Night Vision DNT Hydra HS635

[5RWill]

So just picked up a DNT hydra the 640 unit. Just curious what the overall impression is on the unit. The one comparison I’ve seen with the RH25 it was impressively similar for half the cost. I’m coming from a pulsar XQ38 from 4 years ago or so i let go so im curious if its going to be a tremendous jump in quality. I’m gonna throw it on the mk12 mod H

 

[ironman56]

Looking forward to a review on this model, been considering one myself , please follow up with ur experience.

 

[5RWill]

Looking forward to a review on this model, been considering one myself , please follow up with ur experience.

Will do i have seen some complaints about clip on feature but i definitely intend to use it that way

 

[hafejd30]

Also looking forward to seeing a review. Possibly purchasing a 635 in the near future

I’m assuming (I’ve never used a clip on) that when you use as a clip on you’re limited to the lowest magnification. Since you’re just looking at a tv screen more or less. Or can you zoom in the thermal and have it be usable?

 

[SteveC]

I got my hydra hs635 last week. It’s pretty good for the money. I put it on my 204 as a standalone. It’s better than my hogster 35 384. Easy to use the menu buttons. I haven’t seen any coyotes yet but I saw a deer at 400 yards the other night and could ID it easily.

 

[5RWill]

I got my hydra hs635 last week. It’s pretty good for the money. I put it on my 204 as a standalone. It’s better than my hogster 35 384. Easy to use the menu buttons. I haven’t seen any coyotes yet but I saw a deer at 400 yards the other night and could ID it easily.
View attachment 8723283

Yeah I’m hoping it’s adequate for clip on performance

 

[5RWill]

I got my hydra hs635 last week. It’s pretty good for the money. I put it on my 204 as a standalone. It’s better than my hogster 35 384. Easy to use the menu buttons. I haven’t seen any coyotes yet but I saw a deer at 400 yards the other night and could ID it easily.

Is that screenshot 400?

 

[SteveC]

Is that screenshot 400?

Yes that deer is 400 yards

 

[5RWill]

Yes that deer is 400 yards

That’s pretty damn impressive

 

[SteveC]

That’s pretty damn impressive

Here is the video. That’s zoomed all the way

 

[5RWill]

 

[SteveC]

50 yards Hydra hs635

 

[Happiness Is A Warm Gun]

 

[Happiness Is A Warm Gun]

Has anyone been able to compare these with a RH25 V2?

 

[5RWill]

Here’s a comparison and 4MR is gonna do one as well

 

[Happiness Is A Warm Gun]

Here’s a comparison and 4MR is gonna do one as well

That DNT compares way better than I would have thought given a $3,000 price difference. If these are reliable and durable, then they make a very strong case for a first/budget thermal. I don't have thermal, but at that performance and price, I am tempted to give it a try.

 

[TxAg93]

I’m looking to get into thermal for clip on use and I’ve been eyeballing this one. May be a stupid question so forgive my ignorance.
Can you have multiple collimation settings in this unit if you were using on more than one rifle? So when you switch onto a different rifle you’ve already got the saved collimation setting for both? I understand you’d still be susceptible to POI shift just from removal and reinstall alone and want to verify zero regardless but seems like that’d be a nice feature and save some time when using a good ADM mount and more than one rifle. I didn’t see this info on the website or the couple videos I saw.

 

[dgheriani]

I haven't seen anywhere what max usable mag is on the day optic (when used as a clip-on)?

 

[5RWill]

I haven't seen anywhere what max usable mag is on the day optic (when used as a clip-on)?

Like 6x max they recommend 1-2x. Anything above 4x gets pixelated. So think LVPO

 

[dgheriani]

Like 6x max they recommend 1-2x. Anything above 4x gets pixelated. So think LVPO

In the 4MR vid at one point he has it in front of a 6-36 G3 Razor but doesn't ever really mention use with a larger mag scope.

 

[5RWill]

In the 4MR vid at one point he has it in front of a 6-36 G3 Razor but doesn't ever really mention use with a larger mag scope.

I’m just going off personal experience out back and what the dnt videos say. Ideally would love to use it with more mag. But i feel like anything above 4x is pushing it. And it’s primarily why i picked up a Steiner 2-12x42 for the mod H.

 

[Happiness Is A Warm Gun]

The sas110 video i linked recommends the same thing, keeping it at a low magnification range with a lpvo.

 

[Happiness Is A Warm Gun]

How long have the Hydras been out? Does anyone know what the return rate is like? Or just how many functional issues people have experienced and mentioned online?

How would it compare to something like the Luchs for 2k on eurooptic?

 

[5RWill]

I think approaching 8 months.

I put the Steiner 2-12 for use on it. Just looking inside but it was nice.

I just got back from the range. Maybe there are settings i could tweak. Got it sighted in which on a hot day in Louisiana took some rounds.

Maybe it’s just not collimated properly but 4x is about the limit of what i could use. I ran it to 300 with limited success. 100 it’s dead on. Zerod the Steiner to 300. Moving to 100-300 required some change in focus on the dnt.

Overall it’s usable to 300. Looking at the mount from the top down it almost looks a little canted right like it’s not totally inline with the Steiner. Maybe i can tweak it more. Or maybe my pri rail isn’t inline with the swan sleeve.