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Night Vision Round-Up Part 1

Night Vision Round-Up Part 1

There’s plenty of good reason to use NV these days; it’s more accessible than ever and prices have come down. There’s a plethora of information available on the internet via forums and the web sites of the major distributors and manufacturers. Night shooting has had to move on since we all used to use lamps, which turn night into day, as our quarry is savvier and any animal once lamped and missed never makes the same mistake again! So a more stealthy and successful approach is required.

NV Systems

There are two principal means of seeing covertly at night: image intensification (II), which is what we conventionally mean by NV; and thermal imaging (TI), which works almost as well by day). II takes in ambient low-intensity light such as starlight, moonlight etc and amplifies it to produce an image that reveals what the dark hides. These devices will often work quite well on their own if there’s a fair bit of ambient light around, but performance is much enhanced –especially in the case of digital devices- by the use of an infra-red illuminator (IR torch).

The light produced matches the wavelengths the NV is designed to work with. Many devices have integral illuminators, but these typically have limited range, and drain power, so an external device is more practical. They are described in terms of their power and wavelength. The smaller the wavelength the more visible the light will be to the naked eye, but the further it will reach for a given power output. As a rule of thumb, anything under 850nm will have quite an obvious red glow, anything at 915mn and above can fairly be described as ‘covert’. Anything over 940nm will be completely invisible. Only digital and Gen 3 tubed devices can exploit this top end, though, so it’s not worth buying a 940nm illuminator for use with lower-spec devices.

Thermal

TI works a step further down the electromagnetic spectrum, using a special germanium lens through which only heat radiation can pass. As every object gives off a heat signature, this radiation can be used to create an image of the world in which temperature differences are visible. TI devices typically offer much lower-definition images than NV systems, but their ability to make animals stand out as distinctive hot-spots in an otherwise cool natural environment takes most of the hard work out of scanning for your quarry. Indeed, even in daylight, TI can often spot animals that you can’t see with even first-rate daylight optics. Moreover, because heat sources effectively illuminate themselves, TI is entirely passive, and consequently, entirely covert, with no dull red glow from an IR illuminator to put the wind up a wily fox.

TI unquestionably represents a step-change in our capability as hunters, but it remains more expensive than conventional NV. However when used in riflescopes its comparatively low resolution and refresh rate can mean that neither the reticle nor the target is precisely where you think they are when you press the trigger. This is a long way from being a deal-breaker, but it has to be borne in mind.

Tubed or Digital?

Image intensifiers (II) come in two main types: ‘tubed’ and ‘digital’. The former work a little like an old-style TV set, whereas the latter use CCDs like modern digital cameras. The functionality of a given intensifier tube is broadly indicated by its generation, so devices are described as Gen 1, 2, or 3, sometimes with additions, such as a +, or a grade, or an advanced feature such as ‘autogating’. Choosing can be hard, because price differences between generations, grades and manufacturers are substantial, and understanding what is what requires more study than most of us have time for. Moreover, tubes can degrade over time and with misuse, making 2nd-hand purchases something of a minefield. Buying new from a trusted brand is strongly recommended!

So why consider tubed NV at all? Well, anything Gen 1 has really had its day, but the Gen 2+ units will typically trump digital ones in making the most of the ambient light, and in image smoothness and resolution, whilst matching them on price. What’s more, digitals use microprocessors that are constantly working to optimise the image, which is great, except that this is often a less-than-seamless process that can prove distracting and tiring on the eyes.

Digital offers a lot too! Advantages include: consistency of production, light weight, durability, daylight capability, a natural compatibility with digital reticles and other interfaces, recording to removable media and wireless connectivity to smartphones and tablets, plus the immense momentum of ongoing technological development in the field of consumer electronics.

Uses

NV and TI devices are used for two basic purposes: spotting/identification and shooting, with TI also having a subsequent role in carcase recovery. Using a riflescope for spotting is not recommended as accidents can happen. So a separate spotting device, typically a hand-held monocular, is worth consideration.

