

Using your analog night vision in bright conditions can ruin the sensitive technology within the device, whereas digital night vision since it just converts the light to electrical signals, will be unaffected. Analog night vision uses an image intensification tube to amplify the light in an image. Most night vision relies on infrared light outside our visible light spectrum. A larger lens will collect more light, and enhance the clarity and brightness of your image. Objective lens, or effective diameter, is the diameter of the monocular lens. Some prefer the ease of recharging, while others like to have their night vision run on disposable batteries so that they can easily bring an extra set off-grid when they are unlikely to return to a charging location before the batteries die. This can affect prices as well as run time. Some night vision devices run on disposable batteries while others have built-in rechargeable batteries. Seeing at night requires power, and you won’t be plugging these devices into the wall. Some devices will offer digital magnification along with optic magnification, but just like expanding your fingers to zoom in on a phone photo, this often comes with a degradation of the image quality. Greater magnification often comes at a higher cost, but consider picture quality as well. Night vision can not only light up the night, often it can magnify your view like a pair of binoculars to give you better view off in the distance. Though, if you will use these at home or from your vehicle, this may not be as big of a consideration. Smaller, more compact devices are easier to justify in the cramped space of a backpack or camp bag. Similar to weight, the size of your night vision device will dictate how likely you are to bring it with you. Lighter tools are easier to carry, though that weight savings often comes at a cost.

If you are carrying this into the backcountry while hiking, hunting, or doing anything else that will have your belongings on your back, weight is an important consideration. Things to consider when shopping for a night vision monocular Weight Best for beginners: Stealth Cam Digital Night Vision Digital Monocular.

