Night Vision - What is your Experience with it?

[Schuetzenman]

Looking to buy some, don't want to spend a fortune and I know Gen 1 is basically crap. I have been looking for a while and cost vs. performance seems to make the SPARK by Armasight the choice I'm willing to pop for. http://www.opticsplanet.com/armasight-spark-core-night-vision-monocular.html I was wondering if anyone has had hands on with one of these and what your thoughts were about it. It boasts near Gen 2+ resolution for just under $500. They have a lot of accessories for it to adapt it to many roles from head / helmet mount to weapon mounting. They even have a mount that turns it into a Red Dot sight as a stand alone sight system.

http://images1.opticsplanet.com/755-405-ffffff/opplanet-armasight-spark-core-night-vision-monocular-nsmspark01ccic1-rail-v3.jpg

[NAPOTS]

Im glad you brought the topic up I have been looking at night vision monoculars lately. The price gap between gen 1 and gen 2 is HUGE.

Does anyone know anything about the digital night vision like this one from ATN? http://www.atncorp.com/atn-dnvm-4digital-nv-monocular-4x

[shotdown61]

This guy seems to know a little about NV.Great site for Sig 556 owners.
http://www.sigarms556.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=12043

[Helen Keller]

i sold a bunch last year. Most of my stuff was Gen2+. $$$$ stuff but once was it's value drops like a rock.
My biggest concern was the weight.

[Partisan1983]

A buddy of mine owns a PVS14. I have gotten to play with it a few times.......VERY AWESOME!


I want one.

[Schuetzenman]

A buddy of mine owns a PVS14. I have gotten to play with it a few times.......VERY AWESOME!


I want one.

Yeah, but the PVS14 is a $4K range monocular. I could spend up to about 1200 on a device but really that limits you to gen 2 maybe 2+. The SPARK has 45+ lines of resolution per mm. It is very clear in the center and most of the reviews talk about no artifacts ... black spots in the image. The view does have some fisheye nature to it where the image at the edge of view is distorted by most reports. Still on the whole the reviews are 4 and 5 starts, then again I wonder if they are true reviews or ones posted by Armasight to promote the SPARK. The SPARK weighs 14.4 ozs. if the stats are accurate. That's not overly heavy.

[TwistedKarma]

http://www.opticsplanet.com/armasight-co-mr-sd-gen-2-day-night-vision-clip-on-system.html

These are alittle pricey for most.

[Schuetzenman]

http://www.opticsplanet.com/armasight-co-mr-sd-gen-2-day-night-vision-clip-on-system.html

These are alittle pricey for most.

Also it is a Clip On, do you understand what that is?

http://images2.opticsplanet.com/755-405-ffffff/opplanet-armasight-gen-3-day-night-vision-clip-on-system-alpha-tube-colmrg3-usage-1.jpg
This is what a Clip On night vision device looks like in place. Very bulky IMO.

http://images1.opticsplanet.com/755-405-ffffff/opplanet-armasight-spark-core-night-vision-monocular-nsmspark01ccic1-gun-v6.jpg
Here is the Spark on top of an AR. They do make an adapter for the Spark but it mounts to the rear of the sight, not in front.

[TwistedKarma]

Yeah, it looks bulky on that ar. But on my M76 chambered in 300WSM, it does not look bulky.

[Schuetzenman]

Yeah, it looks bulky on that ar. But on my M76 chambered in 300WSM, it does not look bulky.

M76 ... Yugoslav AK? In 300 Winchester Short MAGNUM?

Are you using it as a stand alone with no optic behind it?

If it was only that device with no scope it wouldn't be nearly so bad. That said it has to sit on a weapon, though I suppose a person could hand hold it. I am probably going to roll the dice on the SPARK because of versatility and generation. It can used in so many ways. Hand held, weapon mounted behind a red dot, converted into a NV Weapon site that doesn't need a Red dot in front of it. It can be clamped to a scope but on the eyepiece end, vs. set in front of it. It can be mounted on a head harness or a helmet mount harness. They make a camera adapter for it so you can use it to take night photos. I guess you could say it is the flexibility of it that sells it to me. Not mounted to a rifle I can use it (with a hands free head/ helmet mount) with a handgun, shot gun, or just observation.

[TwistedKarma]

First and formost, 2 the price droped on a sale for a week, I really only think I had to shell out 1300ish, factory rebate ? at the time. (give or take)
I had sold a preban ak in feb, so it paid for it. At that price now? No.
I hand hold mine, it goes on one of two units. a Bullpup SG works SKS, Eotech is towards (nearest) my eye, (backwards of what everybody else wants) Most want a NV on helmet, and can look into and around, my concern as a shtf piece, is distance. Scope alignment on the M76 is not addressed yet, I have to make the front quad and side mount posp match. I had tilted my side mount too much barrel down, thinking I needed more to hit 1200 yards. (mounting it to the M76, At this point, was just a bling thing)
Drawbacks, I have not looked through a helmet mounted one to see how wide the field of view is, but mine seems narrow.
Likes, very happy with 200 yards out clairty.
Armasite was confused when I told them where I mounted it. Most buy a NV combatible EO. I just mounted the NV in front , Barrrel end, and saved the lenses from gettitng red dot burned. I saved a few bills on just buying a reg eotec, not nv compliant.
I can change out to next gun, without rezero of scope.

After owning one, the biggest thing from what I did learn, is light getting into the lenses. Can you protect it, to give it long life.
I think this should be most peoples biggest selling points, "how long will it last", then versitility, clarity, ect.

I like my CO-MR. if they sale price it, its worth it. IF not, you could own 2 cheaper units.
I dont think you will go wrong with what you picked out.

And sorry , my typing is sometimes hard to follow.

[Schuetzenman]

Update, doing further research on the SPARK I've learned that though it has the lines of resolution equal to 2 or 2+ night vision the light gathering ability is really only 1+. This is not what I want as that will limit the distance you see with it and how well you can see into shadow. Because of this I will pass on the SPARK. Now if they should ever come out with a real 2+ version I would be very interested in it.

The Monocular style continues to be what I think is most flexible for the bucks. A pure weapon sight can only be used on the rifle or hand held, can't be head mounted for hands free work.

[Escobert]

I have a friend with a Monocular setup. Not sure what exactly it is. I know gen 2+. We used to get drunk and try to hide in the woods while someone stood on the porch with it on and various other dumb things. It's nice to have a rich friend.

[blacksheep]

A buddy of mine owns a PVS14. I have gotten to play with it a few times.......VERY AWESOME!


I want one.

Holy crap that would more expensive then almost all the firearms I own, the only exception would be my Barrett.

[Adler]

A buddy of mine owns a PVS14. I have gotten to play with it a few times.......VERY AWESOME!


I want one.

Are you talking about me again, Derek? I'm trying to score a TA648-308 right now from a coworker for my M1A, between ACOGs, Aimpoints and the Eotech (I just sold) I'm sure I have more money in glass than in iron! We need to get together and shoot, it's been way too long. BTW, I'm also back on Gunsnet...

[El Laton Caliente]

Are you talking about me again, Derek? I'm trying to score a TA648-308 right now from a coworker for my M1A, between ACOGs, Aimpoints and the Eotech (I just sold) I'm sure I have more money in glass than in iron! We need to get together and shoot, it's been way too long. BTW, I'm also back on Gunsnet...

Welcome back.

[1 Patriot-of-many]

Why is night vision stuff so expensive?

[deth502]

Why is night vision stuff so expensive?

because ppl are willing to pay for it.

thermal imaging and night vision are not cutting edge tech anymore by any means. there is no reason it should still be demanding the premium it is, imo.