Saw this in a recent ad for a PVS-14

30mm Pro Optical HD IR Filter (stole idea from SkyPup, it works FANTASTIC)

What does this do? Just act as a sacrificial lens?

I think I actually bought an Opteka HD2 720nm IR bypass filter (30mm) size before I received my first PVS14, and yes, I bought it after reading a tip from SkyPup here.  I don't think Opteka makes them anymore, but you can find one on eBay for $15 delivered.  I put it on the objective and left it there.  When I got a second 14, I did it again.  It blocks light in the visible spectrum under 720nm.  I use it as a sacrificial window and cheap insurance for bright light exposure.

No selling in tech............

Yep, didn't know if putting a link was allowed. Thanks for the help, might as well go for it if it's just $17.

Edit: And 30mm 720 is the one to get?

I have a 720nm and it works good, but now I'm using LIF's for sacrificial lenses.

dupe

Yup, figured that one out many years ago, works excellent to help mute the glare from streetlights in urban environs and gives a clearer picture, also protects the objective from scratches. Excellent for stargazing too, mutes out the glare from the stars.

Holy SHIT this is a great mod!

Really impressed that there was this much of a difference. I have a really high spec WP tube, I took it outside and spent a while switching back and forth under different conditions. This darkens the image slightly, but ups the contrast by removing some of the background illumination, it's like having a better EBI. Trees and bushes reflecting man made and the lights themselves tend to wash out the image less. It's hard to explain.

Great mod, especially in an area where there is a lot of lighting. The military needs to get on this.

I didn't think these were useful on WP tubes.  Guess I was wrong.  I may have to upgrade

I have one, it works well in areas with a lot of ambient light.  Only problem is it completely blocks the dot on my RMR so I can't use it with my pistol.

I’m interested in trying one of these but I’m having trouble figuring out exactly what to get for my PVS-14.  Anyone have the specs or a model number that I can use for reference?

Damn, that's a deal-breaker for me.  Would love something for better stargazing though.

Depending on your filter, the redder wavelengths of visible light will still get through.   They're just attenuated *a lot*.   This works well for me, since for my equipment the level at which the dot is visible through the filter is also the level at which you can use the dot with a white light through your non-NV eye.   (this might lead to some glow from your optic visible to anyone else using NV without a filter)

I have found this to be the case with several types of Aimpoints, plus my pistol dot - all are red.   I have some camp lights that can shift through the whole rainbow.   Red and orange are can be seen with the filter, everything else gets blocked.

Another cool thing about the these is that the same thing that renders LED lights near-useless for IR illumination with flashlight filters lets you use white LED light + a filter on the objective without blowing out your NV image.

It may vary by filter, but 250-300 lumen white weapon lights are a little less bright under the filtered NV than actual IR illuminators.    This means you can use a weapon light with irons/day optic on one eye without taking the NV off the other.   Not ideal, but it works fine.

Incandescent lights and Sodium street lights will be attenuated a bit, but will appear much brighter than anything LED based.  This is because the spectrum they put out is a bit messy.    The filters also cut out most visible sky-glow from nearby cities and towns; on cloudy nights, instead of dark trees and structures against a light sky, you'll usually see them as bright against a darker sky.

...

I tried these out after seeing SkyPup mention it on an older thread.   I use one on all my stuff now, as do my friends.

Ok, I am convinced, I will be ordering. Good thread op!

Just remember 30mm is undersize for your objective threads so while you can screw it in, you cant screw anything into the front of your filter threads that was designed to screw into your objective.

Is this what's being discussed in here?

Any advantages/disadvantages to being above or below 720?

My USGI 3x lens screws into my 30 mm IR filter OK.  I also have a 30.5mm 720 IR filter that the USGI lens screw into too.

The 30.5mm IR filter is technically better for the PVS14 than the 30 mm filter, but I think they are a lot harder to find (IIRC).

Too bad I can't post a helpful link to it (even though I'm not selling a damn thing).

I got this one:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XU8SK7E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Works great.

Gonna do this, but with my Pvs-7’s.  I’m assuming that since LIF’s are  interchangeable, a 30mm filter will work.  Am I correct?  Any info will be appreciated, I wish to order sometime tomorrow.

Thanks

Thanks, snagged one to try. Just got a $25 amazon gift card today.

I wonder if a 650nm or a 680nm filter instead of a 720 or 780 would allow enough red (620–750 nm) though to use a red dot, while still blocking most of the visible spectrum?

Does anyone have a confirmed IR filter that will work with old style ANVIS lenses?
I’ve got a Chinese filter that works on my newer lens, but doesn’t fit the old style.

Yeah, that was my thought too.  I haven't tried it yet, though.

A red dot is around 660nm-680nm, so a 650nm filter should work. I think I might have one, I’ll look when I get home today and try it with a Aimpoint.

Checked with TNVC, and if it fits the PVS-14 it’ll fit the PVS-7.  Same diameter & thread pitch.

Cool beans.

skip putting these on your objectives, instead, buy a cheap green chinese burning laser, glue this to the front and have an IR llluminator/designator for sub $20. They even can be focused tight or wide with the right parts added.

I ordered a cheap 650nm filter off Fleabay.  I'll give it a try and report back when I get it.

Well... that was a waste of money. Just got my Zomei in from that Amazon link and it did almost nothing to the bright areas, but had horrible internal reflections that were VERY distracting. Probably best suited to ungated or high halo units. Did nothing good for me.

Did you get a 720nm one, or the one that cuts down into the 600's?   Mine are all plain 720nm.

I've seen these used on a few different setups with success, including filmless tubes.

Update on the 650 nm filter I ordered. Just got it yesterday so I gave it a try last night.  It does allow me to see the dot on my RMR, however it doesn't really do much to cut down ambient light.  I still get a lot of glare from streetlights.  I'll probably leave it on, but it's really not helping much.  It's too bad the 720 didn't work with my RMR since it really does a good job.

Wasn’t a flop, but on a very dark rural night last week it cut out too much incoming light.

Granted, this isn’t a super high spec tube or anything...

I ended up taking it off. Would probably be great for urban areas or a higher spec tube.

760nm

I finally got mine in and put it on. Got a 720nm 30.5mm from ebay.

I have a L3 pvs14 WP filmless and looked at it semi urban and rural lighting.

I did have to up the gain a little but I didn't notice any loss of clarity. Most lights it dimmed the halos a little but I find on some of the lights it completely eliminated them which was cool.

I don't know if it was a LED specific light or something else but about 10% of the lights I looked out the halo disappeared.

I'll be keeping is for now.