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Elcan Digital Hunter |
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billyburl2
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: January/08/2009 Location: Cottonwood, AZ Status: Offline Points: 4015 |
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On the custom reticles, can they be up-loaded to be in the first-focal plane, or just the second?
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If it is tourist season, why can't we shoot them?
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Kickboxer
MODERATOR Moderator Joined: February/13/2008 Status: Offline Points: 23679 |
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It is neither...
The reticle is a digital image. |
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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.
There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living |
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billyburl2
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: January/08/2009 Location: Cottonwood, AZ Status: Offline Points: 4015 |
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I guess what I am asking is, can you program the BDC reticles to be correct regardless of what zoom the scope is on?
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If it is tourist season, why can't we shoot them?
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14962 |
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"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do". Bobby Paul Doherty Texas Ranger |
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14962 |
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If you have to change batteries that run out every 4 hrs does it remember its zero from the last set of battereies?
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"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do". Bobby Paul Doherty Texas Ranger |
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Kickboxer
MODERATOR Moderator Joined: February/13/2008 Status: Offline Points: 23679 |
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Short answer... Yes... Remember it is an image from a CCD camera displayed on a LCD screen. Since the zoom is digital, when an image is magnified, the reticle does not change or shift as with optical scopes. Resolution stays the same when the field of view is reduced. Eye relief is perfectly constant..
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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.
There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living |
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Kickboxer
MODERATOR Moderator Joined: February/13/2008 Status: Offline Points: 23679 |
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Memory is retained even in the absence of power. I've tested that extensively and all information is retained.
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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.
There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living |
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Kickboxer
MODERATOR Moderator Joined: February/13/2008 Status: Offline Points: 23679 |
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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.
There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living |
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Kickboxer
MODERATOR Moderator Joined: February/13/2008 Status: Offline Points: 23679 |
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The technology presented in the Elcan Digital Hunter (day time) is a symptom of things to come. It is a bold step toward a complete rethinking of the way riflescopes are made. Is it the "do all/end all"? No, it is not. There are a number of shortcomings. The shortcomings can all be eliminated by using available technology. And that is one of my biggest complaints with the Digital Hunter... the technology is NOT cutting edge. Another of my biggest complaints is the lack of human factors engineering. It is more a lab piece than a field piece. But the transition is not far off.
If one is looking for a unique, daytime optical instrument for hunting, the Elcan Digital Hunter can serve the purpose quite well. It is a little out of the price range of a 'plaything', but as a demonstration of technology, it is "reasonable" in price. Its advantages are 1) programmable, customizable reticles... one can have any reticle or combination of reticles (4 at a time) one is willing to write the code for (or have written). It is relatively simple script, so not beyond a high school student... each reticle can be zeroed for a different rifle or ammo 2) one can build a ballistic table customized for the rifle and ammo and download it to the scope's memory and have as good ballistic drop compensation for the reticle of choice as can be had, 3) there is no parallax, 4) mirage is almost nonexistent (I say "almost" because just the fact that I did not ever observe any, even though I tried mightily to find it, does not mean it cannot ever be present... I don't think so, but it COULD, maybe)... that is a blessing and a curse because some of us use mirage to read wind, 5) it is a teaching tool for the future, 6) made for a Picatinny rail and easy to mount, easy to zero, maintains zero well even through complete power down and battery removal. It's shortcomings are 1) battery compartment is perhaps the worst construction I have ever seen for a battery driven product, It is very difficult to get old, dead batteries out and new batteries in, it is in a bad location, it is terrible 2) battery life is POOR... with lithium batteries it is much better, but 4 hours or less continuous and a couple of days intermittent is not good... I went through about $20.00 worth of batteries just playing around, 3) the Digital Hunter is only REALLY good out to about 300 yards... can be used out to 500 at need, but not recommended... image quality is poor, image is blurred at longer range, 4) low light usage is a non-starter... unlikely to get "30 minutes after sundown" out of this scope, 5) if light is too bright, the camera is washed out... the scope comes with an eyepiece and the eyepiece is critical... light entering from the rear precludes usability, 6) it's heavy, 7) controls and control locations are clumsy and not geared toward field use... that is a real problem, because riflescopes are not very functional as laboratory instruments, 8) focus requires several adjustments, once again, clumsy. As an engineer, I can truthfully say that I believe every shortcoming listed can be relatively easily overcome in an "updated" version. Human factors engineering and a more modern camera will take care of most of the significant issues. Elcan has a good start on a winning solution for a "digital scope". It is not "there", yet, but it is a reasonable demonstration of technology. I wanted to love this scope, tried... there are just too many things that add up to a "NO", for me. I am not recommending against it, and certainly not for it... I'm saying if you are thinking of getting one, I am going to STRONGLY recommend you find a way to spend some time with one prior to making a final decision. Utility for hunting is "moderate"... for a benchrest scope, it is excellent. IF I were going to shoot benchrest as a steady diet, I would want one of these (or maybe the day/night version). I am glad for the opportunity to be able to evaluate this scope, I am looking forward to the next generation. My thanks to everyone at SWFA for making it possible for me to do some hands on work with a very interesting piece of technology. The day/night version may be just the "extra step" required to make this a truly valuable piece of hunting gear. I hope to be able to test one out in the near future. There are, for me, "issues" with the daytime only version, though there are some very good features, as well. There is a lot more I could say, but when considered, it would be of little value. I compared the Elcan Digital Hunter to various low end and high end scopes... it's just different. I want another generation of these to come into existence. There are wonderful things that can be done. "We have the technology, we can make it better..."
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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.
There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living |
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djp0623
Optics Apprentice Joined: August/08/2011 Location: Pinehurst, NC Status: Offline Points: 83 |
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Wow, it really does sound like they didn't use the latest digital imaging technology. Most video cameras do very well in low light. However, I've never tried to spot something in low light 5oo yds away with a digital camera or video recorder.
I still believe it is the future, we just need someone with deep pockets, big name, and the motivation to do it. Just wait until you're in Best Buy picking up your new Sony Hunting scope.
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RONIN001
Optics GrassHopper Joined: February/07/2014 Location: KY Status: Offline Points: 3 |
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Are you still using this scope? I got one at a somewhat good price and trying it out.
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Kickboxer
MODERATOR Moderator Joined: February/13/2008 Status: Offline Points: 23679 |
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I only had the scope for a review. For me, it has great potential, but they need to upgrade some things. The technology is pretty old as far as such things go.
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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.
There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living |
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Tacbro
Optics GrassHopper Joined: May/05/2021 Location: Michigan Status: Offline Points: 1 |
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I am just getting this scope now, the start of screen reads 2006 so this device is 15 old. Not the night/day version. I will eventually be doing a deeper comparison to a newer cheaper Sightmark Wraith to see how far this technology has advanced. So far I can say the rear lens on elcan is more pleasing to look though despite what may seem today as lower resolution. This was a very advanced piece for its type, adjusted 1300USD price tag then comes to ≈2000USD with inflation today. This feels very might like a high end product.
I am attempting to correct the limited battery with the proper ac adapter and an external battery. Awaiting cable in the mail to test video output. So far this seems like a promising tool to work with. Unfortunately I have not been able to download the Ballistic chart software to run use the center of scope adjustment to compensate at various ranges. The website has been shut down so the software is no longer available for download, any help would be greatly appreciated.
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