priced at £4,999.99, while the TS60 comes in at a slightly more palatable £4,500.
In terms of image quality and performance, the two are almost indistinguishable. We’re reaching a point similar to that of classic alpha glass from the likes of Swarovski, Leica, Schmidt & Bender, and Zeiss. Each has its merits, but optically they’re nearly identical, and a buying decision comes down more to personal preference and brand loyalty than to any tangible improvement in image quality.
On close inspection
Equipped with a new high-sensitivity detector (NETD of
<18mK) combined with HikMicro’s new Image Pro 2.0 processing algorithm, there are absolutely no complaints about image clarity, with fine detail captured on both prey and the environment. It’s all very well balanced.
One of the standout features of the Stellar is the new HikMicro Shutterless Image System (HSIS), which eliminates the need for a mechanical shutter, so there are no more screen freezes at inopportune moments. However, the flip side is a frame rate reduction to 25Hz rather than the 50Hz typically seen on most systems. To be fair, I didn’t notice any adverse effects from the frame rate change, and it’s a compromise I’m happy to accept if it’s a requirement of the HSIS.
As you’d expect, there’s an integrated laser rangefinder (LRF) included, capable of pinging targets up to 1,000m and feeding its findings directly to the impressive onboard ballistics calculator.
An obvious change is the incorporation of the LRF module into the main body of the scope; it’s no longer top-mounted in the style of the Alpex but rather integrated into the objective. Sacrificing perhaps 20% of the objective for the sake of aesthetics seems an odd choice for HikMicro to make, given that there’s no torch to contend with on a thermal. However, it’s a layout that’s already been adopted by other manufacturers and doesn’t seem to impede performance.
A 1.03” AMOLED display with a resolution of 2560×2560 provides your window onto the world, while shock resistance can handle up to 1,000g/0.4ms. No matter which high-end thermal you opt for, it’s worth limiting yourself to a maximum calibre of, say, .243, as the eye relief isn’t particularly great on any of them. Nobody enjoys scope eye, and that’s a potential issue with heavier calibres unless you’re extra careful.
Like the Alpex, it provides extended battery life via a combination of internal rechargeable and external replaceable 18650 batteries, providing a claimed nine hours of continuous operation. You can expect less in cold conditions, so carry a spare just in case.
Along with the LRF and ballistic calculation, recoil-activated recording also comes as part of the package, with videos stored in the local album for quick preview via the scope. Zeroing and freeze-frame functions are well implemented, aided by the extra resolution and image quality. There’s no need for thermal patches on warmer days – traditional high-contrast ‘shoot ’n’ see’ targets should do the job with a 100m zero.
After a fox
Demand for review samples of the new ‘super Stella’ was high, so I didn’t get quite as many trips out as I’d have liked, thanks to a combination of a compressed timeline and some terrible weather. However, one trip with my shooting buddy Al stands out.
After a fruitless wait in one of my usual haunts, we decided to move about five miles down the valley to a large field of cut maize that rises to a wood – often a hotspot for the local fox population.
With a caller deployed, the wait began. Initially, there was no sign of activity, but shortly after we had settled in, a fox started calling from the direction of a large dairy farm about a mile further up the valley. A dilemma: do we wait for the hotspot to bear fruit or chase the sound of the distant fox?
Luckily, the decision was made for me as Al whispered that three-letter word I’d been waiting for. The mouse squeak had done its job. The fox was interested but edgy, sitting about 150m out and staring towards the sound emanating from the dash of the ATV.
I slipped out, grabbed the rifle and sticks and, with fumbling, frozen hands, attempted to set up for the shot. The fox wasn’t keen on the metallic sounds and started trotting off towards the wood. At a safe distance, it stopped again, as expected. I lined up in the scope and – click!
In my desperation to keep the noise down, perhaps I hadn’t closed the bolt properly. Cursing my incompetence, I racked another round, just in case it had been a faulty primer. The fox moved further away while Al, still sitting in the ATV, was no doubt puzzled by the lack of an expected bang from the Blaser.
By now, I was seriously cold, my hands shaking as I frustratingly lined up on the fox once again before squeezing the trigger. Click! Something was definitely amiss. It was all user error, I was certain, as I’d never experienced any problems with my trusty Blaser before. But this was no time to turn on a head torch to investigate. I poked a gloved hand around the action, looking for obstructions, and then slammed a third round into the breech.
By now, Charlie had made it all the way to the edge of the wood, sitting just in front of the track that divides it from the maize field. After ranging it at 238m with the Stella, third time was the charm. The report of the .22-250 was quickly followed by a familiar thud.
After a rather perilous attempt at extraction down the heavily rutted track, there was my vixen. The Stella, with its built-in ballistics, had done its job on a fairly distant shot, even though I’d done my best to make a complete hash of the opportunity.
All very familiar
In terms of ergonomics and interface design, there are no complaints. Everything is logically laid out, and for anyone who has used HikMicro scopes in the past, it’s all very familiar, with an almost identical user interface to the rest of the HikMicro range – thermal-specific options notwithstanding, obviously.
In short, there are no unpleasant surprises with the new Stellar. It’s very easy to use, with buttons and functions following a familiar pattern. Essentially, you’re paying for the fourfold gain in resolution, which you get from a 1280 sensor over the 640 of the previous generation of high-resolution thermal optics.
Verdict
If you’re a dedicated HikMicro/Alpex fan (and a recent lottery winner), the Stellar SX60L is a no-brainer. You’ll love the familiar interface and the leap in image quality that the larger sensor delivers. I also prefer the 2.5x base magnification over the 2.0x on the Tube TS60.
The integration of the LRF is a nice aesthetic touch but it is not a game-changer in terms of field performance. As illustrated by my recent foxing trip, there were no issues with the LRF and ballistics integration.
If you’re not automatically inclined towards HikMicro, I’d advise trying the Tube TS60 and Stellar 3.0 side by side. In my opinion, there’s very little to choose between them in terms of image quality, features, and performance, although the sleeker on-board LRF of the Stellar does give it a more traditional day-scope look. GM
Name:
HikMicro Stellar 3.0 SX60L
Image Sensor:
VOx uncooled focal plane arrays
Maximum Resolution:
1280×1024
Frame Rate:
25Hz
Pixel Interval:
12μm
NETD:
<18mK (@25°C, f# = 1.0)
Lens Focal Length:
60mm, f1.0
Minimum Focusing Distance:
6m
Magnification:
2.5x to 28.5x (supports 1x step
value of continuous zooming)
Field of View:
14.6° x 11.7°/25.6m x 20.5m@100m
Display:
2560×2560, 1.03” OLED
Palettes:
Black-Hot, White-Hot, Red-Hot, Fusion,
Red Monochrome, Green Monochrome
Exit Pupil:
6mm
Eye Relief:
45mm
Diopter (range):
-4D to 4D
Image Pro 2.0:
Yes
Record Video:
On-board video recording
Audio Recording:
Yes
Recoil-Activation:
Yes
Storage:
Built-in EMMC (64GB)
Picture-in-Picture (PIP):
Yes
Hot Track:
Yes
Distance Measurement:
Yes
Zeroing Profiles:
5
Freeze Zeroing:
Yes
Maximum Recoil:
1,000g/0.4ms
Ballistic Calculation:
Yes
Battery Type:
Two rechargeable lithium batteries,
one replaceable 18650 battery
Battery Operating Time:
9 hours continuous running (@25°C, LRF on)
Price:
£4,999.99
Contact:
Elite Optical Distribution –
www.eliteoptical.co.uk
