I really appreciate people who put out content about NVG’s. It’s hard to get in the game with limited information out there due to how expensive it is. Great side by side and detail. Thanks
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION What resolution do you start bottlenecking at about taking footage through thin film g3 with a aviation grade tube? Id like to capture wildlife through it doing their night stuff.
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION Right now i have 2 photonis lower end tubes with the awkward black spots. For about 4k for both eyes its alright. Im not rich so filmless looked sketchy longevity wise.
@@remasteredretropcgames3312 Don't believe the false rumors/information about unfilmed tubes having a shorter lifespan. When they were first developed they had issues but those were issues were fixed at least 15 years ago.
Thanks. I don't sell the stuff so I can give my actual thoughts, opinions, and what I see with my own eyes. I try to get it on video best as possible but the super low light videos don't record very well. The other night I was trying to video the difference between thin filmed GP and filmless WP during light snow with heavy clouds no Moon and the GP looked 1-2x good as the filmless when it was actually the other way around, lol.
Im really liking your videos man, I think you're helping out a lot of newcomers trying to get in to night vision like myself. Keep up the good work dude!
Pretty cool. I've noticed the L3 filmless does the best in complete darkness because it's so sensitive, but in urban environments with more ambient light, the Photonis, because it's filmed, gives a better image.
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION What do you mean by "a small halo" is that a piece of hardware like an eye cup or is that reference to a visual artifact thru the lens?
You make the best NV videos on RUclips. Keep it up. The world thanks you. :) Just curious what sort of gain and tube brightness numbers your 'Photonis Echo Plus' tube has? I am finding a pretty big variance between the gain ratings on the tube spec sheets floating around out there. Up in Canada we sadly don't have access to the Gen3 filmless tubes out of the states. They look unreal.
Thanks I appreciate it 👍 The ones I’ve seen here in the States have been high 8000 to low/mid 9000 cd/m2/lx. My understanding is the ones being sold here are all Echo Plus and they only Echo & Echo Plus was a European distinction. Not sure about Canada. What’s your measured gain?
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION No worries and thanks for getting back. The ones up here right now have a max/min on theirs sheets for gain (cd/m2/lx) of (WP) 8000-12000 and (GP) 9000-15000. The difference between WP and GP is pretty interesting. The typical gain up here seem to be right in the middle of the spreads. The Canadian vendors seem to bring in most variations of the Photonis tubes.. although they are pricey: www.brandonoptics.com/GSCI-PVS-14C-Multi-Purpose-Night-Vision-Monocular--Top-Seller_p_1176.html
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION The tube sheets I have seen have been 0.08, 0.07 & 0.06 μlx as rated by Photonis. Max specs for the Echo's up here are listed as 0.4 μlx. Not sure how this would convert to Gen 3 EBI (I am pretty sure multiply Photonis number by 10) but they seem fairly low.
USA nv like L3 are not sold legally outside USA. Photonis Echo+ monocular costs in Finland 6900€ (year 2023) I quess the war in Ukraine has lifted prices. The video was good!
Thank you for the comparison! I just bought PVS 31 WPT w/Photonis tubes for $4,050! At MidwayUSA. I could’ve into a GEN three green for $1500 more Midway has it and saying 10% off sale! So it’s really hard for me to decide but since I’ll probably pass these down to my son or my wife and I love the 50° field of view the PVS 31s offer so I’ll probably be stepping up to the L3 set up a little after Christmas. But for that kind of money I just can’t beat it! So thank you for the comparison they’re supposed to be here and literally two hours I’m tracking it of course like a kid on Christmas!
Impression I get from this and other videos is that the Echo tubes have a nicer 'image' and handles the brighter / high contrast bits of well but the gen 3 tubes are brighter and show more details in shadows etc. Is that fair in your real world experience? Would your recommendation change much with intended use case (eg. night hiking etc vs. night shooting)?
Pretty new to night vision have you ever experienced a difficulty to see on an overcast night with stronger horizonal light? I took mine out for the first time and it was hard to see anything while looking into the direction of horizonal light. Like it bloomed out anything else. I was pretty deep in the desert too no street lights or anything.
Cody Loomis You mean looking in the direction of a light source, like city lights? The glare from the light can do that and the ABC too if it dims the image.
