Evolution Gear ELCAN Spector DR Review

This time, we'll be reviewing the ELCAN DR SPECTOR 1-4x Evolution Gear replica model, which has been seen being used by US special forces.

The reason I bought it was simply because it looks cool and the 1-4x magnification is easy to switch between, so I figured I could use it for all ranges (it was cheap on sale).

Of course, the real thing is extremely expensive, so I opted for a replica made by Evolution Gear, which has a good reputation even among replicas.

When I looked into actual Elcans, it seems that they are often used by US Special Forces, but my personal impression is that they are also used by squad support weapons (like SAWs and MINIMIs) in the US and by the Canadian military.

The actual manufacturer of the Elcan is Raytheon, a massive American military industrial complex. My personal image of Raytheon is that of a super high-tech company that excels in radar, producing the AN/SPY-6 X-band radar for the Aegis system and the much-talked-about Javelin anti-tank infantry man-portable missile.

Although it's a replica, I'll review what it's actually like.

Outer box, contents

Let's start by looking at the outer box, as usual.

The outer packaging is surprisingly simple.

The box was so simple that I was worried it wasn't actually made by Evolution Gear, so I took a closer look and found a label that confirmed it was.

The lettering was so small that it was difficult to read and photograph, but it appears to be made by Evolution Gear (you might not even be able to see it in the photo).

Next, let's look at the contents (I forgot to take the usual unboxing photos).

No instruction manuals or other printed materials are included.

Replica items generally have simple, bare-bones contents, so this is probably about right. However, there is often variation in contents depending on the manufacturing lot, so it is highly likely that not all items of the same product will have the same contents.

Next, let's look at the main unit.

appearance

First, here's a side view (the left side of the photo is the objective lens, and the right side is the eyepiece).

This is the opposite side (in the photo, the left side is the eyepiece and the right side is the objective lens).

The engraving is so perfectly done it's almost worrying.

Next is a top view, a photograph taken from above (in the photo, the upper part is the objective lens and the lower part is the eyepiece).

It has two auxiliary iron sights and a mounting surface and screw holes for attaching a red dot sight.

Finally, here's the bottom view.

Finally, let's measure the weight.

It's quite heavy, weighing 610g.

Short scopes commonly used in airsoft games weigh around 400g at most, so this one is considerably heavier in comparison.

Next, let's look at the details and functions of each part.

Details of each part, functions

Let's take a look at the markings on the main body.

It appears the engraving is quite faithful to the original.

What's interesting is that the model number SU-230/PVS has "5.56" written after it. My personal guess is that it's specifically for 5.56mm ammunition. Perhaps it can't withstand the recoil of 7.62mm ammunition? (I've only seen it mounted on 5.56mm rounds in military photos.)

It's on the opposite side.

It appears that the serial number and Elcan's unique mechanism allow you to change and lock the magnification from 0x to 4x.

Next, let's look at the zeroing adjustment mechanism.

Zero-in adjustment mechanism

This is the vertical adjustment, or elevation. The adjustment mechanism is located just below the eyepiece.

I tried to adjust the height right out of the box, but the adjustment dial was fixed in place with a grub screw and wouldn't move at all.

When making adjustments, you need to loosen the grub screws as shown in the following picture (there are some on both sides).

Once you've zeroed it in, tighten the grub screw to secure the dial.

The vertical adjustment mechanism is quite simple; turning the adjustment dial seems to move the main body up and down relative to the base. When I moved it to its limit, the adjustment range wasn't very large, and I'm worried about whether I'll be able to zero it in.

If you can't zero in the vertical direction, try using it after adding a spacer or adjusting it by eye.

Next, we'll look at left/right adjustment and vibration.

The adjustment mechanism is located near the objective lens.

You will need a flathead screwdriver or a coin to make the adjustment.

The left-right adjustment mechanism appears to work similarly to the up-down mechanism, with the main body moving left and right relative to the base.

The left and right adjustments have a clicky feel and seem easy to adjust. The adjustment range also seems decent, so I don't think zeroing the left and right sides will be a problem.

Neither the up/down nor left/right adjustment points have mil markings, suggesting it's intended for quick aiming with approximate adjustments, like a red dot sight, rather than precise adjustments like a scope.

Next, let's look at the illumination function.

Illumination function

The ON/OFF switch and brightness adjustment dial for the illuminations are dial-type controls as shown in the following picture.

The power ON/OFF and light intensity levels on this dial are quite difficult to understand, and the position shown in the next photo indicates the power OFF state.

It appears that you can adjust it in 11 steps from this position.

Incidentally, the power source uses a CR123 battery, as shown in the following picture.

The lid is attached with a string, so there's no need to worry about losing it, but the string looks quite weak, so I wouldn't recommend relying on its durability (design).

The actual illuminations will be shown through how they appear in the lens.

Next is Elcan's main feature: the magnification change mechanism.

Magnification change mechanism

First, let's look at the magnification adjustment lever. The lever is located in the center of the main unit.

You can change the magnification by pushing this lever downwards and sliding it.

Next, let's see how the lens moves when we activate the lever.

This movement is easier to understand when you see it in a video, so I've included a video link.

The video shows the zoom level being changed from 1x to 4x.

