Head-to-Head: Pixfra Pegasus 2 Pro vs HikMicro Stellar

Pixfra Pegasus Pro 2 LRF vs HikMicro Stellar: Which Thermal Riflescope Should You Buy?

Thermal Optics Buying Guide · Last Updated May 2026 · Approx. 9 Min Read

Two respected thermal riflescopes, two very different price tags. Here is the honest, hunter’s-eye breakdown of how the Pixfra Pegasus Pro 2 LRF stacks up against the HikMicro Stellar — on the sensor, on ranging, and on the number that matters at the till.

If you are shopping for a serious thermal riflescope in Australia, two names land on the shortlist quickly: the Pixfra Pegasus Pro 2 LRF and the HikMicro Stellar. Both are capable thermal sights from established manufacturers, both are sold and serviced here in Australia, and both will pick a warm-bodied pig, fox or deer out of total darkness at distances a spotlight could never safely cover.

So how do you actually choose? This guide compares the two the way a hunter makes the decision — thermal sensitivity, built-in ranging, detection distance, build and mounting, warranty, and the price of each model side by side. HikMicro builds a genuinely good scope, and we will say so plainly. But spec the two like-for-like and the Pegasus Pro 2 LRF makes a case that is hard to argue with.

Competitor specifications and Australian pricing are indicative as at May 2026 and will vary between retailers and over time. Comparisons are provided in good faith to illustrate value — confirm current detail with the relevant seller.

Who Makes The Pegasus Pro 2 LRF And The HikMicro Stellar?

The Pixfra Pegasus Pro 2 LRF is Pixfra’s up-market thermal riflescope, built around a conventional 30mm tube and offered in four configurations — the P335-LRF, P635-LRF, P650-LRF and the flagship P650-ILRF. Every one carries an integrated 1,000m laser rangefinder, a ≤15 mK thermal sensor, the PIPS 3.0 image engine, recoil-activated recording and a dual-battery 18650 power system. Pixfra is part of the Dahua group, one of the world’s largest imaging manufacturers.

The HikMicro Stellar range is one of the best-known thermal riflescope families on the market and a deserved benchmark — a tidy, conventional-tube design with a ≤20 mK sensor, available in 384 and 640 sensor resolutions and across 35mm and 50mm lenses. Some HikMicro Stellar models include a laser rangefinder; many do not. It is good kit, and if you already own one you are in capable hands.

The two sit close enough in capability to be genuine rivals — which is exactly why the differences below matter.

What Does NETD Mean And Why Does ≤15 mK Beat ≤20 mK?

The single most important number on a thermal scope spec sheet is NETD — Noise Equivalent Temperature Difference, measured in millikelvin (mK). It describes the smallest temperature difference the sensor can detect. The crucial thing to remember: a lower NETD number is better.

A sensor with a lower NETD pulls finer detail out of a scene and holds the image together when the air is working against you — fog, drizzle, heavy humidity, the warm wash after a hot day. A higher NETD sensor gives up a noisier, softer picture in exactly those conditions.

The Pegasus Pro 2 LRF runs a ≤15 mK sensor. The HikMicro Stellar runs ≤20 mK. That is roughly 25% finer thermal sensitivity in favour of the Pixfra. It will not turn night into day — both are good sensors — but on a marginal night, against a faint signature, the finer sensor is the one still drawing a clean, identifiable edge around the animal. That is the difference between confidence and a guess on the shot.

Does The HikMicro Stellar Have A Laser Rangefinder?

Some HikMicro Stellar models do, and many do not — the LRF-equipped variants such as the SQ35L LRF and SQ50L LRF carry rangefinders, but at a flagship-tier price. The closest Stellar to the entry-level Pegasus, the SH35, has no rangefinder at all and still costs $3,499. To buy a Stellar that ranges for you, you are stepping up to the SQ35L LRF at $5,799.

A thermal scope’s first job is to find the animal. Its second — and the one that decides whether the shot is clean — is to tell you how far away it is. In the dark, distance is the hardest thing to judge by eye. A fox at 180m and a fox at 320m can look almost identical through a scope, and a misjudged range is where clean shots become misses or, worse, wounded animals.

