mid range binoculars & night vision for safari holiday
TRANSCRIPT
Mid Range Binoculars & Night Vision for
Safari Holiday under
$400 / £400 / €400
BinoWizard Question Answered:
The following BinoWizard question was sent into be by Rodrigo from Brazil:
BinoWizard Question Answered:
...and ideally I would like a
single “all-purpose” binocularbut my research suggests that there is no such device that
will produce acceptable results?
Question:
I have a total budget of around $700 (£650)
Either all of it for a single night and daytime binocular or
$300 for daytime Binoculars$400 for the Night Vision
Question:
Firstly you are right:At any sort of reasonable budget and to the best of my knowledge, there
really is not a single solution for
both night and day time observation.
Day & Night Binoculars?
Sure you will find instruments on places like Ebay, Walmart and Aliexpress advertised as being
bothDay and Night binoculars.
These usually have red or gold tinted objective lenses and are usually very cheap...
Day & Night Binoculars?
But in reality the claims these make are
false and all of these binoculars are just
gimmickswhich in my opinion should be
avoided at all costs!
Remember:True night vision devices
that amplify the very small amounts of available light at night from the moon &
stars etc. to produce an image that is often green or grey by using either intensifier tubes and phosphor screens or achieve it digitally...
...are very different to your standard optical only binoculars
(even those that have very good low light capabilities).
If you are not sure of these differences, take a look at this guide to
Night Vision Binoculars, Monoculars & Other Devices
Different DevicesOk, so now we have established that we are looking for
separate Instruments:
Binocularsfor the day and up to and just after sunset
&
A Night Vision device for when it is completely dark
Night Vision for SafarisWhilst the very best NV devices cost many thousands of dollars,
you don’t need to spend huge amounts to get good results and your budget of $300-$400 is enough...
so long as you know what to look for:
Night Vision
Monocular or Binocular?A monocular is basically half a binocular and thus not only are they much less bulky and more lightweight
and thus easier to take on a safari holiday...
Night Vision
Monocular or Binocular?But for the same level a NV monocular is also
considerably cheaper than NV binoculars...
So
at your budget:Rather than getting a fairly low quality
night vision binocular, I would recommend getting a higher specification monocular instead.
Night Vision
Digital or Conventional?Conventional NV devices use
intensifier tubes and phosphor screens...
Night Vision
Digital or Conventional?...and whilst it is true that the
very best Gen2 and Gen3 NV devices use this system...
Night Vision
Digital or Conventional?...to get a really high quality image even in
very dark conditions(remember there are no street lights etc in the bush),
you need to spend quite a bit more than your mid level budget allows...
Night Vision
Digital or Conventional?Within your budget of under $400,
Digital Night Vision devices can & do perform as welland often better than most conventional Gen1 devices
Night Vision
Digital or Conventional?What is more, I have tested and reviewed a number of
Digital NV products that even equal Gen2 devices...
Night Vision
Digital or Conventional?As well as this:
You also get the added advantage in that many digital NV monoculars come with recording capabilities.
Which on Safari is ideal.
Further Reading
● How Digital Night Vision Works
Night Vision
Thus at the under $400 budget and for safaris, my suggestion is that you narrow your search down
even more and restrict it to
Digital Night Vision Monoculars
Night Vision for Safaris
BinoWizard Suggestions Based on your budget of under $400
and taking into account what we have already discussed, here are a couple of devices that I have
fully tested and reviewedand which I feel would be ideal for your safari holiday:
Night Vision for Safaris
Luna Optics LN-DM50-HRSD Night Vision Recorder
Winner: Best Night Vision Device 2015, it has been updated and is thus still a leading
Digital Night Vision device today:Click Here to Read the Full BBR Review
Night Vision for Safaris
Night Owl iGen 20/20 Night Vision Monocular
Winner: Best Night Vision Device 2013, Like the Luna Optics device, the unique Night Owl iGen
has also been updated:Click Here to Read the Full BBR Review
Night Vision for Safaris
Luna Optics LN-DM5 Digital Night Vision Monocular
Less Expensive OptionAvailable for about $250, I found that that the level of performance was
way above what I would have expected in this range. However you don’t get any recording capabilities like the others.
Click Here to Read the Full BBR Review
Safari BinocularsFirstly I would like to emphasise that for most people a
pair of standard "day time" binoculars is far more useful on safari than a Night Vision device...
Safari BinocularsThus if I had to choose only one instrument it would most
certainly be a the right pair of “normal” binoculars.
Safari BinocularsThe right pair with good quality optics
will also offer better low light performance than cheap binos and thus not only are they useful during the day, but you will
be able to effectively use them just before sunrise and after sunset
(when many animals you’ll see on safari are most active and thus when many game drives occur)
Choosing the Right Pair of Safari Binoculars
As well as budget, there are many options and the right pairfor you and your safari will also depend on a number of other
factors and preferences:
Choosing your Safari BinocularsIf you want excellent low light performance and are willing
to sacrifice a little in terms of size and weight(which is not always ideal for travel)
then I would opt for a full sized bin (usually with a 42mm objective)
Safari Binoculars -Excellent Low Light Capabilities
Best Mid to High End Binoculars for Birdwatching & Safaris
For options within the $400 budget, pay particular attention to the Bushnell Legend M-Series 8x42,
Hawke Endurance 8x42 and Celestron Granite 8x42 binocularsas all three look to be ideal full sized binoculars for your safari holiday.
Safari Binoculars -Smaller Size & Good at Low Light
My preference for safaris would be to opt for a mid-sized binocular that balances a good low light performance with a smaller body size & less weight
Best Low Cost, All-Round Travel BinocularsThis article has many great options within your budget that I highly
recommend, but pay particular attention to the Hawke Endurance ED 8x32and the Celestron Granite 9x33 binoculars
Safari Binoculars -Traveling Convenience
If ease of packing & carrying is of prime importance for travel on safari then a pair of compact binoculars is the way to go:
● Cheap Compact Binoculars for Safari Holiday● On Safari with Minox and Swarovski Binoculars● Best Compact Steiner Binoculars for Walking Safaris
To check out these recommendations as well as all the others in more detail
& for links to the individual reviews Click Here To Read the Complete Article