During the last Big 3 Media Event in Daytona Florida, I was introduced to a mini thermal imager made by Torrey Pines Logic. While it may look like a mini red-dot sight, the Torrey Pines T12-M is actually a combination of a small thermal camera and a 1-inch digital color display. Together with its all metal housing and the solid state electronic internals, the Torrey Pines Logic T12-M is made to withstand recoil and rough handling.

My review sample comes with a QD mount, which is essential for using it on a weapon. The T12-M has just two buttons for its control. I found it easy for turning on the sight and change between the display modes. However, the control needs more buttons to adjust the reticle or change some of the internal settings.

The front of the T12-M is taken up mainly by the battery compartment and the mini thermal camera. The T12-M uses a CR123 lithium battery for about 8+ hours of run time. There’s a user configurable sleep mode that helps to conserve battery power. The thermal camera has a very wide 50-degree field of view (FOV). Torrey Pines Logic does offer longer range models with 60m (T12-N), 100m (T12-W) and 150m (T12-V) effective range.

The view from the T12-M’s 1-inch display in the color mode. The display resolution is only 80×60 pixel but it’s usable. Torrey Pines Logic told me that the 1-inch screen is rated for high recoil application and the whole T12-M is designed to be work mounted on a pistol slide.

Switched to the “white hot” display mode. The monochrome view gives it a better display of heat radiating subjects to the black background. The T12-M is the wide field of view model offered by Torrey Pines Logic. Its 50-degree FOV is good for close-up but the detection range is limited to only 30 meters.

The NV Green simulation mode. It’s very close to the White-hot mode but it’s in green color. I didn’t find the built-in reticle, which is user changeable, to be very useful for using it as a gun mounted optic for rifle or carbine. The adjustment is not very precise and with only two buttons in the control, it’s a lot of multi-clicks for just a simple adjustment. The display reticle also doesn’t seem to be parallax corrected.

A better method of using the T12-M was shown to me, which is putting it in front of a red-dot sight on a rifle. The QD mount on the T12-M really allow it to be mounted or removed with ease.

Due to the sight height of T12-M, which is too short for lower 1/3 co-witness on an AR rifle, I had to pair it with the only absolute co-witness red-dot sight that I have. Even then it still is not a perfect height match but it to be usable.

Torrey Pines Logic T12-M mini Thermal Imager Specification:
Effective Range: 30+ meters
Refresh Rate: 30 Hz
Field of View: 50 degree
Display size: 1 inch
Display Resolution: 80×60 pixel full color
Size: 2-in x 1.8-in x 1.5-in
Weight: 3.43 oz w/o battery
Power: 1x CR123 Lithium battery
Battery Life: 8+ hours
MSRP: $699