AGM SIDEWINDER TM 35-640 thermal observation viewer – NETD ≤ 20 mK at a very attractive price

INTRODUCTION

After enthusiastically testing the versatile multi-function STING IR device, I had the opportunity to examine in the field the performance of the AGM SIDEWINDER TM35-640 thermal viewer. This innovative device is equipped with a 640×512-pixel sensor and offers interesting features. Currently available (here in Italy) at a price of €2,846.00 on AGM’s official website, the SIDEWINDER TM35 lived up to expectations during my practical test conducted in December.

Happy viewing and good reading.

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TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS DECLARED BY THE PARENT COMPANY

THE STORY OF AGM GLOBAL VISION

AGM Global Vision, based in Sofia, Bulgaria, is emerging as a major player in the market for thermal and night vision devices. The company enjoys considerable respect from professionals and enthusiasts and has a leading sales position in the United States of America. Their ambitious vision is to distinguish themselves in the industry by developing advanced products that exceed customer expectations. The founders of AGM Global Vision have solid experience in the electro-optics industry, having established and developed several successful companies. These companies are recognized for producing high-quality products for commercial and military users. After years of working as OEMs with major players in the industry, they decided to establish a new company, geared toward a global vision and marketing strategy, with the goal of establishing themselves as leaders in this competitive market.

STANDARD EQUIPMENT

The AGM SIDEWINDER TM35 thermal imaging camera comes with a complete set of accessories to ensure an optimal user experience. Inside the package you will find a battery charger, a USB cable, a power adapter (with both US and EU plugs), two 18650 rechargeable batteries, a lens cleaning cloth, a wrist strap, a carrying case, a detailed user manual, and a protective bag.

THE SIDEWINDER SERIES

The SIDEWINDER series currently includes four models, the series with 384×2800 pixel sensors TM25 and TM35 (which varies according to lens diameter) and the series equipped with a 640×512 sensor (TM35 – TM50). You can view the technical characteristics of these models directly on AGM’s official website.

MECHANICS AND FOCUSING SYSTEM

The AGM SIDEWINDER TM35-640 is wrapped in a sturdy rubber armor that features irregular, raised areas to improve grip. Its ergonomically designed shape allows optimal use even for left-handed people. Made with a lightweight aircraft aluminum hull, my electronic scale estimated a weight, including the battery, of 592 grams. The device is about 19 cm long and is protected by an IP67-certified waterproof armor, ensuring resistance to the elements.

The left side features a large cover that protects the battery from shocks and the elements. The attachment/release system is quick, and the 18650 battery can be pulled out easily thanks to a webbing that allows for quick replacement, even when wearing winter gloves. At the bottom, you’ll find a 1/4-pitch thread for connecting to photo plates or other accessories. A small silicone cover houses the USB-C port, used for data transfer and power via an external battery pack.

The operating temperature of the device is between -30°C and 55°C, ensuring reliable performance in a wide range of environmental conditions. On the top, as usual, are buttons to quickly manage the many functions of the thermal viewer. These four buttons, with their large size and differentiated shapes, offer an excellent shim system that allows their function to be perceived even in total darkness. In the specific section, the specific functions of each button will be detailed.

The focusing system is, as always, integrated into the bell is protected by a rubber ring that has a remarkable grip both because of its composition and because of the large shims that facilitate rotation. The minimum focusing distance I detected is about two meters, and it is sufficient to rotate the travel a quarter turn to reach infinity. The movements are precise, without any play or stumbling, although obviously some force needs to be applied, as the ring is waterproofed and has just the right amount of tension to prevent unwanted movement.

The eyepiece diopter adjustment ring on the AGM SIDEWINDER TM35-640 is remarkable, presenting a collar design with dimensions just smaller than those of the objective lens. This choice has proven particularly effective in use with gloves or in freezing conditions, offering superior manageability compared to the small levers often found on competitive products. In this case, the allowable dioptric adjustment ranges from -5 to +3 diopters, offering significant flexibility to adapt to the user’s specific needs. This feature further contributes to the ergonomics and user-friendliness of the thermal viewer.

