5 Biggest Mistakes Buying Night Vision

Learn how to buy night vision and avoid these all too common mistakes when buying night vision equipment.


1.Wrong Generation- Many people make the mistake of not evaluating the performance of the different generations before they buy and end up making their decision based solely on price thinking night vision is night vision. There is actually a huge difference in performance and longevity between the different generations. Although having some night vision is always better than having none at all, the difference from Gen 1 to Gen 3 can be like comparing a candle to a spotlight and a life expectancy of 5 times longer with the Generation 3.  The overall performance is much better, with longer range and clearer/brighter picture.  In addition, some of the upper levels have a better warranty.  For more on this topic see our "Night Vision Generation Differences".

2. Wrong Device- Buying a binocular when you really need a goggle or buying something only for aiming when you could get more use from a monocular are all too common and unfortunate occurrences. Buying the wrong device for your needs can really diminish your night time experience and limit other uses for your night vision. See our "How To Choose Night Vision Devices" for help with this. Also feel free to call us at 1-800-771-6845, we would be happy to guide you to the best device for your needs.

3. Wrong Accessories- Having the right accessories available for your task can increase the effectiveness of your device by several times such as the use of a long range IR illuminator or the addition of magnification lenses. You may want to consult with one of our experts to make sure the product you are interested in will be compatible with the accessories you may need in the future to enhance your capability. Click here to go to our accessories area.

4. Buying for only one purpose- Many people have only one use in mind when purchasing a piece of equipment. They may be buying the optic for hunting or maybe home security however a good piece of night vision equipment opens a whole world of activities like wildlife observation, night boating, night fishing, night hiking, and one of the most amazing things you can do with night vision, night sky viewing/astronomy - 10 times more stars than the naked eye can see, plus other stuff. Check out our Night Vision by Use for ideas and information.

5. Wrong Company- Unfortunately we hear too many stories from customers who have had bad experiences. The worst of which include receiving products that don't work, or contain used/refurbished image tubes or are of inferior quality than what they ordered and paid for. Remember, a night vision device is only as good as its' image intensifier tube, and lower quality image tubes yield poor performance. You can actually have two of the exact same devices with the exact same SKU numbers and look through them side by side and because the image intensifier tubes are unique and vary, like diamonds, one unit could be significantly better than the other! We understand this and strive to get our customers the best quality whenever possible verses the stuff you may see on sale which is typically the lessor performing units. Be Careful of Companies Offering Discounts Across the Board - These are usually companies that are getting discounts from the manufacturers for the lower quality image tubes with poor performance and a higher amount of blemishes. As we mentioned before, each image tube is like a diamond, and each one is tested for performance and clarity.  After 30 days production time and the expensive costs of materials, labor, and machinery,  factories aren't just going to throw these tubes away!! Instead they try to get rid of them by offering discounts on the ones that tested poorly.  We at NightVision4Less prefer to stay away from these, and because of our top position with the manufacturers, we are able to always secure the higher grade image tubes.  Unlike most other companies, we are actually night vision users and we know it is not worth the few hundred extra dollars you will save to get the lesser quality performance and all those blemishes.  And you will see a difference.

“There is scarcely anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse, and sell a little more cheaply. The person who buys on price alone is this man's lawful prey.”
― John Ruskin

Other bad  buying experiences which are even more common are just plain terrible customer service, zero help after the sale with questions or help setting up and focusing a new device, and the all too typical "yeah we sell em but we really don't know much about em" or "sure it's in stock, just place your order"...then the waiting game begins.

To avoid these nightmare situations stick with 100% night vision specialty stores that have up to date information and a professional website with an active 800 number for sales and customer service assistance. Beware of the many "part time" websites that are often just a side business run out of someones basement. Night vision equipment sales are a specialized field, where the higher quality products are built to order, which requires significant dedication and attention to ensure the highest quality products and customer service. We highly recommend calling any perspective company and speaking with them prior to making any purchase.

*If you would like assistance with any of these or any other decisions please feel free to speak with one of our friendly in house experts who have years of hands on experience in many different situations and with many different types of devices. At Nightvision4less we want to help you make an informed smart purchase the first time. A short conversation with someone who has "been there and done that" already can save you a lot of time, money, and disappointment.

Call us today: 1-800-771-6845

~NightVision4Less