Inspired by the earlier Night Owl post in the cheap night vision thread, and for shits and giggles, I ponied up the $150 for the Wal Mart monocular. Keep in mind, I have zero experience with night vision. Nothing. I've never even held a night vision device before this. I'll never have the thousands required for some of the stuff I've seen on here. They are all worth their price, I'm sure. I just don't have that kind of liesure cash.

Here's Wal Mart's link for the device we are talking about. Check your local stores for availability.

With all that said, the little Night Owl is pretty cool. I can see plenty good even on a cloudy night. The IR illuminator helps out a lot. The thing takes two AA batteries (which are cheap and easy to come by) and are supposed to last 15 to 20 hours if the IR is not used, 40% less if the IR is used. I haven't had it long enough to know if that's true or not. There are only tiny, pin point size black specs on the lens and really you can't even see them without looking hard for them. With the IR off, my dark house is still pretty dark, but you can see well enough to get around. With the IR on it's like daytime. If you take the time to focus both the eyepiece and the lens, objects are really clear. Claimed target recognition at 100 yards is a bit optimistic, but you're only paying $150. The field of view of 575' at 1000 yards is rediculous, no way are you going to see something at 1000 yards with this thing (if you could, I suppose the field of view would be correct).

In short, if you're like me and your life doesn't depend on you NV gear, or you don't have the skrilla to plop down for 2nd or 3rd gen stuff, $150 is not a lot of money for what you get. Overall, I think they are a good value for an entry level night vision device.

Those of you with a lot of experience with, and money tied up in, night vision gear would probably say this thing's a piece of dookie, but for $150, you've got some night vision capabiltiy.

If you're thinking of buying one of these and have any questions, ask away. I'll try to answer them the best I can. I can't really compare this to any other devices or generations, remember, I have no previous NV experience. But if there's some kind of parameters or test you'd like me to do (short of submersing it in water or dropping it off the top of the house), let me know and I'll try to accomodate.

pics?

tag.
wal mart is out of stock though

Quoted: pics?

Unfortunately, the only thing I have to take pics with is a SOny DVD cam. I could take pics of the actual unit, but they look exactly the same as the ones in the link. If I tried to take pics of what you see in the dark, the Sony night shot would probably ruin it. Plus, the stills that come out of the DVD cam aren't that great, it's only 1 megapixel. I'll give it a shot though and see how it comes out.

after playing with gen3 stuff the gen1 is such crap.
I'm saving my pennies for If I ever do decide to get any NV gear it will be 3 or better.

Quoted: after playing with gen3 stuff the gen1 is such crap. I'm saving my pennies for If I ever do decide to get any NV gear it will be 3 or better.

I don't think buying a set for $150 would be a mistake, I kept thinking during the NOLA situation how handy even a cheap pair of NV would be in a neighborhood defense situation.  

Even if you bought G3 later, you'd have the old set for "beat-around" night vision (read, "Dad, let me see!").  

A $150 set of cheap NV in hand is a lot more useful than a $3000 PVS-14 setup that's at home in the safe (or on a wish-list).  

Of course, a person might also decide that they really won't use NV enough to warrant the expense of anything more expensive, so it might also be considered a learning experience.

Quoted: Quoted: after playing with gen3 stuff the gen1 is such crap. I'm saving my pennies for If I ever do decide to get any NV gear it will be 3 or better. I don't think buying a set for $150 would be a mistake, I kept thinking during the NOLA situation how handy even a cheap pair of NV would be in a neighborhood defense situation.   Even if you bought G3 later, you'd have the old set for "beat-around" night vision (read, "Dad, let me see!").   A $150 set of cheap NV in hand is a lot more useful than a $3000 PVS-14 setup that's at home in the safe (or on a wish-list).   Of course, a person might also decide that they really won't use NV enough to warrant the expense of anything more expensive, so it might also be considered a learning experience.

That's exactly my thinking. Let's be honest, I'm NEVER going to have a few thousand dollars laying around for some good NV gear. And if I did have a few thousand dollars laying around, the wife would sure as hell find a shit ton more stuff to spend it on than NV gear, lol.

