Pulsar Telos LRF XT50 Thermal Monocular | 1280x1024 | NETD below 20 mK

Pulsar · Telos · LRF XT50 · 1280x1024 · NETD below 20 mK

Pulsar Telos LRF XT50
The thermal monocular you can upgrade later

You buy a thermal imager for ten years, but sensor technology moves on every two – and normally your only option is to replace the whole device. The Telos series breaks that pattern: Pulsar built it so the hardware can be swapped afterwards. The XT50 starts at the top of the range, with 1280x1024 pixels and a system NETD below 20 mK.

Buy the Pulsar Telos LRF XT50 thermal monocular – 1280x1024 pixels and a rangefinder in one device

The Pulsar Telos LRF XT50 is a thermal imaging monocular with a built-in laser rangefinder for observation, game counting, forestry and security work. Its uncooled microbolometer resolves 1280x1024 pixels at a 12 µm pixel pitch and runs at a 50 Hz frame rate; the system NETD is below 20 mK, the sensor figure below 40 mK. The image is shown on an AMOLED display with 1920x1080 pixels. The F50 objective at f/1.0 gives a 17.5° × 14° field of view, which equals 30.7 × 24.7 metres at 100 metres, and works from 2x to 16x magnification, with Zoom Boost up to 24x. The integrated rangefinder operates at 905 nm and measures out to 1'200 metres to within ±1 metre.

1280x1024 and NETD below 20 mK – what the two numbers mean in the field

Two figures decide how much you actually make out in a thermal image, and they do entirely different jobs. The resolution of 1280x1024 pixels sets how finely the picture is drawn: the more pixels land on an object, the longer it stays readable as a shape instead of collapsing into a blob. NETD, by contrast, describes how small a temperature difference the device can still separate. On the XT50 the system figure is below 20 mK, which is less than two hundredths of a degree. That matters precisely when the scene is low in contrast – after a day of rain, when everything sits at the same temperature, or in summer when the background has heated up. A device with high resolution and weak NETD will then show you a sharp picture of nothing. On top of that comes the 50 Hz frame rate, which is the difference between smooth and stuttering when you pan across open ground.

Rangefinder and detection range – what the numbers actually refer to

The built-in laser works at 905 nm, measures out to 1'200 metres and reports the distance to within ±1 metre. That is the figure that helps most in the field: without a measurement, distances in a thermal image are regularly misjudged, because the usual visual references are missing. Pulsar states a detection range of 2'300 metres, and the reference matters here – the manual gives it explicitly for objects the size of a deer. Detection means exactly that: you can see something warmer is there. Whether it is an animal, a person or a sun-warmed rock is decided much closer in. The range you can actually use also depends on weather and target, a point the manual makes separately for the rangefinder.

Power, storage and handling over a long session

Power comes from an LPS7i Li-ion battery pack with 6'400 mAh, which lasts around eight hours at 22 °C; how far it gets in practice depends on how heavily you use Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, video recording and the rangefinder. The battery sits in a swappable compartment, so a second LPS 7i battery pack extends the session without a charging break, and a spare battery cover is already included with the device. External power and charging run over USB Type-C at 5 or 9 volts. Recordings go to 128 GB of internal storage, video and stills at 1440x1080 pixels as MP4 and JPG respectively. Transfer runs over Wi-Fi on 2.4 and 5 GHz, alongside Bluetooth 5.0 and NFC. Operation is via four buttons and two rings on the body, dioptre adjustment covers −5 to +4 dpt, and because the housing is built ambidextrously, the lens cover can be hinged left or right to suit your leading hand.

What the Telos LRF XT50 does – and what it does not

A thermal imager shows temperature differences, not detail. It finds an animal in tall vegetation where binoculars see nothing, but it does not answer which animal is standing there – for identification you still need optics working with residual or daylight. Physical limits remain: rain, fog and snow cost noticeable range and image quality, and the device sees nothing at all through glass, because glass blocks thermal radiation – the manual lists both explicitly as causes of a missing or poor image. Below freezing the image also goes flatter than on warm days, because the background delivers less contrast. And on weight the XT50 is, honestly, no lightweight: 0.73 kilograms is a lot for a monocular held in one hand for hours. Anyone who mainly observes freehand over long periods should plan for that, or work with a tripod from the start.

Key features – Pulsar Telos LRF XT50

• 🔬 1280x1024 pixels – uncooled microbolometer, 12 µm pixel pitch
• 🌡️ system NETD below 20 mK – sensor NETD below 40 mK
• 🎞️ 50 Hz frame rate – for smooth panning
• 🖥️ AMOLED display with 1920x1080 pixels
• 🔭 F50 objective at f/1.0 – 2–16x magnification, Zoom Boost to 24x
• 📐 17.5° × 14° field of view – equals 30.7 × 24.7 m at 100 m
• 📏 laser rangefinder to 1'200 m – 905 nm, accuracy ±1 m
• 👁️ detection range 2'300 m – for deer-sized objects
• 🔋 LPS7i Li-ion pack 6'400 mAh – around 8 h at 22 °C
• 🔌 USB Type-C at 5 and 9 V – swappable battery bay with spare cover
• 💾 128 GB internal storage – video and stills 1440x1080 as MP4 and JPG
• 📡 Wi-Fi 2.4 and 5 GHz – Bluetooth 5.0, NFC
• 🔧 tripod thread in the base of the housing
• 💧 IPX7 rating – operating temperature −25 to +40 °C
• ⚖️ 0.73 kg with battery – dimensions 242 × 72 × 77 mm
• 🖐️ ambidextrous, rubber-armoured housing – dioptre adjustment −5 to +4 dpt
• 🔄 upgradable at the factory – sensor and objective replaceable later

XT50, XL50 or XP50 – which Telos fits your task?

The Telos models differ mainly in the sensor, and both the price and the usable distance follow from it. The XT50 sits at the top with 1280x1024 pixels and is the choice if you observe at long range and want an object to stay readable as a shape for as long as possible. The Telos LRF XL50 sits below it at 1024x768 pixels and remains a very capable all-rounder when the last few hundred metres are not decisive. The Telos LRF XP50 works with 640x480 pixels and is the most affordable way into the series with a rangefinder – for observation at medium distance it is perfectly sufficient. All three share housing, control concept and battery, so you are changing image quality, not handling. For an overview of the other ranges and the technology behind them, see our Pulsar brand page, and if you would rather compare more broadly first, our selection of thermal imaging devices covers models from other manufacturers too. Buy the Pulsar Telos LRF XT50 at Swiss-Sale.ch – your Swiss specialist shop for outdoor equipment with fast shipping.

Who is the Pulsar Telos LRF XT50 for?

The XT50 is aimed at anyone searching larger areas in the dark who depends on reliable distance readings. Please note that cantonal hunting regulations apply to any use while hunting.