While I enjoy your videos and comparisons to other types it seems like other videos misses the most common real use of NVG’s with different Lasers on different scenarios like CQB, short range and long range into different targets. A targets that blooms like a wall or somewhat reflective steel target vs. a hog or even just the woods. I understand the use of going passive when the opposing may have NVG’s as well so show that through a red dot optic instead of just star gazing. Not trying to be too critical but these types of videos are becoming more and more prevalent. Looking forward to more of your videos.
Spencer Coers Not yet. I’m trying to make it happen, to find a similar spec Elbit WP to my L3’s and not get butt raped in the process. Apparently they don’t like to lend those out, lol
The L3 seems to have a shadow on 1 o clock and a spot on 10 o clock. Besides that, the halo was smaller than on the elbit. The photonis seems fairly low noise, compared to their older stuff. Overall a very interesting comparison. Though I wonder what optics where used on the photonis. And if the elbit tubes are made by elbit.
Arno nümuss This was my first L3 tube I got and it had the zone 3 blem and the shading. I got rid of the Echo before I got my other L3 tube that’s a lot clearer (and slightly higher specs) ☹️ Elbit Systems of America is basically just the ITT side of Harris. When Harris merged with L3 last year, the government made them sell the night vision side (ITT) to not have a monopoly on it.
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION Thanks. That is a good test under the same conditions then. Though it would be interesting to see the photonis perform with a optic, that was coated to match it's spectral response. I'm confident, the PVS-14 objectives are optimised for gen3. Though the newer gen3 should use indium or phosphor doting instead of zinc, so I assume the coating would not be as narrow banded on the new objectives. Which is why a test would be better than speculation. For example: On the few factory made devices, that I own, one can see that the lens coating for the device with S-20 photocathose looks different from the one with S-25 photocathode.
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION Ah, interesting. I was thinking more in the lines of a harder Digital gen3 tube. Because I spotted german tubes in older israeli made equipment. But yeah, if it's the america branch, that makes more sense to use domestic products.
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION Does the average Joe have any advantage in sourcing tubes by knowing the name ITT? Also is there a site where can we get discount or blem tubes?
How noticeable is the whining sound from the Elbit Systems tube within a house/CQB setting? I jumped on the TNVC Independence Day Sale for the DTNVG w/Elbit Tubes (White Phosphor) due to the lower cost. I don't plan on clearing rooms with it, but if I had to I'm curious how discernible the sound is down a hallway.
It varies from tube to tube so it’s possible to get a loud or quiet one or in the middle. In the videos it’s definitely louder because the device is right next to the camera and it’ll be similar since your ears are close. Someone would have to be pretty damn close to hear it. Even the loudest ones I’ve had, I don’t think someone could hear it from inside a room
Elbit seems to be the best bang for your buck when there seems to be a significant step up in cost for L3 filmless. Photonis is a no go, unless you’ll always be in well lit conditions.
I just received my DTNVGs from TNVC, with high spec L3 WP, and they are amazing to say the least. I can tell the difference in really dark conditions. The L3 tubes require less supplemental IR illumination than my previous ITT green, thin filmed (Gen 3). The wait will be worth it! You’ll see!
Hey man your videos are some of the very few on RUclips that seems like it’s objective and not just someone shilling for some NOD company. Maybe you can help me out. I’d like to get my on NOD, and I’d like to spend my money correctly. My question is, between the ATN Ps15, and the TVNC PVS-14, both in white phosphor, but I think the ATN is gen 2+ (their description says it’s Gen ITT WPT), which would you go for, if they are within $500? The ATN is a binocular, but I know the TNVC will be a better tune. Uses will be running and gunning for fun, and hunting, and general screwing around. Thanks.
