Night Vision Genesis Apocalypse A55 Thermal Modular System

[wigwamitus]

This is probably the most "formal" product review I've ever done (in the NV/Thermal space). But it is an independent review, I received no $$ or perks of any sort for doing it. I will say, sometimes when I test thermals my expectations are not exceeded. But with the A55, my expectations WERE exceeded. I was surprised, but it is what it is. Some of this I posted in my shooting thread while I was actually doing it, but here it is all pulled together in one spot.
If any questions please ask and I will try to answer.
==
Genesis Apocalypse A55 Thermal Modular System

Thanks to Vlad Savchik of Luna Optics and Warren Offenberg of Full Moon Optics, I was able to test the A55 thermal during the period June 2020, through August 2020.

This unit is called a “Thermal Modular System” because it is possible to swap out the rear lenses with three different lenses to produce:

01 - A thermal clip-on
02 - A thermal rifle scope
03 - A hand held thermal monocular

All three modes were tested.

The unit also has a built in laser range finder.

On the postal scale, the unit weighed in a 2 lbs 2.1 oz with batteries

Basic data on the unit:

Sensor: 17um
Frame Rate: 50hz
Shutter Free/NUC Free
Display: 1024x768
Optical Magnification 3.5x
Digital zoom 2x, 4x
FOV: 7.5 deg
Detection Range (1.8 Meter object) 1,500m
Laser Range Finder max distance: 700m
Power Supply: 2xc123 or 5v USB
Shown price on B&H Photo: $6,200


I attached the clip-on lens and mounted the unit to one of my bolt guns.

In the event, the stock mount worked very well for me in terms of alignment. I normally use the UTC/x thermal clip-ons and so my Spuhr mounts are 1.34 center (34mm center) … but the A55 lined up perfectly AFA my eyes could tell. I then moved the clip-on one notch closer to the front lens of my daylight scope, so that the rubber eyecup of the clip-on is connected to the front frame of the daylight scope (this is necessary to minimize POI adjustment as much as possible).

The scope behind the A55 is a Leupold and Stevens Mk6 3-18x T3 Illum.


Investigating the unit in the house I noted two key points about the menu system.

01 - It was a single level system, so had a lot of entries … but very intuitive. I think the easiest thermal menu system I’ve used … and I’ve used most of them. The only time I referred to the manual was to try to figure out how to NUC the unit and learned that this is a NO NUC unit .

02 - The menu system is controlled by one knob (the knob on the rear end of the battery compartment) … turning that knob cycles through the options and pressing the button selects an option. Additional buttons on the top and sides of the unit allow operation for features such as the LRF, VIdeo, Inversion and digital zoom.

I’m a software guy by profession and I’ve seen a LOT of menu systems, and this one is rare in that it provides a LOT of control over the unit, but also is so intuitive, you don’t need to read the manual.

I contrast that with the Pulsar system, which took me several days to learn. Those icons in the pulsar system just didn’t click for me

Oh and this unit has manual focus, that’s the big knob up on the top of the lens housing.

Also, the housing is metal, not polymer.

CLIP-ON MODE

The unit has boresight adjustment capability, so the first step was to adjust the boresight. As I’ve relearned this summer, zeroing/boresighting thermal with hand warmers is TOUGH because the handwarmers “bleed” onto the target board and the “target” gets larger and larger and the center of the target “moves” as the bleeding continues. I’ve subsequently retried aluminum foil patches and they are working better, since they can be smaller and don’t bleed.

These are handwarmer groups fired after completing the boresight

Fired from left to right. The right hand hand warmer bled up some on the target board and when I aimed at the center of the hot spot, the group wound up looking high.

Next I looked around a little to get some thru the lens shots.

Here’s a mouse at 40yds, near the chicken coop

Shot of cattle in the West pasture, 150-200 yards

And here’s a shot using the rangefinder off a diesel tank at 79yds

Now for comparison purposes, I will show some shots of 4 other thermal clipons:

UTC (320), UTC-x (640), LWTS-LR (640) and SNIPE (640)

Here’s a shot of cattle in the alfalfa patch at 200 to 300yds with the UTC(320)

 

[wigwamitus]

UTC-x (640) cattle at 200yds

SNIPE (640) in clip-on mode, cattle at 250yds

 

[wigwamitus]

SNIPE at 500yds heated steel (IPSC ⅔) target, clip-on mode

LWTS-LR 640 Cattle at 250yds

LWTS-LW on 8x at 100yds shooting groups

Ok, a summary of the images from my perspective.

