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Since we obviously cannot review all optical instruments ourselves, we have decided to collect opinions from consumers and post them in a single place for a single instrument, and then give it an overall rating based on real user experiences. This eliminates our own biases and therefore provides consumers with a more accurate idea of the quality and ease of use of the instruments we post here.

To re-iterate: these are not recommendations, but do provide a kind of ‘user opinion poll’.

Canon 10×42 L Image Stabilization Waterproof Binoculars

Canon claims that its10×42 L Image Stabilization Waterproof Binoculars with its large diameter lens & 4.2 millimeter exit pupil diameter provides an exceptional view even in low-light conditions.

Let’s see what actual owners of this binocular have to say:

“… The Canon 10X42 L WP binocular is the ultimate choice if your hobbies are varied like birding, boating or astronomy. It’s like having your cake and eating it too…”

snippet from a very long and detailed review at cloudynights.com

“… the sharpest binoculars I ever looked into and have no noticable chromatic aberration on axis and very little near the edge… … The only con is the added weight over the 12×36’s but since the 10×42’s are waterproof and have much larger exit pupil I don’t mind it… …the bottom line is the view is as good as it gets in a 10x binocular…”

snippets from an owner’s feedback on birdforum.net

“I have several different binoculars from small hand held to a large pair of Nikon’s I use for wildlife spotting. I have never had anything that performs nearly as well as these do.”

snippet from an owner’s comment at amazon.com

Manufacturer’s Specs

Features

  • Canon’s first waterproof IS Binocular.
  • High performance L Lens with 2 Ultra-low Dispersion (UD) elements on each side.
  • Doublet Field Flattener Lenses for sharp, distortion-free images edge-to-edge.
  • Bright field-of-view from a 4.2mm exit pupil diameter, the largest of any Canon IS Binocular.
  • Wide angle rating from an apparent angle-of-view of 65°

Technical

  • Type: Prism binoculars
  • Magnification: 10x
  • Objective lens effective diameter: 42 millimetersmm
  • Filter size: 52 millimeters
  • Real field of view: 6.5 degrees
  • Apparent field of view: 65 degrees
  • Objective lens construction: 4 elements in 3 groups
  • Eyepiece lens construction: 7 elements in 5 groups
  • Exit pupil diameter: 4.2 millimeters
  • Eye relief: 16 millimeters
  • Prism type: Porro II
  • Eye width adjustment: 57 to 75 millimeters
  • Focusing method: Manual focusing by turning the focusing ring
  • Dioptric correction: plus or minus 3.0 diopters
  • Closest focusing distance: 8.2 feet / 2.5 meters
  • Image stabilizer: Vari-angle prism
  • Correction angle: plus or minus 0.8 degrees
  • Tripod socket: Yes
  • Power source: 2 AA batteries
  • Dimensions: 5.4 x 6.9 x 3.4 inches
  • Weight: 2.3 pounds

Click here to see Amazon’s deal on this instrument

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4th Generation Night Vision Goggles

So just why should someone consider purchasing a pair of 4th generation night vision goggles over the other generations that are already available?
Probably the biggest reason for choosing a 4th generation pair over say a 1st, 2nd or 3rd generation pair of night vision goggles is that the technology is much improved.

Certainly in the last 10 years the industry has seen a marked improvement on how well the image intensifiers work in order to produce a much clearer image to the user. Today with 4th generation goggles, a person is able to see much better quality images no matter what the light condition is like. This is why it now makes them the best performing of all night vision goggles that a person can actually purchase today.

Sometimes these types of goggles will be referred to as Generation 3+ goggles rather than Generation 4, but they do differ in two ways from the Generation 3 goggles.

4th Gen night vision goggles have an automatic gated power supply to them which now regulates the voltage of the photocathode, which allows them to instantly change to adapt to the lighting conditions that they are being used. Secondly they have either had the ion barrier removed or it has become much thinner which means that the noise and image being produced is much less distorted.

Because they have removed or made the ion barrier much thinner in 4th generation NVG’s today as well as improving the gating system, this meant that the range of detection as well as the resolution at which the images are seen by the user is much improved. They are especially good as they can even be used when the light is extremely bad. As the ion barrier has either been removed or made thinner this results in more of the electrons being able to make their way through to the image intensifier which has resulted in all the images being produced of a much higher quality.