When it comes to shooting, there are two ways to go: mount a dedicated NV or TI sight to your rifle, or use an ‘add on’ system that can be fitted to the front or rear of your day scope to give it the required capability. TI add-ons can only be front-mounted, because the glass lenses of the day scope block the heat radiation they rely on. Some are designed to work only in conjunction with the day scope. Others can be detached from the scope to do double duty as spotters, so saving on cost.

Tubed Spotters

Tubed spotters are comparatively little used, but a Gen 2(+) base unit is versatile, as it can be fitted with a large lens of up to 4.5X magnification for standalone use as a spotter, or with a small 1X lens to be used either with a day-scope as an add-on, or teamed up with a head-mount as a nightvision ‘goggle’ (NVG) for foot stalking. Even Gen 1(+) monoculars make decent goggles. Binocular devices are even better as they provide a wider field of view and greater depth perception but are ultimately less versatile.

Digital

Digital spotters are more common. Standout models are Pulsar’s Digiforce 860VS digital monocular, Armasight’s Prime DC digital monocular, ATN’s Binox-HD 4X-16X digital binocular, and the big daddy of them all, the NiteSite Spotter Xtreme.

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The Digiforce 860VS features 6.5X optical magnification, a 4.6° FOV, a claimed detection range (CDR) of up to 275m (on the accepted standard of an 800mm x 1500mm target), adjustable brightness, a 640x480 OLED display, new software (including a redesigned stadiametric rangefinder), an integrated 810nm IR illuminator with 3 intensity settings, a Picatinny accessory rail for an external recorder, battery pack or illuminator, and a ¼” tripod socket. It has an SRP of £249.95.

The Armasight comes in two versions, giving a choice of 5X or 7X optical magnification and CDRs of 320 or 400m respectively. Both feature a dual-mode 1.3 megapixel CCD that generates a colour image in daylight and switches to more-IRsensitive black and white in low light, a 12.5o FOV. An on-board infrared illuminator, on-board stills/video recording, a video-out port, tripod socket, and a manual gain control that allows the user to control the sensitivity of the sensor. (SRP TBC)

The NiteSite Spotter Xtreme offers a massive 1X-20X optical zoom for a claimed 500m identification (not just detection) range. Additionally, it features automatic switching between colour and B/W based on lighting conditions, a 25o FOV, an 850nM IR illuminator with 5 LEDs, a built-in rechargeable 3.5Ah battery with a run time of 20 hours, and a video out port. Unlike other devices, the image is shown on a large 3.5” LCD display so the device doesn’t have to be held up to the user’s eye. All this performance doesn’t come cheap of course, and it has an SRP of £949.00

However, the taste of things to come is ATN’s Bino X, which incorporates smartphone-type technology into a day/night observation device with a versatile 4X-16X zoom. The user can switch between a full-HD colour sensor for daytime use and a high-sensitivity monochrome sensor for low-light conditions, supplemented by the on-board IR illuminator. Images are electronically stabilised, and the Bino X also features a built-in gyroscope, accelerometer, compass and GPS. An SD card slot permits on-board recording of audio, video and stills with optional date/time stamp, and WiFi connectivity facilitates remote viewing and software/firmware updates. This extraordinary array of functions is powered by a microprocessor that runs at a billion cycles/second. All this processing does limit run-time, however: a set of 3 x CR123A higher performance. The successful HD and XD models have now been superseded by a new XQ series. At first sight, not much has changed: The 50Hz refresh rate, 640x480 OLED display and nominal 384x288 sensor size is as before, as are the three calibration modes, three image modes, dead-pixel repair function, choice of colour palettes, and the 2x and 4x digital zoom.

The major step forward lies in the reduction in the size of the pixels in the sensor from 25μm to 17μm. These smaller pixels increase sensor definition thereby enhancing the magnification/range capability of the existing 19mm, 38mm and 50mm lenses. For example, the XQ38 has a CDR of 1,350m and 3.1X/12.4X optical/digital magnification, compared to 950m and 2.1X/8.4X for the XD38, and it even trumps the XD50’s range of 1,250m and 2.8X/11.2X magnification!

