Thermal scope review
HIKMICRO Stellar 4.0 Review: SQ50L, SQ50LR, SX75L and SX75LR Explained for Australian Hunters
HIKMICRO's Stellar 4.0 comes in four models, but you're really making two choices. The first is the picture: the Stellar 4.0 SQ50L uses a 640×512 sensor behind a 50 mm lens, and the Stellar 4.0 SX75L steps up to 1280×1024 behind a 75 mm lens. The second is the mount. The L versions sit in ordinary 30 mm rings, and the LR versions are rail-mount models that fit onto a rail instead.
For fox and pig shooting on farmland, with most shots inside about 250 m, we'd start with the SQ50L. The SX75L earns its extra cost in open country, where you need to tell what an animal is at long range. Go for the LR version of either only if you specifically want to mount on a rail rather than in rings.
Four models, two decisions
The range lines up neatly, and the diagram below shows how. The SQ models use the 640×512 sensor with a 50 mm lens, and the SX models use the 1280×1024 sensor with a 75 mm lens. All four carry a built-in laser rangefinder, and the models ending in R are the rail-mounting versions.
Across each row of that grid, the sensor, lens and rangefinder are the same. The LR is the rail-mounting version of the same scope, so it fits onto a rail rather than sitting in 30 mm rings.
If your rifle wears a Picatinny or Weaver base, the L version in a pair of 30 mm rings is the simple route. Our guide to choosing between Weaver, Picatinny and dovetail rails will help you work out what you've got.
Stellar 4.0 specifications
Here are the key specs for the range. The L and LR versions share a column, because only the mount differs.
| Spec | SQ50L / SQ50LR | SX75L / SX75LR |
|---|---|---|
| Thermal sensor | 640×512 | 1280×1024 |
| NETD | 12 mK | 12 mK |
| Lens | 50 mm F1.0 | 75 mm F1.2 |
| Base magnification | 3.5× | 3.0× |
| Rated detection range | 2,600 m | 3,600 m |
| Laser rangefinder | Up to 1,200 m | Up to 1,200 m, built into the objective lens |
| Ballistic calculation | Yes | Yes |
| Eye relief / exit pupil | 55 mm / 8 mm | 55 mm / 8 mm |
| Image processing | Image Pro 4.0, Intelligent Zoom, HSIS, SYNC PRO | Image Pro 4.0, Intelligent Zoom, HSIS, SYNC PRO |
| Mount | L: 30 mm tube · LR: rail mount | L: 30 mm tube · LR: rail mount |
Detection range is the furthest distance at which a warm target first shows up as a few pixels. Telling what that target is happens much closer in, so treat these figures as a way to compare the two models rather than a shooting distance. We work out real recognition distances for foxes, pigs and deer in how far the Stellar 4.0 can identify a fox, pig or deer.
Key 4.0 features, and what you'd notice
Most of the Stellar 4.0's key features are about how cleanly the scope draws the picture and how easily you can range and shoot with it. The diagram below lists each one with what it means at night.
NETD is the smallest temperature difference the sensor can separate, and the Stellar 4.0 is rated at 12 mK. You'd see the benefit on humid summer nights and after rain, when grass, dirt and animal sit close to the same temperature and the picture loses contrast. Lab figures shift with the lens and the test conditions, so compare scopes measured the same way. At 12 mK the Stellar 4.0 sits at the sensitive end of hunting thermals, many of which quote 15 to 40 mK. We cover the measurement in more depth in how NETD affects the thermal picture.
Many thermals freeze the picture for a moment every so often while they recalibrate. HSIS is HIKMICRO's fix for that: the view stays continuous, so you keep watching the animal instead of a paused frame.
The laser rangefinder is rated up to 1,200 m on all four models. On the SX75L and SX75LR, HIKMICRO builds the rangefinder module into the objective lens itself, which it calls LRF Inside Lens. That top figure applies to large, reflective targets. A fox in long grass will range shorter, though still far past any sensible shooting distance. HIKMICRO pairs the rangefinder with ballistic calculation, so the distance you measure feeds straight into your aiming correction.
Eye relief is 55 mm with an 8 mm exit pupil, which gives you more freedom in where your head and eye sit behind the scope, and a little more room on heavier calibres. Image Pro 4.0 handles the processing, and Intelligent Zoom adds AI-enhanced clarity as you zoom in. The sensor still sets the limit on real detail, so treat high magnification as a way to look closer at what's already there. Magnification is adjusted from the rear of the scope, much like turning the power ring on a day scope.
SQ50L or SX75L: the decision that matters
This choice comes down to how far away your animals usually are. The SX75L's 1280×1024 sensor has four times the pixels of the SQ50L's 640×512, and it sits behind a longer 75 mm lens. HIKMICRO rates it to detect at 3,600 m against 2,600 m for the SQ50L, close to 40% further. By our estimate from those ratings, you can expect the SX75L to put a name to an animal roughly that much further out too.
The SX75L carries real costs. It's the more expensive scope by a wide margin, it's rated for up to 7 hours of battery life, and its F1.2 lens lets slightly less light reach the sensor than the SQ50L's F1.0. In thick timber, where most shots come inside 150 m, the extra reach rarely changes the outcome. We go through the trade-off in detail in SQ50L vs SX75L: is the 1280 sensor worth the step up.
L or LR: rings or rail
For most hunters, the L is the better buy. Thirty-millimetre rings are easy to find in every height, and they suit the Picatinny and Weaver bases most Australian rifles wear. The LR is for shooters who specifically want to mount the scope on a rail rather than in rings. Rail systems vary from one maker to the next, so tell us what your rifle is set up with and we'll confirm the LR suits it before you order. Our guide to choosing between the Stellar 4.0 L and LR shows how each version attaches to your rifle.