Thanks I appreciate that! I haven't used the PS-15 but my observation from looking at it is that it's a pretty limited goggle. There aren't any adjustments for eye spacing which could or could not be an issue for you. For what it is on the budget end it'd probably be an okay starter device but if the night vision bug bites, you will want to get something better. Trust me. The tubes are the most important thing so I would try to find out exactly what tubes it'll come with, and ask if they have the spec sheet available. If they do, ask for these tube specs: Resolution, signal to noise ratio, halo, ebi and gain. The gen 2 Photonis Echo tubes are really good but there is some gen 2 stuff that is not very good or borderline waste of money IMO. You can find used gen 3 binocular goggles for close to the same price of a new PS-15 ($4,495). The place I recommend is from the ar15.com night vision equipment exchange. I would go that route if you want goggles and need to stay in that budget range. Refurbished or used Anvis-9's with gen 3 tubes are out there for $4,500 and less. There are extra costs like the mount and/or battery pack for the -9 but you can find them used in good condition for under $200. Occasionally you'll see other goggles like the PVS-15, Sentinel, etc. for between $5,000-$7,000. Here's a link for reference. FYI, I've never done business with these guys and don't know who they are. I just googled it: www.nightvisionoutfitters.com/products/harris-an-avs-9-anvis-night-vision-goggles-refurbished Over the two options, TNVC PVS-14 or ATN PS-15, I would go with the TNVC PVS-14 with a gen 3 tube. TNVC gets mil-spec level tubes and they offer a 10 year warranty on the tubes and lifetime on the device housing.
NITEWALKER thanks a lot for taking the time to answer my questions! I will check out the exchange on Arfcom first, but I think for right now, my plan will be to pick up the Gen 3 14 from TNVC, pick up a D-14 mount (I believe you have a video recommending that mount) and maybe down the road I will get another PVS-14 to make it a binocular or goggle (not sure if binocular and goggle are interchangeable.) Thanks again!
For night time stargazing, which color would be best? I live in a small city with street lights but in the backyard, the street lights glow is blocked by the surrounding houses.
If you just want to stagaze a Sionyx Aurora might be enough. Inferior light amplification to analog but way better IR sensitivity and full color. A channel called Carpe Nocturnum has some footage for comparisons.
Great video! I'm looking to get a pvs-14. Can you recommend a reputable vendor that will give me the most for my money? I realize it's not cheap, but I see several hundred dollars differences between sites, and no discernible differences. Have you heard of Ready-made-resources? They seem to have everything I'm looking for at decent prices.
DTK MRP I’ve never done business with Ready Made so can’t give a direct recommendation. I have done business with JRH Enterprises who sources the devices from the same place (Night Vision Devices is company name). JRH is solid
Would an IR illuminator be used if you lacked the light for the devices full potential? I'm not very experienced in NV, so I'm just trying to get a better understanding.
Sorry been busy busy. Yessir. In some lighting conditions say no moon heavy clouds, dense canopy, the tubes can struggle. You’ll be able to see well enough up close to navigate etc but you’ll want to use an IR illuminator to expand your detection range. Unless of course you’re dealing with bad guys who have nods. That’s where the higher spec unfilmed have an advantage because every extra yard can make a difference when your ass is on the line
Jordan Peterson All of the video comparisons where done at the same on the dark and bright nights. The difference is just the tubes. I didn’t use any additional IR light. Is that what you mean?
The photonis didn't show the darker parts of the orion nebula. And the resolution doesn't seem as good as the L3. The halo on the photonis is pretty small though, so it's probably best for high light applications.
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION Maybe one day. Your judgement is good enough for now. I'm not buying one soon. But sure like to know what is the best tool for which job.
A really excellent thin film P43 tube can produce superb images. To do a fair comparison, you would have to make sure the tubes have equal specs. Thin film seems to be much better to me in high light situations and when looking at the sky, the thin film tubes seem to show stars as being much more brilliant points with more dynamic range. The sky looks kind of flat in filmless tubes, but a good thin film tube makes the sky really pop. Also, in very low light where the tube image is super dim, *the green is easier to see* . That is my opinion anyway. I have owned about 15 different devices and I would absolutely take a good thin film P43 tube over a so-so filmless WP tube. I have the opinion that most people don't know what makes up a really good tube though and think that if it is filmless WP it has to be great. Paying $4000 for a PVS-14 with a filmless WP tube that has 1.5 EBI though is a titanic mistake when you can get better thin film tubes for $800 less.
@@codyfrancis4474 I am sorry, but it is hard to buy Gen 3 gear for that price. You can sometimes find used PVS-7 goggles for $1200 to $2000, but that is about as inexpensive as I know.
@@codyfrancis4474 The only thing that I could recommend for less than $800 would be the Sionyx Aurora Sport camera. This is not going to work nearly as well as a Gen 3 night vision device so really dark locations are not going to be suddenly like daytime, but in suburbs and such it works well enough. Not out in the middle of nowwhere with no moonlight though. Even a sliver of moon will let you see though.
