Taipan TM15-384

I've had both this and the Micro 160 for a year now... don't even bother with the micro 160 now that this is $550. I can't remember what I paid but it was $700-800 at the time and I'm not even mad that they're $550 now.You cannot beat this as far as I know for anywhere near this price... and at $550 I'm tempted to buy a second because I want binoculars 😅My only gripe is that I bought these units SPECIFICALLY to use with an external monitor... and even though it claims that with the correct cable you can use this to run a live real time wired video feed to a normal monitor or TV I have yet to find one that allows this to happen... I've spent around $100 on various cables and adapters trying to get this to connect to anything with a video in and I've basically given up.I'm a storm chaser and my plan was a to roof mount this for SAR wired to a normal backup cam monitor... it works phenomenally with the app for this, BUT I dont want to use the app because it won't let me use it full screen without a border or frame.This thing is 100% functional from 10ft out to 150yds for seeing hot spots and 50-75yds for identifying moving animals...Be aware that sun warmed rocks look just like animals, and there is a specific learning curve to keep you from watching suspicious rocks under certain conditions... I'm still convinced that rock was up to no good.The FOV isn't great for anything less than 10ft if situational awareness is necessary... still works phenomenally to see any and all spots including the squirrels nest sitting on top of the drywall in the attic.Seriously... I can actually see the squirrels nest through the ceiling drywall as well as where they have disturbed the insulation.You can also clearly spot aircraft at .5-.75 miles(my distance from the runway).On days like today where severe weather is doing it's thing, the hot and cold clouds are VERY obvious. It can only see mass, but clouds are just fluffy water and it sees clouds phenomenally when conditions are right. I have no doubt that this could spot night tornados at 1-2 miles, but a more powerful unit would be better suited for clouds/weather. This thing is mostly useful for urban/suburban distances. I can make out regular Texas size feral cats at 100yds exactly.This works MUCH better with a portable tripod as a handle... the stability increase with a cheap folding desk tripod is unbelievable... two hands is much better than one for distance situations.The app works...Either way if you need to spot anything from terrorists to terriers, this thing rocks for the price... BTW you can also see who's doing laundry, both dryer vents and hot water heater stacks are brutally obvious... and on color mode concrete foundations glow at night.Don't forget to look into a mirror and at your dog prints/foot prints/wife prints... warm toilet seats... water leaks... you name it, if you haven't seen the wild world of radiation yet prepare to be blown away.

The AGM Taipan TM15-384 is the second thermal imager I've used, the first was the built-in thermal mode for CAT phones. This monocular works well for spotting animals and finding weak points in house insulation, among other uses. It obviously lacks features present in a construction-grade thermal imager such as temperature readouts, but it's really a spotting device, not a measuring one. As another reviewer pointed out, it's great for finding studs through drywall, since they'll be a slightly lower temperature and they stand out nicely most of the time. There are a lot of uses for thermal imaging but this device seems best for general purpose at around 5-300 yards. I wouldn't count on it for close-in use.The optic: You can easily spot a possum through light brush at 100 yards, but if it is stationary and not in profile, you will need to get very close to positively identify it as a possum rather than a cat or fox. The 384x288@50hz sensor seems to be the standard for the midrange price point of $1,000-$2,000, and I would absolutely not want a lower resolution or refresh rate. This model, at 17.5 x 13.1 degrees, has one of the wider Fields Of View available at this price point, but the fixed 1.5x magnification exaggerates the narrowness of the FOV. This unit would be much better served with either a wider FOV or the ability to dial back the magnification to 1.0x or 0.9x. First, it would provide more area for a "baseline" thermal reading, which should help with contrast of the "scene." The optic seems to register relative thermal readings, not absolute, and with a bit of a delay, so as you pan the optic you'll see false heat until it adjusts to the new "scene." Second, a wider FOV (or ability to zoom out) would mean less panning for spotting. The optic is very sensitive, and any body heat really will pop, especially outside, so if an animal is in your field of view you will probably spot it extremely easily, even without the hot spot identification feature. You will only want to use this monocular while staying still. Trying to navigate with it will likely result in disaster. Aftermarket head mounts exist for this unit but you're probably better off keeping it in a pocket until needed. You can use the unit indoors but any distances under 8 feet are less than ideal. The digital zoom doesn't seem hugely useful, it just magnifies the existing information displayed on the screen, so at distance, a visible blob of pixels becomes a larger visible blob of pixels. Probably the best feature of the optic is that it's single focus and everything past 8 feet feels completely in focus. It really has a high quality feel.The display: 1280x960@50hz with great color, but the display is bright and not dimmable which means you WILL be COMPLETELY night blind in whichever eye you use for the monocular. The listed brightness and contrast adjustments are for the optic input, not the display itself. This is fine for daylight use, but this will hugely complicate your use case in low-light situations. This isn't the biggest problem if you're in a tree stand, can use your non-dominant eye or have a thermal rifle scope, but it will get complicated quickly if you're on the move, using your dominant eye and using traditional optics. Being able to adjust the brightness of the display itself down to ambient levels would be a huge improvement.Other features: The controls are responsive, the buttons are simple and work well. The diopter adjustment knob works easily, but should have a locking mechanism. The lens cap is a soft rubber that pops into place, I'm not sure how long it'll hold up in comparison to a lens cap which would screw into place. The battery life seems very good so far, but not having a removable battery means that once the battery fails either the unit will have to be sent back somehow or it will have to be permanently tethered to an external battery, if it will still function on external only. I used the included cable and charger, but other reviewers have mentioned that it only works with USB A to C cables, which is a problem. The IP67 rating is reassuring for an outdoor device, but it should really be increased to IP68. It handles temperature changes well, going from warm to cold or cold to warm without problems. The lens will frost slightly but it doesn't affect the picture quality too much. The storage not being removable presents a similar problem to the battery if you will be relying on the recording features. I haven't used some features yet, like distance measurement, the wifi/app or recording but if it follows the pattern then it will likely be basic but functional.The biggest factor helping my choice of this device is the price point. I got it for a little over $1,000 during the Cyber Monday sale, which makes it hugely affordable compared to other optics of similar quality. In the near term, I don't expect prices to decline, but in the long term I think the $400 bracket will get more competitive as better technology is released, so make your buying decision after evaluating your budget, use case and time frame.

Easy to work. Works well. Definitely allows you to pick up animals well. Not the greatest quality picture but sufficient. Probably good for the price point.