OPTICS

The AGM SIDEWINDER TM35-640 is equipped with a Germanium lens with a diameter of 35 mm, featuring an aperture of F/1. This choice represents an excellent compromise between resolving power, size and cost. The lens offers a field of view of 12.5° x 10° and has a native magnification of 2x. It also takes advantage of 4-step digital magnification (1x, 2x, 4x, 8x), allowing the user to reach a maximum of 16 magnifications. This versatility in magnification, combined with high-quality optical features, helps make the SIDEWINDER TM35-640 suitable for a wide range of applications, ensuring excellent performance in various environmental conditions.

EYEPIECE AND DISPLAY

The eyepiece of the AGM SIDEWINDER TM35-640 has an average diameter (18.30 mm) , though not among the largest, which could make it prone to fogging if insufficient care is taken in winter conditions. However, one advantage of digital systems is that they tend to generate more heat than traditional optical instruments, reducing the risk of difficulty in use on colder evenings due to possible fogging given by facial heat. For eyeglass wearers, the lens hood may require pushing the glasses slightly toward the lens to find optimal visual comfort. It is possible, however, to remove the lens hood completely, also allowing adjustment of the wider side area, known in the jargon as the “salami slice,” which provides protection from wind and unwanted light.

The eyepiece reveals the image displayed on a 1024×768 OLED display, with average resolution, bright colors and ample adjustability. The refresh rate is remarkably good, enabling effective handling of fast-moving objects, such as animals. These features help ensure a clear and detailed view even in dynamic conditions.

SENSOR

In the current context of civilian thermal technology, AGM has made the choice to adopt a very high quality sensor for its SIDEWINDER TM35-640. It is a 640×512-pixel VOX sensor with a refresh rate of 50Hz and a NETD value ≤ 20 mk (@25°C), F#=1.0. The sensor wavelength is between 8μm and 14μm. This combination with the 35-mm diameter lens enables the device to achieve a remarkable detection capability of subjects up to 1800 meters away. The thermal sensitivity, resolution, and update rate make the SIDEWINDER TM35-640 an advanced, high-performance choice for thermal observation needs in multiple contexts.

MEMORY

The presence of 64 GB of built-in memory is a notable feature of the AGM SIDEWINDER TM35-640. Video analysis showed that pictures weigh 150 KB on average, while a 90-second video takes up 22 MB on average. This means that users will not quickly saturate the internal storage space. It is important to remember that in order to transfer data, it is necessary to remove the battery and connect the viewer to the computer via the USB-C cable. However, it is also possible to transfer through the dedicated application, offering additional flexibility in managing stored data.

BATTERY

The AGM SIDEWINDER TM35-640 is powered by a replaceable and rechargeable 18650 lithium battery, which provides an operational life of up to 5 hours. This type of battery offers a practical solution to ensure adequate autonomy while using the thermal viewer. During my practical tests, with evening temperatures as low as -3°C and the Wi-Fi function active, it was found that the battery discharges on average every 4 hours, showing a good trade-off between performance and durability. In addition, the device can be externally powered with a 5 VDC/2 A output, with a power consumption of 1.75 W. This power flexibility allows users to extend the use of the thermal viewer, which is particularly useful in prolonged situations or when external power is available. In the extensive scope of supply, moreover, there is a second spare battery that greatly increases your autonomy on the coldest nights.

RAPID OPERATION OF THE THERMAL VIEWER

The AGM SIDEWINDER TM35-640 is distinguished by its rapid activation compared to other instruments in the same price range. After pressing the power button, it takes about 7 seconds for the shutter to activate and subsequent automatic calibration, making the device fully operational in only about 10 seconds.

The user interface is intuitive and user-friendly, with the menu also available in Italian. Below is the original table of key functions, extracted from the multilingual manual, which provides a clear and detailed overview of the thermal viewer’s many features.

