Night vision: Binocular or monocular?

Flashlights, lanterns, torches and anything that sheds a little light for your path.
bdcochran
Senior Member
Posts: 633
Joined: Fri Jan 10, 2020 8:46 pm

Re: Night vision: Binocular or monocular?

Post by bdcochran »

My carry binos in the car have to do double duty as quasi night vision. It is the Bushnell Marine model with range finding capability. Extra lens caps, cleaning gear. No tripod. The model kept ready in the garage has a tripod attached all the time. Pricing. At the time it was under $200 with sales tax. Probably add $50 today.
ratf51
Board Founder
Posts: 114
Joined: Sun Dec 08, 2019 11:09 am
Location: NW GA

Re: Night vision: Binocular or monocular?

Post by ratf51 »

I am about to pull the trigger on this. Yesterday I found what turned out to be a meth kit in the woods behind my house. It almost certainly washed into the middle of my lot last week when TS Zeta came through. The thing is it had to have been hidden relatively close due to the density of the woods and the drainage patterns on our lot. The police officer who responded told me that the people who use these kits will hide them with a GPS tracker chip in them to facilitate re-finding them if they cannot remember exactly where they hid them. The plastic tool box was full of water when I found it. There was what appeared to be some sort of small electronic device in the box but it would have been ruined as it was totally submerged. The officer recommended getting some trail cams.

I'll get back to you when I get the night vision and post a review.
ratf51
Board Founder
Posts: 114
Joined: Sun Dec 08, 2019 11:09 am
Location: NW GA

Re: Night vision: Binocular or monocular?

Post by ratf51 »

I got the Bushnell Equinox Z2 today. I'll put it through some of its paces tonight. We are overcast right now with rain coming in but I'll see what it'll do. I'll probably start a separate thread for a review after I have had some time with it.
Bogart
Senior Member
Posts: 59
Joined: Sun Dec 22, 2019 9:07 pm

Re: Night vision: Binocular or monocular?

Post by Bogart »

Looking forward to the review. I can see one of those in my future as well.
Stay safe.
bdcochran
Senior Member
Posts: 633
Joined: Fri Jan 10, 2020 8:46 pm

Re: Night vision: Binocular or monocular?

Post by bdcochran »

I looked up the Bushnell product. Actually, it is a product line, with different powers. The Bushnell literature indicates that all of the units will handle at least 500 feet. One of the reviews, without identifying which model, indicated up to 300 yards.

Now, I search my memory and recall the following event. 2 am class with individual supplied Remington 700 .308 rifles with variable scopes. No moon. Obscured star light. On a range. Downhill slope. 235 yards. Stationary and moving targets. Sometimes no artificial illumination. Sometimes a small lantern on the ground near the target area. People did not have any problems shooting that distance on target.

I throw another thought in. My main mentor did not have a good understanding of optics and was looking for a range finder. At that time, years ago, I had a few range finders, one handling 1200 yards. My mentor said he needed only a 600 yard range finder. Such was as he planned to shoot. My response was that he decided that he wanted to pack and leave, it did not provide him with much time to act. He reflected and bought a 1500 yard range finder.

I am urban. I am chicken. I want to avoid encounters. There are many building and plant obstructions. So, I would settle for a night vision device that would handle 300 yards. So, if the member will take new tool to a range at night with items at 200 - 500 yards and give an evaluation, I would be greatly appreciative. What serves as my night vision today is a Bushnell pair of Marine binoculars with a range finder coupled with a tripod.
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