Evolution Gear Elcan Specter DR

It's a rather crude mechanism; to put it simply, it seems that a 1x lens and a 4x lens exist separately and are switched between like a revolving door.

1:1 magnification lens.

4x lens.

In general terms, a typical scope changes its magnification by moving the position of the lens, as shown in the following diagram.

Basically, the reticle is designed to remain stable even when the magnification is changed.

On the other hand, the Elcan mechanism switches between lenses depending on the magnification, which makes it prone to reticle misalignment.

I believe the real thing is manufactured to a quality that prevents reticle misalignment, but this replica product clearly has it.

I will describe the actual instances of the reticle being misaligned later.

From this, it seems that Elcan's design philosophy aimed for something between a scope and a red dot sight: not as precise as a scope, but allowing for quick magnification changes and instant aiming.

I think that's a pretty interesting way of thinking.

Finally, I'll briefly introduce the remaining areas of interest.

Other details

This is the rail mount section.

It can be attached with a single touch using the QD lever. I was able to attach it to the Picatinny rail on my airsoft gun without any issues such as wobbling.

Next are the auxiliary iron sights.

For some reason, it came with two sets. I think one of them is meant to be used at an angle, but I don't think I'll use it much.

This particular product does not come with a red dot sight, but the company also sells replicas that do have a red dot sight (though they are quite expensive).

Furthermore, this product also has screw holes for mounting a red dot sight, so it appears that it can be added later.

Personally, I think it's more practical to attach a diagonal rail (angle rail?) to the airsoft gun and mount the red dot sight on that, rather than placing it on top of the Elcan dot sight.

Next, I'll explain how lenses affect vision, which is an important aspect.

How the lens looks

To check how the lens looks, aim at a stuffed animal that is about 2.5 meters away and look through it.

First, let's look at it at normal size without the illumination.

For a replica, the lens distortion is minimal and it's easy to see through. However, the image is distorted near the edges of the lens.

The reticle isn't as sophisticated as a high-end scope, but it's still solid enough that minor zeroing errors can likely be corrected by eye.

Next is 4 times.

The photo is blurry because it was difficult to take, but you can see that the reticle is shifted to the right (taken from the exact same position as the 1:1 magnification shot).

If you zero in at either 1x or 4x magnification, the reticle will be misaligned at the other magnification. Therefore, unfortunately, if you use one magnification as your main one and switch to another, you will need to adjust your aiming accordingly.

Even at 4x magnification, the lens itself doesn't distort much, so it's not difficult to see. In fact, it's surprisingly clear.

Next is the eye relief.

It's about 100-120mm, and even a slight shift will make it invisible, so you'll need to be a little careful.

When I actually mounted it on my VFC HK416CAG, I found that setting the stock position to around 2 or 3 made it easier to see when aiming.

This should be a rough reference for Japanese people with a standard build who use AR-15 type rifles.

This is an article about the HK416 used in the photo.

Finally, let's turn on the illuminations at their original size.

The illumination light level is set to the maximum level, 11.

It's just the right brightness—not too bright, not too dark. I think it will be clearly visible in different weather conditions, both indoors and outdoors.

The illumination itself emits light beautifully without expanding, so it looks like it won't interfere with the sighting, which is great.

Summary

One of its advantages is that, while it's not exactly cheap, you can enjoy a genuine Elcan replica at a reasonable price.

The unique magnification change mechanism and zeroing adjustment mechanism, which are characteristic of the Elcan, have been reproduced. Its practicality for airsoft games is probably just barely acceptable (though some adjustments might be needed for vertical zeroing).

For those who want to try Elcan at a reasonable price, this is a good product (you can overlook its lack of performance with love).

One drawback is that, as a pure optical instrument, its performance isn't particularly outstanding, so I personally wouldn't recommend it as a first purchase of optical equipment.

From a personal perspective, the difficult aspects are its weight, the potential for struggling with vertical zeroing, and the concern about its critical eye relief.

Therefore, unless you're a first-time optical device and absolutely insist on the Elcan shape, I recommend sticking with a scope that's generally well-regarded.

For those who absolutely want an Elcan as their first optical sight, I think a fixed magnification is easier to use from the perspective of reticle misalignment (you don't actually change the magnification very often in the field).

Incidentally, even Evolution Gear, which has a relatively good reputation, doesn't seem to have particularly high-quality optics, so I think other manufacturers will have similar performance.

As I later discovered, the lens's appearance and eye relief are quite similar to the genuine article. The only differences seem to be the reticle misalignment when changing magnification, the zeroing adjustment range, and the overall robustness. Therefore, it turns out to be a very good replica.

Personally, as a first optical device, I think the Vector Optics Foresta GEN III is a good choice because, considering its price and performance, it can handle all ranges.

Please take a look if you're interested. Personally, I think it's the best value scope and can handle all ranges.

That concludes my review of the Elcan from Evolution Gear.

I plan to use it in an airsoft game soon, so I will update this article once I've actually used it. Please wait for further updates.

Evolution Gear ELCAN SPECTOR DR su-230 1-4x variable magnification
This is the same model as the one reviewed. Let's overcome performance limitations with ingenuity and the power of love.

I used to see EvolutionGear's fixed-magnification and dot-equipped Elcan models on the market a while ago, but I can't find them now.