First of all, looking at thru-lens images or even video shot with the cores, can be very mis-leading. By picking over the results of images taken on different nights in different conditions, you can tell almost any story you want to!

That said, I’m not aligned with any of these manufacturers and hence the story I’m trying to tell includes information from using all these units over many nights in many different conditions.

For various reasons, including component quality and software imaging, the BAE units seem to clearly win the “image trophy” from amongst this group of thermal clip-ons. That said, those units are almost impossible to get and range up towards $20k in price.

At the bottom end of the stick, the Trijicon SNIPE is “blurry” in clip-on mode at any magnification. The theory is this is due to an insufficient display on the back end. In hybrid mode, the SNIPE is essentially a REAP with a demagnified rear end. But in clip-on mode, the SNIPE comes up short.

So, that leaves the LWTS-LR and the A55 in the middle. The LR costs around $15k … and the shown price for the A55 on B&H Photo is $6.2k, So the LR is running at twice the cost. If you look at the LR shot at 100yds on 8x, you can see dark lines bordering each pixel. You can actually see those lines at any magnification, they just get easier to see at higher magnification. Does this affect operation ?

Well in the winter, when my cows are calving, the coyotes hover among the herd, they smell the discharge from the cows pre-birth and they smell the blood/discharge associated with birth as well. They look for their chance. The moms are the first line of defense, they will kick or headbut the coyotes if the coyotes get close. This is except when they don’t. I am the second line of defense. I can’t be out there all night, but I’m out there 3 times per night for about an hour each time, doing 360s with a thermal clip-on on a rifle on an RRS tripod. I get most of my coyotes doing this “over watch”.

The calves that are already on the ground have a “bounce run” to them. So do some of the coyotes, some times. This common bounce run makes PID tricky. Shooting a calf would cost me $1000 so we do not want that !! So PID is critical. With the LR one night I saw a bounce running critter, but I was not sure as it was head on. I waited. Eventually when it got within 150yds … and turned slightly to the side, I could see the tail and then I had PID. With the UTC/x clip-ons I can normally PID out to 300yds for sure. But I believe in that particular case, the black lines on the pixels did delay my PID, so a long winded way of saying, yes, the pixel borders of the LWTS-LR do affect operation in the sense of delaying PID.

And that said, it’s close, but even ignoring the black pixel lines, I think the A55 edges out the LWTS-LR on image … based on using both on multiple nights in varying conditions. I didn’t expect it to, but it did.

And a few more words on the image of the A55 in clipon mode, At 400yds my solar panel in the alfalfa patch was a bit fuzzy on 9x .. but very close to the image I got with the Thermion v2 on 8x. The barbed wire was "shinny" like the UTCs, which was an improvement over the Thermion V2.

THERMAL WEAPONS SIGHT MODE

Next, I changed out the rear lens, removing the clip-on mode lens and replacing with the TWS lens. This produces a TWS with 3.5x optical magnification and some reticles.

I mounted the A55 on one of my Mk12 uppers.

Then zeroed it using Aluminum foil and got a sub 0.50 iphy group at 100yds. The Al foil square is 1.5 by 1.5 inches. The big hole is 2 impacts.

Image of equipment in the yard 50-100 yards

Then headed up onto the top of hill 1295 with the mk12 and A55 and breach on helmet for navigation and RSS tripod in the carry case.

 

[wigwamitus]

Cattle at 2750-ish

The closer cow is 600yds, the others as far out as 800yds

Cattle at 75 yards. This one’s almost UTC-ish in image quality !

 

[wigwamitus]

And compared to the Breach, same real world image.

On this outing I was able to range a Coyote at 477yds and shoot one who snuck up through my dead space zone to 25yds. Usually short range rangefinders can’t range small animal-size targets (coyote) even at half the claimed max distance. This rangefinder proved much better than most in this task.


MONOCULAR MODE

And finally, I replaced the TWS rear lens with the monocular rear lens. And made a tripod mount for it.

