HIKMICRO Alpex 4K vs Alpex Pro: Which Digital Day/Night Scope Suits UK Shooters?

The sensor and the display. The Alpex 4K uses a 3840 x 2160 CMOS sensor behind a 0.49 inch OLED display of 1920 x 1080. The Alpex Pro uses a 12 megapixel CMOS sensor of 4512 x 2512 pixels with a 1.4 micrometre pixel pitch, behind a larger 0.6 inch AMOLED display, also 1920 x 1080. So both show you a 1080-line picture in the eyepiece. The extra sensor pixels do not appear on the display directly. They give the scope more to work with when it zooms digitally, and they give the processor more information to build the image.

The lens, and why pixels are not everything. The Alpex 4K has a 50 mm lens with an adjustable aperture from F1.2 to F2.5. The Pro has a 50 mm lens at F1.8. A lower F-number lets in more light, so the 4K's lens can be brighter in the dark, and you can close it down in daylight to cut overexposure. Smaller pixels on a sensor generally collect less light each, so a sensor with more, smaller pixels needs help. HIKMICRO says the Pro uses its Light Pro processing, which it describes as the equivalent of an F0.9 lens in brightness, with up to three times the signal-to-noise ratio. That is the maker's claim and we have no figures of our own to confirm it, so judge it on a dark night.

Magnification and field of view. The 4K zooms from 3.5x to 28x, with a field of view of 8.8 by 5.0 degrees, which is about 15.3 by 8.6 metres at 100 metres. The Pro zooms from 4.0x to 24x with 7.2 by 4.0 degrees, about 12.6 by 7 metres at 100 metres. At their lowest setting the 4K shows you a wider scene, which helps you pick up a moving fox. The Pro's minimum focus distance is 3 metres against 10 metres on the 4K, which is useful for close work around buildings.

Rangefinder. Both scopes come with or without a laser rangefinder. The Alpex 4K with the rangefinder is the A50EL. HIKMICRO lists its range as up to 1,000 metres with an accuracy of plus or minus 1 metre. The Pro with the rangefinder is the A50PL, listed at 3 to 1,200 metres, also plus or minus 1 metre. Both calculate a ballistic aim point from the distance and the ammunition data you enter. The versions without a rangefinder, the A50E and the A50P, offer neither. A rangefinder reading depends on the target. A thin, angled or fur-covered animal gives a weaker return than a post, so always check a reading against what you know of the ground.

Daytime detection. HIKMICRO lists a daytime detection range of 1,000 metres for the 4K and 1,500 metres for the Pro. Treat both as maker figures for detecting an object in good light. They say nothing about identifying a roe deer, a fox or a rabbit and what is behind it. What limits identification is magnification, sensor detail, light and air quality, and those depend on your night, not on the data sheet.

Battery, weight and build. The 4K is listed with 11 hours of continuous running, the Pro with about 7 hours. Both figures are HIKMICRO laboratory results at 25 degrees with the hotspot off, so expect less in a cold winter field. Both use two internal rechargeable cells plus a replaceable 18650 external battery, both are rated IP67 and both mount in standard 30 mm rings. The weights are listed on different bases: 1,080 g for the A50E and 1,176 g for the A50EL without the external battery, 852 g for the A50P and 889 g for the A50PL with it. Even though the Pro's figure includes the external battery and the 4K's does not, the Pro is listed as the lighter scope. On a stalking rifle or a heavy-barrelled air rifle, that is a real difference in balance.

What they share. Both list 64 GB of built-in storage, five zeroing profiles, the same recoil rating, a start-up of about three seconds and operating temperatures from minus 30 to plus 55 degrees. Neither page lists a built-in IR illuminator. HIKMICRO says you add an IR torch of your own and names two accessory torches for the range. That is the point to take away: after dark, on either scope, the torch decides much of the picture. Our guide to VCSEL against LED torches and our guide to IR wavelengths will help you choose one.

Choosing between them. If your priority is night work at moderate range with a good IR torch, the 4K's brighter lens and longer battery life are the strongest cards. If you want something lighter, with a longer rangefinder, a wider focus range and a high-resolution sensor for daytime use, the Pro suits you better. If you are not sure, remember that the smaller Alpex 4K Lite exists too, which HIKMICRO describes as under 500 g. Look through both on a dark evening before you buy.

The Rix Tourer T50 4K. You may see it mentioned beside these two. RIX's own page lists a 3840 x 2160 sensor, a 1920 x 1080 display, a 50 mm F1.2 lens, a built-in laser rangefinder rated to 1,640 yards (about 1,500 metres), a ballistic calculator, IP67 protection and 21700 or 18650 batteries. The page does not state the magnification, frame rate or battery runtime, so we do not compare those. Check RIX's manual for them before you set it against the Alpex scopes.

Which fits UK use. For rats and rabbits with a sub-12 ft-lb air rifle at 15 to 40 yards, neither scope is needed, and their weight is out of proportion to the job. For foxing with an FAC rimfire or centrefire rifle, a digital scope with a rangefinder is useful, provided you identify the animal and check your backstop. Our guide to UK night vision and thermal law covers the rules, and this is not legal advice.