It's not that I don't want some good gear, I just can't justify the expense. Maybe after I win the Powerball...

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!  I hear ya.  My wife would put me in the dog house if I put $$ down for GEN3.  The plus side is I would be able to see everything in the back yard while sleeping in the dog house.  I have NV issued from work so that kinda sways me from purchasing my own for now.

if you have never looked through a  G3    Dont !  cause it will make you sick!  i know because my first was a night owl and after looking through a G3 i had to have it no matter what. but G1 is cool to.

Quoted: Quoted: after playing with gen3 stuff the gen1 is such crap. I'm saving my pennies for If I ever do decide to get any NV gear it will be 3 or better. I don't think buying a set for $150 would be a mistake, I kept thinking during the NOLA situation how handy even a cheap pair of NV would be in a neighborhood defense situation.   Even if you bought G3 later, you'd have the old set for "beat-around" night vision (read, "Dad, let me see!").   A $150 set of cheap NV in hand is a lot more useful than a $3000 PVS-14 setup that's at home in the safe (or on a wish-list).   Of course, a person might also decide that they really won't use NV enough to warrant the expense of anything more expensive, so it might also be considered a learning experience.

Your argument makes a lot of sense.

Just for the record, I do have G3 nvd's, and think they're worth the money, even though I still shudder to think of how much they cost.  

If you can, get G3, it works better and lasts longer than 1 or 2.  Just don't think of buying cheaper stuff as a total waste of money (although some may be, research before you buy).  You'll most likely decide you want better, but you'll at least have something until you can swing it.

By the way, Victors D740 and D760's are REALLY testing my will-power!  Big thanks to him for getting this forum going!

looks like Night Owl has discontinued that model. can't find it  anymore...

Quoted: looks like Night Owl has discontinued that model. can't find it  anymore...

I've been to two local Wal Marts. Both had the one in my review and the one that costs $100 more that is supposed to be more waterproof. If your local Wal Mart doesn't have it, call around to the next closest.

thanks !!!

A marginal but workable $150 piece of gear in hand is better than a $3k item you might have in a few years, espeically when the SHTF tomorrow!

Quoted: after playing with gen3 stuff the gen1 is such crap. I'm saving my pennies for If I ever do decide to get any NV gear it will be 3 or better.

Ohhh Come now. Having Something is better than nothing-it's sound thinking to buy a $150 NVD with the logic that it's going to get you by until you can afford something better.

I'd rather try to escape NOLA with a $150 NVD that has fuzzy focus and poor gain than nothing at all.

Quoted: Quoted: after playing with gen3 stuff the gen1 is such crap. I'm saving my pennies for If I ever do decide to get any NV gear it will be 3 or better. Ohhh Come now. Having Something is better than nothing-it's sound thinking to buy a $150 NVD with the logic that it's going to get you by until you can afford something better. I'd rather try to escape NOLA with a $150 NVD that has fuzzy focus and poor gain than nothing at all.

The unit I have is not fuzzy. I'm a total dork when it comes to NV Gear, so I don't even know about gain, but it sure is not fuzzy. And you're right, it is a whole shit ton better than nothing.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: after playing with gen3 stuff the gen1 is such crap. I'm saving my pennies for If I ever do decide to get any NV gear it will be 3 or better. Ohhh Come now. Having Something is better than nothing-it's sound thinking to buy a $150 NVD with the logic that it's going to get you by until you can afford something better. I'd rather try to escape NOLA with a $150 NVD that has fuzzy focus and poor gain than nothing at all. The unit I have is not fuzzy. I'm a total dork when it comes to NV Gear, so I don't even know about gain, but it sure is not fuzzy. And you're right, it is a whole shit ton better than nothing.

I'm just spoiled after playing with current stuff

I've got "current stuff", but being practical about it, some of the Russky stuff is coming of age. The problem with it is that for the best Russian stuff (Gen2+) you can get a good used pair of PVS7's that can be repaired and last longer.