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By Jason Bean
ATN X-SIGHT HD 3-12X
Smart HD Optics Day/Night Riflescope
Reviewing a high-tech, 21 st century hunting/shooting rifle scope makes one feel almost like Robocop.
Sometimes, a technological marvel comes around and makes you appreciate living in this day and age.
First, let’s cover the features and options that come from this scope.
HD Video recording
Wi-fi
GPS
Geotag
Night Vision
Altitude
Velocity
E-compass
Image Stabilization
One shot zero
Other features include, 67mm eye relief, detachable IR, HD 1080p sensor, video output 1080p at 30 fps
& 720p at 60 fps. Dimensions are 10.3×3.5×3.2 inches. Weight 2.7lbs.
Let’s get down to it. To explain in layman’s terms, this is a digital riflescope that changes the
hunting/shooting game. As I said before, I felt like I was Robocop using this scope. It gives you so much
more than any regular hunting scope can. It gives you confidence in your shot and gives you the tools to
be successful in the hunt, or whatever application you use it for.
Starting with the HD video recording feature and what it does for you. The X-sight accepts micro SD
Cards 4 Gb up to 32Gb. You can record HD video as well as take digital pictures and store them all to the
SD card. This option lets you bring the hunt home, showing friends and family the thrill of the hunt.
The Wi-Fi option is something that friends and family will love. This gives you the option to broadcast in
real time to a smartphone or tablet what the scope sees. Have a friend nearby who wants to view what
you’re seeing through the scope, now they can. Have a young hunter that you want to assist in proper
sighting and target acquisition, now you can. I find this to be a valuable tool just for the purpose of
helping novice hunters get a feel and help finding their mark.
Let’s cover the GPS/Geotag option. Want to help yourself or others find that special spot where you saw
that perfect buck? Do you want to show others where you’ve been on your hunts? Well now that all is
available. With an interactive map you can geotag your hunt locations.
Night Vision here we come. When anyone hears the words night vision optic you have their attention.
Who doesn’t want to be able to see in the dark? The X-sight has the option to change from a day scope
to a night vision scope with the push of a button. It comes with an IR illuminator that has different
brightness settings for you to select depending on the amount of ambient light the scope is taking in as
well as distance to your target. I had a lot of fun with this option. I tested it out in my house at first by
using the total darkness of my basement. Then we went out to the field using it in the woods with
moonlight coming into play. The Night vision worked great. It was very clear with distinctive viewing of
trees and animals at 100 yards. At 200 yards the IR does drop off but still I was able to make out targets
and make target strikes.
Now to cover the Altitude/Velocity/E-compass/Image stabilization features. They are exactly as stated.
These are more awesome features to assist in the hunt. I enjoyed looking through the eyepiece and
knowing my direction.
One of my favorite features of this scope is the one shot zero. I can’t tell you how many rounds of ammo
I’ve wasted with trying to manually zero in my scopes. Not only is it a waste of ammo but time
consuming if you’re doing it wrong. ATN has the solution. Simply touch the menu button on the X-Sight
and toggle over to the 1 shot zero option. Once you are in this setting simply point your reticle to your
paper target and take a shot. After that take a walk down the range to see where you hit. Then, come
back and now using the arrow buttons on the X-sight move the reticle, down to the point of impact on
the target. Bam, you are now sighted in and at a perfect zero. I absolutely loved this option. Where was
this when I was wasting my ammo in the past? This comes in handy when switching the X-sight to a
different gun as well. What a quick and simple option, its pure genius in my eyes.
The scope has a digital zoom all of which is controlled with the large simple to push buttons on the top.
Setting up the scope for different people and different eye strengths is a snap also. It has an easy to turn
diopter which can be adjusted for any person’s eye strength. From that point simply uses the digital
zoom to acquire your target at distance.
One thing I had to get used to was the scope image. Being that I’m accustomed to looking through glass
scopes the X-sight is somewhat different. When one looks through the eyepiece you are actually looking
at a small digital screen. With an image displayed from the scopes digital camera. It gives a different feel
and took a little time to get used to.
The thing to remember here is, this is basically a computer. ATN calls it an Obsidian Core. With it being a
computer you do need to do some things to make it work like it should. You need to visit ATN’s website
to download the latest Firmware updates. (http://www.atncorp.com/firmware) Download them to your
micro SD card and insert it into the scope and follow the prompts. You sometimes have to reboot the
scope by unscrewing the battery cap. With all this technology this scope needs these Firmware updates.
ATN has support you can contact to help with any issues you may encounter with the scope.
One thing with this scope that is important to keep in mind it is battery powered. And, with all these
amazing technological features you can run down batteries pretty quickly depending on what batteries
you are using. The scope requires 4 AA batteries and the IR Illuminator requires 2 CR123A batteries.
ATN does provide a graph with the X-sight advising of Battery lifetime using certain types of batteries
and the different modes of the scope. For example an Alkaline battery last 2hrs with Wifi/ GPS on. Yet,
a Lithium battery should last 7 hours with those same features being turned on.
I used some cheap hardware store batteries in the scope and they literally lasted 10 minutes before the
low battery light started blinking. I then switched over to higher grade rechargeable batteries and had a
much better experience.
I had a lot of fun with this scope, even took it to an Elk refuge (minus the gun of course). I was able to
use it to get some great video and still shots of the Elk. I even had a guy come up to me and ask me
about my gear I was using. I was surrounded by pro photographers with huge zoom lenses but people
were interested in what I was using. That’s how cool it is.
The X-Sight 3-12 can be found online in the $429.99 – $460.00 range.
Very well worth the price for everything you get.
Overall: The ATN X-sight is one of the coolest pieces of hunting hardware I’ve had the chance to test out.
It brings the hunting came into the 21 st century and allows you to share your experiences with others
minus the tall tales of course.
