AGM Neith DS32-4MP 2.5x-20x Digital Day/Night Scope - First Look

Introducing the new AGM Neith DS32-4MP 2.5x-20x (8x Digital Zoom) Day/Night Scope.
Here are my first impressions after spending the last couple days with it, both Friday night around the house, and after mounting it, and taking it to the range and zeroing it yesterday while we had good weather.
I have messed with other high-end (at the time) thermals and NV scopes in the past that belonged to other people, but this is my first actual personal purchase of anything NV/Thermal related. I'm glad I waited, because technology has REALLY come a long way, and AGM just raised the bar in a HUGE way! This thing only costs $799, and it is the clearest NV I've looked thought, hands-down... Even though it gets a bit grainy on the top-end of the magnification range, it is still noticeably better than the most expensive NV scopes (on their clearest and best settings) that I'd looked through up to about 10 years ago. And it has WAY more menu and reticle options and color options than I've ever seen on one in the past. Up until the last few years, civilian NV/Thermal technology was extremely watered down, and the really good stuff would cost you as much as a new truck. So it was really out of the average person's monetary capabilities.
Just to clear up a couple of things that also confused me at first because I wasn't thinking clearly after a really long week at work. At first I was like WTF is going on, it won't go past 8x! I must be doing something wrong??? 🤷🏼 Then it finally hit me like a ton of bricks... The scope is a 2.5x to 20x magnification scope. But the digital zoom multiplies at 1x, 2x, 4x, and 8x settings. The scope has a base magnification of 2.5x (at 1x digital zoom). Which means you take the base magnification (2.5x) at 1x digital zoom, and multiply every zoom setting by 2.5 to get your actual image magnification.
So, the mathematical breakdown of Digital Zoom Setting vs. Actual Image Magnification is:
1x = 2.5x
2x = 5x
4x = 10x
8x = 20x
Here are the few cons I found after evaluating it:
1.) The only cons I can find (so far) is that I would really like to see the image quality tightened up in the higher magnification ranges for zeroing/sighting-in, especially on a black Shoot-N-See target. I had to use a spotting scope because I couldn't make out the precise location of my shots. But with a good clear high-magnification spotter/binos/scope handy, sighting it in was a breeze.
2.) The factory 18650 batteries they sent with it do not last very long at all, and only last a few hours with the "Smart-IR" feature on, and not putting it in "Standby Mode" in between shot strings.
3.) The Record button needs to be removed from the menu wheel, and recessed into the scope body as an independent button. It should be a Start/Stop record button that is recessed into the body of the scope, so it doesn't accidentally bet bumped and turned on. I set the rifle down on its side and every time I did, it turned on the recording because the button sticks out from the side, and got bumped. I think that part needs to be reevaluated and there should be an independent Record button on the top of the unit away from getting accidentally pushed.
In summation... I am extremely impressed with this unit for the price. There are a couple of things I would like to see tweaked, but overall, if you're wanting to get into the NV game for a really good price, or, you just need something relatively inexpensive for your "truck gun" that you tote around your property or woods, but don't want to drop thousands on a thermal, this would be a great option. And IMO, I haven't seen anything below twice this price that even comes close. AGM really knocked this one out of the park.
I got mine from Midway USA, but there's plenty of other reputable AGM dealers out there, like EuroOptic. I buy from both of them a lot. They're both excellent companies.

[@GrantSeinerOutdoors]

I took a chance and ordered one from southern precision outdoors months ago. I finally got it mounted today on a Thompson Center TC22, B&T .22lr can. Sighted it in with three shots. I went squirrel hunting today on day mode and it was amazing. I love this thing. Unbelievable for the price, Especially with the camera features

[@TroyPosey]

Awesome! Yeah, I’ve been extremely happy with mine, but have been really busy lately, so haven’t had a chance to take it hunting yet…Just zeroing it at the range, and messing around with it at the property.

[@cbbenson5227]

I wish mine looked that good. 100 yard is grainy like your 500 yard zoom.

[@TroyPosey]

I would contact AGM about it, and tell them the issue. As long as it’s under warranty, they shouldn’t have any issues swapping you for a new one.

[@amantedcazeriayrancho2866]

Have you sighted in yet? I’m sending mine back I can’t get it to work right like#3

[@TroyPosey]

Yes, it worked exactly as shown in all the CZcams videos, where you Freeze the image and then adjust the X/Y axis. 👍🏼
My Rattler TS50-640 does, too, after I updated the firmware in it before using it.
Unfortunately, there’s not any firmware updates for the Neith yet, but I hope when they do, they tighten up the image clarity on the top end of the magnification range. At 100 yards trying to zero it precisely, required a good spotting scope to verify shots. On a Shoot-N-C you can see a rough estimate of where you hit, but not precise image. That’s why you need the spotter.
What was not working properly with yours?

[@amantedcazeriayrancho2866]

The one shot zero works great. The second shot was right on the bullseye . I did shoot 10 more rounds and they all hit the bullseye but whenever I moved from my shooting bench to my tripod to standing position the bullet hit 8 inches low from the bullseye the same distance. So when I go back to my shooting bench it go back to the bullseye 🤔

[@TroyPosey]

@@amantedcazeriayrancho2866 Sounds like maybe you were having an inconsistent cheek-weld. I've had some scopes that way. But most of my scopes the reticle stays on target, it hits where the reticle is aimed, even if my head is not 100% centered up. But I do have a couple that are picky like that. I haven't noticed that with my Neith, but I only really shoot from a bench. And if i'm coyote hunting, I'm shooting off a hay bale or tripod so head/neck angle is similar to shooting off the bench.