Which Stellar 4.0 we'd buy
For fox and pig shooting on farmland, with most shots inside about 250 m, we'd pick the Stellar 4.0 SQ50L. The 640 sensor, 12 mK NETD and 1,200 m rangefinder cover that work comfortably. Step up to the Stellar 4.0 SX75L if you control pests professionally or shoot open plains where you need to call animals at long range. The flowchart below runs through both decisions.
The catch with the SQ50L is reach. Across big open country its 640 sensor runs out of detail sooner than the SX75L's 1280, so if most of your shooting happens on the plains, you'll feel that limit.
If your budget sits well below the SQ50L, or you mostly hunt thick timber at close range, the Stellar 3.0 line is worth a look. The Stellar 3.0 SQ50L uses the same 640 sensor and 50 mm lens, and the 35 mm SQ35L 3.0 gives a wider view for close country. You can also compare other options in our guide to thermal scopes with rangefinders, from budget to premium.
Stellar 4.0 was released on 27 October 2026. Contact us to check availability for the model you want.
See the Stellar 4.0 range
Check the current price and availability on each product page.
Stellar 4.0 SQ50L Stellar 4.0 SQ50LR Stellar 4.0 SX75L Stellar 4.0 SX75LRHIKMICRO Stellar 4.0 FAQ
When was the HIKMICRO Stellar 4.0 released?
HIKMICRO launched the Stellar 4.0 range on 27 October 2026. Xhunter carries four models: the SQ50L, SQ50LR, SX75L and SX75LR. All four use HIKMICRO's Image Pro 4.0 processing and a laser rangefinder rated up to 1,200 m. As a brand-new release, contact us to check availability for the model you want, and check the current price on each product page.
What's the difference between the Stellar 4.0 SQ and SX models?
The HIKMICRO Stellar 4.0 SQ models use a 640×512 sensor with a 50 mm F1.0 lens, 3.5× base magnification and a 2,600 m rated detection range. The SX models step up to a 1280×1024 sensor with a 75 mm F1.2 lens, 3.0× base magnification and a 3,600 m rated detection range. Choose SQ for most farmland shooting and SX for long-range work in open country.
Do all Stellar 4.0 models have a laser rangefinder?
Yes. All four HIKMICRO Stellar 4.0 models we carry have a laser rangefinder rated up to 1,200 m. On the SX75L and SX75LR, the rangefinder module is built into the objective lens, which HIKMICRO calls LRF Inside Lens. The maximum applies to large, reflective targets, so a fox or pig in grass will range shorter, though still well beyond normal shooting distances.
Which Stellar 4.0 is best for fox shooting?
For most fox shooting on farmland, we'd pick the HIKMICRO Stellar 4.0 SQ50L. Its 640 sensor, 12 mK NETD and 1,200 m rangefinder suit shots inside about 250 m, which covers most fox work. Choose the Stellar 4.0 SX75L if you regularly need to call foxes at long range across open paddocks, where its 1280 sensor and 75 mm lens reach further.
Is the Stellar 4.0 SX75L worth it for pigs and deer?
It is if you hunt open country at long range. The HIKMICRO Stellar 4.0 SX75L has four times the pixels of the SQ50L and a 3,600 m detection rating against 2,600 m, so pigs and deer stay identifiable further out. Inside about 250 m, or in timber, the SQ50L handles pigs and deer well for less money.
Does the Stellar 4.0 have a ballistic calculator?
Yes. HIKMICRO pairs the Stellar 4.0's built-in laser rangefinder, rated up to 1,200 m, with ballistic calculation, so the distance you measure feeds into your aiming correction. That helps most on longer shots and in haze or changing weather. Confirm your point of impact at known distances on the range before relying on it in the field.
What is HSIS on the HIKMICRO Stellar 4.0?
HSIS is HIKMICRO's system for keeping the thermal picture continuous. Many thermal scopes freeze the image for a moment every so often while they recalibrate; HSIS keeps observation running without those calibration freezes. On the HIKMICRO Stellar 4.0, that means you keep watching the animal while you wait for it to step clear or turn side-on.
What is the eye relief on the Stellar 4.0?
The HIKMICRO Stellar 4.0 has 55 mm of eye relief and an 8 mm exit pupil. Together they give you more freedom in where your head and eye sit behind the scope, which makes it quicker to settle into a full picture. The extra eye relief also gives your brow more room on heavier calibres. Set the scope's fore-aft position before tightening the rings.
Is 12 mK NETD good for a thermal scope?
Yes. The HIKMICRO Stellar 4.0's 12 mK NETD puts it at the sensitive end of hunting thermals, many of which quote 15 to 40 mK. A lower number means a cleaner, more contrasty picture on humid nights or after rain, when animal and background sit close in temperature. Compare figures measured under the same conditions, as lens and test setup affect the result.
Can I mount the Stellar 4.0 with 30 mm rings?
Yes, if you choose an L model. The HIKMICRO Stellar 4.0 SQ50L and SX75L have a 30 mm tube, so standard 30 mm rings on a Picatinny or Weaver base will fit. The SQ50LR and SX75LR are rail-mounting versions that fit onto a rail instead of rings. Tell us your rifle's setup and we'll help you match rings or confirm rail fit.
What does Intelligent Zoom do on the Stellar 4.0?
Intelligent Zoom is HIKMICRO's AI-enhanced zoom on the Stellar 4.0. Working with Image Pro 4.0 processing, it aims to keep the picture clearer as you increase magnification. The sensor still sets how much real detail is available, so zooming helps you look closer at an animal you've already found, while the base magnification stays best for scanning.
This guide is based on HIKMICRO's Stellar 4.0 launch information from October 2026 and specifications confirmed by Australian retailers.