@@codyfrancis4474 he meant 800 dollars LESS than 4,000. 3,200 dollars. There are great PVS-14s with thin film tubes for 3,200 dollars which is 800 less than 4,000.
Wow the images are amazing! I have a pvs15c and the tubes say mx-10160/UV, do you happen to know if they are Omni VII or VIII? I’m not to sure myself and I don’t wanna open up the housing. Thank you
@ryan cummiens The filmless tubes perform better in low light conditions, have higher clarity, and are capable of achieving much higher signal to noise ratio than filmed tubes. Elbit has been producing thin filmed WP tubes with very high specs similar to filmless but on average they are lower from what I have seen. There are filmless tubes with low specs, so just because it's filmless doesn't mean it's a high performing tube.
NITEWALKER okay that makes a lot more sense thank you I appreciate it!, I was having a hard time trying to decide between l3 wp unfilmed and a l3 wp filmed. But that clears that up. Thanks man appreciate it.
Steve Vedder Not without a good IR illuminator, some elevation, and it depends on the terrain. It also depends on what you’re using also. A head mounted monocular or goggle is limited by the 1x magnification. A weapon sight or clip on with a good illuminator would definitely get that job done
Steve Vedder I think at least a 1/4 but the terrain is a big factor because of how well animals can blend in under nods. Especially if you’re not using IR and relying on seeing movement. Using an illuminator makes a huge difference because once you get their shine it’ll be easier to spot them and keep track of them. If you haven’t used NV yet, things can be completely invisible to you but once you see it like using IR, you’ll be able to see it even after you turn off IR. Not always but a lot of times. Another factor will be how good the tube is. Do you want to spot them that far or take shots at that range?
That make sense. I’ve got a thermal scope and scanner but I’d like to roll with a night vision mono as well just to make 100% certain that I’m shooting s coyote. I shoot around a lot of livestock and don’t want to make a mistake
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION I should have checked before commenting. Just watched it. Great video, thanks. In your opinion would you pay an extra 800 for an L3 pvs 14 over an elbit?
@@vladstepanov9767 Yes, I would personally, and a couple reasons. #1. Modern L3 tubes used in PVS-14s can be easily converted to a different format and used in pretty much all available commercial goggle housings. I don’t recommend voiding a warranty to do it yourself (go through the dealer if they will maintain the warranty) but that is an excellent option to have in your back pocket. Elbit tubes require desoldering work and soldering in a resistor. Most vendors won’t do it and if done wrong can ruin the tube. #2. The L3 Mil-grade unfilmed tubes on average have higher specs and perform better IMHO
Sure. The particular tubes in this video I purchased from below: L3Harris unfilmed white phosphor nvisionoptics.com/product/pvs-14-monocular-unfilmed-l-3-iit-zone-3-blemish/ Photonis Echo White Phosphor www.jrhenterprises.com/Photonis-PVS14-White-Phosphor-ECHO-SPEC-monocular-nvdphotonis14ECHOspec.htm Elbit Green Phosphor I bought it direct from Night Vision Devices but you can also buy it from JRH Enterprises www.nvdevices.com/products/night-vision/monoculars/pvs-14-night-vision-monocular/ www.jrhenterprises.com/PVS14-High-Performance1900-Pinnacle-Autogated-Night-Vision-PVS14.htm Although I did not buy any of these from them, I highly recommend TNVC (Tactical Night Vision Company). They usually have a long lead time but they are in my opinion one of the top, if not the #1 highest reputable companies.
Morale Patches I do, in particular if you won’t be separating them often. I think the single power knob on the bridge is a killer feature. The downside is the extra weight and some people might not like the aesthetics with the battery inserts.
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION yeah I like the fact I can separate and give to anyone when we go hike or shoot. Figure I can counterbalance with external batt since it has a port. Thanks for the info!
Didn't see much of difference between my ITT pinnacle vs my l3 unfilmed pvs14 in performance. Maybe a little less scintillation in my unfilmed. The specs are better overall with the l3 unfilmed
It would have been nice to see apples-2-apples as far as the elbit wp w/ the L3's with wp also. 4 people i kn I w have seen this and asked why elbits performance is so much dimmer when in reality their wp tubes with good specs are almost identical. (I've owned 8 nvg devices, deal in the business myself, and im just throwing it out there because there are alot of people who scoff at elbit and think if its not L3 that its not good).