This is where the Pegasus Pro 2 LRF separates itself. Every single configuration — right down to the $2,890 P335-LRF — has a 1,000m laser rangefinder built in, feeding onboard ballistic calculation. You range the animal in an instant, the scope helps turn that distance into an aiming solution, and you never lower the rifle. For a lot of hunters, that single fact decides the comparison.

How Far Can Each Thermal Scope Detect Game?

Here the two are evenly matched, and it is only fair to say so. Thermal detection range is set largely by the objective lens, and class for class the figures line up: on a 35mm lens both reach around 1,800m detection, and on a 50mm lens both reach around 2,600m. Detection range refers to picking up a large heat source under favourable conditions — it is a long way beyond any responsible shooting distance, but it tells you how early you will spot game.

So on raw reach, call it a draw. The Pegasus Pro 2’s advantage is that it pairs that same reach with a finer sensor and a rangefinder that tells you the actual distance once you have spotted something.

How Do The Pegasus Pro 2 LRF And HikMicro Stellar Compare On Price?

This is where the comparison stops being close. Below, each Pegasus Pro 2 LRF configuration is matched against the nearest HikMicro Stellar in the same sensor and lens class.

Competitor models and pricing are indicative Australian retail at the time of writing and will vary between retailers and over time — confirm current detail with the relevant seller. Comparisons are provided in good faith to illustrate value.

The pattern is consistent right across the range. The Pegasus Pro 2 LRF is the cheaper scope in every class — and it is also the one with the finer sensor and the integrated rangefinder. At the entry level you save $609 and gain a rangefinder the Stellar SH35 simply does not have. Step up to the 640 sensor class and the saving stretches to nearly $2,000.

How Are The Pegasus Pro 2 LRF And HikMicro Stellar Built?

Both scopes are built for the job. The Pegasus Pro 2 LRF uses a full-metal body, an IP67 weather seal and a 1,000g shock rating, so it shrugs off heavy-calibre recoil and a wet night out. It is built around a conventional 30mm main tube, which means it drops into any quality set of standard 30mm rings — no proprietary mount, no adaptor. The HikMicro Stellar also mounts conventionally, so neither scope leaves you hunting for special hardware.

For power, the Pegasus Pro 2 runs a dual-battery 18650 system — a rechargeable internal cell plus a replaceable, rechargeable external cell — good for around 9 to 10 hours, enough to see out the longest night. The internal cell charges over USB Type-C, and a charged spare in your pocket is cheap insurance. Add WiFi, 64GB of onboard storage, recoil-activated recording, picture-in-picture zoom and six colour palettes, and the Pegasus Pro 2 is a genuinely complete thermal sight.

Is The Pegasus Pro 2 LRF Warranted In Australia?

Yes. A thermal scope is a real investment, so warranty matters. Every Pixfra Pegasus Pro 2 LRF comes with Pixfra’s manufacturer warranty — 3 years on the internal components and housing, and 1 year on the rechargeable battery.

Just as important is who stands behind it. The Pegasus Pro 2 is distributed and serviced in Australia by C.R. Kennedy, a long-established, family-owned Australian company, and Gun Bar is a Pixfra Pro Stockist. If anything ever needs attention, it is assessed and repaired here in the country — not shipped overseas with you left waiting. That local backing is part of the value, and it is worth weighing alongside the spec sheet.

Which Thermal Riflescope Should You Buy In 2026?

HikMicro makes a quality thermal riflescope, and the Stellar has earned its reputation. If you already shoot one, there is no reason to feel short-changed. But if you are choosing today, with your own money, the comparison is clear.

The Pixfra Pegasus Pro 2 LRF gives you a finer ≤15 mK sensor, a 1,000m laser rangefinder with ballistic calculation as standard on every model, matched detection range, a conventional 30mm mount and genuine local C.R. Kennedy warranty support — for somewhere between $600 and $2,000 less than the equivalent HikMicro Stellar. It is more scope for less money, and that is why it is our pick.

Frequently Asked Questions

Still weighing your options? Read our companion guides — Pixfra Pegasus Pro 2 LRF vs Nocpix Ace and vs Pulsar Thermion 2 — or call the Gun Bar team on 1800 GUNBAR, real advice from real hunters, not a call centre.