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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

night vision equipment (1 Viewer)

salty

geordie birder
i have owned my night vision scope for a couple of months now, and i still get a surprise when out in the field with it. the fact that you can see clearly in total darkness can be strange to imagine at times, but it is a fantastic experience!

i started off with night vision back in 1996, they were selling them for the first time in the high street electrical stores. i thought, wow! - they sound like something out of a sci-fi movie. so obviously i had to try one out.

that first model i owned was a basic 1st generation model, fine for around the garden or out camping etc, but not a patch on the military spec 2nd and 3rd generation scopes out there now. witch is also why i have upgraded, and gone for one of the top-end night scopes that i now use. for example: my first generation night sight magnified light by around 3,000 times - pretty good you might think? - my new model magnifies it by around 65,000 times :eek!: - think day light at night!

as i mentioned, it is still brand new, so field testing my new 'toy' is under way. with it being a top-end scope, the built in gadgets are pretty impressive:
ABC - automatic brightness control - the scope adjusts it's own power for when light levels change, to provide a constant clear useable image. when there is no natural starlight, the scope will get brighter, and when there is moonlight etc - the scope turns it's power down so as not to be too bright to view through.

laser infra red illuminater: as well as a built in infra red light, for when there is total darkness - ie: in a wood, or indoors, there was the option to get an additional light source to simply 'bolt on'. the laser, gives an intense beam that is invisable to the eye. it sits on top of the scope, and can be adjusted from spot to flood beam. this is an awesome add on, and enables for clear crisp viewing over a huge distance even under the darkest conditions.

out in the field, nothing will prepare you for the first time you look through a night vision device. they turn darkness to day light, but from a eerie green glow. i will update this page when i can with my experiences, and will try and get a few shots on the camera - but dont hold your breath - i only have a 1.3 million pixel camera phone to use.

below is a couple of shots that i tried for the first time, holding my pic phone to the lens of the night vision in the local graveyard, while walking the dog. the conditions were complete darkness, with no starlight/moonlight and no infra red to help. just the scopes own power. in real life - the image is even more clearer and brighter!!!
 

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well thats the bad part!

1st generation models can be picked up for as little as £99 - and aslong as you use infrared, are pretty usefull to have.

2nd generation models start at £1,000 - but the difference is unreal - you cannot compare them with 1st gen.

3rd generation is military spec, so the prices can be as high as £10,000 for some advanced models!

i opted for 2nd+ generation. a little better as standard than gen2, but i had it upgraded with better internals and the laser infra red. so it came in at £2,000 - a grand cheaper than the 3rd generation equivalent was going to cost me, but with better performance.

also with 3rd gen devices there is a waiting list of around 6months for some models, as they are meant for the military and police.

below is a pic of the night vision with and without the infra red laser.
 

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size comparison

here is a pic of the night vision monocular alongside my 10x42 ultravids, to show how compact the scope is.

it fits great into my pocket, and is a welcome partner on night time walks - you are infact invisable!. my german shepherd cannot even spot me at times, as for foxes etc - you can see them in the grass staring back at you with there ears twitching!.

it maybe small, but it packs a huge punch :bounce:
 

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What is the brand name and how you got it?

And how were your experiences with this 1st generation things in the field?
 
jurek said:
What is the brand name and how you got it?

And how were your experiences with this 1st generation things in the field?

my night vision is a D121M monocular that i purchased from www.sovietbazaar.co.uk they are able to build to your own spec and budget. i didnt however choose to include the headstrap with mine, as i would only abuse it and drive around the country side with no lights on! - i think the base model D121M is £1200, but my extras were £800 - but it now performs better than a 3rd gen scope.

my 1st generation scope - NV100 £350 (although same model today is £100! - was actually very usable in the field, as long as you were not in the woods etc, in witch case the infra red had to be permantly switched on. you can actually buy infra red torches that will greatly enhance your use in really dark areas - i dont think they are expensive.

when you try a 2nd gen scope after a 1st gen - the difference is plane to see obviously. even with the infra red switched on, a 2nd gen device will out perform any 1st gen scope, with no infra red.

it's a shame i cant actually show you what it really is like when viewing throught my scope. the phone pics are not a patch on the real experience. the brightness and detail is unreal.

