Just ordered the new Photon RT scope!!!

I have a couple of thermal scopes and the older photon XT model already. I typically use the photon for my 14 year old son or let friends use it when they hunt in a blind. If we are driving around and stalking i break out the thermals.
Anyway, since im already happy as can be with the older photon xt...i couldnt pass up the ridiculously cheap price optics planet has the new RT for right now! (Yes i know the RT is not currently available)
For $512.99 shipped to my door...it was impossible to pass up, so i added myself to the backorder list.
If any of you have heard the approximate delivery of these new scopes, i would love to hear what you know. Otherwise, i will just keep using my existing stuff until they come in!

Not sure how much longer the sale is on...but list price showed $659 so im happy as could be!

Cheers!

Ok well that is either just a dumb coincidence or my jedi mind tricks worked!!! Literally 7 minutes after i sent this post i got an email from Optics Planet saying my order has shipped!!!

I should know soon enough if they actually sent the scope or just the scope rings i ordered with it. (Their order status says both were shipped...but im skeptical)

Cheers!

Uhhhh......I agree, highly skeptical. They haven’t had a single item in stock that I have ever ordered.

Keep us updated

I know several people that have already received theirs. One of my buddies got his over a month ago.

Looking forward to some video

I know they are out there but certainly not in mass quantities. Plus when i started looking for pricing it seemed everyone showed “out of stock” including amazon and sightmark themselves! I just hope what they are shipping me is the RT and some meatwagon didnt accidentally mistake it for an XT. lol That would be my luck!

I will let you guys know as soon as i receive whatever it is they shipped me. Maybe it was just a crazy coincidence that everyone got stock and started shipping after i made my first post about it...lol

Cheers!

I haven't looked through the scope yet, but my buddy is very experienced with NV and thermal, and he said the image quality is excellent. He went on a group hunt last weekend and everyone was impressed with the scope and the illuminator. I'll see if he has any videos uploaded and I'll post a link if he does.

their website said Estimated to ship within 1-3 days
so maybe its the way.

I'm actually taking a break from editing my Photon RT review videos right now. I hope to have them up on Youtube early next week. My full review is very long so there is a lot of editing to do.

I demo'd a RT for Sightmark for over a month and was very impressed. The first shipment into the US was the week of January 24th and I've already received 3 shipments, including another small one today. I've tested out every model in the field and I've got to say these are the best Photons yet. The new features work like they should and the S model illuminators are amazing. My caveat, I would stay away from the non-S models that have the 940nm IR illuminator unless you have a good reason to buy one. They are $50 more each, they see 100 yards less than the S models and the red glow at the IR illuminator head is absolutely visible just like it is on the S models. Granted it's not as bright but it can still be seen at over 50 yards. I wish the 940 units weren't even being produced. It's causing nothing but mass confusion for customers who understandably are confused why a scope that cost $50 more actually gets them 100 yards less in usable range.

I'll be posting up more details and the video review when it's available. I don't mind honest competition, heck I'm good friends some other dealers, but OP makes me see red. They break all the rules that would get the rest of us removed as authorized dealers and they sell at dang near our cost (sometimes they actually sell at our cost). And Stealth, this isn't a dig towards you, I can't blame you for snagging one at that price! It's just insane they sell that cheap sometimes but customer service is the most expensive part of our business and since they don't offer that, they can sell for less.

- Jason

My first quick hunt with the RT 4.5x42S

Stealth-
What rings did you order with it? What height?

OLG, thanks for posting the video on the hog kill. What was the distance at the shot? It appears the scope was slightly out of focus and was that with the objective cover completely open or with it closed and the center hole punched out? Will look forward to your complete review when it gets up.

OLG,
No worries man i didnt take it as a dig but i appreciate you clarifying. As i said, i was just looking to learn more about the scope, see if there were any reviews compared to my XT, etc, etc. When i saw nobody at the time claimed to have stock and then saw the ridiculous price OP had them for...i thought, “WTH, ill wait at that price!” I even called one of our vendors that i have bought stuff from before to see if he had one. Unfortunately, i had to leave him a message and as of today he still hasnt called me back!
Thanks for sharing your video and your brief review has me excited!!

TX_LT,
I bought the UTG 30mm rings 1” tall in quick disconnect. Same ones i currently have on my XT on my AR.

