Night Vision
What is a Night Vision Device?
Night vision devices are electro-optical devices containing an Infra Red (IR) image intensifier tube. Many night vision devices also include IR illuminators and telescopic lenses and therefore take the form of night vision monoculars, binoculars, goggles or scopes.
So how do they work?
Most night vision monoculars or binoculars are electro-optical devices that amplify whatever existing light there is and send it onto your eyes. You actually don't look directly through the optics of a night vision binocular or other night vision device as you would on normal optical binoculars, you actually look at an amplified electronic image on a phosphor screen. The little light that there is available enters the night vision glasses through an objective lens and strikes a photo cathode. This cathode has high energy charge from the power supply which accelerates across a vacuum inside the intensifier and strikes a phosphor screen (similar to a TV screen) and is then focused. The eyepiece then magnifies the image for you to see.
Night Vision devices can 'see in the dark' when you can't because they are sensitive to a broad spectrum of light, ranging from from the visible right through to infrared, whereas human vision is confined to a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum called visible light. Often night vision monoculars and binoculars have an illuminator that can increase the amount of light available by shining a beam of light (invisible to the human eye) at the infrared end of the spectrum, that the device can then use to 'see' in almost complete darkness.
How Digital Night Vision Works
As with a normal night vision devices, available light is collected through the objective lens. But instead of focusing this light on an intensifier and converting the energy into electrons, most digital night vision devices process and convert this optical image into an electric signal through a highly sensitive CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) image sensor, similar to what is found in most digital cameras and other imaging devices. This electrical signal is then transferred onto a micro-display, which is a type of LCD flat-panel display screen that usually takes the form of an eyepiece. Because you are converting the optical image into a digital signal, it is then relatively easy these days to take that signal and store it onto a memory card etc. So you can record what you a seeing as either an image or as a video.
Which device is best for me?
The digital devices are more robust and tend to include recording features, but traditional night vision devices can be more sensitive. The technology has improved over generations so broadly speaking 'Gen 2' will outperform 'Gen 1' and so on, but likewise that will add to cost. Whilst intensifier tubes can be more sensitive, they can also be more delicate and cannot be exposed to bright light so a little care has to be taken with these units. The brightness of the IR illuminator has the same effect as the brightness of a torch on what you are able to see, but you can buy IR torches as addition items to 'assist' your devices too. Just like coventional binoculars and monoculars the size of the objective and the magnification has an effect on the brightness, clarity and field of view. If you plan to use the device to help you walk around though less magnification is more or you'll soon be bumping into things! There are more obvious features too like waterproofing and mounting options, but if you would like further advice or to see some products in the flesh please do not hesitate to contact us.
-
Bresser Digital NightVision Binocular 3x w. recording
£309.00Typical Delivery in approx 5-7 days. -
BRESSER Explorer 200RF digital binocular night vision device
£429.00Typical Delivery in approx 5-7 days. -
Pulsar Axion XM30F Thermal Imaging Monocular
£1,069.00The Axion XM30F is particularly ideal for birdwatchers, to find out why click here to read our guide.
Available from stock!
-
Pulsar Axion 2 LRF XG35 Thermal Imaging Monocular
£2,629.00Please call to check availability -
Pulsar Axion 2 LRF XQ35 Pro Thermal Imaging Monocular
£1,925.00Please contact to check availability -
Pulsar Axion 2 XG35 Thermal Imaging Monocular
£2,339.00Please call to check availability -
Pulsar Axion 2 XQ35 Pro Thermal Imaging Monocular
£1,639.00Typical leadtime - 2-3 working days -
Pulsar Merger LRF XL50 Thermal Biocular
£5,899.00Typical Leadtime 3-5 working days -
Pulsar Merger LRF XP50 Thermal Biocular
£4,645.00Special Order - contact us for leadtime -
Pulsar Merger LRF XQ35 Thermal Biocular
£2,999.00Available to Pre - Order Now! -
Pulsar Telos LRF XP50 Thermal Imaging Monocular
£3,399.00Contact us to pre order.Out of stock -
Pulsar Telos XP50 Thermal Imaging Monocular
£3,099.00New Product - available from showroom stock! -
SiOnyx Aurora Colour Nightvision Camera
£749.00 -
SiOnyx Aurora™ Black Colour Nightvision Camera
£695.00Leadtime typically 5 working days -
Sionyx™ Aurora Pro™ Explorer Edition Colour Nightvision Camera
£1,295.00New Product - This sensor is the most sensitive in the SiOnyx product range. -
Skypoint FLEX E-36 Trail Camera
£189.00 -
Skypoint FLEX E-36 Trail Camera Twin Pack
£339.00Twin pack; contains two FLEX E-36 trail camera devices. -
Skypoint FLEX-S Trail Camera
£269.00 -
Skypoint Force-Pro Trail Camera
£189.00Features a 30 MP camera, providing crystal clear colour images by day and black and white images by night. -
Skypoint LM2 Trail Camera
£139.00 -
Skypoint LM2 Trail Camera Twin Pack
£239.00 -
Spypoint FLEX – Grey Trail / Surveillance Camera
£169.95£149.00An incredible 33MP camera provides brilliantly detailed and extremely clear colour images by day and black and white images by night. -
Spypoint FORCE-20 Trail / Surveillance Camera
£99.00Fantastic Value 20MP Camera.Out of stock -
Spypoint LINK-MICRO-LTE-TWIN – Grey
£229.00Small compact cellular trail camera twin pack - transfers images to your phone via Spypoint App. -
Spypoint LINK-MICRO-S Trail / Surveillance Camera
£199.00Built-In solar panel, 10MP Camera, 0.4s Trigger speed, Up to 24.3m (80ft) detection range -
Spypoint SOLAR-DARK / Surveillance Camera
£239.00(1)Out of stock -
Tracer LEDRay IR Night Vision Torch
£49.00LED IR Torch / Flashlight with High Performance LED & Reflector setup for use with Night Vision Devices ONLY -
Zeiss DTI 1/25 Thermal Imaging Monocular
£1,649.00Free Gift
Claim a free ZEISS YETI Mug worth £30 from Zeiss by redemption. Click here for more info.
- available from stock -
Zeiss DTI 3/25 Digital Thermal Imaging Camera
£1,850.00The brand new Zeiss DTI 3/25 Digital Thermal Imaging Camera offers outstanding optical performance. Typical leadtime 7-10 days
-
Zeiss DTI 3/35 G2 Gen 2 Thermal Imaging Camera Scope
£2,149.00Free Gift
Claim a free ZEISS YETI Mug worth £30 from Zeiss by redemption. Click here for more info.
Improved Gen 2 Version - Intuitive operation, available from stock
-
Zeiss DTI 4/50 Thermal Imaging Monocular
£3,100.00Free Gift
Claim a free ZEISS YETI Mug worth £30 from Zeiss by redemption. Click here for more info.
Perfect for locating and observing wildlife over large areas, detects heat sources clearly at distances of up to 2,635 metres. - Available from stock