[filmhog]

Hello to the group.
I had a pair of gen I Russian night vision binocs destroyed and have an opportunity to replace with a similar item.
What is out there that is medium $$ ( up to $700) that works well. I see some units like the Fero 51 that needs a separate IR source, but don't know if it will do natural IR or starlight.
I saw some bushnells but don't have a clue on their quality. Do I stay with some russian's if I can find them again?
Thanks

 

[KABAR2]

If night vision gear needs a separate IR source they ARE INFRA RED. Star Light uses the available background light to intensify the image. If you can afford to spend the bucks go for U.S. made equipment! I always noticed after using the Russian stuff with the grainy image that my eyes were scratchy (best I can describe the feeling) it's sort of like buying a car.... U.S. = Cadillac Great ride top quality, Russia = Volga... no springs or shocks rough ride crappy quality.
Save your penny's and buy American.

 

[blackrifles]

Filmhog,

I agree with Kabar, go with (Gen 2-3) US items and don't look back. I picked up a pair of the (30 year old??) Russian binocs for $100, image is decent compared to most Russian stuff, still has the "fishbowl" around the edges and very grainy image, we added a (9v powered- 3 IR LED) illumination "firefly" lamp, will really light things up out to 25 yds and improves clarity of image, but your eyes pay the price within 10 minutes.

Also have the AN/PVS-2 on my AR-15, Gen 1 works fine under partial moonlight, pitch black requires aux IR source, image not much better than Russian optics, still leaves you with "sand in the eyes" feeling. I've borrowed some Gen 2-3 binocs from various LE agencies, all surplus USGI, highly advise you look into the PVS-7s.

 

[KABAR2]

Just remember if you are using IR intensifiers so you can see....... anyone with starlight can see you! when starlight came out in during Nam, it gave U.S. forces the advantage, on the few occasions that Russian IR equipment was used, our starlight equipped weapons dispatched it's user.Even with it's limited use our guys owned the night.

 

[blackrifles]

Kabar,

I put the IR firefly downrange(area to be observed) so that wasn't a problem, some of you guys may recall dropping them on trails or roads, really lit up the night. They will be drawn to the firefly if using NV, play the cards right, might be to your advantage and not theirs.

 

[Dranin]

Sand in the eye = eye damage.

Anybody who has ever been exposed to a welders arc with out protection will tell you the feeling is like getting sand in your eye, maybe that russian stuff is leaking too much UV. If so it will cause permanent eye damage if used long enough.

I also recall reading somewhere back in the 90's that some of the cheap russian tubes were sending X-rays out the eye piece.


Lastly I believe a lot of the low price american made NV equipment is built on either russian or ChiCom intensifier tubes.

Buyer beware.

 

[oldtirediron]

Older USGI Nightvision stuff--

Even the US Varo made scopes such as PVS 1- Pvs 2 and Tvs 2 had emission problems from the ocular- In the 1970's a ring was made with a special glass in in that removed/retarded emissions entering your eye-- This is the bright green tinted ring that is in the eyepiece assembly The radiation that is emitted probably is not very harmful unless you were using the scope for 10 hours a day every day-- But who knows-- I have read the manuals that term this parts an --anti-radiation filter --- but I don't have a complete set of manuals to tell when it was retro fitted-- As to Russian tubes and Night vision-- Nice to look at but I won't touch them because of the unknown quality and unknown emissions from their tubes-- Any Real Russian military unit will make your eyes burn quite rapidly like a PN-58-- I did not have the same problem with the later PN-51 but who knows--- Russians have always had expendable equipment ; and soldiers-- Don't think they had the American consumer safety as a point of contention when they made their stuff-

I posted the same info on another board and got chewed on by many people-- so unless you can look in your USGI manuals and tell me what I missed on this filter don't bother chewing unless you can back it up !