I just ordered the Elbit gen 3 whp aviation grade light film omni 8 pvs14. The l3 filmless was my first choice but the elbit was in stock and I hear they are awesome. I'm worried about the auto gating whine though. Do the L3s whine at all and do all Elbits seem to whine? Which would you choose?
Justin Mikola My L3’s don’t whine at all. They’ll probably have some whine to them. Some are loud and some quiet so it’s hit or miss. Which tube I’d choose would depend on the specs, availability, and price. The Elbit’s have been coming out with some good specs so you should be good to go
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION So is the Elbit tube autogating because the fact it is an Elbit tube? Or are both the L3 and Elbit tubes autogating and its just that particular set of Elbit tubes that have a louder whine?
@@hasakeyyyy8796 the tube isn’t “autogating” but rather it’s the Elbit’s autogated power supply making the whining noise which it does all of the time. Some tubes are worse than others when it comes to a constant audible whine. Some are loud and others are silent until the tube actually “autogates” from bright flashes like muzzle flashes, lightning, etc
I think you mean who did I buy it from? The manufacturer of the unfilmed tubes is L3Harris. I bought it from N-Vision Optics. Most of the bigger L3H dealers are getting tubes with really good specs. N-Vision is the only bigger name dealer I know of that is selling the zone 3 blemish tubes for a lower price. Another place to check is Kosher Surplus. I’ve seen them list zone 3 blemish unfilmed tubes for decent prices and they also list the specs so you can choose which one you want to buy. Last I heard, N-Vision is backed up on tubes so you have to buy blindly, but I haven’t heard of them asking anybody a lousy tube as of uet.
Surgeon Cham This video explains it pretty decent. You can find info on the internet too. It’s well known and documented. The Echo & Intens are supposed to have a higher lifespan than most other gen 2. ruclips.net/video/_FluxGa8md8/видео.html
Echos sold in the USA are supposed to just be called Echo however they are called Echo plus outside the USA. According to Photonis there is no such thing as Echo 4G.
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION I had a look on the photonis website, and it appears that you are correct. There is a miltary grade version that is "4g" ( think that is "intens") but the echo doesn't have such labeling. This is interesting because several companies in the usa build pvs-14's and bino's with tubes labeled "photonis echo 4g" (ultimatenightvision.com, nightvision4less), etc. maybe that is a mislabel?
Dont Matter Dont Matter They sell devices with Elbit tubes in them, so the comparison would be Elbit thin filmed WP vs the other two. Unfortunately, I haven’t had a chance to use Elbit WP but I’m hoping to change that in the near future.
This 4 minute youtube video is probably going to end up costing me 4k USD now that I know the difference between the Photonis and the L3. Thanks... I guess..
No, that's not correct information. When filmless was first developed 20+ years ago it had a short lifespan but that has been corrected. You will usually only hear this from sellers who primarily or only sell thin filmed tubes.
I know this vid is quite old but how would you rank the L3 filmless GP against the L3 WP? I prefer the gp over wp personally and im looking into getting my first pair of 14s
That’s a good question. For me it all depends on which one has the best specs and screen cosmetics. In some conditions GP is better than WP and also vice versa but overall I prefer the unfilmed WP color
remmo _ It’s hard to capture on camera. In low light shadows, I can resolve images much better with L3 than thin filmed green. The really dark nights like at 1:45 in the video and darker, I can never get the camera to show it properly.
I really appreciate people who put out content about NVG’s. It’s hard to get in the game with limited information out there due to how expensive it is. Great side by side and detail. Thanks
Thank you. It can be very confusing for sure
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION
What resolution do you start bottlenecking at about taking footage through thin film g3 with a aviation grade tube?
Id like to capture wildlife through it doing their night stuff.
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION
Right now i have 2 photonis lower end tubes with the awkward black spots. For about 4k for both eyes its alright. Im not rich so filmless looked sketchy longevity wise.
@@remasteredretropcgames3312 72-81 resolution is better for magnification.