USE OF THE BUTTONS

MENU OPTIONS

I report the names of the settings translated into Italian to make it easier for the reader to understand

I MAIN FUNCTIONS

• CONTRAST
  • 10 contrast levels
  • FUNCTION: Adjusts the contrast of the image.
• BRIGHTNESS’
  • 10 brightness levels
  • FUNCTION: Adjusts the brightness of the image.
• IMAGE IMPROVEMENT
  • ON
  • FUNCTION: Turns the image enhancement function on and off.
• SCENE MODE
  • Reconnaissance
  • Jungle
  • FUNCTION: Switch between recognition mode and jungle mode.
• IMAGE CALIB.
  • Auto FFC
  • Manual FFC
  • External
  • FUNCTION: Selects the flat field correction (FFC) mode.
• CVBS
  • ON
  • OFF
  • FUNCTION: Turns CVBS output function on and off to view video on CVBS monitor.
• DPC
  • FEATURE: Manually fix dead pixels.
• AUTO POWER OFF
  • OFF
  • 30 min
  • 45 min
  • FUNCTION: Sets automatic shutdown after a certain period of inactivity.
• UNIT’
  • yard
  • m
  • FUNCTION: Selects the unit of measurement for distance.
• BURNS PROTECTION
  • ON
  • OFF
  • FUNCTION: Activates and deactivates the “burning” prevention function.
• SYMBOL OPTIONS
  • VERSION
    • FUNCTION: Displays the firmware version number and serial number.
  • RESTORE
    • FUNCTION: Reset the device to default values.
  • TONGUE
    • 20 languages
    • FUNCTION: Select the interface language.
• TIME SYNC.
  • Time Format
  • Time
  • Date
  • FUNCTION: Set the time and date.
• OSD
  • ON
  • OFF
  • FUNCTION: Enable or disable OSD.
• AUDIO
  • 0.8m
  • 1.2m
  • 1.8m
  • 3.0m
  • ON
  • OFF
  • FUNCTION: Enable or disable audio and measure target height.
• HOT TRACKING
  • ON
  • OFF
  • FUNCTION: Enable or disable highest temperature tracking.
• NETWORK
  • Hotspot
  • ON
  • OFF
  • FUNCTION: Enable or disable the Wi-Fi hotspot.

The thermal device also allows you to use the following color palettes

The thermal viewer offers precise control over the image through various adjustment features. For example, ten levels are available to choose from. Similarly, brightness adjustment is done through the same procedure in the menu, allowing the image to be adjusted according to the user’s preferences. The Image Boost function, on the other hand, emphasizes image details.

Various display modes

The AGM’s viewer features a “Scene” mode that optimizes the display according to environmental conditions. This mode offers two options: “Recognition” enhances the image to make the outlines of objects more distinct, while “Jungle” is ideal for hunting environments because of its ability to highlight smaller objects. By choosing the desired mode and saving the settings, you can adapt the viewing experience to different conditions without having to mention the specific buttons used for selection.

Automatic and manual calibration

The thermal viewer is equipped with an Image Calibration function (Flat Field Correction – FFC) to correct for non-uniformity in the view. It is possible to switch between FFC correction modes, including Manual, Automatic and External. The Manual mode allows you to manually correct display non-uniformity in real time. Automatic mode performs automatic correction according to a preset schedule when the camera is turned on. Outdoor mode requires you to cover the lens and then hold down the button to correct display non-uniformity.

Other Useful Functions

The SIDEWINDER thermal device offers an advanced function to measure the distance between the observer and the target with fair accuracy. However, to obtain accurate results, it is essential to maintain adequate stability throughout the entire estimation procedure.

To activate this useful function, a series of intuitive steps must be followed. Initially, simply hold down the MENU button, which will bring up the main menu. From here, the user will be able to select the “Measure” option and press the button to access the dedicated setting interface.

Next, it will be possible to further customize the measurement. Using the buttons, you can select the desired target type from options such as Deer, Wolf, Brown Bear and custom. In addition, you can adjust the height of the target by pressing the corresponding buttons, considering that the available height ranges from 0.1 m to 9.9 m.

Once these settings are completed, you confirm it by pressing the dedicated button. To obtain an accurate measurement, you must carefully align the center of the top marker with the top edge of the target and press the button. The same process is repeated by aligning the center of the lower marker with the lower edge of the target.

Finally, the results of measuring the distance and height of the target will be clearly and immediately displayed in the upper left corner of the image. This intuitive procedure allows users to take full advantage of the potential of the SIDEWINDER thermal device to obtain accurate and reliable measurements.

