Liemke Merlin-13 Clip-On Thermal Imaging

2. Recognition range is that range at which the observer can identify the target type, for example, animal, vehicle, machinery, or human etc. Again, and not to be redundant, you do not engage a target at the recognition range.

3. Identification range is that range which leaves no doubt that you’re targeting a game animal. These ranges are not cast in stone, they’re impacted by environmental conditions, for example temperature gradient. The two pictures below, taken through the Merlin 13, illustrate the effects of temperature gradient. Above is a thermal image of an empty coffee cup at room temperature; taken at a range of 10 yards.

I want to thank LIEMKE for the opportunity to review the MERLIN 13, the company’s newest offering and one they describe as an entry level thermal camera for the hunting community. The Merlin 13 is the lightest and most compact clip on thermal I’ve had an opportunity to handle, and as feature rich as some of the pricier offering, but before getting into the specifics I’ll touch on some important thermal imaging points.

By: Sal Palma

There are three important specifics to understand about your thermal imaging device: 1. Detection Range, is that range at which you know something is out there. Note that detectionrangewillvarywithtarget size and temperature gradient. The larger the temperature spread between the target and its surroundings, the better image you’ll have. However, under no circumstances should you engage a target at the detection range because you have no idea what your target is.

LIEMKE MERLIN 13 CLIP-ON THERMAL IMAGING

Thermalimagersdon’tdetect temperature,they detect the infrared emissions that come from heat sources, and thermal imaging won’t let you see through walls or glass, but they are very effective in either daylight or the dead of night.

The Merlin 13 was designed for the hunter and can be used as a clip on device. The unit ships with a thread adapter to provide an attachment point for the appropriate size SMARTCLIP. The SMARTCLIP clamps on to your preferred hunting optic. Liemke offers SMARTCLIP adapters in an array of diameters to fit your optic.

The imagebelow,istheexact sameemptycoffee cup after being warmed in the microwave for 30 seconds. Notice how well defined the thermal image

The MERLIN 13 has a 13mm objective lens which gives it a whopping 24m at 100m (79 feet at 100 meters). The Merlin 13 is very versatile and can be used as amonocularor asa clip on thermal imager.Its OLED display is sharp with a resolution of 1024 X 768. Display brightness is adjustable in three steps low, medium and high. The Merlin 13 is limited to 1X magnification when used as a monocular; however, when used as a clip on, the rifle’s magnified optic provides image Themagnification.Merlin13 is the most compact and light thermal imager on the market, coming in at approximately 5 ounces without a battery and with an overall length of 3.1 inches. It is extremely small and light; easily fitting in your coat pocket.

Anotheris.point

Installing the Merlin 13 as a clip on is straightforward. InstalltheSMARTCLIPoveryour objective lens and adjust it so that the clamp provides a snug and secure fit. Once adjusted, remove the SMARTCLIP and thread it to the MERLIN’s adapter.

worth reinforcing is that smaller objective lenses provide a wider field of view but shorter detection ranges, all other things being equal.

Publications. All

Reserved.

therefore, it’s necessary to adjust the thermal overlay so it precisely coincides with the optical image as shown below.

On the Merlin 13, this is accomplished by performing an image movement procedure. The process ensures that you’re on target with the clip on installed and subsequently able to remove the clip on without having to re zero your magnified optic.

You accessthe image adjustment by pressing the Power and Mode buttons concurrently. The screen changes to display X/Y coordinates. Your first press allows only Y axis adjustment. To adjust the image along the X axis you’ll need to press the Power and Mode buttons once more After you’ve completed the adjustment, press and hold the Power and Mode buttons to save the settings. You’ll see a saved indication displayed.

You’re now ready to attach it to your optic. A very nice feature on the SMARTCLIP is its lined cup, so you won’t scratch your optic.

The SMARTCLIP is very well made and provides a rock solid attachment that won’t work its way loose under recoil. When usingathermalclip on,you’reguaranteed to have disagreement between your optical image, which is what you zero your rifle to, and its thermal overlay, which is what you see when the clip on is installed;

Once you’ve performed the image adjustment and saved it, you won’t need to repeat the procedure every time you remove and reinstall the clip on, it holds zero the Merlin 13 is now ready to go to work.

The image above was taken at 2.5X. The Merlin 13 has four color palettes available: white hot, black hot, red and rainbow. Selecting color palettes is done by pressing the mode button then toggling through the options using the P button. Your screen will display the palette icon as you toggle through the options.

