TOPDON TS002 Thermal Camera

Let’s face it, this is not a £2000 thermal monocular and so the image quality is not in that league.- nor would I expect it to be. However, for a budget thermal, I am extremely impressed. It’s still a lot of money but as thermal prices are coming down (and image quality improves), I decided to invest in the TS004. I wanted a thermal to assist me in sub 12ft/lb air rifle pest control and especially after dark.I’ve had this for 4 days now and been playing around with it in different conditions. I’ve not been shooting yet but rather getting used to it and familiarising myself with where the buttons are etc. I like it and would like to share some points that I’ve learned.When you are initially setting up, don’t forget to toggle on the TISR (Thermal Image Sharpening Resolution) in the menu. This enhances the image.I couldn’t find anything in the manual to explain what a regular clicking accompanied by an image flicker was. On looking at other manufacturer sites, I discovered that this phenomenon is auto calibration. This is where the sensor goes through a calibration process when the picture quality is not at optimum. I’ve found that this can occur anywhere between every 8 seconds to around a minute. I believe this is normal.As this monocular is Infra Red thermal, it detects radiated heat from objects and not visible light - so on a bright sunny day, things absorb lots of thermal radiation and emit it (rocks, metal and road surfaces). As a result, there can be lots of heat returns or hot spots. This can make spotting an animal quite difficult - look for movement and scan slowly. The different colour palettes can be useful here and don’t be afraid to toggle through to find what works best. Obviously, better results are achieved in cooler conditions or after dark once objects start to cool down.On a walk today, I spotted a rabbit in longish grass (only about 20 yards away) - conditions were cloudy. I looked through the TS004 to test what I could see - it was clearly visible and easily identifiable (warm body against cooler grass). Result and impressed.Later, I scanned a row of scrub/trees whilst set in ‘bird mode’ - about 40 yards away with sunny and windy conditions. I could see around 15 little heat returns and kept watching. These turned out to be little birds which flitted about from branch to branch. When I looked through my binoculars, I only managed to see one of them. I would never have known they were there if it were not for the thermal.The other evening (just before going to bed) I spotted a mouse which was over 40 yards away. I just saw a small bright heat return and continued to watch and see if it moved. It didn’t hang around long and disappeared into thick foliage on the other side of the road.My unit has not had the issue of the eye piece coming off - I tried pulling it off but it seems pretty secure so no need to glue that in place. The front protective cover (not the lens cap) was less secure and so I put a TINY amount of super glue on it to safely hold that in place.For hunting at night, the green ‘on’ light would be far too bright and so I’ve cut some duct tape (camo of course), put a pin hole through the tape and placed that over the light - good to go.Some reviewers have mentioned how bright the display is at night and that it destroys night vision. Well, as I use a night vision scope - I save my right eye for viewing through the scope and left eye for night vision (if a car goes past with headlights on, I close my left eye which maintains my night vision in that eye). It works. So I intend to give this a go alternating between scope and spotter.Much of the other positives of the TS004 have been covered already and so I hope the points and tips I’ve raised here will help others.Further update.I contacted Topdon using their app to enquire about the periodic click and screen flicker (calibration as mentioned earlier in my review). I had quite a detailed reply a few days later explaining the recalibration and that this is entirely normal. It put my mind at ease and demonstrated good customer service. Well done to Topdon (thumbs up).

Quick delivery ordered it at 12-13.00 came at 18.00 same day delivery.Excellent item. You can even connect it to your phone and view the footage from your phone screen and have the pictures and the video save directly to your phone.There are a number of different thermal orientations for example bright or black and white and also its got different settings for low or high brightness . It is expensive, but it is extremely good. I'm picking up thermal imaging at night all in the daytime. When you can't see it with the naked eye. Also, it's good at picking up heat sources with machinery or cars you can see benches that people have sat on and you can see where people have walked from a to b, due to the heat sauce on the floor.

this is a very different kind of device that is more in the realm of science- fiction its not a camera like one might expect it can take pictures and video but this is something entirely differentan intriguing device that i will be giving a full run through soon thank you

Fantastic thermal for price. It is well made and easy to operate. Variety of colour palettes, 8x magnification and can connect to your phone or other device. Small and light enough to fit in a coat pocket. I've tried others in this price range and this is the best so far, great value for the price.

I bought an early Thermal entry model that was a lot more expensive than this and certainly no where as good, for the money this is a bargain. I use for air rifle & .22 Rimfire hunting, and it clearly picks out quarry that my night scope wouldn't see if the eyes are not in your direction. For hunting I would tape on the front rubber protection cover & also tape over the on/off light and put a small hole in the tape, as the light is too bright for hunting. Does the job I want it to do.

It would receive no stars if there was that option. Received item today, has clearly been previously returned (see mark on product box below where someone has previously opened the outer box). Fully charged product for 6 hours as stated and turned it on, and all it does it show the start up screen, TOPDON, then nothing else happens. Downloaded the manual and followed instructions, but app would not find the product, so I have given up. Will be returned for a refund and I will not purchase this product again.

Very good thermal

Very good for price , but is quite short range .Definition is quite limited and recognition of your target not easy at anything but short range . You can detect things at a respectable distance but not identify .Better in total darkness , if you try and focus on vegetation that has been exposed to strong sunlight it retains heat and ruins your view .I used mine for birdwatching in a forest and got great views of Nightjars flying . As soon as they landed in the undergrowth the scope lost them .Would recommend this but acknowledge its limitations , but good for birdwatching at medium range at max .