However, it is important to note that only a few manufacturers are actually currently producing these 4th generation night vision goggles and although they are presently being used by both military and law enforcement agencies, it may be some time before they become readily available to the general public. But even when available to the public, you can expect to pay a premium for them because of their advanced imaging capabilities.

Ricky is the owner of http://www.nightvisiongoogles.net. Visit his site today for more night vision goggles reviews such as the Ferranti night vision goggles.


By Ricky Lim

ATN PS-23 Generation 4 Night Vision Goggle with Head-Mount Assembly

ATN PS-23 Generation 4 Night Vision Goggle with Head-Mount Assembly

  • Very Rare - 4th generation, autogated/filmless tubes!!!! LIMITED Quantities Available!!
  • Built-in Infra Red illuminator lets you see even in total darkness
  • Adjustable Flip-up headmount for hands free use
  • Automatic brightness control for high-light
    protection , unit will turn off automatically if exposed to excessive light for more than 10 seconds. If the unit is move away from the bright light, it will reactivate automatically.

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Microsoft’s New Worldwide Telescope

Very interesting. Should get more than just a few people interested in astronomy…

Science educator Roy Gould and Microsoft’s Curtis Wong give an astonishing sneak preview of Microsoft’s new WorldWide Telescope - a technology that combines feeds from satellites and telescopes all over the world and the heavens, and weaves them together holistically to build a comprehensive view of our universe.

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How to choose a night vision device

It is very important to note that affordable night vision optical systems require some light to work. This can be moonlight, artificial ‘ambient’ light or artificial infra-red light.

Image intensifying night vision devices are by far the widely used. The other type is thermal imaging, which ’sees’ only areas of heat on a body, or which have been left behind by some event or thing. Image intensification is also referred to as gain multiplication.The ‘trick’ with night vision goggles, monoculars and binoculars is that they collect infrared and visible light with the objective lens and focuses it on a battery powered image intensifier, which amplifies the signal as follows:

  • a photo-cathode inside the tube absorbs the light energy and converts it into electrons
  • the ‘image’ formed by the energized electron strikes a phosphor screen
  • the phosphor screen fluoresces, forming an image that the user sees through the eyepiece(s)
  • Note: the phosphor screen is colored green because the human eye can differentiate more shades of green than other colors, thereby providing very a realistic ‘gray scale’-like image.

Selection criteria 1: Light Amplification

As can be expected, the major difference between various ‘grades’ (and prices) of night vision devices is the quality and sophistication of the intensifier tube:

Generation 1

These instruments have medium gain values giving good images, and their intensifiers are made up of simple electrostatic tubes, which are able to amplify available light by 500-20,000 times. They work more or less as described above.

While Gen-1 night vision devices cost less and are almost always larger and heavier than instruments from the other categories, don’t turn your nose up at them because they’re ‘only’ Gen-1 (there was a generation 0 :) ). If you don’t have a big budget, and do not need to use your night vision device in very dark environments, then they make good financial sense. Note that Generation 1 night vision devices’ utility can be greatly expanded when infrared illuminators are used - even when there is ZERO ambient light present.

Generation 2

These are smaller, lighter and more energy efficient. are generally smaller in size and weight and use noticeably less current. These devices have microchannel plate added under the image intensifier, which ‘pre-amplifies’ the available light signal and thereby significantly improves light amplification - approximately 20,00-75,000 times amplification.

These are by far our most highly recommended grade if you can afford them - much harder to ‘outgrow’ than Gen-1.

Generation 3

These are very costly devices, and are naturally suited for those people whose lives (or livelihoods) depend on night vision, e.g. law enforcement, military, security personnel and even researchers.

As with anything, there are always enthusiasts that want to buy the ‘best’, and spend a lot of cash on Generation-4, which are full military-spec. We would only recommend those if money is not a problem :)

Selection criteria 2: Intended use

Night vision devices are frequently used for:

  • spelunking
  • scouting games
  • camping and exploration
  • observing wildlife
  • hunting
  • police surveillance
  • nighttime security

Once you are sure about what you will be using your device for, and what the worst operational conditions would be, you will need to consider: gain, range and image quality. In our experience, the latter two are primarily determined by the former, which is determined by the Generation/grade. Another thing to consider is whether you will be able to use an infrared illuminator (built-in or accessory), since they drastically improve range and image quality. Infrared illuminators are probably well suited for cave exploration, while they may not be for law enforcement tactical operations. Its quite easy to decide, but you must give it some thought.

