Pulsar Axion XQ30 PRO Thermal Imager

The Pulsar Axion XQ30 Pro thermal imaging monocular combines a sensitive 384 × 288 sensor with a 30mm f/1.2 objective lens for handheld observation by day and night. Its pocket-sized magnesium alloy body, replaceable battery and straightforward controls suit wildlife spotting and searching your surroundings, with recording and smartphone connectivity built in.

Key features

• Sensitive thermal sensor and adjustable image processing for observing small temperature differences.
• 2–8x magnification with smooth digital zoom and stepped settings.
• Picture-in-Picture for examining a subject while retaining the surrounding scene.
• Compact magnesium alloy housing with IPX7 waterproof protection.
• Removable APS3 rechargeable battery and USB-C charging.
• Photo and video recording with audio, plus Stream Vision 2 smartphone connectivity.

Thermal observation by day and night

The 384 × 288, 17µm thermal sensor has a sensor NETD of less than 25mK. Combined with image processing, the system NETD is less than 20mK, helping distinguish small temperature differences between a subject and its background.

Thermal imaging uses temperature contrast and requires no additional illumination, allowing observation in daylight and darkness. The 30mm f/1.2 objective lens provides a quoted detection range of up to 1,050m for a deer-sized object. This is a detection figure; identification depends on the subject, distance and observation conditions.

2–8x magnification and Picture-in-Picture

At its 2x starting magnification, the XQ30 Pro provides a 13.3° horizontal field of view, covering 23.3m at 100m. Digital zoom extends total magnification to 8x, with smooth adjustment or stepped settings for changing the view.

Picture-in-Picture places a magnified image in a separate window while the main scene remains visible at base magnification. This lets you inspect an animal or other object more closely while keeping track of its surroundings.

Adjust the image to the scene

Normal, High and Ultra sensitivity enhancement settings provide different levels of thermal image processing. Brightness, contrast and a smoothing filter offer further adjustment when the appearance of the subject or background changes.

The 640 × 400 AMOLED display supports nine colour palettes with current firmware, including White Hot, Black Hot and Green. User Mode saves selected brightness and contrast settings, while display dimming and adjustable interface brightness help you tailor the view for observation in darkness.

Compact handling and waterproof construction

The magnesium alloy housing measures 144 × 41 × 69mm and weighs approximately 310g with the battery installed. A four-button arrangement along the top provides access to recording, zoom, calibration and menu functions with limited hand movement.

Separate objective and eyepiece focusing rings let you focus on the scene and adjust the display to your eyes. The IPX7 waterproof rating supports use in wet weather, while a 1/4-inch mounting connection provides an option for tripod-supported observation.

Rechargeable, replaceable APS3 battery

The supplied APS3 lithium-ion battery provides a quoted 7.5 hours of operation at 22°C. Actual endurance varies with temperature and use of functions such as Wi-Fi and recording.

Recharge the battery inside the monocular through USB-C, or exchange it for a separately purchased spare during longer outings. The device also supports an external 5V power supply. Display Off keeps the monocular ready between observations, with automatic shutdown providing additional power management.

Record observations and connect your smartphone

Capture still photographs and video with sound directly to the 16GB internal memory. Recordings can be downloaded for reviewing, keeping a record of sightings or sharing after an observation session.

Stream Vision 2 connects a compatible Android or iOS smartphone or tablet over Wi-Fi. Use the app for live viewing, remote control, downloading files and installing firmware updates. Both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi bands are supported.

Current firmware also supports video streaming through USB-C.

Stadiametric distance estimation

The stadiametric rangefinder estimates distance using an object's apparent size and a known reference height. Adjust the on-screen markers around the subject to obtain an approximate distance, using the predefined hare, boar or deer references as appropriate.

Compare with similar Pulsar monoculars

Axion XQ30 Pro or Axion Compact XQ19?

The Pulsar Axion Compact XQ19 also uses a 384 × 288 thermal sensor, but starts at a lower 1.5x magnification and provides a wider 19.5° horizontal field of view. Its quoted detection range is 750m.

Choose the XQ19 when seeing more ground at once is your priority. The XQ30 Pro provides a more magnified starting view and a longer quoted detection range, making it worth considering when your observations regularly extend further across open ground.

Axion XQ30 Pro or Axion Compact XG30?

The Pulsar Axion Compact XG30 offers a higher-resolution 640 × 480 thermal sensor, 2–16x magnification and a quoted detection range of 1,300m. It also provides a slightly wider 14.6° horizontal field of view and 64GB of recording storage.

Consider the XG30 when higher sensor resolution, longer-range detection and additional recording capacity are priorities. Both models retain a compact handheld format and a 2x starting magnification.

Specifications

Thermal sensor and optics

• Sensor type: uncooled microbolometer.
• Sensor resolution: 384 × 288 pixels.
• Pixel pitch: 17µm.
• Sensor NETD: <25mK.
• System NETD: <20mK.
• Frame rate: 50Hz.
• Objective lens: 30mm f/1.2.
• Base optical magnification: 2x.
• Total magnification range: 2–8x.
• Digital zoom: up to 4x, with smooth adjustment and stepped settings.
• Angular field of view, horizontal × vertical: 13.3° × 10°.
• Linear field of view at 100m, horizontal × vertical: 23.3 × 17.5m.
• Minimum observation distance: 3m.
• Quoted detection range: up to 1,050m for a deer-sized object.
• Eye relief: 14mm.
• Exit pupil diameter: 4mm.
• Eyepiece dioptre adjustment: −5 to +4.

Display and observation functions

• Display type: AMOLED.
• Display resolution: 640 × 400 pixels.
• Viewing function: Picture-in-Picture.
• Colour palettes with current firmware: White Hot, Black Hot, Green, Red Hot, Red Monochrome, Rainbow, Ultramarine, Violet and Sepia.
• Sensitivity enhancement settings: Normal, High and Ultra.
• Image controls: brightness, contrast, smoothing filter and User Mode.
• Calibration modes: manual, semi-automatic and automatic.
• Rangefinding: stadiametric distance estimation using reference object sizes.
• Additional functions: display dimming, adjustable interface brightness, Display Off, automatic shutdown and defective pixel repair.

Recording and connectivity

• Recording: still photographs and video with audio.
• Internal storage: 16GB.
• File formats: JPG photographs and MP4 video.
• Wi-Fi: 2.4GHz and 5GHz.
• Wi-Fi standard: IEEE 802.11 b/g/n/ac.
• Supported app: Stream Vision 2 for Android and iOS.
• Connection: USB Type-C.
• USB video streaming: supported with current firmware.
• Firmware updates: supported through Stream Vision 2.

Power, construction and dimensions

• Battery: removable APS3 rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
• Battery capacity: 3,200mAh.
• Nominal battery voltage: 3.7V.
• Device operating voltage: 3–4.2V.
• Quoted battery endurance: 7.5 hours at 22°C, depending on functions used.
• Charging connection: USB Type-C.
• External power: 5V through USB Type-C.
• Housing: magnesium alloy.
• Protection rating: IPX7.
• Operating temperature range: −25°C to +40°C.
• Mounting connection: 1/4-inch.
• Dimensions: 144 × 41 × 69mm.
• Weight without battery: approximately 250g.
• Weight with battery: approximately 310g.

Included in the box

• Pulsar Axion XQ30 Pro thermal imaging monocular.
• APS3 rechargeable battery.
• Power adaptor.
• USB Type-C cable with USB Type-A adaptor.
• Carrying case.
• Hand strap.
• Lens-cleaning cloth.
• Quick user manual and warranty sheet.