DNT Optics Zulus Problems – ‎ZHD520R Night Vision Scope Review and a Viable Alternative

According to Amazon, more than 300 people bought the DNT Optics Zulus ‎in the past month.

We think that might lead to a few disappointed customers.

So what’s wrong with buying a DNT Optics Zulus ‎ZHD520R?

1. EXCESSIVE MAGNIFICATION
A flaw common to nearly all digital night vision and thermal scopes coming out of China is the magnification range is too high. The DNT Optics Zulus ‎ZHD520R for example: Magnification range is 5-20X. Too much magnification for night hunting.

Why is it too much? Well, firstly, most night hunting, which typically involves varmint hunting, takes place inside of 500 yards. It’s a relatively short-range affair. Secondly, 6X magnification is more than sufficient to shoot accurately out to 800 yards. Thirdly, there’s an inverse relationship between field-of-view and magnification. The greater the magnification, the lower the field-of-view. And field-of-view (FOV) is critical when varminting at night. Without a wide FOV, it’s difficult to acquire the target in the scope. It’s like looking through a soda straw. You can spend 5-10 minutes just acquiring the target in your scope. And by that time, the target has probably relocated. An opportunity missed.

With the DNT Optics Zulus ‎ZHD520R, you have a minimum magnification of 5X. That means even at the lowest magnification possible, your FOV is already going to be too narrow to spot targets quickly.

A scope like this should have an ideal magnification range of 1-8X. To maximize FOV, being able to reduce magnification down to 1X is important.

There’s more though:

2. INACCURATE RANGEFINDING
The rangefinder measurements on the DNT Optics Zulus ‎ZHD520R are inaccurate, and it can’t range past about 250 yards.

3. INACCURATE BALLISTIC CALCULATOR
Another problem common to all of the DNT Optics scopes that claim to have built-in ballistic calculators, is that the calculators don’t take into account shooting angle. So if you’re shooting up an incline, for example, the accuracy just isn’t there to make ethical shots. When queried, DNT Optics has been less than forthcoming about this problem, which, speaking of ethics, is questionable.

As far as we know, every “ballistic calculator” on these digital scopes coming out of China has this problem. None of them take into account shooting angle. That includes all the units that PARD is shipping as well. The lesson here is if you want an accurate ballistics solution, you’ll want to stick with U.S. and European ballistic calculators, like those provided by Applied Ballistics.

THE SOLUTION:
The only reasonably-priced way to get this combination of technologies, meaning night vision with a ballistic solver and rangefinding all put together, as well as decent optics, is to move to something like Sig Sauer’s BDX scopes and rangefinders.

The Sig BDX rangefinders have built-in Applied Ballistics software that can send your specific holdover data to any BDX scope, giving you an illuminated holdover dot where you need to aim.

Then you add a 12mm PARD 1X clip on, and a Sightlok mount. The Sightlok mount will co-witness your rangefinder with your scope, enabling you to range in total darkness.

A POTENTIAL SHOPPING LIST:
– Sig Sauer EASY6-BDX 1-6X scope
– Sig Sauer BDX rangefinder
– Sightlok RF-1 rangefinder mount (needed to co-witness the rangefinder with the scope so you can rangefind in total darkness)
– Digital night vision clip-on that supports 1X
– Thermal monocular spotter that supports 1X
– Infrared illuminator

The above solution is more pieces, more expensive, and more weight, but it ticks all the boxes if reasonably-priced digital night vision with ballistics is the objective. Most importantly, the field-of-view of the 1-6X Sig is about 800% better than the Zulus ‎ZHD520R, making it far easier to spot the target even without a thermal scope.

Have a better solution, or a different opinion? Leave your comments below and we’ll respond promptly!