Some Questions about Night Vision Magnification and SloMotion Recording

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JungleShooter

JungleShooter

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❓ Some Questions about Night Vision Magnification and SloMotion Recording​


OK, bear with me, I'm new at this night vision game, I haven't taken the plunge just yet, but man, I'm already dangling my feet in it.
Here are a few nagging questions:

🔶 (1)
After reading a bunch of specs lists of Gen. 1 NV devices [edit: or NVD typically used by airgunners], I get the impression that the magnifications ranges stated in the model names of the devices (3-12x, 4-32x) are usually not "real" optical magnifications.
They are only artificial, "digital" magnifications: In other words, the NVD takes the image it gets through the lens and simply enlarges the picture artificially — enlarging all it's errors, graininess, and warts.
Then the NVD crops it to give you the impression that you have "zoomed in" when in reality you only have "cropped out".
Is that correct?


🔶 (2a)
I read specs like "120 frames per second" (fps or fr/s). Does that only apply to the daylight operations of the NVD — or is the same frame rate also used for night operations?

(2b)
Directly related: Can you film in slomotion during night operations? (In other words, can I film with 120fr/s at night?)

For all the hours I've spent oogling night vision hunting vids, I have yet to see a slomo night hunting video with a typical* NDV. Got a link?
*[edit: deleted "Gen. 1"]


🔶 (3)
Those of you who know my Scope Specs Tables... — I'd love to have one comparing NV/day scope units..... Or at least a side-by-side comparison of their strenghts and weaknesses. All I find are long winded narratives without making direct comparisons between models (really, thinly veiled infomercials).



👍🏼 Thanks for any light you could shed on these matters for me — you may use your favorite illuminator, I can receive a broad spectrum of wavelengths. 😉

Matthias
 
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Don't bother with Gen 1 stuff - if you INSIST, I have a Vectis set up with G1+ NV (Armasight Core Spark) that works pretty well, and I'll sell it to ya cheaper than you'll get it elsewhere.

Otherwise, just go buy a digital scope that is IR sensitive - the ATN X-Sight 4k is particularly good - WAY better than the G1 NV stuff will ever be - and it has the bonus of a built in recorder, ballistics calculator and can even be linked to a laser range finder.

I DO love my high end white phosphor tube PVS-14's, but, that's a whole 'nother level of $... And you'll still want the ATN X-Sight. :)
 
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Also, I should answer a couple of questions directly, I guess...
1. / 2(a)/(b):
A good image intensifier tube should be 1x, this is CRITICAL because when you're trying to use it as a head mounted device to actually move around with, any level of magnification is super disorienting. Beyond that, for digital stuff, it's just a number that approximates the FOV relative to a normal PVS-14 from what I can tell. And frame rate is not a thing with IIT, that's only a thing for digital IR sensitive systems - which do NOT multiply available light so much as they rely on illumination from an IR source. (which, does also work great for IIT NV, but IIT has the added advantage of being able to do passive work, just intensifying ambient light - which, IMO, is GLORIOUS - it's way cooler to see EVERYTHING for 1000 yards, rather than just whatever you can light up. Totally different experience. - though, for a weapon sight, where concerns about active IR are not a problem the modern digital scopes, like the ATN stuff, are just excellent - really outstanding. And there, I have ZERO idea about the slow motion, but it'll simply be limited to the scope's ability, there's no reason it should be different in IR operation vs. visible light - but who knows what dumbassery the engineers may have gotten up to when designing it. :) - I keep meaning to buy one and REALLY get to know them, but, my super limited experience with the ATN tells me that while, for me, it'll never replace my PVS-14's, it DARN sure is something I want to own and use - shooting under head mounted NV is a whole different level of difficulty - and a NV scope is just.. NICE.. :)

As for illuminator, more power is more betta. LOL.. Plus I STRONGLY prefer longer wavelength stuff, since it's harder for animals to detect. Though, a surefire X400v is a good nice to have iuf you're not working at super long range, and have the budget to spend on it. :). I also really do like the DBAL PL, but, that's probably out of range for most applications, and again, not really useful at long range. Great tool for closer work though. :)


Also, here's my video of that vectis with the Gen 1 tube setup.. Not awful - but.. not great either. (though filming with (and aiming through!) a hand held cell phone didn't help..)

 
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Wow, not much nightvisioning going on at AGN, it seems...? No more replies (besides Miami, thanks a ton, pal!).


As I keep digging deeper, I found that for example Sightmark is more upfront with the optical zoom information than ATN.
In the Sightmark catalogs (link below*; p. 13 and 15), they helpfully distinguish optical and digital zoom.
For example:
The Wraith 4K Mini 4-32x40 has
▪4x optical magnification
▪1-8x digital magnification
resulting in a total of
▪4-32x magnification [4x1=4 and 4x8=32]

The Wraith HD 2-16x28 has
▪2x optical magnification
▪1-8x digital m.
resulting in a total of
▪2-16x m.


🔶 In ATN's publications, both print and web, I haven't found that info yet.
Other brands I have yet to investigate.
Am I to assume that the ATN X-SIGHT 4K Pro has the following optical magnifications?:
● Model 3-14x has:
▪ 3x optical magnification?
▪ 4.6x digital m.?

● Model 5-20x model has:
▪ 5x optical magnification?
▪ 4x digital m.?
🤔



🔶 Any suggestions which brands have similar NVD's as the Wraith and the ATN models?



⭐I guess I have found a new rabbit hole...!🤣

Matthias



*Sightmark Catalog download:
 
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