@@remasteredretropcgames3312 Don't believe the false rumors/information about unfilmed tubes having a shorter lifespan. When they were first developed they had issues but those were issues were fixed at least 15 years ago.
Very informative, I like when someone shows the differences straight... It's really hard to get a true comparison like this one... Thanks for upload
Thanks. I don't sell the stuff so I can give my actual thoughts, opinions, and what I see with my own eyes. I try to get it on video best as possible but the super low light videos don't record very well.
The other night I was trying to video the difference between thin filmed GP and filmless WP during light snow with heavy clouds no Moon and the GP looked 1-2x good as the filmless when it was actually the other way around, lol.
Straight info and no shilling. I learned a lot. Thanks for an awesome and highly informative video.
Im really liking your videos man, I think you're helping out a lot of newcomers trying to get in to night vision like myself. Keep up the good work dude!
Thanks!
just ordered my first white P NVG 7 gen 3 Im stoked for it
Fantastic video, and a must see for anyone about to buy night vision. Thank you for taking the time to put all this together!
Ben Dummer 👍
Great job with the comparison!!! Best one I’ve seen !!!
GREAT comparison video by far the best basic, no bs video ever.
Thanks 🤙🏼
damn that l3 is CLEAN.
Pretty cool. I've noticed the L3 filmless does the best in complete darkness because it's so sensitive, but in urban environments with more ambient light, the Photonis, because it's filmed, gives a better image.
The Photonis does very good in urban environments. Especially with a small halo it's exceptional.
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION What do you mean by "a small halo" is that a piece of hardware like an eye cup or is that reference to a visual artifact thru the lens?
@@mike42ohio halo is an artifact seen around light sources etc while using night vision. Tubes have different halo specs / values
Is the GP the elbit XLSH?
@@parksidegarage9437 no. I don’t have tube or the sheet any longer and don’t remember the grade it was assigned but it wasn’t a commercial grade
You make the best NV videos on RUclips. Keep it up. The world thanks you. :)
Just curious what sort of gain and tube brightness numbers your 'Photonis Echo Plus' tube has?
I am finding a pretty big variance between the gain ratings on the tube spec sheets floating around out there.
Up in Canada we sadly don't have access to the Gen3 filmless tubes out of the states. They look unreal.
Thanks I appreciate it 👍 The ones I’ve seen here in the States have been high 8000 to low/mid 9000 cd/m2/lx. My understanding is the ones being sold here are all Echo Plus and they only Echo & Echo Plus was a European distinction. Not sure about Canada. What’s your measured gain?
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION No worries and thanks for getting back. The ones up here right now have a max/min on theirs sheets for gain (cd/m2/lx) of (WP) 8000-12000 and (GP) 9000-15000. The difference between WP and GP is pretty interesting. The typical gain up here seem to be right in the middle of the spreads. The Canadian vendors seem to bring in most variations of the Photonis tubes.. although they are pricey: www.brandonoptics.com/GSCI-PVS-14C-Multi-Purpose-Night-Vision-Monocular--Top-Seller_p_1176.html
Colby Humphry How’s the EBI? There are a lot of higher EBI’s down (2.0+) here but I’ve heard of at least one very good one (0.5 I believe it was).
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION The tube sheets I have seen have been 0.08, 0.07 & 0.06 μlx as rated by Photonis. Max specs for the Echo's up here are listed as 0.4 μlx. Not sure how this would convert to Gen 3 EBI (I am pretty sure multiply Photonis number by 10) but they seem fairly low.
Colby Humphry Those are good EBI’s. The easy way to convert it is to move the decimal place one to the right.
USA nv like L3 are not sold legally outside USA.
Photonis Echo+ monocular costs in Finland 6900€ (year 2023) I quess the war in Ukraine has lifted prices.
The video was good!
Thanks a lot for your videos! They provide a lot of information for NV noobs like me 😅
Thank you for the comparison! I just bought PVS 31 WPT w/Photonis tubes for $4,050! At MidwayUSA. I could’ve into a GEN three green for $1500 more Midway has it and saying 10% off sale! So it’s really hard for me to decide but since I’ll probably pass these down to my son or my wife and I love the 50° field of view the PVS 31s offer so I’ll probably be stepping up to the L3 set up a little after Christmas. But for that kind of money I just can’t beat it! So thank you for the comparison they’re supposed to be here and literally two hours I’m tracking it of course like a kid on Christmas!