The thermal device can also locate the highest temperature point in the scene and mark it on the display ( HOT TRACKING function).

In addition, you can also record videos with audio and show what you see on the display on an external CVBS monitor

USING THE APP

To get the most out of the thermal viewer, I recommend using the AGM Connect app. You can search for the AGM Connect app in the App Store (for iOS systems) or Google Play TM (for Android systems) and first install the client software on your cell phone. Next, connect your phone to the thermal device access point. For details on connecting the access point, you can refer to section 2.2.19.

The device password is set by the user during initial activation. In case the password is lost or forgotten, you can reset it by following these steps:

Press and hold the MENU button to display the device menu.
Move the cursor to the Restore option and press the button to reset all parameters to default settings.

Once the app has started, connect your phone or tablet to the device. If the device is inactive, set the password and activate it. If the device is activated, enter the password to add it to the app. Once added, you can view the view in real time, adjust image parameters such as brightness, contrast, zoom, and palette directly from your phone or tablet, and record video on the mobile device’s memory.

PRACTICAL FIELD IMPRESSIONS

During the month of December, I had the pleasure of testing the AGM SIDEWINDER TM 35-640 while observing ungulates. Right from the start, the attention and care to detail proffered in the creation of this thermal observation viewer was evident to me. The armor is remarkably sturdy, instilling a feeling of security. The buttons are easily operated even in the dark, and from the very first use, you can accurately and without error use palettes, zoom, and record.

The sensor proved up to the task, delivering excellent image quality thanks to the effective algorithm. Managing the various functions via the menu is easy and intuitive, and changing color palettes is done quickly. As previously mentioned, battery life is more than satisfactory, even during a stressful test with WI-FI on and frequent feature changes.

Regarding my usual test of assessing the instrument’s ability to correctly distinguish morphological differences between a doe and a roe deer, I can confirm that this is possible without any problem at distances between 200 and 250 meters.

The stadiametric distance-measuring system proves to be quite accurate, provided you keep your hand very steady during estimation. It is normal to observe an improvement when the device is mounted on a photographic tripod. As far as comfort is concerned, I particularly appreciated the presence of the hood with increased side edge and the optimal adjustment of the display, which allowed me to adapt it to my needs.

The storage space ranks among the best, and the application is easy to manage, allowing quick and intuitive use. The price seems to me to be adequately in line with the competition, being competitive and justified by the quality and performance offered by the AGM SIDEWINDER TM 35-640 thermal viewer.

PROS AND CONS

Pros:

Excellent price-performance ratio
Rugged and waterproofed
State-of-the-art sensor
Pre-set scene modes
Excellent NETD value ≤ 20 mK
High-quality display
High-performance algorithm
Ability to record audio as well
Satisfactory color palettes
Good battery life
Dedicated app intuitive to use

Cons:

Not as obviously resolving as the model with the 50 mm diameter lens
Absence of the P.i.P. system.

IN SUMMARY

The AGM SIDEWINDER TM 35-640 has proven to be an excellent thermal viewer in several respects: it is robust, functional, offers sharp and contrasty images, and boasts good battery life, as well as a wide range of features. It is configured as an ideal tool for enthusiasts who wish to achieve a high level of performance without having to invest often unreasonable amounts of money for a flagship product. The 35mm format, coupled with the latest 640×512 sensor and a best-in-class NETD value, positions it as an excellent choice even in comparison with fiercer competition.

PRICES

In December 2023,(in Italy) it is currently available at a price of €2,846.00 and can be purchased directly from the official AGM website

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I thank George Radev of AGM Global Vision for providing the specimen subject of this test, leaving me free to quote my personal impressions from the field.

 

DISCLAIMER

“Termicienotturni.it” is an editorial project of Piergiovanni Salimbeni – Independent Journalist. The tested products are not for sale, are returned after viewing and I do not receive any percentage on the eventual sale of the reviewed model. AGM GLOBAL VISION sent me the product for viewing leaving me free to quote my unbiased impressions as is the duty of any journalist. For information on discounts, promotions or anything else you can contact the European distributor, using the following link: