Guide TE210S Thermal Monocular

The Guide TE210S Thermal Monocular is the unit you actually carry, because at 228g and 47 x 47 x 132mm there is no reason to leave it behind. It is the entry point into thermal for most people: enough performance to find pigs at the dam or check what is moving around camp, at a price that does not require a long think.

Finds heat out to 500 metres

A 256x192 detector at 12µm pitch behind a 10mm lens gives a 500m detection range and a wide 17.5° x 13.1° field of view, covering about 31 x 23 metres of ground at 100 metres. That width is what makes it quick to use. One sweep takes in most of a house paddock, so you find the movement first and worry about identifying it second.

Sensitivity that punches above the price

NETD is rated at 15mK across the 8 to 14µm waveband at 50Hz. That is genuinely sensitive for an entry-level unit, and it means animals still separate from the background once the ground has cooled and everything is sitting within a degree or two. Magnification runs 1.2x to 4.8x on a 0.32-inch AMOLED at 800 x 600, with -5 to +5 diopter adjustment for glasses wearers. All seven palettes are available, including White Hot, Black Hot and Iron Red.

Charge it in the ute on the way out

The built-in battery runs for up to 6 hours, and a 10-minute charge over USB-C gives you around an hour of use. That is the difference between a flat unit and a usable one when you notice it is dead just as you are leaving. Video and audio recording are built in, the housing is IP67 rated and it works from -20°C to 50°C.

Ideal for

• First-time thermal buyers wanting to see what the fuss is about
• Rabbit, fox and pig shooters working close to home paddocks
• Property owners checking stock, sheds and fence lines after dark
• Campers and 4WD travellers who want to identify what is outside the tent
• Anyone needing a light spotter to carry alongside a bigger optic