The primary difference between the TWS rear lens and the monocular rear lens is that the TWS rear lens provides for more eye relief, which is not necessary or desired when just viewing. Plus monocular eyepiece has a larger exit pupil diameter so the image is not only closer to the eye but is more comfortable to view.

With 3.5x optical magnification, the unit is a very good long distance viewer.

SUMMARY

In summary, this unit is very functional in all three modes, clipon, thermal weapons sight and monocular viewer. In clipon mode, the unit supports 8x+ magnification on the day scope and hence earns the descriptor “long distance thermal clipon”. The 1024x768 display ensures the image is still clear at higher magnification. Comparing clipon clarity to other thermal clipons, the A55 is clearly superior to the Trijicon SNIPE, a 640 unit with MSRP $9,999 … and even superior to the Insight LWTS-LR 640 unit with MSRP over $15,000.
As a Thermal Weapons Sight, the unit is also very functional with 3.5x magnification, is in the class with the Halo-LR and the Trijicon Mk3 35mm and 60mm as well as the REAP 35mm and 60mm. Viewers of this unit have commented “It looks like a 640” and the hi res 1024x768 display is a key cause of this impression as compared to the 640 displays in the competing units.
As a long distance thermal spotter again the unit is very functional, though I did have to make a tripod mount for it.
Seeing critters out to 3km distance is not a problem for this unit in any mode. The user interface is the most intuitive I’ve found and I never referred to the manual, except to try to learn how to NUC (FFC) the unit, which I learned was not needed !
The unit has considerable flexibility over adjusting the image for the conditions, more than the vast majority of other thermals I’ve used.
In short, this unit would be a useful addition to the night hunter’s equipment base, adding the capability to be either a clipon, a thermal weapons sight on a monocular.

By the way, those who just want to keep a single purpose thermal device and wish to save a bit of money in the process, would be happy to know that Full Moon offers dedicated TWS called Genesis (G-line) in either 40mm, 55mm or 75mm configurations, which start at $5300 and they also have dedicated spotters in monocular, called Revelation-40, which is very compact and has a dedicated tripod attachment on the bottom (oh and it also has a built-in 700m laser rangefinder!) at $4800...as well as a couple of binocular options for much longer reach (55mm and 80mm lens!) plus they’re coming out with a dedicated clip-on as well by the New Year time, which, I was told, would be slated at $4,995 retail, shaving $1300 off the modular device price. Since they all use the same sensors and displays, any one of these products will be as good in image quality and each serves dedicated purpose.

 

[Choid]

I am kind of not an expert here, but isn't the clarity and quality of the display highly influenced by the interpolation of the data from the camera? In other words, there is no reason to expect 320 to be worse than 640, with the same display. It is just that the ability of the processor to estimate the intervening details is put to the test more with the 320 in that case?

In other words, a 1068 or what have you display is the only true limiting factor of the picture, and if you had a tiny number of pixels on the front, say 24x16, with perfect software, which of course doesn't exist, you would get the same picture no matter, right?

 

[jwramp]

In other words, a 1068 or what have you display is the only true limiting factor of the picture, and if you had a tiny number of pixels on the front, say 24x16, with perfect software, which of course doesn't exist, you would get the same picture no matter, right?

No, not the case. You need a higher definition 'source' coming from the sensor/core to work with. You can only interpolate so much.

 

[jwramp]

@wigwamitus could you crop the black from the outside of the images of the screen in your posts? It'd make them much easier to see up close.

 

[Hogrider2000]

that is a great write up and excellent comparison, especially since my hand held scanner crapped out on me last night right in the middle of a successful pig hunt. Two sows..
Why did you need a dedicated mount for the hand held part ??

Group buy !!!!!??????????

 

[Choid]

No, not the case. You need a higher definition 'source' coming from the sensor/core to work with. You can only interpolate so much.

Hmm, I'm pretty sure that is not the case, at least not the point I was trying to get at. Yes, in the real world the processing ability to get to a great 1064 image from 24x16 is not available, however, you could reasonably argue that either is, at any point, the limiting factor. If the software were good enough to interpolate perfectly, the definition of the source shouldn't matter. Of course in the real world it does, but that ability to estimate is the reason that it shouldn't be shocking to that a 380 front, or so, can use great estimation to provide a rear picture close to as good as a 640.

