I recently purchased the ATN X-Sight II 5-20 from Amazon for my FX Impact airgun. First let me say I love this scope--it works perfectly during the day and during the night--as advertised! That's not to say the scope doesn't have some issues. I can't compare it to any other night scopes as this is my first. I usually use Hawke and Aeon 8-32x50 scopes. Here's my thoughts on the pros and cons of this scope.
1. It works really, really well. With a recent firmware update the digital zoom is now 50x! The image gets a bit grainy at that magnification but it allows me to see my targets very, very well. From 25 yards I can put down 1/4" center-to-center groupings--on par with my other scopes (or better) AND I can do it in pitch darkness.
2. I read reports on bad Customer Service experiences but I had the opposite experience. I lost the cover that goes over the SDXC/HDMI/USB slots and called the company to order a replacement. The CS dude was very nice and sent me a replacement for free.
3. Eye relief with this scope is a problem for me. I have to put my eye very close to see the scope's screen but when I do I become uncomfortable, quickly. I've ordered a Pictinny riser/extension mount which should make things perfect (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CL4EYD2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1).
4. The thing eats AA batteries. Video recording makes it worse and enabling WIFI makes it even worse still. ATN sells a battery pack for the scope, but it's pretty big and my rifle won't easily accommodate it. So, I've chosen some KENTLI Lithium AA rechargeables instead.
5. There are some software bugs (but from what i can gather most have been squashed). For example, I can get my scope to lock up (requiring battery removal to recover) by repeated zeroings when using night vision mode. I also understand that ATN updates their firmware on a regular basis so hopefully that will be fixed, too. Another software issue is the [current] lack of Bluetooth. ATN advertises the scope as having Bluetooth but the firmware that came with the scope and the latest firmware (as of 9/5/2016) do not have support for Bluetooth (yet).
6. The ATN iPhone app is pretty cool. It allowed me to see what my daughter was aiming at, giving me the final "okay" to pull the trigger when I was showing her how to shoot.
7. The scope comes with a decent IR illuminator but I opted for a bigger unit (The Evolva T67-based unit at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UAMLYY4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). Upon further reflection, this was probably a waste of money as a.) The unit that comes with the scope is good enough for +100 yards and b.) This IS a Gen.1 device so I"m not going to see the huge improvement I was hoping for.
8. There's a feature on the scope to automatically record x seconds before shooting and y seconds after shooting. I'm sure this feature works fine on a firearm with some kick but it doesn't work at all with my (almost recoil-less) air rifle.
9. The scope features a distance finder feature (non-laser; instead it uses the known height of an object and the delta degree the scope has to change from the top of the object to the bottom of the object. I'm sure it works well for most, but I usually use 2" targets with 0,5" bulls. The MINIMUM target height (yes, it allows one to custom-enter a value in addition to a few pre-canned ones) is 1/3' (4 inches). So, to get this feature to work with me I have to put two 2" targets up against each other, top-to-bottom. I wish I could specify 2" for my target height directly but I can't.
10. The internal compass seems to have a bug. While aiming directly due North (confirmed with two working compasses), the X-Sight II says I'm pointing NW. Also, there is no support for NNW, NNE, SSE, SSW. You get N, S, E, W, NE, NW, SE, SW.
11. The wind compensation feature isn't working well for me. I'm pretty sure that's because of the compass bug mentioned above.
12. I couldn't find the MAXIMUM SD CARD size in any literature but I've since learned it's 64GB--sure am glad I didn't opt for the 128GB card! Prices have really dropped on these cards--I got 2 x 80mb/s Samsung 64GB EVO Plus Class 10 Micro SDXC cards for $20 each from https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01273JZMG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1.
13. The focus knob towards the rear of the scope is a bit hard for me to turn and to get perfectly sighted--a tiny turn either way puts the image out-of-focus. However, I understand this knob is a HUGE improvement over the X-Sight I knob. Still, I would really dig an oversize wheel for when I'm bench rest target shooting.
14. The best focus setting for the scope during the day is different from the best focus setting on the scope at night--not by a lot, but it does need adjustment.
15. The "profile" feature of the scope is really cool. I"m currently using it for different grain pellets (14.3, 15.89, 18.13, etc) but I think I'll create another profile for when I put the scope on a different rifle.
I think that's about it. Oh, and by writing this reivew ATN says they'll give me a free t-shirt or hat. Not shabby!
Overall I love this scope and would buy it again (or an ATN thermal :-) ).
| Brand | ATN |
|---|---|
| Color | 5-20x |
| Style | 5-20x |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 11.36 x 3.45 x 3.5 inches |
| Sport | hunting |
| Item Weight | 1 Kilograms |
| Material | OTHER |
| Magnification Minimum | 5 x |
| Compatible Devices | Rifle |
| Mounting Type | Weaver Mount |
| Night vision | Yes |
| Field Of View | 240 Feet |
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 13.54 x 7.4 x 4.41 inches |
| Package Weight | 1.59 Kilograms |
| Brand Name | ATN |
| Model Name | DGWSXS520Z |
| Suggested Users | unisex-adult |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Manufacturer | ATN |
| Part Number | DGWSXS520Z |
| Model Year | 2016 |
| Included Components | Scope |
| Size | 5-20x |
