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Night vision: A guide by Rigel Optics.
When choosing a night vision device, the first question that a person needs to ask is, what is it going to be used for? This is important for many reasons. Not all night vision devices are made the same. Each device is usually designed and engineered for specific applications.
In general, night vision devices are widely used for among others:
* Law enforcement and security
* Self-defense
* Hunting
* Camping and hiking
* Wildlife viewing
* Boating and maritime
The three primary technical factors one needs to consider when choosing a model are gain, range, and image quality.
If you plan to use the device around the home and yard, select a scope with moderate gain. Since you will usually be looking at items which are usually less than 100 meters away, a short objective lens with moderate magnification is appropriate.
Law Enforcement Favorite! Super power 100m lenses!
The Rigel 2500 high magnification night vision binocular features extra-large 100m lenses, offering a 5.0 magnification for viewing the most remote objects at night. The Rigel 2500 Night Vision Binoculars offer superior image quality and robust green images.
Law enforcement and security guards intending to use Night Vision inside
buildings or in the field will need a wide viewing range capability and
hands-free mobility that the Rigel 3200 Pro Night Vision Goggles offer.
They are extra versatile; The Rigel 9500 conversion kit can be bought
separately to turn the Rigel 3200 Pro Goggles into a Pro Binocular with
3.6 magnification.
Once you consider your performance requirements, the chief factors to consider are:
Gain:
Can you see the viewed object in pitch-black conditions? How much detail can you see? Since a night vision device amplifies existing light, darker natural conditions make it more difficult to produce a crisp image with good contrast. Therefore, the moon and starlight act as natural amplifiers for night vision devices while most are pre-equipped with hi power IR illuminators. The IR illuminator acts as an additional "flashlight" for the night vision device, to give you high quality resolution even when natural light sources are absent.
If you live in a well-lighted urban area, the surrounding artificial light will give you plenty of illumination for using our affordable night vision monoculars or binoculars.
Range:
What is the maximum distance at which you can see the viewed object? 200 meters, 100 meters, 30 meters? A night vision devices range is generally a function of its gain, magnification, and resolution. As a rule, a powerful lens will give you higher magnification for viewing far off objects, but it also decreases the amount of light captured. The optimal combination is a high-speed lens with magnification below 5x. High gain is required when viewing distant objects, and plays less a role when viewing objects up close.
Night vision binoculars are best geared for professional applications requiring deep range. For hunters, night vision rifle scopes and spotting scopes give you the best tandem of gain and magnification required for hitting moving objects. Image Quality:
Image quality is dependent on the quality of resolution, contrast, and distortion in images produced by night vision devices. Night vision devices produce a green monochrome image which is typically sharpest in the center and fuzzier around the perimeter. Good resolution will give you the ability to distinguish details of far off objects. Hi quality contrast will allow you to see objects against like color backgrounds. Low distortion is reflective of the minimized quantity of traditional "black spots" which sometimes appear on the device"s lens (a natural phenomenon in the production process).
In most night vision goggles for example, magnification is sacrificed (1.0 magnification is the industry standard) for wide fields of view and sharp, crisp image quality.
Second tier factors to consider include after sales service, price, and ergonomics. After Sales Service:
As night vision devices are made using the latest in high technology and components, after sales service can often be critical. At Rigel Optics, all of our products come automatically with a full 12-month factory warranty. Prior to sale, we also field-test every product ourselves to ensure that it is delivered to you free of any defects or shortcomings.
Further, we also offer post-warranty service on all our products - so if you have any problems after the 12-month warranty period, our technical service personnel will be there to help.
Price:
Price can be a very important consideration given that most night vision devices on the market are expensive. At Rigel Optics, we guarantee that you need to look no further in finding the best quality optics at the best prices. We are the Internet"s leading outlet for affordable night vision, finally making professional grade optics accessible to all. Prices of identical night vision optics by other retailers can run from 30-40% higher than what we offer. At Rigel Optics, our goal is to always give you a terrific value, in terms of both quality and price.
Ergonomics:
Size, weight and ease of use are important considerations. If you plan to carry your scope in your pocket or briefcase, Rigel Optics smaller devices will suit you better. Lightweight devices are more comfortable during extended viewing. Since you will be using the device in the dark, the switches and controls should be positioned logically and be easy to use.
Info courtesy Rigeloptics