TFB Review: Nocpix VISTA H50 Thermal Monocular
This is a review of the new Nocpix VISTA H50 Thermal Monocular. The Vista series thermal imaging monoculars are engineered for use both day and night, offering users a thermal image even in adverse weather conditions such as fog, smog, and rain. Thermals are effective at detecting targets beyond obstacles like branches, tall grass, and dense foliage. The Vista thermal imager is a great tool suitable for a wide range of applications, including hunting, observation, security, terrain orientation, and search and rescue operations.
Nocpix @ TFB:
Nocpix – A New Brand In Thermal Imaging Nocpix Vista – New Mid-High-End Thermal Monocular Nocpix ACE – New Flagship Thermal Rifle Scope Line
I am not a great believer in describing “unboxing” experiences, but TFB has both the Vista monocular and the ACE thermal riflescope for review, and the boxes look very professional.
Included in the Vista box are a portable bag, two battery packs, a data cable, a neck Strap and a lens cleaning cloth. There’s also a quick start guide.
The Vista is easy to use, with an on/off button, menu button and up and down arrows. The battery pack is exchangeable. You can turn the ocular and focus rings to adjust the image to your liking. You charge the battery via USB C.
The maximum operation time is around 5 hours per battery (4400 mAh each), which is close to the specification. The IP rating is IP67, so it’s able to withstand most “bad weather” conditions without issues.
The dimensions are 190×67×79 mm and the weight with the battery is just over 0.6 kg. Relatively small, yet powerful.
Technical specification of the Vista H50:
Thermal Sensor 640×512 & 12μmNETD: ≤15 mKFrame Rate: 60 HzObjective Lens: 50 mm F0.9Field of view(H×V): 8.8×7.0 /15×12 °/m@100mMagnification: 4~40xDetective range: 2600 m（Target size:1.7m×0.5m,P(n)=99%)
Below: I was looking for an adapter to attach the Vista to a tripod, but instead I found the microphone.
The Vista H50 has a 640×512 12μm thermal detector, with a claimed NETD≤15mK and a F0.9 objective lens. The frame rate is 60Hz.
Below: The Vista H50 besides a Glock 45 with an A-Tech suppressor, Timney trigger and Shield sight.
The Vista has an AMOLED 2560×2560 round display, which feels convenient to look at. So let’s continue looking at what kind of thermal imaging the H50 can produce:
It is possible to adjust basic configurations like the image mode, display brightness, image sharpness, and image contrast.
There is a zoom function, and here is an example of what it looks like from 4x base magnification up to 32x. Even with the image stabilization, you have to be very stable to go this high.
The conditions here are pretty optimal, with sunshine, daylight, about +15C. Obviously, the pixelization increases, but you can still enjoy the details. The distance is about 110 meters to the best of my memory.
A capital fallow deer.
The distances below are about 25-35 meters, in darkness.
Below: A lighthouse in black hot. In good conditions, the image quality is almost like a black-and-white photo, just like we concluded in the review of the Infiray Outdoor Tube TS60.
The photo above is a thermal image, black hot, with the Nocpix Vista. The one below is taken with a Canon EOS digital camera with a 70-200/2.8 lens. Conditions: daylight, sunshine, +8C, windy.
A few more of what happens in the dark.
The farthest shed is about 320 meters away, and the closest is about 30 meters. You can see what I think is a rabbit at about 200 meters on a grassy field.
In the darkness, I found a mouse on the grass and tried to see how close I could get.
With 16x zoom.
The Vista has a smooth digital zoom. This is red hot mode, which is supposed to be more relaxing for the eyes during long exposures at night. For the most, I prefer white or black hot with any thermal.
Did I mention I have frequent visitors in my garden? Here’s a moose at about 20 meters.
A fallow deer behind the grass, about 170 meters away.
The Nocpix H50 is available in Europe at the time of writing. To the best of my knowledge, Nocpix USA is just set up by iRayUSA. There’s a dealer map here. The price in Europe is about 2,900.00 USD. The Vista is Made in China.
Below: You can tell your wife (or yourself) that you need it to find warm electrical cables, plumbing, etc. Below is my boiler and the heating cable for the piping to avoid freezing in the winter. You can also find heat leaks in windows etc.
Conclusion
I found the Nocpix Vista H50 to work well, and I had no issues with it. Overall, the image quality is excellent, and the thermal works as intended. In my opinion, 4x base magnification is too high. If you’re looking or scouting for animals (or objects) I prefer a higher field of view in areas where there are fields surrounded by forest (which is the case where I live), and the distances are within about 30-200 meters. The over-magnification becomes an obstacle, and it’s difficult to orient yourself in the darkness. In this case, the Vista H35 might be a better choice, as it has a base magnification of 3x and a higher field of view. However, if you are in an area where the distances are longer, I think the Vista 50H would be sweet if you’re hunting coyotes (or similar varmints) on the prairie.
Like I mentioned earlier I was looking for a camera/tripod attachment. I had hoped that the Vista would have it, but it doesn’t. I do realize that I may be alone in the World asking for this, but I use these devices quite a lot to document videos and images for our readers, and I want a tripod to make things as steady as possible. I presume most users carry this in their backpacks, around their necks or in their hands.
Once you have taken a few images and videos, you can watch them in the Gallery. I think this feature is great! Overall the Vista has an ergonomic design, for comfortable use. It’s easy to use and enjoy for both beginners and experienced users.