HIKMICRO Alpex 4K Guide: A50E vs A50EL vs Lite vs Alpex Pro A50PL

The HIKMICRO Alpex line is the answer to a question a lot of Australian hunters ask: "I want one scope that works in daylight and after dark — without buying thermal." The Alpex is a digital day/night scope: full-colour 4K through the day, classic black-and-white night vision with an IR torch after sunset, all in a familiar 30 mm tube. This guide explains how the five current models differ — A50E, A50EL, the Lite A40E and A40EL, and the new flagship Alpex Pro A50PL — and which one fits your hunting.

▶ Watch: HIKMICRO Alpex 4K Lite review

▶ Watch: HIKMICRO Alpex LRF IR torch mount setup

Quick answer

All Alpex models are digital day/night scopes that mount in standard 30 mm rings and double as a legal, full-colour day scope. Choose by two questions: do you want the built-in laser rangefinder (the "L" models — A50EL, A40EL, A50PL — add an LRF plus ballistic calculator), and how much scope do you want to carry. The A40E/A40EL Lite (40 mm F2.0, from ~474 g) suits rimfire, airgun and lighter rigs; the A50E/A50EL (50 mm, F1.2–2.5 adjustable aperture, 4K sensor) is the all-round centrefire pick; and the Alpex Pro A50PL steps up to a 12 MP sensor, brighter F1.8 glass, the Light Pro low-light algorithm, a 1200 m rangefinder and an AMOLED display — the most capable digital scope in the line.

How a digital day/night scope works (and how it differs from thermal)

A digital scope uses a CMOS camera sensor behind conventional glass. In daylight it behaves like a video day scope in full colour. At night the sensor switches to a high-sensitivity mode and sees infra-red light from an IR torch — you get a clean black-and-white (or green/yellow tinted) image with enough detail to identify the animal, not just spot it. That identification strength is the trade-off against thermal: a thermal scope finds game instantly in total darkness, but a digital scope at night shows you whiskers, antlers and body condition. Many hunters run both — there's a full comparison in our thermal vs digital night vision vs tube guide.

Two practical notes that catch first-time buyers:

• You need an IR torch at night. The Alpex's published detection figures (800–1500 m) are daytime figures; after dark, reach depends on your illuminator. Torches generally trade brightness for discretion — 850 nm units give a brighter image with a faint red glow at the emitter, while 940 nm units are invisible to game but shorter-reaching. The A50E and A40E ship without a torch, so budget for one (or grab a bundle with the IR kit included).
• It's also your day scope. Because the image is digital, switching day/night is a mode change, not a hardware swap — one zero, one scope, around the clock.

The five current models compared

All five: 30 mm tube, IP67, 1000 g/0.4 ms recoil rating, recoil-activated video with audio, replaceable 18650 external battery, five zeroing profiles with freeze zeroing.

HIKMICRO Alpex 4K LRF: which models have the built-in rangefinder?

If you want ranging built into the scope, look for the "EL" suffix: in HIKMICRO's naming the plain "E" models have no rangefinder, while the "EL" models add a built-in laser rangefinder (LRF). There are two 4K Alpex LRF options in the range — the full-size Alpex 4K A50EL (50 mm objective) and the compact Alpex 4K A40EL Lite (40 mm objective) — both built on the same 3840×2160 4K sensor. The LRF ranges your target in the reticle so you can dial the correct holdover before the shot, which is the main reason to pick an Alpex 4K LRF over the standard A50E or A40E.

Which Alpex should you buy?

• Rabbits, foxes and airgun pest work → A40E Lite (or the A40EL if you want ranging). At roughly 474 g and 28 cm it doesn't unbalance a light rimfire, and the wide 18.7 m field of view makes close, fast shots easier.
• One do-everything centrefire scope → A50E. The 50 mm objective with adjustable F1.2–2.5 aperture pulls in more light at night and stops down for crisp daytime images, magnification runs to 28×, and runtime stretches to 11 hours. Remember the IR torch is not included.
• Same scope, smarter shooting → A50EL. The built-in 1000 m rangefinder (±1 m) feeds the onboard ballistic calculator, which moves your aiming point for the measured distance — a genuine advantage on longer night shots where distance is hard to judge.
• The flagship → Alpex Pro A50PL. The 12 MP sensor holds noticeably more detail under zoom, the F1.8 lens plus Light Pro algorithm lift dusk and low-light performance, the LRF reaches 1200 m with a wind-aware ballistic solver, and the 0.6" AMOLED display is bigger and richer. It's also lighter than the A50EL at 889 g with battery.

Setting an Alpex up right

All Alpex scopes use standard 30 mm rings — pick height the same way you would for a tube thermal (our ring height guide walks through measuring clearance and keeping cheek weld low; note the Alpex's 55 mm eye relief on the 50 mm models). Zero with the freeze-zero function, store up to five rifle profiles, and if you run an IR torch, mount it so the beam tracks your point of aim — HTN stocks windage/elevation torch mounts sized for the Alpex.

FAQ

Is the HIKMICRO Alpex a thermal scope?

No — it's a digital day/night scope. It sees reflected light (including infra-red from a torch) rather than heat, which means full-colour daytime use and detailed night identification, but it won't find game by body heat the way a thermal does.

Do I need an IR torch with the Alpex?

Yes, for night work. Daytime use needs nothing extra. The A50E and A40E don't include a torch; 850 nm illuminators generally give a brighter image while 940 nm ones are invisible to game but shorter-reaching.

What's the difference between the A50EL and the Alpex Pro A50PL?

The Pro moves from a 4K (3840×2160) to a 12 MP (4512×2512) sensor, swaps the F1.2–2.5 lens for a brighter fixed F1.8 with the Light Pro low-light algorithm, extends the rangefinder from 1000 m to 1200 m, adds wind inputs to the ballistic calculator, and upgrades to a 0.6-inch AMOLED display — while shaving roughly 290 g.

Can I use an Alpex as my only scope?

That's its main appeal: it's a genuine full-colour day scope and a night scope in one, with one zero. Hunters who mainly shoot at night over longer ranges, or who need to detect game in total darkness, should weigh a thermal — see our HIKMICRO thermal guide.

Related: shop all HIKMICRO · best night vision scopes in Australia · thermal vs digital NV vs tube · best HIKMICRO thermal scopes

Which HIKMICRO Alpex 4K has a laser rangefinder (LRF)?

The Alpex 4K LRF models are the ones ending in "EL": the A50EL (50 mm) and the A40EL Lite (40 mm). Both pair the 4K (3840×2160) sensor with a built-in laser rangefinder; the plain A50E and A40E Lite are the same scopes without the rangefinder. See the full line-up on the HIKMICRO Australia hub.