Nocpix Quest H50R - HARD TO BEAT!

Just to get it off my chest, the Quest is, like its competitors, a biocular and not technically a binocular, as although you see the internal screen image with both eyes, all the image data is collected from a single sensor within the right tube. Not that it matters, the concept of this unit is that it adopts the familiar ergonomics of the daylight tool we have used to observe nature for over a century, with all the ergonomic benefits and few drawbacks.

Handling
A lot of binoculars first strike you as a little bulky, but the Quest is far from that, with 50mm objective lenses, and the instant I held them, I immediately liked the ergonomics. The right tube carries the sensor, and the left carries the laser rangefinder, and I presume the electronics are distributed evenly within. The body is rubber-armoured and grippy, with a low 700g weight without the additional battery.
Each eyecup has +/- 5 dioptre focus compensation, and there are fold-up asymmetric eyecups to prevent external light disturbance. Each eyecup will slide laterally to alter the interpupillary distance to suit your face, and the rubber collars are easily gripped, with firm resistance to unwanted movement after positioning.

Lighten up
There is a central sensor which turns the internal screen off when the Quest is taken away from your face. This saves battery and prevents the ghostly illumination of your face when the unit hangs around your neck.
The central bridge carries two dials: the larger black one towards the front controls image focus, while the rearward grey dial adjusts magnification. The base optical magnification is 3x, with 8x digital zoom to extend up to 24x overall.

Function control
There are four rubberised buttons split into two pairs on either side of the Quest. The front left button is grey, and a three-second hold turns the unit on; the image display arrives five seconds later. Subsequent short presses switch off the screen if desired, and a long hold shuts the unit off completely. The left rear button initiates the menu structure, and a short press enables seven colour palette options via the right-side up/down buttons.
Picture-in-picture can be enabled, and there are also ten levels of adjustable brightness, image detail, and contrast. Brightness also offers an automatic mode, but I stayed away from this, as I prefer manual continuity from situation to situation.

Multi-level menus
A longer hold on the left-side menu button sends you deeper into the secondary setup menu, allowing you to experiment with other image features. The rangefinder can be set up in metres or yards, and you can choose automatic or manual screen calibration. As expected, you can adjust the time and date, switch Wi-Fi on or off, activate ultra-clear mode, and modify the image hue to fine-tune the display to your preference. I just switched it all on, as firmware manipulation is always in operation at some point to boost the image quality, whether chosen or not, so you may as well use them all. The firmware has been updated since I received the unit, but it’s virtually impossible to objectively compare changes before and after on any unit, so I tend to trust their view of how the device is evolving in capability, especially in an era increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.

Power options
The buttons on the right side are up/down within the menus, as described, but without the menu activated, the front one controls the laser rangefinder, which is emitted from the left tube. The rear button takes photos with a short press, and a three-second hold activates video/sound recording. You can also take still photos while the unit is recording video, and there’s 64GB of internal storage. The Quest has Wi-Fi, so you can transfer to a phone for later use and stream in real time if you want other people to see what’s happening.
Nocpix delivers the Quest with a Cordura carry case that doubles as a chest rig with an over-shoulder harness. If you prefer – and I do – there is also an objective lens cover and neoprene neck strap supplied. Nocpix also supplies a cleaning cloth, USB-C charge/data cable, and two 18650 batteries with an appropriate charger. The unit has an inbuilt 4200mAh battery, which is charged via the left-side USB port/cable. The battery life is rated at six hours, although it’s not clearly explained under which usage conditions. That said, I had no issues during a four-hour outing that involved extensive video recording and rangefinder use in scan mode, which typically consumes more power. The internal screen provides accurate power level readings.

Plenty of processing power
There is an image stabilisation function in the third and deepest menu. I tried it but decided against using it, as I prefer to keep some things as natural as possible. This brings me to the Quest’s main attribute: physical stability.
As electronic hunting devices get more complicated with additional features, they can get a little cramped up with buttons. This further worsens as it becomes hard to actually hold the tiny device stable for a steady image. The Quest is superb because the twin eyepieces lock the unit more securely in position against your face and orbital sockets, so the ocular lenses don’t drift around as much relative to your eyes, and you retain far superior screen clarity without ever chasing focus. Also, having two hands on the unit enables a more relaxed grip without impinging on control buttons, and when you do want to access the controls, it’s far easier to operate the correct button with just a finger reach. In addition, the buttons are soft-touch and can be operated while wearing gloves. They provide clear tactile feedback without making clicking noises that interfere with recorded footage. Heavy buttons and an unstable grip can affect recording; if the unit jerks when pressed, you end up having to move your whole hand rather than just a fingertip. Credit to Nocpix for avoiding this issue.

Inherently usable
The menu layout is logical and easy to navigate, with a sensible separation of the three detail levels based on how frequently they are likely to be needed. I also appreciate that the unit never crashed electronically and that you can review footage on the internal screen, which has sufficient resolution to assess the quality of the recordings before downloading.
The rangefinder works quickly, but remember not to obscure the left lens. I was using the Quest from a vehicle and could see perfectly well, but could not use the rangefinder, until I realised the left tube’s line of sight was blocked by the doorframe. This was a simple mistake, but just be aware that you are looking with the right lens and measuring with the left.

Immediate control
I think the focus and magnification dials are superb, fast, and intuitive. Yes, the Quest will pixelate at high digital magnification, as any unit does, but switching between low and high magnification is so fast it never becomes frustrating, and, importantly, you don’t end up making accidental button presses or jolting the unit.
The compact size and shape of the unit allow it to sit flat against your chest. I chose not to use the harness assembly, as they don’t appeal to me, but the one supplied is of high quality and includes an additional pouch for a lens cleaning cloth. It has also been designed with both security and modularity in mind, allowing you to easily swap the QR clips on either option to switch between setups.
The batteries can be swapped over without shutting the unit down. Two are supplied with the charger, and they don’t even need to be inserted the right way round, as the Quest can accept either polarity.
Finally, the colour palette includes white-hot, black-hot, and red-hot, which are the most commonly used and my personal favourites. The Quest also offers colour, crimson, viridian and violet, although I suspect few people ever use these. In the end, they’re just programming options rather than anything technically significant. They sound impressive, but are they truly useful?

A visually relaxed environment
White-hot gives the greatest situational awareness, black-hot provides great topography texture and seems to be the most relaxing for long scans, and red really makes the quarry stand out clearly. The unit gave perfect detection well out to 1,000m.
Identification is always at the user’s discretion; however, as ever, the ability to observe behaviour undetected is where thermal technology excels, and experience truly matters. I could clearly make out a fox’s tail beyond 300m in open ground, as well as the velvet-covered antlers of bucks at around 150m. The longer ears of hares were easier to distinguish in red-hot mode, but once again, their movement immediately sets them apart from rabbits.
While watching a buck at 110m, I appreciated the depth of field, as closer quarry was still smoothly rendered by the 60Hz refresh rate. At all ranges, the image demonstrated exceptional fluidity on both hot and temperate objects, all presented with visually relaxed and inviting detail. This is my warmest compliment for any optical tool, and I have to say, in terms of value for money and ergonomics (for which I am known to be very critical), the Quest is hard to beat. Overall, I found the unit to be a genuine pleasure to use, without any concerns. So, recommended by Picky Parkin!