• Display brightness (low, medium, and high)

The image above is of an icepack target as seen through the magnified optic, using a white hot palette I had to digiscope it with a smart device, and any blurriness is attributed to the smart device and its autofocus; however, looking through the scope, the image is clear and sharp.

• Shutter focus (automatic or manual)

Liemke describes the Merlin 13 as a 50 75 meter Identification range imager, this is a conservative position, I would feel comfortable firing on a target that I can positively identify as an animal up to 100 to 150 meters. Again, I want to reinforce that temperature gradient is key to any of these ranges.

Although Liemke specs the Merlin 13’s detection range as 670 meters, its identification range maxed out for me at about 150 yards given existing conditions Keep in mind that these ranges are not cast in stone and they will vary with target size and temperature gradient. If you’re target is a hog on snow covered ground, you’ll see a much different image than if the hog is in brush in a desert.

• Battery level indicator

I also ran through the full range of my optic’s magnification and found that 3X to 4X is about the maximum that still provides an excellent image.

• Color palette (4 choices)

Liemke uses 4 icons along the bottom of the display to provide a very intuitive user interface for configuring the imager: from left to right

Publications. All

The Merlin 13 is powered by a 3.7 V CR123, the voltage is critically important. I scoured the internet looking for a 3.7V CR123 that was not a rechargeable battery without success. My recommendation is that you avoid Chinese made rechargeable lithium batteries, you’ll want to use a battery that is overload protected on both charge and discharge sides. Orbtronic, made by Panasonic in Japan, is an excellent choice. Note: these batteries are not interchangeable, nor can they becomingled with the 3V CR123A. Use 3.7V CR123 batteries only in devices rated for 3.7V. You can expect about 3 hours of runtime on these batteries. I say this reluctantly, but in a pinch, the Merlin 13 will also run on a standard 3V CR123A for about one hour or slightly less and at reduced performance. The display will present a low battery indication even with a fresh 3V CR123A installedThe3.7V battery will display a brighter, sharper image, and registers a full battery indication as show below. If you’renotfondofusingrechargeablebatteries in your expensive electronics, the Merlin 13 can be powered by an external battery pack via its USB C port. This approach will also provide you with greatly extended runtimes.

AT the range the Merlin 13 performed well it took three image adjustments to get on target. I used a stick on heat pad, available over the counter at Walgreens, as my heat source, which worked out quite well.

Reserved.

helping you bring home the bacon. SP Manufacturer Microbolometerspecifications: • Resolution (pixels) 256 ×192 • Pixel size (μm) 12 • NEDT (mk) ≤ 50 • Frame refresh rate (Hz) 50 Optical Specifications • Objective Lens (mm) 13 • Field of view (degree) 13.5 ×10.1 • Magnification (x) 1× • Detection range (m) | (Target size: 1.7m x 0.5m, P(n)=99%) 675 Display • Type 0.39“ OLED • Resolution (pixels) 1,024 × 768 Operational Specifications • Battery type CR123 (3.7V) ×1 • Power consumption (mW) About 800 • Max. battery life (t = 25°C) | (h) ≤ 3.5 • Operation temperature (°C) 20 ~ +50 • IP Rating IP67 • Dimension (mm) 79 × 52 × 46 • Weight (without battery) | (g) ≤ 140 • USB Type Type C • Eyepiece Interface M30 ×1.0 Note: Severalof theonline retailers have specifications listed for the Merlin 13 that at the time of this writing were incorrect. Manufacturer specifications are available in a multilingual pdf file here

Allmovingrefreshauncooledpixels,whichisatthesmallerendoftheavailablemicrobolometers;yetitstillproducesrespectableimagequality.Theframerateof50Hzalsoworkswellwhenimaginggame.thingsconsidered, Liemke’s Merlin 13 is an excellent accessory for your hunting rifle and one that will pay for

Final Thoughts At a suggested retail price of $1,900 USD, Liemke’s Merlin 13 is an excellent entry point into the world of thermal imaging. To use it as a clip on, you’ll need to spend an additional $200 for the appropriately sized Smartclip. Although intended as a clip on thermal imager, the Merlin 13 is small enough to fit in your coat pocket and be used as a compact 1X monocular. The Merlin 13 sensor is 256 x 192, or 49,152 itself by

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook