Legend has it that the nobleman Galgano, a quarrelsome young man devoted to a dissolute life, radically changed his life following the apparition of Saint Michael the Archangel. During a journey, where Galgano, entrusting himself to God and his horse, was led to the hill of Montesiepi, it happened that the horse knelt in reverence to Saint Michael. Galgano, dismounted, submitted and converted to the words spoken by the Archangel, abandoned his sword and planted it in the rock, making it become a cross, thus becoming, from an instrument of death, a symbol of peace and redemption.
In addition to the Hikmicro staff, the sales manager and marketing manager of ORIGIN stb srl, the Italian distributor of the brand. The day started immediately with the assembly of the optics on the rifles. I brought my Bergara cal. 300 wm which was paired with the Panther 2.0 PQ50L model with a 50 mm lens, a compact thermal optic equipped with an integrated rangefinder usable up to 600 mt.
The first impression, already during the calibration phase, was that of having in our hands a technologically powerful but simple to manage instrument. The alignment of the instrument was really fast thanks to the with internal which meant that the whole procedure required only two strokes. I had also had the opportunity in the past to appreciate the functionality of theHIKMICRO SIGHT App, especially for the possibility of taking photos and videos and managing some settings directly from the phone. The speed and precision with which the optics calibration was carried out, has definitely moved my consideration forward on this application which, moreover, allows to limit to the maximum, during the various phases, the use of bullets that, nowadays, are not exactly cheap. Back at the farmhouse we had the opportunity to learn in detail the new features that were on display and that were illustrated to us directly by the members of the Hikmicro staff.
The series of models presented are all equipped with a special technology covered by exclusive patent, called HSIS – Hikmicro Shetterless Image System, which makes the image smoother by avoiding the annoying “freeze frames” that tools use to reset pixels.
THUNDER TQ 50CL 3.0, a compact clip-on, which can therefore also be used in autonomous observation mode, which provides a sharp and detailed image quality, with a very high thermal contrast. It has a sensor with a resolution of 640×512, a thermal resolution value (NETD) < 15 mK and a 50 mm lens. It is also equipped with an integrated laser rangefinder that allows measurements up to 1000 m away. and a replaceable and rechargeable battery that allows an autonomy of up to 5h.
STELLAR 3.0, thermal optics for aiming, available in 3 versions with 35 mm, 50 mm and 60 mm lenses with 3 different sensors with a resolution of 384×288 (mod. SH35 3.0 and SH35L 3.0), 640×512 (mod. SQ35L 3.0 SQ50L 3.0) up to 1280×1024 on the SX60L 3.0 model. It has a replaceable and rechargeable battery with an autonomy of up to 9 hours approx. and an integrated rangefinder that allows measurements up to 1000 m. Another novelty was the introduction of two new colors of the palettes: red and monochrome green that make the outline of the animal more visible especially in conditions of strong contrast.
HABROK Pro, multispectrum binoculars that include in the same instrument, both thermal and digital day or night technology with infrared. Equipped with a 4k visible sensor and integrated laser rangefinder up to 1000 m.
THERMAL MONOCLES which use the Pro and Zoom Pro algorithms that guarantee, even during the zoom phase, a stable, clear image with bright contrasts to always have an optimal view of the target
CONDOR 2.0 CH35L, equipped with an integrated laser rangefinder that allows detection up to 1000 m, with a rechargeable and replaceable battery that guarantees autonomy of up to more than 4 hours, has a weight of approximately 400 g, making it a handy instrument very suitable for observation and census activities even in prohibitive visibility conditions.
FALCON FQ50L 2.0 also very ergonomic and light, with a resolution of 640×512 has been improved in ergonomics, placing the focus management in a more rearward position to be managed more easily during activities. Equipped with a laser rangefinder up to 1000 meters with a battery with more capacity that guarantees about 6 hours of autonomy.
New for both models is the ability to manage the screen format – round or square – directly from the App.
At the end of the presentation we were given a “service” information that does not specifically concern the product, but which, in my opinion, adds value to the quality of the product. They have in fact activated a customer and reseller assistance service, located directly in Italy, within the distributor ORIGIN STB which certainly reduces the assistance time and makes the loyalty and customer care policy operated by the Hikmicro company even more virtuous.
A taste of typical Tuscan products prepared us for the third phase of the day, the use of the Hikmicro technology. The terrible weather conditions, which accompanied us throughout the day, although not pleasant, gave me the opportunity to fully evaluate the potential of the instrument. The quality of the thermal images, the measurement of distances, the compactness and ease of management of the various options and last but not least the waterproofness of the visor, gave me a feeling of familiarity and security. In fact, Hikmicro creates products with a very high technological content, but which are made extremely simple and intuitive to use, even for technologically distrustful people.
The day ended, before a delicious dinner consumed in cheerful company, with a reflection that led me to confirm two positive impressions. Towards a company that invests, with conviction, energy and resources in the design of highly sophisticated but easy to use tools, and in the team of passionate people who, with great professionalism, manage to enthusiastically convey the successes and values that lie behind the results obtained.