1st gen is affordable and has it's uses - providing you get a decent source of infra red to go with it - but will still give you a limit on what you can see at night - where as 2nd and 3rd gen have no limits really.
 
just been checking out www.sovietbazaar.co.uk and noticed they now do thermal imaging equipment! - wonder where i could raise the £9,000 for one of those!!! - i can get by on the 1 kidney couldnt I???? - any offers?
 
salty said:
i can get by on the 1 kidney couldnt I???? - any offers?

You might well be able to but I doubt you would have the energy left to carry the batteries - those things eat power and most also need bottled gas to cool them.

I'm intrigued - having used both Gen3 Ultra II and manpack TI in the military I know how impressive they are but what do you use them for - unless you are in the security or anti-poacher business?
 
A friend of mine has a pilkington kite for sale if anyone is interested. The thermal imaging gear is superb, I've looked through a £12k piece on a moor and they'll pick up red grouse at 50-100m and people at 1km through thick fog.

I think they would be great for surveying mammals such as wild boar and big cats! also for finding elusive birds in reedbeds.

On a budget though a Sony handycam on nightshot mode works well enough for close range work.

Rob
 
Nigel - im just a technology fan! - was interested in night vision since watching the 1st gulf war as a kid. also comes in very handy for navigation and observation, and i use it loads in the winter time where it is dark by 4pm.

walking the dog or watching wildlife, to checking out strange noises at night, it is a handy piece of kit to have. looking forward to badger watching with it too, not to mention owl watches, bat observation etc etc .

Rob f - heres a couple of pics of a big cat recently, found in my bedroom!
 

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i was working late last night so took the night vision out with me. on the way home i was listening to the local tawnys hooting away, but they were getting drowned out by the lapwings that were flying around - at 4am?.

do they ever sleep? - i could see them flying around, i only saw the one owl though, as i was far too tired to stay out watching the woods and fields. no big cats through the night vision last night either ;)
 
I think I'll get me the NV goggles.

May help save me from stubbing my toes on the lavvy door - again!!! ;)








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They certainly look like good fun - though I doubt I'd ever really need one...

It will be interesting to see what sort of photo you can get through it when you get your Canon A95.
 
I'm impressed Salty, I've always wanted a nightscope but have found them to be a bit expensive so have remained at the bottom of my "must have" list.
 
they are an expensive toy really, seeing as i dont hardly use it untill the darker nights, august till may is when it can be used to full effect.

the advanced models such as mine, are breathtaking to view through. it really is like darkness into daylight. unlike a torch that is limited to what you can see, a NV device will light up everything in the viewpiece, and you remain invisible to your surroundings, very stealthy.

i mainly use mine when walking the dog, as the riverside where go is pitch black at night, and the only other things out in the dark are the local foxes!

seeing as im now mobile, i am going to start using it for owl watching, nightjar watching etc etc.
 
yo, a quick update.

was doing some trail pics with my canon A95 powershot hand held to my nightvision, pictures came out OK, loads better than my previous attempts with the camera phone.

i will get some pics up for you soon, both indoor and outdoor, and before and after shots.
 
trail pics with A95

ok folks.

heres a few trail snaps i have just taken.

( pics 1 and 2 ) the first 2 are from my bedroom window into the garden, using no infrared light or anylight source at all - just the scopes own power, under 'starlight conditions' : ie, the only light available is from the stars above, over than that, the garden is totally dark.

the pictures were also taken through the glass, not from outdoors, where the conditions would be actually brighter.


( pics 3 and 4 ) this shows my cat, felix, asleep on the bed. the bedroom is in complete darkness, absolutely zero light, not even starlight. the first pic is in this condition, the second with the scopes infra red switched on - (although i didnt focus pretty well in these 2 pics, it still gives you an idea the difference with/without infrared)

( pic 5 ) shows the size comparison of the night vision and my mobile phone, yep, it is tiny!
 

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