Gear Review
Hikvision Lynx L15 Thermal Monocular
Hikvision Lynx L15 Thermal Monocular
26th April 2021
Thermal imaging monocular that's (relatively) affordable and worth a closer look
Thermal imaging monocular that's (relatively) affordable and worth a closer look
It wasn’t THAT long ago that a thermal imaging device was a rare and elusive object. If you were working with the sort of budget that can only come from government funding then you could probably find a way of getting hold of one. But if you were a sole-trader security consultant, charity-funded SAR team or just a tech-obsessed hunter…?
Hikvision are an established (if controversial) brand in the world of security cameras and technology. They have been offering a selection of handheld thermal-imaging devices for a little while now, and the Hikvision Lynx L15 thermal monocular sits at the lower-middle end of the pro-sumer market range.
Product Basics
Product Basics
A thermal monocular like this is essentially a sensor at one end, a screen at the other and a small computer and battery in the middle.
What makes the difference between one brand/model and another is how sensitive and capable that sensor is, how clearly that screen shows the information required, how long that battery lasts and – crucially – what that computer does and how quickly it does it. Size also matters (to some degree), and so do the materials that those components are wrapped in.
Starting on the outside you have a slightly rubberised coating, a protective flap that keeps pocket detritus away from the sensor/lens and a large eyecup over the screen. On the top you have four buttons to control all of the functions, and underneath a 1/4″ screw thread for tripod mounting and a USB-C charging and data port.
As has started to become the minimum standard with outdoor tech these days, the Lynx L15 has an IP67 rating. That will make it suitable for most outdoor use – but not for snorkeling.
The Lynx L15 is around the size of a small Coke bottle (161mm × 61mm × 57mm) and weighs around 280g.
The all-important sensor is at a relatively high resolution 384 x 288, operating at 17µm and rated at 35mK NETD (Noise Equivalence Temperature Difference). This puts it on a par with devices costing more than twice as much, such as the Pulsar Helion 2 XQ50F.
At the other end you have a 720×540 screen, plus a focusing knob so you can adjust the focus of that screen for your particular level of visual acuity.
Inside you get a battery that will yield 7hrs of use (with the wifi and hotspot tracking turned off) and an 8gb internal memory.
The Features
The Features
Moving into the electronic side of things – the Hikvision (Hikmicro?) Lynx L15 has the basics covered.
There are four colour modes/palettes – ‘White Hot’, ‘Black Hot’, ‘Fusion’ and ‘Red Hot’. The last one there is effectively the ‘White Hot’ mode with a red overlay on the warmest objects in the frame.
The image can be zoomed digitally, at 2x, 4x and 8x. With so few pixels on offer (even at full resolution) you inevitably end up with a blurry mess at 8x magnification.
As this is essentially a camera with an attached monitor, it’s of no surprise that the device will record video clips and jpegs to the internal 8gb memory. You can see the quality of those clips in the video above.
One of the more useful options is the ‘hotspot tracking’ mode, which overlays a green cross on whatever is the hottest object in the frame at the time. When there are multiple objects of similar temperature in the frame – two similar animals, for example – then it does jump around a little and become distracting.
Finally, there is support for linking a phone to the device through the T-Vision app. As you will see in the video – I just couldn’t get this app to connect to the device via my Android 10 phone, but I know that it works with other phones.
Out on the ground I found it to be easy to use and gave me the image quality and detection that I needed for most of my nocturnal activities.
You can discern rodents scurrying through hedgerows or vehicles moving along distant roads, even in complete darkness. In fact – especially in complete darkness, as the Lynx L15 suffers from the same problem all small thermals do in bright sunshine – they show every sun-warmed surface.
Conclusion
Conclusion
This is a capable and rugged-ish handheld thermal imaging device that would work well for anyone who wanted it purely in an observational role. If you are looking for something that can be used in an industrial setting then the lack of a calibration scale within the displayed image would probably mean you’re going to need to look elsewhere.
It’s small, light enough for most users and has excellent detection and discrimination for the size and price. It does feel a bit rough-and-ready in places – mostly in that fiddly menu and the pixelated digital zoom – but that is a compromise many would probably be happy with.
I have used the Hikvision Lynx L15 for a few weeks (before returning it to North Wales Fieldsports, who loaned out the demo model) and have found little to complain about. If you’re a hunter, SAR team or even security consultant on a budget then you should give this device a closer look.
- 960.00
- 161mm × 61mm × 57mm
- 280g
- IP67 rated
- 7 hrs
Pros
Rugged (enough)
Good detection range and sensitivity
Small size/compact
IP67 rating
Cons
Fiddly menu
App not 100% usable
Pixelated zoom
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SUMMARY
I have used the Hikvision Lynx L15 for a few weeks (before returning it to North Wales Fieldsports, who loaned out the demo model) and have found little to complain about. If you’re a hunter, SAR team or even security consultant on a budget then you should give this device a closer look. |
4.2
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A Mountain Leader with over a decade of experience across the UK and overseas, Richard is our Lead Instructor and a partner in Original Outdoors. He is a specialist in temperate wilderness skills and the wild foods of the British Isles, and also works as a consultant for various brands and organisations. Richard lives in North Wales.
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