Do you want to see better at night?
Whether for hunting, animal watching, surveillance or more, monoculars are the most convenient night vision devices.
They are more affordable and easier to use than night-vision binoculars, making them a better choice for most nighttime activities.
But they work great for well-lit activities, too.
Sporting events and concerts become more fun and exciting, even if you are seated far from the main action. With a high-quality monocular, you can bring all the action closer.
If you are considering a monocular, you may have noticed how many options are out there on the market. You may have also noticed that many of them don’t seem to be any good. Luckily, there are some excellent exceptions.
We’ve done all the research and have narrowed the field down to the very best. Below you will find the best night vision monoculars on the market. By the end of the article you should have a better idea of which model is best for your needs.
Top Night Vision Monoculars Compared
Best Monoculars With Night Vision
The following night vision monoculars are the best currently on the market. We highly recommend each of these models, because they give you excellent performance at a very reasonable price.
Bestguarder HD Digital Night Vision Monocular
Bestguarder 6x50mm HD Digital Night Vision Monocular with 1.5 inch TFT LCD and Camera & Camcorder...
- 1). outstanding optical clarity: 5Mega CMOS sensor; high performance digital night vision monocular...
- 2). long viewing distance: built in 850Nm infrared illuminator for up to 1150 ft./350M viewing
- 3). user friendly interface: built-in 1. 5” TFT screen with setting menu in seven languages, easy...
- 4). MULTIPLE FUNCTION: Night Hunting and Scouting game; Security and surveillance; Camping fun;...
- 5). LIFETIME : PX4 water-resistant housing; Tripod mountable (2 tripod Jack); With Portable...
The Bestguarder HD Digital Night Vision Monocular is our number one choice. It is the most expensive model on this list, but it is also the most high-quality. Despite the higher price, it offers incredible value for money, because it outperforms many much more expensive devices.
It is great for night hunting, scouting, surveillance, spelunking, night fishing, search and rescue, wildlife observation, camping and more. It can be powered using batteries or an external power bank. The one complaint we have is that the battery life is not as long as we would hope, with only a few hours of steady operation.
Apart from battery life, everything else is good news. The optics are great for the price, with a 5 MP CMOS sensor and a 50 mm lens that take HD photos up to 2592 x 1944 pixels or videos with sound up to 1280 x 720 pixels. It has a 6x magnification and the IR illuminators make night vision possible up to a distance of 1150 feet (350 m).
A 1.5 inch TFT screen makes for an easy-to-use interface. You can choose one of seven languages to adjust many settings, like choosing one of four IR levels or a digital zoom from 1x to 5x.
See our full review of the Bestguarder Monocular for more information.
Bushnell Equinox Z Digital Night Vision Monocular
Bushnell Equinox Z Digital Night Vision Monocular, 4.5 x 40mm
- Digital Night Vision monocular with 4.5x magnification, 1 to 3x digital zoom and a 40 millimeter...
- Day or nighttime use (Daytime color with IR off); built in Infrared Illuminator for up to a 750 feet...
- Multicoated glass objectives produces outstanding optical clarity; Picatinny style rail for...
- Video out capability; video recording and image capture using up to 32GB Micro SD Card (sold...
- Viewing Range: feet:meter 656:200, Rugged water resistant housing; tripod mountable; Operates on 4...
The Bushnell Equinox Z Monocular is one of the most highly recommended monoculars on the market today. It is considered a hobbyist model, but is an extremely high quality one that borders on professional level. And all at a very affordable price.
It has a 4.5x magnification and a 1 to 3x digital zoom. The focal length is 40 mm. During daytime, you get full color optics. At nighttime with night vision active, you get black and white.
One of the strongest features is the excellent night vision. Not only do you get great image quality, but an incredible range, considering the price. You can see up to 750 feet with the night vision feature.
The Bushnell Equinoz is capable of recording video and image files to an micro SD card. The card is not included, but the unit can take cards up to 32 GB. You can also transmit the files to a computer using the included video out cable.
The housing is rugged and water-resistant and can withstand the full outdoor treatment. It can be mounted on a tripod and has a Picatinny style rail that you can use to mount accessories, like an additional illuminator. The unit operates on 4 AA batteries, which are not included.