While tempting, it is quite difficult to suggest a hard and fast formula for selecting a night vision device, so we’ll offer an example instead:

Some friends of ours are ardent paintball enthusiasts. Recently, they discovered that practicing for their ‘war games’ competitions at night while wearing night vision goggles is not only great fun, but really improved their competitiveness during the day. These guys may actually be onto something and it sounds like great fun, but we cringe at the thought of paint getting all over such fine devices (they claim it does not)! Certainly more exciting than a “Dinner in the Dark Party”, where guests wear night vision goggles while dining!

How we used their needs to recommend a night version device:

  • low light operation
  • no infrared illuminators
  • ‘hands-free’
  • ± only 75m range needed
  • very good clarity
  • wide angle view

We recommended ATN NVG7 Generation 2 Night Vision Goggles, since a Generation 1 device would not work well on very dark nights. Given how well those are working for the paintballers, we would recommend the same for law enforcement and security/surveillance personnel that may have to use their night vision devices during a tactical operation. Of course, if there is a bigger budget, then Gen-3 would be better - not for paint-balling though! Too expensive and sacrilegious :) …

Note: less magnification generally results in brighter, clearer images. Choose the lowest magnification you can live with.


In ending, we would like to comment on monoculars. It is our opinion that while monoculars are quite a bit cheaper than binoculars, they are too tiring on the eyes when used for extended periods. If you’re going to buy a handheld device, then we recommend buying binoculars over monoculars.

Recommended night vision devices

Bushnell 2.5x42 Night Vision Binocular w/Built-In IR

Bushnell 2.5×42 Night Vision Binocular w/Built-In IR

___________________________________

Rigel 3200 Pro Night Vision Goggle

Rigel 3200 Pro Night Vision Goggle

___________________________________


Night Owl Explorer Pro 5x Binocular

Night Owl Explorer Pro 5x Binocular

___________________________________

ATN Night Shadow Generation 2+ Night Vision Bi-Ocular

ATN Night Shadow Generation 2+ Night Vision Bi-Ocular

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ATN Night Shadow Generation 3A Night Vision Bi-Ocular

ATN Night Shadow Generation 3A Night Vision Bi-Ocular

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ATN NVG7 Generation 2+ Night Vision Goggle with Headgear

ATN NVG7 Generation 2+ Night Vision Goggle

___________________________________

USNV-PVS-7 XD-4 Mil Spec

USNV-PVS-7 XD-4 Military Spec

Night Vision Goggles

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Nikon 8×42 Monarch ATB Binocular

Nikon 8×42 Monarch ATB

Nikon 8x42 Monarch ATB Binoculars

Waterproof, fog-proof and shock-proof!

Great color definition, pretty bright an wide field of view, soft and rapid focusing central knob, good close focus distance. They are also very comfortable being light and rubber coated and are also comfortable for those who wear eyeglasses.

Excellent for birding, hiking trips, watching sports, hunting - an all-rounder.

Details

The Nikon Monarch 8×42 features phase-corrected prisms and fully multi-coated lenses for enhanced optical performance when you need it most: at dawn, dusk, and in poor weather. And state-of-the-art, lightweight construction provides unparalleled strength and ruggedness in a package that is comfortable to carry all day afield. Oversize focus knob and twist-and-lock eyecups make focus easy to maintain and the binocular a pleasure to use for extended periods.

Main Features

  • 100 percent waterproof/fog-proof/shock-proof for outstanding all-weather capability
  • Ultra-rugged, rubber-armored, roof-prism design for safety and security
  • Extended eye relief and central focus for superior viewing convenience
  • Fully multi-coated lenses for bright, clear images
  • Precision-aligned optics for extended viewing

Specifications

Weight: 21.3 oz.
Size: Full Sized
Eye Relief: 19.6
Waterproof: Yes
Features: Waterproof
Magnification: 8 X
Dimensions (in): 5.7L x 5.0W
Series: Binoculars Series
Objective Lens Diameter: 42 mm
Field of View @ 1000 Yards: 330 ft.
Angular Field of View: 6.3 Degrees
Exit Pupil: 5.25 mm
Focus Type: Center
Close Focusing Distance: 8.2 ft.
Relative Brightness: 28.1
Tripod Adaptable: Yes
Binoculars Series: Monarch ATB Binoculars
Prism Type: Roof Prism Binoculars

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Highly Recommended: Celestron SkyScout Personal Planetarium

HOT INSTRUMENT: Canon 10×42 L Image Stabilization Waterproof Binoculars

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