HOW TO GET INTO NIGHT VISION
Night vision is an incredibly awesome tool that is becoming increasingly popular in the shooting, hunting, and law enforcement communities. Although night vision is incredibly fun and useful, it can be intimidating to get into. There are tons of options, terms, and misinformation that makes it difficult for the consumer, whether a professional end user or a enthusiast, to decide what they need and how much it should cost.
Night vision gives users the ability to see in the dark. This is accomplished with image intensifier tubes. These tubes are manufactured in two general categories of finished goods, clip-on night vision and helmet mounted night vision. Under these two broad categories there are tons of options with vast ranges in price. However, these two broad categories have two basic subcategories, the housing and tube or tubes. Essentially the housing is what you see on the outside. The housing is the “model” of your night vision. Then your tube or tubes are installed into the housing to give your unit life. We will break it down in a few categories that buyers should keep in mind when deciding what night vision.
NIGHT VISION HOUSINGS
VISION BEYOND LIMITS
Monocular Night Vision
A monocular is a single tube that is intended to be helmet mounted and cover a single eye. The most well-known and widely accepted monocular is the PVS-14. PVS-14’s are extremely cost effective, versatile, and rugged. Depending on tube, components, and specs they typically range from $3k-$5k.
Binocular Night Vision
Binocular night vision is a helmet mounted or hand held solution that covers both eyes. Although binos are significantly more expensive than a monocular, the performance gains are definitely worth it for most applications. Having both eyes aided is much easier to adjust to the night vision and provides better perceived depth perception and field of view. Although the field of view and depth perception is no different than a monocular, the brain interprets the visual information easier when both eyes are aided. There are tons of binocular housings on the market but in general they all are either fixed bridge or an articulating unit. We have an article breaking down the differences
Clip-On Night Vision
Clip-on night vision is night vision devices that are designed to be clipped onto the rail of your gun in front of your day optic. Clip-ons provide the shooter the ability to use the same gun for both day and night and not switch optics. There are several different models of clip-on night vision on the market. When looking at quality clip-ons what mainly separates them is tube, magnification range, and recoil rating. We recommend looking at the needs of the platform and prioritize what magnification range and recoil rating is needed. This then helps narrow down what device will work best for the intended distance and environment.
Image Intensifier Tubes
The Heart and Soul of Your Night Vision
Autogating is the process of the tubes power supply rapidly controlling the amount of power to the tube receives.
This process not only protects from high light damage but also helps retain optimal performance of the night vision without blinding the user when exposed to various high light sources. This process happens at incredible speeds and is constantly working to provide the best image through the tube. Not all tubes are autogated. This is a very important tube feature to extend the life and performance of your tubes while protecting from high light damage. Autogated tubes can operate safely in a much wider range of lighting conditions than non-gated tubes.
Autogating is the process of the tubes power supply rapidly controlling the amount of power to the tube receives.
Autogating is the process of the tubes power supply rapidly controlling the amount of power to the tube receives.
Autogating is the process of the tubes power supply rapidly controlling the amount of power to the tube receives.
Thin-Filmed versus Unfilmed
It is important to understand that tubes are like diamonds, no two tubes are the exact same and all perform slightly differently.
Unfilmed Tubes
Thin-Filmed Tubes
Green or White Phosphor?
It is very important to understand that although there are some performance benefits to white phosphor, the color of a tube is simply the phosphor used.
MOUNTING OPTIONS
Helmet Mounted or Clip-On?
Unless there is a specific need for distance or LE application, we typically recommend that buyers start with a helmet mounted solution. The reason for this is the nature in which clip-on night vision devices are designed to work.
Unless there is a specific need for distance, we typically recommend that buyers start with a helmet mounted solution. The reason for this is the nature in which clip-on night vision devices are designed to work. Clip-on devices do just that, they clip onto the rail in front of the users day scope to provide night vision capability. The user looks through their day scope and through the clip-on in front of their scope to see. Although this provides variable magnification capability, the huge downside of a clip-on unit is the user must point a gun at whatever it is they are trying to see. This could result is pointing guns at things that we do not want to shoot. Because of this we recommend that buyers typically start with helmet mounted night vision, as it lets you scan and see hands free without having to have a gun pointed at what you want to see. Once you decide helmet mounted or clip-on you can further break it down to more specifics.