Through the eyes of a beginning prospector, it’s hard to imagine the need for a scanning device other than the highest quality metal detector. Ask anyone who’s already spent a few years in the field though, and they’ll tell you that even the most advanced detectors can always use a little high-tech help.
A good detector can tell you approximately where the metal is located, and possibly whether it’s ferrous or non-ferrous, but it can’t tell you either with absolute certainty. Invariably, even with a top-of-the-line detector, you’re still likely to find yourself doing much more bending, squatting, and digging than you expected, and with far fewer rare and precious metal finds than you’d like.
This is where experienced prospectors are quick to recruit lightweight pinpoint detectors to help them perform the fine work that their high-dollar detectors aren’t designed to do. Pinpointers are designed to help prospectors hone in on specific targets once they’ve been identified. And not surprisingly, there’s one pinpointer that stands out among the pack when it comes to making prospecting easier.
The Pro Find 35 Advantage
Handheld pinpoint detectors aren’t new innovations, but they’re commonly overlooked due to a lack of features that could justify the added weight and expense. Minelab’s rugged Pro Find 35 handheld pinpoint detector, however, sets a new standard for pinpointer capabilities. It features a full suite of features and functions that you might only expect to find in high-priced, full-sized detectors. And when both devices are used together, they form a detecting combination that’ll make your prospecting both easier and noticeably more successful.
Minelab has been in the business of building underground metal detection devices for more than 35 years, so they’re under no illusions about what kind of advanced functionality the Pro Find 35 pinpointer needs to be a truly essential tool for prospecting.
- Multi-button adjustable sensitivity. The Pro Find 35 features 5, all-ground sensitivity levels that can be adjusted for either maximum depth or minimum noise.
- Ferrous / non-ferrous ID. The Pro Find 35 uses 2 unique tones to distinguish between ferrous and non-ferrous metals, helping you to quickly determine whether you’ve located a target that wants to continue digging for or not.
- Detector Interference Free (DIF) technology. DIF technology reduces the Pro Find 35’s interference with full-sized detectors when switched off by disengaging its coil’s magnetic field.
Ideally, once your main detector has located a possible find, the Minelab Pro Find 35 allows you to immediately and accurately narrow down your scanning area, and dig smaller holes with a precise idea of what kind of metal you’ll find in them. It’s the advantage that every prospector needs to recover precious targets quicker and to cover significantly more area when they’re searching.
Pro Find 35 Standard Features
In addition to the Pro Find 35’s advanced complement of features, it also hosts a range of standard ones that can usually be found among less advanced pinpointers. The Minelab Pro 35 pinpointer steps away from the crowd by making those standard features even better, including:
- IP68 waterproof construction that’s rated to a depth of up to 3m underwater;
- A 3-minute inactivity/lost notification with 10-second intervals up to 5 minutes; and,
- 30-hour battery when operated on Level 3 sensitivity.
With the Pro Find 35, Minelab has created a pinpointer that’s earned the right to be called a crucial piece of equipment for serious prospecting and metal detecting; and a significant part of what makes it such a valuable operational tool is its persistent communication with the user. You’re aware at all times of what the Pro Find 35 is doing, and it all comes down to superior audible signalling.
Superior Audible Signaling
Regardless of whether it’s actively detecting or not, whenever your Pro Find 35 is switched on, the sound is a major component of how it’s keeping you informed about you about its detection and operating statuses. The Pro Find 35 relies on audible, phase-toned notifications for all its various modes and states, including:
- Detection sensitivity;
- Ferrous / non-ferrous detection; and,
- Loss and low battery alarms.
And while you’re detecting, it’s even possible to turn off the Pro Fin 35’s audio signalling completely and put it into vibration mode. It is an ideal function for detecting underwater or for when you simply prefer to detect in privacy.
Compact Convenience
Size matters when you detecting. And after you’ve been swinging a 3kg – 4kg detector under a blazing sun for several hours, every piece of equipment you’re carrying can begin to feel like it’s doubled in size and tripled in weight.
If you’re considering adding a pinpointer to your detecting tool chest, then you can feel good knowing that in spite of its rich features, the Pro Find 35 is one of the lightest, and most compact pinpointers on the market. Dimensionally, it’s a tool that boasts:
- A total weight of only 193gr., including 9V battery;
- An overall diameter of 38mm, tapering down to 22mm; and,
- An overall length of only 237mm.
The Pro Find 35 also stows away easily and out of the way in its tough canvas holster, or can be kept nearby and handy using its accessory lanyard. When you need it, you can deploy it in seconds, and with its integrated LED flashlight, you’ll be able to expand your detection area and time to even include poorly lit locations or after the sun goes down.
The Final Word
At the end of the day, while a pinpointer may not be your primary detection device, it is the one that’s going to save you both time and energy when you’re detecting. It may not sound like much at first, but a device that’s going to help you increase your scanning area isn’t a device that you’re going to want to ignore.
If you’re serious about your prospecting and detecting, Minelab’s Pro Find 35 pinpoint detector can spare you the headaches and exhaustion of digging up junk targets, while allowing you to concentrate strictly on valid, precious targets. It’s all the help you could possibly need to improve the success of your prospecting.
