Looking for Night Vision Scope Suggestions

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Ezana4CE

Ezana4CE

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Jan 15, 2021
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Texas, United States
I’ve been contemplating purchasing a night vision rig. After perusing the threads I’ve been eyeballing the Pard 007 monocular a for the simple fact that I can attach them to my existing scopes as well as use them independently as monoculars. Anyone using this sort of setup? Also curious about the Pard NV007a upgraded version versus the NV007. Is there a noticeable difference for those who’ve used both? I’m looking for something I can use for night hunting and pesting. Pesting will include rabbits and armadillos, maybe a little barn ratting. Hunting will entail pigs and coyotes mostly, although both are pests when it comes to livestock and pastureland. I prefer to do most of my night hunting within 100 yards. Not looking to spend a lot. I’m thinking of spending around $600 for a starter rig. Would like to mount them on a couple of big bores. Definitley wanna outfit a Bulldog and maybe a Texan. Suggestions are welcome along with your individual experiences. Thanks in advance.
A2A639AC-CDD4-4D8F-A1F0-B7483AAC90B9.1614555918.jpeg
r While looking up Pard configurations I came across this photo. What in the world is going on here? 
 
Sorry I did not do the Pard 007 as it is a scope add on and not a scope. 

But here is most of what's available that is affordable

There are a few decent digital night vision scope set ups out there. Some are more decent than others.

This is not exactly a review cuz I only have a couple of these but more of listing of specs to make them easier to understand to choose between the units.

I have been trying to keep up with the less expensive nightvision stuff as it comes out it’s not an easy task sometimes. So I thought I would let you in on my findings on a few of them. I listed the specs on things that I thought really mattered and left some of the other specs out. Things like battery life, weight, sensor resolution, record resolution, FOV, minimum focus distance and refresh rates really matter and every one should consider them carefully before laying down the $$ and purchasing one or you could be very disappointed.

Let’s talk about a few of these specs.

Battery life; I have seen a few comparisons between the Pard008 and the ATN 4K units where somehow the Pard came out on top!!!! Actually as one can plainly see the ATN has 18hrs of battery life built in so way more than twice that of the Pard. With that much battery life it really does not matter that it is built into the unit.

Most have fairly short battery life but most also have batteries that can be quickly replaced. If you purchase some decent rechargeable lithium batts you won’t have a problem if you are going to purchase batteries off the shelf it can get spendy. So watch your battery life.

Weight; When you are out in the field an extra pound or two can be tiresome after a couple of hours lugging it around. Let’s face it most of these things are heavy as a brick with the exception of the Pard and the Nightshot 3x with the plastic case and lens which both weigh in at about 1.3 Lbs.

Sensor resolution; One would think this would be on top of the list as everything depends on this not on the screen or recording resolution. Without good sensor resolution the screen and recording resolutions suffer as they can do no better than the sensor used.

Record resolution; If you want good vids you need at least 640x480 or better. If you want to see the pellet fly you need better than this. Your screen resolution has nothing to do with your recording resolution it’s only what you see at the moment.

FOV; Field Of View is extremely important if it’s not wide enough when you are getting up close and personal your quarry it will disappear in an instant or you won’t even be able to find it in the viewscreen. So wider is better.

Minimum focus distance; can mean a big deal if you are doing some close quarter pesting. It’s nice to be able to make out what you are shooting at and even better to see a nice clear video rather than a big blur.

Refresh Rate; A slow refresh rate means you just see a blur or a jittery image when following a moving object in your scope. It’s the same when an object is moving in your field of view if you really want to see it you need a decent >30fps refresh rate. Want to see a moving pellet? Then you really need at minimum 120fps although 240fps is much better.

Apps; most of these scopes are lacking in apps that can be used. The ATN has more than its share and if you turn too many on it can slow the CPU down to a crawl making it difficult to do anything. So think about what you are doing. You don’t need to use them all at the same time.

I love that I can have the ATN and ABL units range an object apply software to compute not only the distance but the elevation change and move the reticle for the shot.



 The ATN 4K 3x14 and 6.5x20 has all the apps of the modern world.

Internal battery lasts 18hrs so plenty for a couple of long days/nights hunting

They do a good job of recording your shots with decent quality sound included

WiFi connects to your phone easily you can control the scope functions from the phone

Magnification There is a multi-step digital zoom feature 3x14 or 6.5X20 models

Adjustable Parallax

Great FOV 46' @ 100 yards for the 3X14 about half that for the 6.5X20

Minimum focus distance 16.4ft for the 3x14 or 32.8ft for the 6.5x20

CMOS resolution 3864x2218 At least I think that is what those numbers mean

Refresh rate 30, 60, 120Hz,

Video record resolution 1920x1080

Color day B/W night

They are built like a brick which is a plus

Weight 2LB heavy like a brick a minus

Color day B/W night

Supplied IR

Picatinny mount

Lots of Apps

I have one of the 3X14 scopes and with my limited use it is a great unit.

https://www.amazon.com/X-Sight-Smart-Night-Rifle-Compass/dp/B079TDC1XS



The Pard 008 6.5-12 is a much lighter, less complex and more compact scope.

Companion rangefinder available in the LRF model

Half the weight and size of the ATN 4K which are big pluses for the unit

Battery life is said to be 8 hours and is user replaceable.

Records your video sound is not so great.

WiFi connects to your phone can be a pain to find apps to use for it.

Magnification New units have continuous 1x-2x zoom digital from 6.5x12 others have two step zoom either 6.5 or 12

Adjustable parallax

FOV I have not been able to find that information but would speculate it would be near half of the ATN 3×14's 46' at 100 yards.

Minimum focus distance is 9.8ft the lowest in this group

CMOS resolution; I am unable to find this information

Refresh rate 30Hz

Video record resolution 1920x1080

Color day B/W night

Supplied IR

Decently built

Weight 1.3LB so a bit over half the weight of most of the others.

Kind of a funky Picatinny mounting system often requires shims

Very few apps

So if you can deal with a few less apps, 8 hr. battery and a bit of a funky mounting system but in a much more compact unit with half the weight of most of the rest of these scopes the Pard 008 is very good from what I have seen on YouTube.

I don't have one of these and am spoiled by the features of the heavy as a brick ATN. Else I would have a hard time deciding which to purchase.

https://www.amazon.com/Pard-lightest-Digital-Riflescope-Waterproof/dp/B07WPK1D3D

Link to another nightvision post with an in depth account of the Pard at the bottom

https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/pard-nv008p-vs-atn-4k-pro/#post-829961



The Sightmark Photon RT 4.5X42S is a bit less sophisticated than the ATN

Newer units weigh in at slightly less than the ATN but it is still a heavyweight

Battery life is much lower like 3.5 hours with lithium batteries. User replaceable batts Optional plug in battery packs are available.

Records video and sound

WiFi connects to your phone easily

Magnification Two-step digital zoom 4.5-9

Adjustable parallax

FOV 22.5' @ 100 yards for the 4.5x9 or 24ft for the 3.5x14

Minimum focus 32.8ft for the 3.5-14

CMOS resolution 768x576

Refresh rate 50Hz

Video record resolution 640x480

B/W day and night

Supplied IR

Well built

Weight just under 2LB so near to a brick

Picatinny mount

Very few apps

I have one of these Photon units and it werqs quite well.

https://www.amazon.com/Sightmark-SM18015-Digital-Riflescope-4-5x42S/dp/B078FHGXRT



Sightmark Wraith HD Night Vision Rifle Scope 2-16x 28mm

Battery life 3.5 to 4.5 hours 4XAA

Records Video no audio

No WiFi

Magnification only 2X lens zoom and 8X multi-step digital zoom

Adjustable Parallax

FOV 42ft @ 100 yards

Minimum focus distance 2x16 16.5ft 4x32 12ft

CMOS resolution 1920x1080

Refresh rate I see complaints of lagging video which usually points to slow refresh rates so I expect it would be near or > 30fps

Video record resolution 2x16 1920x1080, 4x32 1080x720

Color day B/W night

Supplied IR

Picatinny mount

Well built

Heavy 2LB+ heavier than a brick

The Wraith has very good HD resolution on both the sensor and screen. Specs would point to this unit having the best quality picture but I don’t have one so can’t say.

I did see a couple of videos on the Wraith though and it has great picture quality in daylight but even on a moonlit night it needs an IR illuminator. The Photon and most of the others will do fine without an illuminator in the same situation. So that is a minus for the Wraith.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/102288033?pid=882357



Almost fergot the Nightshot 3X It is stripped down unit with very basic features

Much smaller, lighter and far less expensive than the most of these set ups

Plastic chassis and Plastic Lenses

It has a 3hr battery life. User replaceable batteries

Does NOT record your shots

Does NOT have WiFi

Magnification; Fixed 3x magnification

Fixed parallax set at 100 yards.

Much lower FOV than the 3×14 ATN

Minimum focus distance 10ft

CMOS resolution?

Refresh rate 30Hz

Video record resolution; No video recording

Black and white day and night

Supplied IR

Weight 1.3LB

Picatinny mount

Weight 1.3lb Of plastics

https://www.opticsplanet.com/night-owl-optics-nightshot-digital-night-vision-riflescope.html




 
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I have both the wraith 2x and 4x models. I like them both but prefer the 2x for my hunting areas. 
If you get the quick detach mount, they are easy to swap to another rifle. There are 5 different presets available so you can zero it to different rifles or ammo types and they do hold zero well. I paid a little more for the American Defense quick detach, but the sightmark one works too.
 
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@biohazardman Thanks for that post. I’ve read up on most of the listed systems. Weight is a significant factor for me. After walking around for a while or sitting stationary positioned for a quick shot for prolonged periods, weight and weight distribution are a concern. This makes me apprehensive about the ATNs. They are feature laden which is a plus. The minus is that I don’t want to have to dismount my scopes to take a particular rifle out and then have to remount and re-check my zero. I like the convenience of grabbing a gun with the ability to load and shoot relatively fast. I also appreciate the ballistic calculator that ATN offers. I’ve read good things about it so long as you input the correct info. I’ve enjoyed many videos posted on AGN using an ATN system. With all of the features they offer, do you (or any others) know if the company has good customer support? A good warranty?

The fps rate is also a concern. I recall the Pard nv007 having a 30 fps rate which concerns me because the lag at that rate can be annoying when recording moving objects (like projectiles or perhaps tracking a moving target). You’ve given me some things to consider. 

The IR on the Wraith isn’t a deal breaker I’ve already been looking at external/additional IR lights because I’ve read that using them can conserve battery life on some night scopes with integrated IR. At least on the type that allows one to dial down the intensity on the integrated IR. With that said it would be great if any platforms offered the option to switch the integrated IR off in order to conserve battery life, especially if full-moonlight is adequate to illuminate your quarry

@ancientsword Presets seem to be a substantial plus for swapping between guns or using various projectiles. I’ve read some Wraith reviews and they appear to be lacking in comparison to some of the models @biohazardman listed. Since this is my first foray into night vision I really wouldn’t know save the reviews drawing comparisons. Thanks for the input. 


@blackadder I’m not familiar with the site. I’ll take a look. Thanks for the suggestion. 
 
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I've used the NV007. 30fps is more than enough for video recording. You do know movies are only 24 fps right? That is what the human eyes sees. 120fps and 240 fps are solo mo. NV007 is great since I mostly shoot in day time and I want to use my traditional rifle scope and not have to take it on and off and rezero each time I shoot. The bad thing is, it will extend out longer. I just move my scope a bit further so even with the NV007 on, its still conformable to shoot. The reason I choose not to go with the NV008 or the ATN is they are a digital scope and they replace your rifle scope. Yes they can be use for daytime too but I prefer traditional rifle scope and not a digital camera scope with fake crosshairs. I hate to keep switching from back and forth and have to rezero each time. So went with NV007. It just twist on to your rifle scope for night time shooting and in daytime just twist it off. Don't even have to rezero at all. If you plan to use your night vision scope permanent and don't have plan to put back your rifle scope then either NV008 or ATN 4k is the better choice.
 
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If you get quick detach rings or mounts, you don’t have to re-zero your scope every time you take it off and put it back on. I don’t use the wraith much during the day, but I have on occasions.

I went with the wraith on the recommendation of the guys from The Late Night Vision Show on YouTube. Super cool guys, you can call them up and discuss what you’re interested in and they will share their experience with you. Jason is a super nice guy and seems to love to talk to people, even though he is really busy. I have never talked to Joel (HansETX on YouTube). I think they are more into thermals these days, but they hunt almost every night in Texas. I bought an AGM thermal monocular to use for scanning from them. Then once you find something, you can switch to your night vision. They recommend Sniper hog lights in order to experience the best that digital nv can do. I bought a Streamlight IR illuminator through Amazon though, open box to save some money. It makes a difference to get the IR mounted down around the muzzle and keep it off the NV device, I have found. You can use one mounted on the scope but you get a lot of washout at times.

I know those guys don’t recommend ATN because they used to sell them and had a lot of returns and problems with them. I hear that ATN is getting better both in the scope and customer service. Their newer models seem to be holding up well. I had the ATN Thor LT thermal scope but sold it. It was ok, but I want a higher resolution and I bought the thermal monocular because it’s easier to scan with then constantly holding up a rifle to look through.
 
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@impactx I’m with you on preferring to use traditional scopes. I don’t know much about film production or digital scopes, but I believe that I have enough experience with digital cameras produced within the past decade to understand issues that can arise when it comes to motion conflicting with the frame rate. The most likely example I anticipate encountering is my desire to use slow-mo to view shot placement/POI on a moving target while shouldering a quick offhand shot. I don’t want to run into blurry frames while tracking the projectile. If anyone reads this and has had a similar problem, I’d like to know more about the conditions surrounding blurry frames from night vision recording. If there’s an option to create a time lapse video (say from a bench in a blind) then I’d like to be able to explore that option. I’ve never captured footage via scope cams, so this is new territory for me. From all that I’m reading I’ll likely end up with a couple of nv units. The nv007 is attractive for its ability to attach to my existing scopes. Dedicated nv scopes are attractive for their range of features. None within my budget seem perfectly suited so I’ll likely base my decision on what I really need. 

@ancientsword i was also thinking of trying a thermal monocular for scanning an locating quarry and switching to NV to put them down. An issue that I ran into when considering this is feeling compelled to purchase a more expensive thermal unit because I read complaints about some thermal units not penetrating brush or not functioning well above certain temps. In this here Texas terrain both scenarios will be common for me. Thermal isn’t something I’m in a rush to incorporate. Tracking is a part of the hunt that I enjoy. So thermal will likely come later, but seems we’re thinking on the same page there. I’ve read reviews saying that ATN nv scopes had several bugs with their firmware. Not sure if the issues have been resolved. As for the separate IR light I was thinking of mounting it on a bottom rail beneath the tip of the bore. I have thought of a couple of configurations I want to play with. 



 
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i think your best bet is spend about a G on a thermal with builtin recording .. its not rocket science when it comes to video all it has to be is clear enough to watch and your golden ... with the option to avoid ir i would .. it limits you in multiple ways, put your money on a thermal and you can use it in the day also, and i'd dedicate a rig to it ... one thing that is NOT likely ti be realistic isthar goofball setup in that pic lol .. maybe for a 'very' specific task but again your limited af with a setup like that .. yeah, a thermal on a carbine size that can be used for somthing other than a bench and is actually practical for getting 'that coon' out by the bins ..
 
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I've been wondering about this, too - isn't there a way to mount the NV in front of your regular scope; not having to remove it would be a big plus?
Click to expand...

https://tnvc.com/shop/cnvd-lr/?doing_wp_cron=1614647761.3345999717712402343750

This is just one example......Many of then utilize an AR front rail, which an Airgun typically does not have (you can see what I mean in the pics). There are other options out there. Search "night vision clip-ons" and that will result in units such as this. Just stick with well known retailers such as TNVC. Its been a while since I was in this "game" so to speak (went all in about 6 years ago, but this tech moves very slowly *extremely* )- so I digress from here, but that gives you a start. 
 
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I've been wondering about this, too - isn't there a way to mount the NV in front of your regular scope; not having to remove it would be a big plus?
Click to expand...

https://tnvc.com/shop/cnvd-lr/?doing_wp_cron=1614647761.3345999717712402343750

This is just one example......Many of then utilize an AR front rail, which an Airgun typically does not have (you can see what I mean in the pics). There are other options out there. Search "night vision clip-ons" and that will result in units such as this. Just stick with well known retailers such as TNVC. Its been a while since I was in this "game" so to speak (went all in about 6 years ago, but this tech moves very slowly *extremely* )- so I digress from here, but that gives you a start. 
Click to expand...

For those prices I think a rear mount will do just fine. 
 
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Just received the new Sightmark Wraith 4k Max, hands down the best picture of all the digital NV devices currently available. 

It has audio recording, which the previous Wraith models lack, and built in rechargeable battery with 5hr plus running time.

While significantly heavier than my Pard NV008P LRF, the definition and clarity thru the viewfinder is also significantly better than the Pard.

Digital optics are the future, the Wraith 4K Max is currently the top of the heap.
 
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So due to budget, utility, and versatility I settled on a Pard NV007a. I’m going to try to work with it this weekend to get it set up although I’m limited in what I can do until the battery charger arrives. 
AE187B2B-A06D-4F6C-AA73-8466208E5627.1615569644.jpeg

The monocular cam doesn’t feel too heavy by itself. I’m anxious to see how it feels when attached to the scope. I’m also curious about how it will affect the weight distribution of certain setups. Thanks for all of your input. 

 
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Tonight I got the opportunity to test out the monocular aspect of the Pard NV007. The picture quality is somewhat grainy, but it will be sufficient. The IR light is good at shirt to moderate distances. Haven’t tried it at over 100 yards. Something I noticed is that the eye that isn’t viewing night vision imagery cannot adjust and see clearly in the dark until my viewing eye adjust back to the dark. The adjustment is awkward after removing the monocular from my eye. Things look cloudy. The 3.5x zoom feature doesn’t make much sense to use for short distances. When panning, if I move it too fast the IR light will whiten a large portion of the viewing field and it takes a few seconds for my eyes to readjust.


So far I like the monocular by itself. I tried attaching it to my Hawke scope on my Brocock but the diameter of the eyepiece is too small for the adapter that came with the Pard. I don’t want to put it on my CenterPoint because I’m probably going to have to exchange it under warranty because it hasn’t been holding zero well for very long and I no longer trust it to hunt with. So I have to swap my Hawke with another larger optic that will pair with the adapter that came with the Pard. Another thing I don’t like is that the adapter is metal and scrapes against your scope. I’m careful when fitting mine around the scope but it still irks me. I used a layer of electrical tap around the scope the prevent it from being scratched up by the adapter sleeve.

Outside I didn’t see anything moving besides flying insects. As a result I couldn’t see how well it worked at lighting eyes up. The way the IR reflects off of metal on its lowest setting indicates that it should perform just fine to catch those eyes. There will be more to come later this week
 
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