 

[wigwamitus]

@jwramp if you click on the images you can see them up closer (also use browser zoom to make them largest).

And Choid is actually pretty correct, though the "image processing" software matters a lot. And thermal image is made or broken based on the image processing software in the core.

==
Things like focal length of lens to sensor array diagonal ratio matter ... in terms of "magnification"

And focal length of front end to focal length of rear end ratio matter ... in terms of magnification.

A given lens system with a 320 vs a 640 means the focal length to array ratio is about half for the 640 than it is for the 320 ... and image processing aside ... that gives you more pixels at half the magnification ... but again ... image processing is king ... and some cores are way better at that than others.

edit: And the other king is the display ... and the 1024 display in the A55 ... helps a LOT with the image.

==
A comment on the BAE UTC (320) compared to the UTC x (640). I swear when I first got the UTC(320) and took it out ... I had to keep checking it to see if I had grabbed the utc-x by mistake ... because I couldn't tell the danged difference in image ... not until I dial magnification up over 10x. Over 10x the UTC(320) starts to fall off .. but at 10x or below ... its no difference. And that is all about the image process and the display.
The difference is most likely the demagnification ... which might be a tad less on the 320 model ... thus not allowing us to push up to 16x like we can on the utc-x.

 

[wigwamitus]

... could you crop the black from the outside of the images ...

I promise to try to remember to do that in future !!!

( I am NOT a professional photographer !! )

 

[wigwamitus]

... Why did you need a dedicated mount for the hand held part ?? ...

I didn't NEED one .. but I did WANT one ...

 

[PlinkIt]

...the A55 is clearly superior to the Trijicon SNIPE, a 640 unit with MSRP $9,999 … and even superior to the Insight LWTS-LR 640 unit with MSRP over $15,000.
As a Thermal Weapons Sight, the unit is also very functional with 3.5x magnification, is in the class with the Halo-LR and the Trijicon Mk3 35mm and 60mm as well as the REAP 35mm and 60mm.

...Viewers of this unit have commented “It looks like a 640”...

...plus they’re coming out with a dedicated clip-on as well by the New Year time, which, I was told, would be slated at $4,995 retail...

So am I understanding that there is going to be a dedicated thermal clip-on the first of the year that looks as good as a Halo LR for 5k

You have my attention...

 

[srt-4_uk]

Anyone else have feedback on these? It's either this, Pulsar XP50 LRF, or wait for the NVision NOX.
My biggest concerns are the 1 year warranty and relatively small company.

 

[stefan73]

Thank you for the write up. Household 6 will not be pleased

 

[wigwamitus]

Data on the Omega-40
New Thermal Clip. Basically same as the A40 but only usable as a clipon (A40 is same as A55 has clipon, weapons sight and monocular rear lenses)

And pics

Street price should be under $5k for the Omega-40

Working on availability data.

 

[CBDR]

Data on the Omega-40
New Thermal Clip. Basically same as the A40 but only usable as a clipon (A40 is same as A55 has clipon, weapons sight and monocular rear lenses)

And pics

Street price should be under $5k for the Omega-40

Working on availability data.

Wig, My antenna is always up to your feedback on new products. This one looks very tempting. Now for the scary data, price point?

R/
CBDR

 

[CBDR]

5K Sounds very realistic. Indian Jim will keep his ear to the ground.
Life is good.

 

[Hogrider2000]

would this also work as a scanner--hand held ?

 

[wigwamitus]

Well yes but.

A clipon is going to have the same demagnification on the backend that it has magnification on the front end ... that's required so the reticle subtensions still match the real world when looking thru the clipon. So we need that for clipon.
BUT, it also means that if you hold the clipon up and look thru it, the display is going to look TINY. That's why some clipons come with like a 3x viewer option on the backend. To magnifify the demagnification so the display isn't so small if using as a viewer.

==
So, yes but, the display will look small.

 

[stefan73]

The A55 has LRF capability, the A40 doesn't or so it looks? Just checking. The A40 would be nice if it could also be employed as a scanner.

