AGM Global Vision Taipan Thermal Imaging Monocular for Hunting 12μm Sensor, Hot Spot Tracking, 8× Digital Zoom, Video Recording, WiFi, IP67 Waterproof

This is a well built thermal monocular that's easy to use. The image quality is a clear step up from the 160 pixel sensor models, some of which actually cost more than this 256 pixel unit. It does not offer the same image quality or refresh rate as higher end units, but it also doesn't cost thousands of dollars.Keep in mind that this is a true 1x device. A lot of thermal buyers are going to want more base magnification, but that also costs more. 2x digital zoom works well, 4x OK, but 8x is poor. You can't expect much at 8x from a 256x192 sensor. Think of this as a 1x/2x device and you'll be happy.The monocular housing and push buttons feel nice, and the battery life appears to be very, very good. The EVF image quality is good, and it's a real EVF with a diopter adjustment. It's not a 'LCD in a tunnel' like many low cost night vision devices have. I do not experience any eye fatigue while using this.The WiFi features work on Android devices. The current version of the iOS app seems to have a problem connecting. Hopefully this will be fixed soon. Once connected and logged in, the app is responsive and works well, and video transmission is solid.My complaints? I don't like how they relied on long button presses for parts of the UI. You have to hold the power button down for several seconds to turn the device on/off. You also have to hold a button down for several seconds to get to the settings menu. And while photos take a single press, starting a video takes another multi-second hold (which means you cannot precisely start/stop video). I would have preferred a separate power switch, a dedicated video start/stop button, and faster access to the brightness and contrast settings. Note that with the WiFi app you can start/stop video and set brightness/contrast quickly.My only other complaint is that the Brightness setting is related to Contrast in how the thermal image appears. It does not actually control the EVF brightness at all. And the EVF is a little too bright at night. I suppose that's preferable to being too dim in the daytime. But I wish they had included, or would add, an EVF brightness setting.One last note: once on, the single-press "sleep" mode just turns off the EVF. It still draws power and you can hear it periodically calibrating the sensor. Sleep mode is not something you can or should use overnight. It's a mode you should only use for short periods. Not a complaint really, just an observation.I debated giving this 4 stars because of my complaints, but in the end gave it 5 because the complaints are minor against the performance and price.

Compact, lightweight, and works great for spotting wildlife. The image quality is solid for the price, and the heat detection is accurate. Perfect for hunting or scouting at night!

Update: AGM customer service promptly reached out to me and shipped me a replacement button. 👏I purchased this unit in March of this year and had a button fall off the unit. 🤕 I have emailed AGM customer service and will update this review after I hear back. It’s supposed to have a pretty good warranty but if you don’t register the product within 30 days of purchase you may find yourself in a real pickle.I have used this thermal for months now and have to say it’s a great device for the price. Now, don’t go expecting phenomenal optics on the zoom in, but if you are relatively close or using 2x zoom this works pretty well. You can record video and transfer it to your phone easily using the device’s WiFi function. For the price point you can’t beat it. I love this thing, but right now I’m annoyed since I baby my electronics.

The media could not be loaded. This is my first thermal, although I've seen a lot on thermals in my 60+ years. The price - well I was going to buy the 160 but have always regretted buying the bottom of any line if it's something I want to keep. Not disappointed.Connecting to my iPhone was pretty easy once I figured out the sequence, and images are as expected. Pretty easy to use, with or without connecting to a phone. I use white hot the most, so far, but have found the plasma setting useful for spotting small birds in a warm tree (they are bright spots). I'm guessing in winter, black hot might be the way to go. I did see a mouse run along and go into the ground in my back field, so that was interesting.I posted a video of some deer - they are about 80-90 yards away at the start of this video. The dog picture is because I love my dog and she's cute even in plasma mode :) Neither has been edited in any way.

Very good budget thermal, the resolution is not the greatest but it's very useful with a max identification range of around 50 yards in a lit urban environment at sundown, at sunrise it raises to detection at over 100 meters, identification depends on your paired optic and ability to recognize patters.. haven't taken it to the open field or wooded area to test it more thoroughly, but I know what I got when I paid this price for it. I recommend it for a budget vermin detector for your garden or small farm. Or even looking for a chicken that got out and it's been hiding in your neighbors bushes at night.