ATN Blazehunter 635

ATN is far from a newbie when it comes to thermal, with the Mars range of scopes, the Odin collection of spotters, and its Binox thermal binos, but now there’s a new kid on the block in the form of the all-new BlazeHunter range.

Looking to cash in on the lucrative handheld thermal LRF market, ATN has come up with an affordable 640 thermal with a built-in LRF, priced to challenge the likes of the HikMicro Condor and InfiRay Finder FH35R V2.

In terms of build, the BlazeHunter seems well-suited to the UK with an IP67 rating. It’s certainly robust enough, courtesy of a metal frame encased in tough plastic panels, all backed up by its solid IP rating and a three-year warranty.

Driving the unit is mostly a one-handed operation, apart from focusing. It’s not heavy, weighing in at 320g minus the accompanying 18650 battery, two of which ship with the spotter. It’s also pocket-sized, so great as a thermal backup for a deer stalker, while providing the ideal base mag of 2.5x up to 20x.

Thermal imaging

There’s the typical mix of sensor options in the range, but I’ve been testing the 640 variant with a 12μm pixel pitch – keeping ATN in step with the latest array of sensors on the market by delivering <18mK NETD performance. The display offers all the classics in terms of colour palettes: white-hot and black-hot remain my go-to choices, but there’s also sepia, which is certainly worth a try and may save a little of your night vision if you’re out and about after hours. There’s also the more familiar red-hot and predator/rainbow styles, all shown on a large, full-colour OLED display at 1440×1080.

Design and ergonomics

There’s nothing particularly revolutionary in terms of the overall design, but that’s not a bad thing. The fairly predictable layout of the BlazeHunter just makes sense and works well. It’s a well-proven layout, with the LRF sitting below the objective while the buttons reside up top.

The buttons are big, chunky and indeed colourful. Again, not a bad thing for anyone shooting after hours. It’s very comfortable in the hand, with all the buttons falling nicely beneath the fingers. The menu and navigation system are simple enough, although I would prefer a solid colour background rather than the transparent layout currently employed, simply to make it easier to read when combined with certain colour palettes.

The adoption of swappable 18650 batteries (two of which ship with the device) is another good thing – nothing revolutionary, but it’s a tried-and-tested system that works well. ATN also throw in a charger, just in case you don’t already own one.

Star of the show

For many, the integrated laser range finder is the star feature. The recent proliferation of LRF-equipped thermal and IR scopes perhaps makes LRF slightly less of a ‘must-have’ in a spotter than it was a while back. However, there’s still something to be said for on-board LRF.

A lot of the time you’re not simply ranging specific targets. I often find myself creating a mental range card when I’m out foxing. I’ll ping trees, rocks and anything else around to give me some idea of distances for any simple point-and-click opportunities if Charlie pops up out of the blue.

With any thermal you often spot targets way beyond a realistic shooting distance and a handheld LRF can be very handy when planning your next move, helping you decide if the distance and direction of travel of any potential target require a walk back to the truck for relocation. All this is much easier with a handheld LRF rather than shouldering the rifle every time something sparks your interest. As for the actual ranging, there are no complaints. It pinged quickly and reliably over 1000m, slightly further than the advertised 1000yd noted in the accompanying marketing bumf.

Connectivity and recording

The BlazeHunter series features wi-fi, allowing you to connect to a smartphone or tablet app for remote viewing – handy if you’re working with a spotter and a shooter in tandem. Onboard still image and video recording (with audio) means you can also review footage later, perhaps to confirm a shot or share a noteworthy observation with your shooting buddies or syndicate.

Final thoughts

I’d rate the overall image quality as good. It’s perhaps not quite on a par with high-end 640 units, but neither are you paying a high-end price. A 640 spotter with LRF and a low NETD would have come at twice the price not that long ago.

Were there any other minor niggles? The depth of field is a little shallow, so you may find yourself refocusing more regularly than you’d like, especially when scanning over large areas at varied distances.

The automatic exposure adjustment could also do with a slight tweak. For example, when a large close-range heat source is detected the system re-exposes quite dramatically, which reduces detail in the environment. I’m sure this would be a relatively easy fix via firmware. ATN is famous – indeed some would say infamous – for its firmware updates, so I’m sure we’ll see tweaks to the system further down the line.

Overall you’re getting a lot of tech for your money. Its big competitor is the InfiRay FH35R V2, a device that has a better-balanced image at the moment but is less intuitive in terms of the menu and navigation system. I’d advise anyone considering a purchase to check them out side-by-side.

The InfiRay also has a slight edge in terms of price at the moment, but I’m reviewing the BlazeHunter based on the current RRP – I’m sure there will be discounts to be had once it hits the shops. Overall it’s a very technology-rich device for the money and I’m sure (like most ATN products) it will continue to develop and improve via firmware updates.

Tech specs

Sensor: 640×512, 50Hz, 12μm, <18mK
Lens: 35 mm
Magnification: 2.5-20x
Field of view: 12.4 x 10
Display resolution: OLED 1440×1080
Eye relief: 15 mm
Colour modes: White hot, Black hot, White hot + red, Green hot, Sepia, Ironbow
Battery type: 18650 rechargeable (2 included)
Battery life: (7 hours per battery x2)
Charging: Rechargeable, charger included
IP rating: IP67
LRF range: N/A
Operating temperature: -30°C to +50°C
Dimensions: 5.98 x 1.67 x 2.93in (152 x 42 x 74mm)
Weight (without battery): 0.7lb (320g)
Warranty: 3 years

RRP

£1,599