So I bought some cheap digital Night Vision toys.

[JamieZ]

I haven't tried them yet so can't give you my personal review but they get excellent reviews on the internet. Maybe tomorrow night I can review them if I get the scope mounted and sighted in tomorrow morning. Scope mount is suppose to be delivered to the post office today but it doesn't look like it's going to happen,,,,we shall see.

I purchased a Sightmark Photon scope

Before we continue

www.opticsplanet.com

and a Sightmark Signal monocular

Sightmark Signal N320RT 4.5x30mm Digital Night Vision Monocular w/ Free Shipping — 2 models

Look at the prices on Optics Planet,,,,think they are pretty much the same on Midway.

Price for both come to $949.94 from optics planet and that's before tax, shipping is free

This is what I paid, straight through the manufacturer's website,,,,total is tax and shipping included

""""
Dear jamie --------,

Thank you for shopping at Sellmark Nexus.



Order Summary:

Item​ Qty​ Rate​ Amount​ Options​ Description​ Sightmark Photon RT 4.5-9x42S Digital Night Vision Riflescope 1 $384.98 $384.98 Country of Origin: Belarus Sightmark Photon RT 4.5-9x42S Digital Night Vision Riflescope SM18024 1 $279.98 $279.98 Country of Origin: Belarus Sightmark Signal 320RT Digital Night Vision Monocular Tax $0.00 Total $664.96

 

[JamieZ]

Went with Sightmark over ATN because I've read too many harsh reviews about ATN's customer service

 

[JamieZ]

Scope is mounted but its raining every 15-30 mins,,,so it looks like no sight in today. Last night I tried the monocular out in the backyard and across the street in the woods looking for racoons and deer. Tonight I will try it again and this time I will actually use its recording feature so you can all see. It also has an app that I downloaded on my tablet. You can sit there and watch and see everything I'm looking at on the tablet. You can also adjust any of the functions in the settings of the scope or the mono. So far these things are putting a smile on my face.

 

[JamieZ]

So I got to sight the scope in yesterday during a dry period,,,,though it started pouring during my last shot,,,,I was running to the truck hands full of equipment.

1. Scope was easy to sight in at 50yds,,, with its one shot shit

2. Scope wasnt as easy to sight in at 100yds but wasnt bad,,,, just a little harder than 50yds

3. Reason sighting in at 100yds was harder because no matter what they tell ya about this scope being a digital Day/Night scope,,,,,they are full of shit ,,,,,,,Scope sucks for daytime Use

4. Lucky for me, I dont really care because I bought it for night time use


Other things I'm not a fan of but it doesnt really bother me.

Scope is 4 power to start off with

Next power is 9 by the push of a button

 

[JamieZ]

Video was taken at about 100yds off my front porch,,,through my monocular,,,,,Ive never seen squirrels running around at night,,,,,,,,,,this was as soon as it got dark

 

[Bustedknees]

A friend of mine bought a dozen ATN scopes for resale at his store, the thermal is a beast in size and works great.. I can most likely get one at his cost when I'm ready.

 

[JamieZ]

A friend of mine bought a dozen ATN scopes for resale at his store, the thermal is a beast in size and works great.. I can most likely get one at his cost when I'm ready.

I personally would rather have a thermal monocular than the scope. Scope I would want night vision like I have. Scan with thermal and make out the identity of your shot with night vision,,,then pull the trigger.

My buddy who stopped over last night plans on stealing his father's $6k Pulsar scope for his new AR10 build.


My buddy did say he has scanned through the scope and they shot a Raccoon at 300yds

 

[FrankenCub]

Not bad price at all. I've been wanting something nightvision for my AR for quite a while. The good stuff is just way too expensive.
The video from that monocular looks pretty good. Cant wait to see results from the scope. It does record, right?

 

[JamieZ]

Not bad price at all. I've been wanting something nightvision for my AR for quite a while. The good stuff is just way too expensive.
The video from that monocular looks pretty good. Cant wait to see results from the scope. It does record, right?

The scope does record.

I could of taken video late last night. Buddy threw me in his truck....I loaded up the caller, the mono, the scope and the gun and we ran out to a field 10 mins away. Set Up very quickly and started calling,,,,then it started raining while we were watching what I was looking at on my tablet. It was kind of a rush job,,,,testing shit out type of thing,,,,pouring rain yada yada. It sucked but it was fun for 15 mins.

We saw no animals


Before you purchase what I bought,,,,let me finish the reviews,,,,,,,,,,,,,we can hope the price doesnt change on their website

 

[JamieZ]

I will try and get out during the week. I will make sure I remember to record. I will have the gun setup on a tripod and I will see if I have another tripod to setup the monocular so the video isnt shaky

 

[JamieZ]

Not bad price at all. I've been wanting something nightvision for my AR for quite a while. The good stuff is just way too expensive.
The video from that monocular looks pretty good. Cant wait to see results from the scope. It does record, right?

The monocular has a night vision range of roughly 350,,,,the scope is roughly 200yds

You can get better range by spending another 100 to 150 dollars on a better IR light,,,,,,the lights I have are what came with the units

 

[JamieZ]

List of what I spent.

1. Mono and scope $664.96,,,right from Sightmark

2. Vortex scope mount $29 (I had a $50 free gift certificate at opticsplanet to get that price)

3. 8 rechargeable panasonic batteries $30 (already had the charger)amazon

4. 26800 mah Power Bank $29 (more juice to run monocular and tablet at the same time) comes in today,,,amazon

5. longer USB cords for the power bank, $8 for like 5 of them,,,2-3 footers, 2-6 footers and dont remember the rest,,,,comes in today,,,,amazon

6. Ooops, one more thing. A Plano waterproof box for the Power bank $13

 

[JamieZ]

Added one more item to the things I purchased. A waterproof storage box that I cut a slot into so the USB cords would not get ruined when I closed the lid.