There are minor upgrades to functionality too: a quick-access button for the Quantum’s stadiametric rangefinder (a system based on the standard heights of different quarry species, e.g. deer 1.7m, Rabbit 0.3m), and a new compound jack to allow simultaneous connection of an external power pack and a recording device.

Other thermal spotting devices to look out for are Guide’s high-performance IR1517-V Pro which has a unique DSLR-style interchangeable lens system, and –at the other end of the price scale- two new units from Seek: the hand-held Reveal XR, and the Compact XR, a tiny unit that plugs into the Micro USB / charging socket of your smartphone and lets you view and manage the thermal image via its touch-screen.

Guide IR

The Guide IR1517-V Pro has an impressive spec, based on a big 640x480 sensor with 17μm pixels, a high-resolution 1280x960 LCOS display, and a choice of 19mm, 35mm, 65mm and 80mm lenses giving CDRs of 500m, 1,000m, 1,800m and 2,200m. You also get on-board recording and WiFi connectivity. Base SRP, c/w with a 35mm lens, is £4,799.95, whilst supplementary 65mm and 80mm lenses cost £2,779.95 and £2,899.95 respectively. With TI, as with much else, great performance doesn’t come cheap!

Seek

TI doesn’t have to break the bank, however. Seek’s Reveal XR is a hand-held device weighing 177g that comes in standard 9Hz and FastFrame 15-30Hz versions. Both offer a 20° FoV, a 2.4” colour 240x320 display, and a 206x156 sensor with ultra-fine 12μ pixels. It’s surprising then that Seek quote a CDR of 275m for the FF and just 150m for the standard version. Still images can be recorded to a MicroSD card, and an internal battery charged via a Micro USB port gives up to 10hrs of run-time. The Reveal XR also has 7 Colour Palette Options, 3 navigation buttons and a built-in white LED torch with 2 configurable brightness settings, all wrapped up in a waterproof alloy housing with a black or camo finish.

Despite being much smaller than the Reveal, the Compact XR boasts a much greater detection range of 550m. It uses the same 206x156/12μ/9Hz sensor as the standard Reveal, but performance is boosted by the addition of a focusable 2x lens, and by the unit’s ability to exploit the advanced processing, display and recording capabilities of your smartphone via a free app. The Compact XR also has more colour palettes (9), and these are now super-easy to scroll through thanks to the phone’s touch-screen interface. It’s ruggedly built too, with a magnesium alloy housing, and a tough polymer carry case with a shock-absorbing silicone rubber liner into which the Compact XR fits like a glove.

Prices are kept low by the fact that miniature TI units like the Reveal and the Compact can use lenses made from cheaper moulded chalcogenide glass rather than expensive germanium. So the Reveal XR FF costs just £419.95, the standard Reveal just £399.95 and the Compact XR just £259.95.

It must be said at this point that despite the detection ranges claimed by their manufacturers –which should always be taken with a liberal pinch of salt-, the performance of these entry-level TI units is worlds away from that of a FLIR Scout or Pulsar Quantum.

Contacts

Armasight: www.armasight.com [UK: Night Vision Gear UK]
ATN Europe. 02037 446303; www.atneu.com
FLIR Systems Ltd. www.flir.co.uk [UK: Beechwood Equipment Ltd.]
General starlight Company: www.gsci1.com [UK: Night Vision Gear UK]
Guide IR. http://guideinfrared.com [UK: Thomas Jacks]
Nightmaster. http://www.nightmaster.co.uk; 01535 611688
Night Vision Gear UK: www.nightvisiongear.co.uk; 02830 263235
Pulsar: www.pulsar-nv.com [UK: Thomas Jacks Ltd.]
Scott Country Ltd.: 0556 503587; www.scottcountry.co.uk
Seek Thermal: www.thermal.com [UK: Thomas Jacks Ltd.]
Thomas Jacks Ltd.: 01789 264100; www.thomasjacks.co.uk
Torrey Pines Logic: http://tplogic.com [UK: Scott Country Ltd.]
Yukon Advanced Optics: http://yukonopticsglobal.com [UK: Thomas Jacks Ltd.]
Starlight Night Vision; www.starlightnv.co.uk

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