For much more, see our full review of the Bushnell Equinox Z.
How To Choose A Night Vision Monocular
Firefield Nightfall Monocular
Firefield Nightfall 5x50 Night Vision Monocular
- 5x Magnification And Large Objective Lens
- High power built-in infrared illumination
- Ergonomic Design And Quick Power-Up
- High magnification and large objective lens
- High quality image and resolution
The Firefield Night Vision Monocular is a night vision device typically used for outdoor activities. It promises you clear vision of things, people and events regardless of your distance from the main action.
This model has over a hundred positive reviews online. People especially mention how easy it is to use this monocular. It is largely popular due to the low price, but despite that, it delivers a clear and bright image. You will have no complaints while bird-watching or watching your favorite performer’s concert live.
The third entry in our list of top 5 night vision monoculars is definitely a step down in quality from the rest of the list, but it is also a huge step down in price. If you are on a budget and don’t need the higher performance of the other units, you will be more than satisfied with this one.
The built-in IR illumination works well, even if it does not give you the same clarity and range as the other models here. It is a gen 1 device, after all.
It obviously won’t work in total darkness, but no night vision device can. For that you need a thermal imaging device. Read “Do Night Vision Goggles Work In Complete Darkness?” for more
For much more, see our full review of the Firefield Nightfall Monocular.
How Does Night Vision Work?
Barska NVX100 Night Vision Monocular
Barska NVX100 3x Night Vision Monocular with Built in Camera
- 4 GB micro SD card, mini USB cable, AV cable, neck strap and soft carrying case
- Exit pupil (mm): 20, minimum Focus range (ft./M): 0.3/1
- Display images and videos on TV and easily transfer files to computer
- Lighting System luminance and IR Wavelength: 3W infrared LED and 850nm
- Video recording Format: that264
$120.01
The Barska Night Vision Monocular is another model with a lower price, but also a lesser performance than the top models. It is an excellent option if you don’t ned the longer range and better optics of the more expensive models.
This one gives you a range of 350 feet with night vision, which is about half of the range of the better models above. But it also costs half the price. Do you need 750 feet of usable range? Not everyone does.
The Barska has a 3x magnification and a 2x digital zoom. The image resolution is 640 x 480, which is obviously a far lower quality image than the more expensive models. But if it is all you need, why not save some money and get this model?
The 4 AA batteries (which are not included) last for 2 to 5 hours of use. That is about average. While the batteries are not included, you do get a USB cable, an AV cable and a 4 GB micro SD card to record images and video. You can also display the images directly on a computer or TV screen.
See our full review of the Barska NVX100 for more information.
Sightmark Ghost Hunter Night Vision Monocular
Sightmark Ghost Hunter 2x24 Night Vision Monocular
- Hand held and head mountable operation. Integrated IR illuminator. Automatic shutoff when exposed to...
- 2x magnification for accurate depth perception.
- Multicoated optics. Weapons mountable.
- 72 hour operating time w/o IR activated. Battery Life with IR is 20 hours
- 24mm objective gathers in ambient light
The Sightmark Night Vision Monocular sits in the middle of the models on this list, both in terms of price and performance. For most people, either one of the higher quality models, or one of the less expensive models, will be better suited. If you’re not sure which of those is for you, chances are this is the right one. It is a great compromise.
The main drawback of this unit is that is is not great for daytime viewing. If you only need it for nighttime, then that is obviously not a problem. As for the night vision: it is quite good, but it is gen 1. Do not expect the kind of quality you get from gen 2 or gen 3 (or what you see in movies). It is basic but it gets the job done, as long as basic is all you need.
It is a compact model, so if you are looking for something small and lightweight, it could be perfect. It is made of durable composite plastic, which keeps the weight down, but is strong enough to handle everyday use with ease.
It is also very flexible. It can be used hand-held, or mounted to a helmet using a Rhino mount. You can also mount it to a weapon with ease.
The battery life without IR is 72 hours. With IR, it is 20 hours, which is up to 10 times longer than most competing models.
See more in our full review of the Sightmark Night Vision Monocular.
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Last update on 2023-09-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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