I really want a thermal scope but budget is a limiting factor. I don't want to short-change myself on specs, but I don't want to overshoot either. Overshooting means longer time-frame to save up for what I want.

I currently have a handheld industrial FLIR unit (i7) that I got pretty cheap used. I can easily spot coyotes at 2-300 yds in cool weather but can't make positive ID (they're just thermal blobs). At 100 yds I can make out head, legs, etc, but still not clearly defined. The specs are listed as a 140x140 sensor with a 29 degree FOV. For me, this level of detection range is "almost good enough". I realize that just about anything will beat this antiquated industrial unit on detection, I just want to make it clear I don't need 1-mile detection range.

The Pulsar XQ50 has a 384x288 sensor and I can't find FOV number to try to get an idea of the pixel-size difference. I'm thinking the XQ50 is going to be around 3-times the clarity right? That seems like plenty for my uses

I just want to make sure I get enough resolution to positively ID coyotes at up to 200 yds (maybe 300 but 200 is probably about my limit for 90% of the shooting I plan to do).

Can I get away with the XQ50?

XQ50 will do fine at with PID of a coyote at 200. FOV is not very high though.

Trail XQ50 will absolutely do that.  My scope cost twice as much and when my buddy brings out his XQ50 I get jealous of his native mag.

What about XQ38? Still PID a coyote at 200?

FWIW, no neighbors even close to me so no chance of a dog coming in unless it's a feral dog running with the coyotes. I just want to make sure I don't mistakenly shoot a bobcat (still protected in IN) or a deer.

I have an XP50 and at that distance I have to watch movements to make sure of PID. You'll probably want the XQ50 or the XP50 for that. I don't know that I'd like an XQ38 for that. The higher native mag of the XQ50 will help you being that it is a 384 unit. The higher resolution of the XP50 will help you because it has lower native mag and needs to be zoomed in at that distance. The XQ38 has both lower native mag and lower resolution which is two non-ideals for that scenario. Someone may come in here and tell me I'm wrong, and that's fine. But I don't think it would be the right tool for that job.

Honestly why not contact Ultimate Night Vision and talk about renting one for a few days. As I understand it the rental costs can be applied to the scope so think of it as a down payment. Or a cheap way to find out you need a better unit!

I will likely do that when the time to buy gets closer. This will probably be a one-time purchase for me so I wanted to make sure the technology on lower-end commercail TWS was mature. I think it's to a point now that it's mature and comes with a good feature-set for the price. Now I'm just trying to figure out the level of technology I need... Like I said, I have an aniquated industrial hand-held, just trying to figure out how that equates to the varios Pulsar offerings.

I realize there are variables that can't be accounted for but how do I relate the approximate resolution of my i7 (based on the specs above) to the resolution of the Pulsars?

I think I can do the math if I know the field of view on the various pulsars but I can't find that info... why is it so hard to find?

I have an XQ38 with base mag of 2.2x and I can ID hogs at 250 no issue. Coyote shouldn't be an problem.

On mobile but FOV easy for me. listed right here under specs  http://www.pulsar-nv.com/products/thermal-imaging-sights-trail/thermal-imaging-sight-trail-xq38-/

I've been trying since before I posted the thread to get to Pulsar's site. Unfortunately, I get an error every time I try, no matter if it's on my phone, my PC, my work computer, they all give me an error... I assumed it was a problem with their site but apparently it's a problem with me.

If it's not too much to ask, can you post up FOV numbers (just for native magnification) on the XQ38, XP38, and XQ50? And for informational purposes for anyone else wondering in the future, you may as well do the XP50 while you're at it (but not for me because I just don't see how the budget can swing that high).