 

[Marine Cpl]

Video was taken at about 100yds off my front porch,,,through my monocular,,,,,Ive never seen squirrels running around at night,,,,,,,,,,this was as soon as it got dark

Thank you for this thread. It seems while not perfect, digital night vision is affordable and beats gen 2 regular night vision by a mile.

My only question would be if digital night vision works with a laser? If so, if you can connect a 1x monocular to a helmet, this would work really good.

 

[FrankenCub]

Thank you for this thread. It seems while not perfect, digital night vision is affordable and beats gen 2 regular night vision by a mile.

My only question would be if digital night vision works with a laser? If so, if you can connect a 1x monocular to a helmet, this would work really good.

If the light spectrum of the laser is right it will work. I think the ir spectrum is between 750 and 1050nm. There's a lot of lasers available in that range.

 

[Marine Cpl]

That video you took, was it with an IR torch? If so, what does it look like without it?

 

[JamieZ]

That video you took, was it with an IR torch? If so, what does it look like without it?

Yes it was on. If IR torch isnt on at night you cant see anything at all.

 

[FrankenCub]

Yes it was on. If IR torch isnt on at night you cant see anything at all.

How about a clear moon lit night?

 

[JamieZ]

Thank you for this thread. It seems while not perfect, digital night vision is affordable and beats gen 2 regular night vision by a mile.

My only question would be if digital night vision works with a laser? If so, if you can connect a 1x monocular to a helmet, this would work really good.

Is this what you mean

Sightmark

Make Your Mark

sightmark.com

 

[JamieZ]

How about a clear moon lit night?

I honestly dont think it would work that way either but I will try it when the time comes.

 

[FrankenCub]

Not like I'm interested for tactical situations so probably really doesn't matter. If I ever get my Encore moved to a different owner I may go this route for a rifle scope. Great price, especially when you see the prices of the same scope at other retailers.

 

[JamieZ]

Not like I'm interested for tactical situations so probably really doesn't matter. If I ever get my Encore moved to a different owner I may go this route for a rifle scope. Great price, especially when you see the prices of the same scope at other retailers.

I was happy as hell that I saved basically 300 bucks,,,,,,,,,until I spent the savings on other things to go with it.

Just spent another 150 tonight on a Bog Deathgrip https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...c45-cd78f07a84d8&pf_rd_r=4S7EJ0M1RXY5R5T9HTP8

I wanted to be able to sit and alternate between the mono and the gun. I have a tripod with the Mono mounted on it but only had a regular vanguard tripod for the gun,,,that the gun just rests on.

Now I have one the gun can be mounted to

I better score 400 coyotes and 500 foxes for what Ive been spending,,,LoL

 

[Marine Cpl]

Is this what you mean

Sightmark

Make Your Mark

sightmark.com

Yes something like that. They have cheaper ones on eBay that have more intense lasers that aren’t limited to the civilian 5 watts or so. I cannot remember the limit.

 

[FrankenCub]

Yes something like that. They have cheaper ones on eBay that have more intense lasers that aren’t limited to the civilian 5 watts or so. I cannot remember the limit.

I didnt think of looking on ebay for them. The Chinese lasers dont have to conform to US built standards, I have a red and a green. The green is crazy bright, use it on my telescope. I dont remember what nm it is though. I'll have to check ebay for that kind JameiZ posted.

 

[JamieZ]

So I have everything now except for a good bag to carry both Tripods.

This also leads me to my first bitch.

They put the damn USB connection on the bottom of the Mono which is right where you attach the tripod shoe.



So I cut the tripod shoe so that the USB would go in



So now the USB misses the shoe and plugs in but guess what? It wont mount on the tripod because of the USB. So the only way to do it was to turn the shoe, which made the tripod not work like its suppose to. I cant point up or down properly.



Heres a review on the new BOG DEATHGRIP Tripod,,,,,,,,,,,,It kicks ass,,,what an awesome freaking tripod. Its built like a tank. I bought the cheaper aluminum version. Carbon fiber is one pound lighter and 50 more bucks

 

[JamieZ]

Sightmark changed their prices on their website to distributor prices. Price for the 2 items I bought are now $950

 

[FrankenCub]

So looks like I'm back to looking for used

 

[Jaywmustang]

Can I borrow some of that......well all of it?

 

[FrankenCub]

You get that damn rifle ot to try the scope yet? Inquiring minds need to know!

 

[JamieZ]

You get that damn rifle ot to try the scope yet? Inquiring minds need to know!

LoL,,,,NO,,,,,,,,,,,,,,but Friday, Saturday and Sunday I am not on call,,,,,,,,,,,,,so I am 100% sure I will be going out. Ive missed opportunities to go because of lazyitis,,,,,,,,,,,time would come at night and I would tell myself it would be better early in the morning,,,,,,,,,alarm clock would go off at 330am and I would just turn it off.

Though last night the sounds of the night got me reved up to go. I live in the village,,,right across the street is a 10 acre woods,,,,,,,,,,,I let my dog out to do his duty in my backyard and a train was coming. I could hear the whistle from it in the distance and so could the coyotes that must of been in the woods. A bunch or maybe just 2 started howling back to the train whistle. Kind of made me worried about my dog,, being that he is on the smaller side. Ive known they were in there though,,,Ive put my caller on my porch and called out to them in the past.