 

[wigwamitus]

The A40 is identical to the A55 except for the front lens. Both of those are the MODULAR systems (can be either clipon or dedicated thermal scope or monocular by changing out one of three rear lenses)

Product Page | Full Moon Optics

www.fullmoonoptics.com

The dedicated clipon I am showing above is called the O-40 (Omega) ... it is a clipon only and does not include the range finder, though it has a rail where you could mount your RAPTAR or Radius. The O-40 can be used as a monocular but will not be optimal in that role due to the demagnification on the rear eye piece making the display image small. But it can be used.

The O-40 is trying to remove cost from the more flexible A-40. So "less for less" as we would say in the business world.

 

[Mban2]

Do you know where these are made, and what the warranty details are?

Could you get some pictures of the front objective end, some more pictures of the range finder working around 300ish?

how robust does it feel?

can it be powered by an external USB?

 

[CBDR]

The A40 is identical to the A55 except for the front lens. Both of those are the MODULAR systems (can be either clipon or dedicated thermal scope or monocular by changing out one of three rear lenses)

Product Page | Full Moon Optics

www.fullmoonoptics.com

The dedicated clipon I am showing above is called the O-40 (Omega) ... it is a clipon only and does not include the range finder, though it has a rail where you could mount your RAPTAR or Radius. The O-40 can be used as a monocular but will not be optimal in that role due to the demagnification on the rear eye piece making the display image small. But it can be used.

The O-40 is trying to remove cost from the more flexible A-40. So "less for less" as we would say in the business world.

Good to know. Thank you

 

[dgheriani]

Not sure if I missed it or not but can the integrated LRF be used when the A55 is in clip-on or monocular mode or just in TWS mode?

 

[wigwamitus]

Do you know where these are made, and what the warranty details are?

I've been told "assembled in Eastern Europe". Asking for more details.

EDIT: Response was "made in Europe (mostly Germany), and carry a 3 year warranty on all parts except the Ulis core, which is one year from Ulis."

Could you get some pictures of the front objective end, some more pictures of the range finder working around 300ish?

I don't have the unit any more, but I'll ask for such.

EDIT: Response was "There are multiple videos on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube of our products ranging as far as 1800m.

EDIT3: Ok here is a video of the 700m range finder, ranging out to 300m etc.



(So I will go try to hunt some of those down !)

EDIT2: Ok here is pic of objective of A55

how robust does it feel?

Solid metal housing ... VERY robust, comparing to many other units I've touched in the past couple of years !

can it be powered by an external USB?

Yes.

==

can the integrated LRF be used when the A55 is in clip-on or monocular mode or just in TWS mode?

Yes, LRF can be used in mode clipon and TWS mode, but NOT in monocular mode (reticle disappears). I did ask for this to be added and they sounded like it could be done.

==

... Household 6 will not be pleased ...

Finally got my translator working .... "Household 6" aka "wife"

 

[bantaman2]

I've been told "assembled in Eastern Europe". Asking for more details.

EDIT: Response was "made in Europe (mostly Germany), and carry a 3 year warranty on all parts except the Ulis core, which is one year from Ulis."


I don't have the unit any more, but I'll ask for such.

EDIT: Response was "There are multiple videos on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube of our products ranging as far as 1800m.

EDIT3: Ok here is a video of the 700m range finder, ranging out to 300m etc.



(So I will go try to hunt some of those down !)

EDIT2: Ok here is pic of objective of A55

Solid metal housing ... VERY robust, comparing to many other units I've touched in the past couple of years !


Yes.

==


Yes, LRF can be used in mode clipon and TWS mode, but NOT in monocular mode (reticle disappears). I did ask for this to be added and they sounded like it could be done.

==


Finally got my translator working .... "Household 6" aka "wife"

Perfect response! thank you wig.

 

[Joemac]

So where can I buy one of these at? I am ready to place my order.

 

[wigwamitus]

Full Moon Optics

Full Moon Optics, Inc | Thermal Optics

Full Moon Optics offers premier thermal optic devices to the consumer through dealers and our web store. We offer scopes, monoculars, binoculars and clip-on devices that bring high quality and features designed from actual field experience at a very affordable price. Our Genesis line of thermal...

www.fullmoonoptics.com

 

[MarinePMI]

Nice review Wig!