Volcano Observatory

The vast majority of people imagine spy movies when hearing about night vision devices. We are all familiar with this case scenario when someone puts a pair of night-vision goggles and looks across the front building in order to see every detail even if it’s dark outside. You’ve probably wondered how these items actually work and if it’s true that you can see in the dark.

Your dilemma has an answer because indeed, you can see clearly even in low light conditions. If you get the proper gear, you can see the person standing over 250 yards on a moonless night.

When it comes to choosing the suitable equipment, you have to opt between goggles, binoculars, and monoculars.

Monoculars are basically single eye units that don’t feature any magnification. However, a good quality monocular is quite versatile and comes in handy if you want to enhance your night vision experience.

Also, these devices are incredibly lightweight and can be used for head mounting if the situation occurs. There are advanced monoculars that can be easily affixed to riffle or spotting scopes. This way, you can see your target clearly during the hunting session. If you want, you can adapt the night vision monocular to a camera using a special adaptor. Basically, this small unit can be carried in your pocket so you can use it for several purposes.

The only possible drawback is that you have to continuously switch back and forth from one eye to another. When one eye gets tired, you need to use the other eye and so on. Therefore, you need to get used until it feels natural to use the monocular.

Next, we’ve got the night vision goggles work similar to the monoculars because they don’t have magnification and can be mounted on your head. However, the major positive aspect of them is that they feel incredibly natural and don’t require practice in order to get used to them. Generally, you’ll find two types of goggles, two eye-piece units that allow you to view the image through a single tube and others that enable the vision using dual image tubes, known as well as stereo-vision pieces.  

The goggles are incredibly useful for situations when you have to walk or run. Dual tube goggles that provide stereo vision basically offer you the opportunity to see the same image but with a slight difference between both eyes. These are practical devices for depth perception and improved navigation ability.

Night vision binoculars are two-eyepieces items that are outfitted with built-in magnification. Thanks to the magnification zoom you can see at longer distances. So, if you are given the task to remain in place and capture the images at long range at night, you should stick to night vision binoculars.  

If you plan a future African safari, you can’t leave your house without a good pair of binoculars in your luggage. Because this place has so many beautiful landscapes and animal species to admire, it’s imperative to know how to choose the best safari binoculars that can make your journey a memorable one.

The reason why binoculars are a must is that the chances of getting close to an animal during a safari are almost zero. If you have the binoculars in your backpack, you can see the fauna with all its interesting details. Don’t think that any tool will do because some cheaper models don’t provide a great view and you might waste precious time trying to adjust the focus while missing out the wonderful opportunities.

One aspect you need to consider is related to the magnification of the safari binoculars. Even though high magnification is a great feature, in reality, for safari, it’s kind of useless. If you have you much zoom, the image becomes shaky and unstable. Since safari trips are all about spontaneity and sharing a space with other tourists, you won’t have enough time nor space to install a tripod.

Having binoculars with high magnification means that the field of view is narrower. Since animals tend to hide in areas with big vegetation, you need a wide field of view to see them accurately. Therefore, you should stick to 8x or 10x magnification which is more than enough for a stable image.

As far as the lens size goes, bigger lenses enable you to see the objects even in low light conditions. Since you’ll be in the field generally early in the morning or at dusk, lenses that go from 32mm to 42mm do a great job during a safari. Nevertheless, don’t get a number smaller than that because the image can get darker. Lenses bigger than 42mm translate to a heavier and bulkier binocular, that takes a lot of effort to carry and to handle.  

We shouldn’t overlook the size and the weight of the safari binoculars, either. Lighter and smaller tools come in handy during the outdoor trip because they are easier and faster to put up and take off. Plus, you don’t waste precious time trying to get them out of your bag because they are too heavy to hold around your neckline or in your hand. If you choose a pair of binoculars with a decent magnification and lenses that allow you to view the images even after the sun goes down, you’ll be more than satisfied. A great option would be an instrument with 8×32 or 10×42 numbers in its technical specifications.

Because during safaris you will encounter high temperatures, dust, humidity, and rough areas, you should get binoculars that are also waterproof and shockproof.