No matter what device you choose to put your tubes into, remember that the tubes are the real heart of the device, the most important and expensive component that mainly determines how well you will see in various lighting conditions.
When it comes to tubes I usually recommend to select tubes types baised off of your own specific use case or anticipated use cases.
Just as no tool in the tool box does it all perfectly. No night vision tube is perfect for every task or purpose, each excels in certain areas.
For general night time use I typically suggest Elbit gen 3 thin film for its solid all round performance high to low light and beautiful blue hue. (upper range priced option)
For the more rural use or use in darker dark areas I suggest L3 unfilmed gen 3 for it's unmatched sensitivity and low light capabilities, gives the end user about a 20% edge in said darker dark conditions VS Elbit tubes, typically giving the image a cleaner and sharper view, typically gives off a white or more grey view. (Most expensive option)
L3 also has a supergain option out now, better for darkest of dark use but you do lose some contrast in more lit conditions and you tend to gain a bit more noise overall with this option.
For more lit urban use or use when unexpected high light persists or may occur I suggest Photonis gen 2 tubes for their hypergating technology to keep the image looking crisp and clear in intermittent lighting conditions (Solid mid range priced option)
Photonis has also come out with a high gain option that acts more like a gen 3 tube with higher light gain and more sensitivity.
And last but not least to consider we have a newer offering from NNVT, gen 2 tube type, these tubes give you a much better view in darker conditions VS your built in MK1 eyeball, good for use in more open areas, outdoor urban use, general adventuring and such, (Very affordable option for white phosphor)Â
Now let's move on to talking about manual gain, autogating, and green VS white phosphor technology.
Manual gain is an option in some housing that let's you turn down your views brightness, this doesn't effect the amount of light coming to the tube but it does make it easier on your eyes and reduces light backsplash onto the end users eye.
Manual gain can also make useing a monocular easier, turning down the brightness can allow your unaided eye to see your surroundings better in most cases creating a nicer NV experience in certain lighting conditions. Overall I feel the future is nice to have but not required.
Autogating, Autogating cycles your tubes power supply VERY quickly with the end result giving you a better view in higher lighting conditions. 99% of the tubes we currently sell are autogated, its mostly older or bidget night vision tech that doesn't have that feature, definitely nice to have for use around more lit areas and conditions.
White phosphor VS green?Â
Both options will get the job done, but there are differences in Image quality between the two
White phosphor produces a grayscale image with greater contrast, allowing for better distinction between objects, while green phosphor displays a green hue which can sometimes make detail identification harder.Â
White phosphor is generally considered more comfortable on the eyes due to its natural color representation, potentially reducing eye fatigue during extended use.Â
When to choose white phosphor:Â
• Situations requiring high detail and accurate object identification, like law enforcement or search and rescue operations.Â
• When extended periods of night vision use are expected.
When to choose green phosphor:
• Budget-conscious applications where a basic level of night vision is sufficient.Â
• Situations where the green hue may not significantly impact task performance
TLDR: For more serious use in darker dark conditions, you want the gen 3.
For mild adventuring with supplemental IR light use, gen 2Â will cover you for most non life and death situations.