Helped me decide what to buy, thank you so much for this video!
Impression I get from this and other videos is that the Echo tubes have a nicer 'image' and handles the brighter / high contrast bits of well but the gen 3 tubes are brighter and show more details in shadows etc. Is that fair in your real world experience?
Would your recommendation change much with intended use case (eg. night hiking etc vs. night shooting)?
Pretty new to night vision have you ever experienced a difficulty to see on an overcast night with stronger horizonal light? I took mine out for the first time and it was hard to see anything while looking into the direction of horizonal light. Like it bloomed out anything else. I was pretty deep in the desert too no street lights or anything.
Cody Loomis You mean looking in the direction of a light source, like city lights? The glare from the light can do that and the ABC too if it dims the image.
While I enjoy your videos and comparisons to other types it seems like other videos misses the most common real use of NVG’s with different Lasers on different scenarios like CQB, short range and long range into different targets. A targets that blooms like a wall or somewhat reflective steel target vs. a hog or even just the woods. I understand the use of going passive when the opposing may have NVG’s as well so show that through a red dot optic instead of just star gazing. Not trying to be too critical but these types of videos are becoming more and more prevalent. Looking forward to more of your videos.
Todd Arnold Appreciate the feedback. 👍
Great video man
Wow that l3 is sick
Never clicked on one of your videos so quickly
Spencer Coers 👍
NITEWALKER Have you have had a chance to see the Elbit/Harris thin filmed WP?
Spencer Coers Not yet. I’m trying to make it happen, to find a similar spec Elbit WP to my L3’s and not get butt raped in the process. Apparently they don’t like to lend those out, lol
Good video! As always thanks for sharing 👍
The L3 seems to have a shadow on 1 o clock and a spot on 10 o clock.
Besides that, the halo was smaller than on the elbit.
The photonis seems fairly low noise, compared to their older stuff.
Overall a very interesting comparison.
Though I wonder what optics where used on the photonis.
And if the elbit tubes are made by elbit.
Arno nümuss This was my first L3 tube I got and it had the zone 3 blem and the shading. I got rid of the Echo before I got my other L3 tube that’s a lot clearer (and slightly higher specs) ☹️ Elbit Systems of America is basically just the ITT side of Harris. When Harris merged with L3 last year, the government made them sell the night vision side (ITT) to not have a monopoly on it.
Arno nümuss All of these were using new production PVS-14 objectives
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION Thanks. That is a good test under the same conditions then.
Though it would be interesting to see the photonis perform with a optic, that was coated to match it's spectral response.
I'm confident, the PVS-14 objectives are optimised for gen3.
Though the newer gen3 should use indium or phosphor doting instead of zinc, so I assume the coating would not be as narrow banded on the new objectives.
Which is why a test would be better than speculation.
For example: On the few factory made devices, that I own, one can see that the lens coating for the device with S-20 photocathose looks different from the one with S-25 photocathode.
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION Ah, interesting. I was thinking more in the lines of a harder Digital gen3 tube. Because I spotted german tubes in older israeli made equipment. But yeah, if it's the america branch, that makes more sense to use domestic products.
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION Does the average Joe have any advantage in sourcing tubes by knowing the name ITT? Also is there a site where can we get discount or blem tubes?
How noticeable is the whining sound from the Elbit Systems tube within a house/CQB setting? I jumped on the TNVC Independence Day Sale for the DTNVG w/Elbit Tubes (White Phosphor) due to the lower cost. I don't plan on clearing rooms with it, but if I had to I'm curious how discernible the sound is down a hallway.
It varies from tube to tube so it’s possible to get a loud or quiet one or in the middle. In the videos it’s definitely louder because the device is right next to the camera and it’ll be similar since your ears are close. Someone would have to be pretty damn close to hear it. Even the loudest ones I’ve had, I don’t think someone could hear it from inside a room
To clarify what I mean, with the loudest ones I've had, someone inside a room wouldn't hear you coming from the hallway/outside the room they are in.
Awesome video. Thank you so much.
Elbit seems to be the best bang for your buck when there seems to be a significant step up in cost for L3 filmless. Photonis is a no go, unless you’ll always be in well lit conditions.
