Can you run a digital scope behind a thermal clip on unit ? Asking for a friend ....

This thought occurred to me after breakfast on Sunday , I didn’t expect it to work so well....

It says a lot about how far the technology has advanced in terms of using a camera system to view a near eye display screen through a lens array and be able to focus and adjust the systems to send 150 grain 308 win bullets at 2700 FPS down range and hit what you’re aiming at !

Anybody else tried a crazy experiment like this and busted old myths about what is or isn’t possible ?

I can not wait to get one of these to try. Have never thought about adding it to a digital scope.

Any idea of a list I can get on to purchase one or is it too early?

Bering hasn’t rolled this out to dealers as of yet - probably another 30 days out on that - then it will be up to each dealer to decide to offer a pre-order or wait until Bering ships units - possibly an additional 30 days.

Pig_Popper showed me this in the field and before looking through the scope, I wasn't sure if he had lost his mind or was a genius. After looking through it, my though was "What a freaking cool idea!"

I'm not familiar with digital scope, what is the benefit of using this vs a regular optic? Just ability to capture video and pictures?

Digital scopes allow for day use and work as night vision

There have been a lot of them ranging from the original Pulsar Digisights, current Digisights, ATN X-Sight, Sightmark Photon, Sightmark Wraith HD, Sightmark Wraith 4k, etc.

So ordinarily folks buy what they can afford and use these devices separately . There are some advantages to digital scopes versus thermal optics such as:

1) inside of 100 yards a 4K model digital scope will provide the hunter with superior ID capabilities - color of animal, orientation of animal, other objects such as feeder legs - farming implements etc - whereas thermal simply registers white / black / or color palette

2) depending on humidity , rain, environmental , digital may be less impacted than thermal

3) COST - 4K digital scope $700. Thermal starts around $ 2200 for decent tech

Here is a video that shows digital performance under 100 yards and at extended range:



Using digital past 100 yards or when scanning in heavy brush is problematic - this is typically the reason behind folks “upgrading to thermal”. Nothing wrong with this but it doesn’t change the benefits of digital as outlined above.

Where this really could be useful (clip on thermal AND digital scope)

Is for folks on limited budgets who perhaps can’t afford both thermal scanners and thermal weapon sights

You can easily drop 12k on quality scanner and weapon thermal sight combos

If a user wanted to buy a thermal clip on and primarily use it as a monocular this would be effective to get them into a hunting / shooting situation to them use their digital scope for the shot

IF the needed to engage at longer distance they COULD adapt the clip on to the rifle (rail mount) and use the digital scope without dealing with IR light problems (added cost for extended IR models and focusing beams etc).

A combo of quality scanner and 4K digital optic runs 5.7k

Just my 2 cents

Okay, if I understand correctly most of the stuff above is basically about the differences between NV and Thermal. I get that someone may want to buy a digital NV scope as a standalone unit for night hunting as opposed to a regular day optic. It's not as good as thermal, but it'll get you in the game for a whole lot cheaper.

What I don't get is how putting a clip-on thermal in front of a digital night vision scope is any better than putting it in front of a regular scope.

I have not tried this yet. My digital night vison is extremely clear. I would think this would just make the thermal image that much better. Will be trying this with my ATN and super hogster as soon as this weather lets up.

Visually , unless the users day optics is horrible glass ... a day optic view to the back of a thermal clip on should always look better than any digital optic.

You were correct initially in that the benefit with digital is really only for recording and mixing up reticles and colors.

Digital behind a Super Hogster will not work.

The clip on unit has a different lens system than the standard weapon sights.

This experiment will only work with your ATN behind a 384 res Hogster-C or the soon to be released 640 clip on that is fitted with the rail mount.

Right, plus, the digital scope does NOT make the thermal image better. The thermal image is what it is. You can't improve it by adding another scope behind it. It can only be as good as it is, or worse.

Okay, that's what I thought. I was really struggling to figure out how a night vision scope was amplifying ambient light if it's looking through a digital thermal screen.

Last question, are they going to upgrade the 384 Hogster-C to clip on to a rail? Or do you have to bump up to the new 640 unit to have that capability?

In this experiment the night vision scope was run in day mode so no light amplification needed. It is the same as looking out of a window with the digital scope during the day

The Hogster-C (384 res) can be setup for rail mounting - Bering or a dealer can set you up with the rail accessory mount !