Cheers!

Thank you! That hog was at about 55-60 yards. That's why I really shy away from the 6.5x model unless someone tells me they are taking most of their shots over 100 yards. The FOV under 100 yards is just too narrow in my opinion.

Yes sir the focus was slightly fuzzy and that is actually a negative of the RT in my opinion. Here is the deal, the focus looks fine through the scope....at least darn good enough to shoot a hog. You wouldn't really notice it being blurry enough to worry over. But on the videos, since you are looking at it on a big screen, you notice it was slightly out of focus. The problem is the focus is really really sensitive. So you go right with the focus ring and whoops you went to far, go left, whoops you went to far. Know what I mean? Again, this isn't going to have any real world affect on you shooting with it but it's noticeable on the videos. The only solution I've found is to use some sort of super bright, (almost over bearing) bright IR illuminator and again, in my opinion, you really don't need one for shots under 250 yards on the S models.

If you leave the lens cap closed at night and try to look through the pin hole, you can't see anything, even with the IR on high. I haven't punched out the center hole but I know people did on the XT's. I just never found a real benefit but I haven't tried it with the RT and I will try that soon. So yes the lens cap was all the way open for that shot.

FYI if someone is looking for an RT I just had another shipment leave Sightmark heading my way today. I should have a few of every model left over after I fill customer's orders.

- Jason

I hear ya, that's a steal! I think you will really enjoy it, I'm ready to see some videos and some dead hogs, post 'em up!

Jason

Is it worth a poo for daytime hunting?

Also, what 30mm rings do y'all prefer?

Thanks OLG. Good to know the scope view is better. I think the advantage of punching out the center on the XT was it gave a sharper image and the focus wasn't quite so sensitive. It may or may not be better with the RT. It could be that it won't work well with the onboard IR, but you seem to feel the onboard is pretty powerful so it might not need an external IR.

Little off topic but what caliber are these rated at?

It's a night time scope that has daytime capabilities. Sightmark even says in the front page of their manual that it's intended for night time and twilight use. You can absolutely use it during the daylight but I find it completely unnatural to look at a black and white video screen during the day time. In my opinion, I'd just use QD rings and swap it out with a day time scope if I really want to do anything during the day.

I highly suggest the Sightmark Medium Height QD rings or the Sightmark High Height Tactical rings because the are the perfect height for the Photons. Yes I know one is medium and one is high and the proves my point that you should never, ever buy a set of rings for a Photon based on if they are high, extra high etc. Those two Sightmark rings are both an identical height but they are considered medium and high within their own model group. It's confusing I know.lol




I agree, I really don't currently see a big need for any better IR on the RT S models.



.375 H&H The XT's were only rated for a .308.


- Jason

Just wanted to update everyone...

Optics Planet showed my Photon as shipping...when i checked tracking info i noticed the box size and weight did not jive with the photon, so i called to confirm. Optics Planet claimed it was being shipped directly from the manufacturer...which is great since i live 30 minutes from them! 2 days go by and nothing has arrived, so i call them back to confirm. After waiting on hokd for 25 minutes, they came on to tell me the manufacturer claimed their backorders exceeded their new shipment and i wouldnt be up until at best late february but probably mid-march. Sigh...

Then i decided to call Jason from Outdoor Legacy since he said he had sone coming in. Long story short...Jason rocks! Not only did he give me a great price...but he allowed me to pick the scope up on my way out to the hunting property. If the hogs cooperate, ill have some video (sitting in a blind right now) If not, it will be a few weeks before ill have another chance to use the scope.

Either way...thanks again Jason!!!

Robert

Just got off the phone dealing with the same thing; not a fan of Optics Planet.

Thank you very much Robert, I really appreciate your business and thanks for giving me a shot, glad the timing all worked out for you.


Thanks!

Jason

I really want these to be good. Gotta find a way to get into the night game

They are really good for the money. If you are looking to get into thee NV game for under $1,000, this is the choice I'd make every time. The best part is, this is the 3rd generation of Photons and there has never been a single known or widespread problem/bug, so the reliability has been amazing. Rather than starting from the ground up, Sightmark just took a great product, made some improvements and added a few features without fundamentally changing the scope and without making it complicated. I'm impressed with what they've done on the RT's.

Jason