Before buying a night vision device, it is good to get an idea of what the different types of night vision devices are available in the market and what are the biggest differences between the different types. The three main types of night vision devices are night vision monocular, night vision goggles, and night vision binoculars. The three have very subtle difference and in some cases, some devices might even have overlapping functionalities. But it is good to be able to differentiate between them.

Night Vision Monocular

A monocular is a single eye piece which offers no magnification. A night vision monocular is probably the most versatile night vision device available. They are lightweight and compact in size, which makes them ideal for head mounting. Most night vision monocular can also be paired with rifle scopes or mounted directly on to the weapon to make it easier to hunt at night. They can also be mounted in front of red dot sight on a weapon and also be adapted for use with a camera for photography or videography at night. The small size and light weight makes them easy to carry around. In spite of these plus points, there are a few cons as well. A head mounted monocular will need some getting used to since it changes the field of vision for one eye and might not feel natural at first. But again, there is the fact that the unaided eye will be able to maintain natural sight and also some of your peripheral vision. With a night vision monocular, you have to get used to keeping both your eyes open to get the most out of your field of view. The monocular is the most versatile of the night vision equipment and there is a wide range from which you can choose.

Night Vision Goggles

A step up from the monocular is the night vision goggles. They allow for viewing with both eyes but, like the monocular, offer no magnification. As compared to the monocular, NV goggles allow for more natural feeling viewing and they don’t require much getting used to. The night vision goggles can be head mounted, which keeps your hands free. There are two types of goggles; single image tube and dual image tube. The single image tube shows both your eyes the same image whereas the dual image tube allows for “stereo vision” or that both your eyes receive their own, slightly different images which give a more wholesome view of the field. With all those plus points the only drawback is that they are not as lightweight as an NV monocular and can’t be mounted on a weapon or a camera.

Night Vision Binoculars

Night vision binoculars are a type of goggles in that they allow two eye viewing but they come with built-in magnification. They aren’t built for head mounting since the ones with the dual image tube have big lenses and are too heavy to be head mounted. Also, the magnification and zoom do not make them good for head mounting since navigation becomes an issue. If you are looking for a night vision device that allows you to view far off objects while staying stationary than this is the device for you.