Posted: 9/8/2011 10:24:37 AM EDT
Stupid simple. It’s a concept that’s sometimes lost on engineers. It’s also one that’s often myopic, which ironically is an ability the Re-Focus Ring actually gives you. TNVC is now offering the Re-Focus Ring, which in the most simple terms if like bifocals for your night vision. I’ve been using a Gen 3+ PVS14 from Vic and his guys for the last 3+ years, and it’s given me a fantastic set of capabilities especially pair with a good rifle and a good IR laser. It’s also been an excellent and versatile tool for non-shooting activities such as camping and hiking. But there’s a downside to modern Night Observation Devices. They have an extremely shallow depth of field. This means that to fine motor skill driven tasks, which are almost always within arms reach or closer. The user is force to grab the objective lens and crank clockwise or counter-clockwise in the quick hopes of resolving the blurry mess that is your hands. 
Here’s the biggest issue. Tasks at night are hard, even with the best night optics that money can buy in the civilian world (I know there’s some crazy stuff out there for the warfighter, but still). The simple act of moving, grabbing, and spacial orientation can be tough when we essentially move one or both eyes out 5-6” out in front of our face, give ourselves small field of vision, muted contrast, and then compound that by being unable to quickly focus from near to far. Having done many a shooting/camping trip at night I have slammed my hands around the interior of trucks, moved around like Boris Karloff’s Monster while trying to grasp at electronics. It sucks, it really does. This is one of those key concepts that TNVC/Telluric Group are working with students in their Night Operator course to get students to comprehend (Yeah I missed that, and I suck...). The RFR is as I said; stupid simple. It attaches to the objective lens using simple tension to lock in place. Hinged to that is a ground polymer lens made from the same material modern eye glasses (a misnomer since most glasses are actually plastic) are constructed from. To use the RFR is extremely simple, when using the NOD generally the optic will be focused anywhere from 10-15’. By flipping the lens down over the objective this focuses the focal distance to a cool 18 inches. This allows for you to work with comms gear, scopes, tools, stick-shift, candy bars, whatever. While still allowing for the user to then flip the RFR up and out of the way and return to viewing subject matter that’s further off. So what does this give the user over just cranking the objective lens on a standard PVS14 setup? Simplicity. It allows for essentially pre-setting your optic from ‘far’ to ‘close’ without the guesswork that could lead to tripping, or fumbling with a tool. It also helps replicate how our works during the daylight, just with a bit of mechanical and optical intervention. More to the point if you’re running a dual-tube setup like an ANVIS or PVS15 setup you would essentially have to DOUBLE the amount of optical compensation forced on the user without a system like this. For the modern warfighter it makes sense to be able to preset both lenses to distance, and be able to engage the RFR when working up close, for example reading maps, or working with an IFAK. What I found personally impressive is that even despite all the different night vision setups out there this is a universal system. One size fits all. This provides a simple and idiot-proof way to know that if you have a NOD, and you have an RFR, that installation takes all of 5 seconds (if you’re a drunk monkey). The construction quality is simple, but well done. The system of attachment is by mechanical tension, therefore it’s a drop in fit using two tabs that you push apart to slip on, then release to lock in place. The lens flips up with detents for the straight open, or all the way flipped back if your NOD unit’s casing allows it. 
I typically look at gear and try to put myself in the position of “yeah okay I guess I can see the need for this.” This is one of those cases where the elevator pitch was so shockingly awesome that it was dumbfounding why this wasn’t on the market earlier. As I mentioned, from experience I love the capability that NODs provide. However optically they’re going to have a hard time approaching the capabilities of the human eye to focus on objects in a natural way that the brain requires. The RFR doesn’t completely overcome that hurdle, it just lowers it to the point of ridiculously non-existent. I applaud TNVC for getting this product released. ANYONE with night vision and the urge to use it owes it to themselves to purchase one of the RFRs. My general recommendations for new NOD owners is throw away the skull-crusher mount, get yourself a good helmet, get yourself a good swing arm, and now get one of these RFRs and go enjoy the darkness. 
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Thanks for the write up. I have been considering the RFR. The main thing holding me back is the idea of adding another attachment to my PVS-14. I already have the J-arm and TM-14 mount attached. Once the RFR is added as well, I worry I will have problems with all this stuff interfering with the power switch, gain control, objective lens focus, etc.
Does the attachment of the RFR make it difficult to then adujst the focus of the objective lens manually? It is already somewhat difficult to navigate all the small adjustments in the dark, I just worry the RFR would compound the problem. Any thoughts? Here is my helmet set up: 
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