Definitely glad I went with unfilmed L3's for my DTNVG'S. I ordered them early December, unfortunately they pushed 14 week lead time back to 18 weeks
SmithandWessonBlazer Waiting sucks but you’re going to love em 🤘
I just received my DTNVGs from TNVC, with high spec L3 WP, and they are amazing to say the least. I can tell the difference in really dark conditions. The L3 tubes require less supplemental IR illumination than my previous ITT green, thin filmed (Gen 3). The wait will be worth it! You’ll see!
michael hart High spec filmless WP is the best. I love it. I used to think it was hype until I got them.
Is this elbit green an XLSH or a higher spec?
i like that L3
Hey man your videos are some of the very few on RUclips that seems like it’s objective and not just someone shilling for some NOD company. Maybe you can help me out. I’d like to get my on NOD, and I’d like to spend my money correctly. My question is, between the ATN Ps15, and the TVNC PVS-14, both in white phosphor, but I think the ATN is gen 2+ (their description says it’s Gen ITT WPT), which would you go for, if they are within $500? The ATN is a binocular, but I know the TNVC will be a better tune. Uses will be running and gunning for fun, and hunting, and general screwing around. Thanks.
Thanks I appreciate that!
I haven't used the PS-15 but my observation from looking at it is that it's a pretty limited goggle. There aren't any adjustments for eye spacing which could or could not be an issue for you. For what it is on the budget end it'd probably be an okay starter device but if the night vision bug bites, you will want to get something better. Trust me.
The tubes are the most important thing so I would try to find out exactly what tubes it'll come with, and ask if they have the spec sheet available. If they do, ask for these tube specs: Resolution, signal to noise ratio, halo, ebi and gain. The gen 2 Photonis Echo tubes are really good but there is some gen 2 stuff that is not very good or borderline waste of money IMO.
You can find used gen 3 binocular goggles for close to the same price of a new PS-15 ($4,495). The place I recommend is from the ar15.com night vision equipment exchange. I would go that route if you want goggles and need to stay in that budget range. Refurbished or used Anvis-9's with gen 3 tubes are out there for $4,500 and less. There are extra costs like the mount and/or battery pack for the -9 but you can find them used in good condition for under $200. Occasionally you'll see other goggles like the PVS-15, Sentinel, etc. for between $5,000-$7,000.
Here's a link for reference. FYI, I've never done business with these guys and don't know who they are. I just googled it:
www.nightvisionoutfitters.com/products/harris-an-avs-9-anvis-night-vision-goggles-refurbished
Over the two options, TNVC PVS-14 or ATN PS-15, I would go with the TNVC PVS-14 with a gen 3 tube. TNVC gets mil-spec level tubes and they offer a 10 year warranty on the tubes and lifetime on the device housing.
NITEWALKER thanks a lot for taking the time to answer my questions! I will check out the exchange on Arfcom first, but I think for right now, my plan will be to pick up the Gen 3 14 from TNVC, pick up a D-14 mount (I believe you have a video recommending that mount) and maybe down the road I will get another PVS-14 to make it a binocular or goggle (not sure if binocular and goggle are interchangeable.)
Thanks again!
Do you have a video comparing this to IR/flir systems?
Not a direct comparison but there are thermal videos on the channel
For night time stargazing, which color would be best? I live in a small city with street lights but in the backyard, the street lights glow is blocked by the surrounding houses.
I personally find WP to be better but don’t just pick based on the color. The tube specifications matter most.
If you just want to stagaze a Sionyx Aurora might be enough. Inferior light amplification to analog but way better IR sensitivity and full color. A channel called Carpe Nocturnum has some footage for comparisons.
Great video!
I'm looking to get a pvs-14. Can you recommend a reputable vendor that will give me the most for my money?
I realize it's not cheap, but I see several hundred dollars differences between sites, and no discernible differences.
Have you heard of Ready-made-resources?
They seem to have everything I'm looking for at decent prices.
DTK MRP I’ve never done business with Ready Made so can’t give a direct recommendation. I have done business with JRH Enterprises who sources the devices from the same place (Night Vision Devices is company name). JRH is solid
would you rather have a monocular with white phosphor or binos with green phosphor?
I would rather have binos with at least average performing tubes
Would an IR illuminator be used if you lacked the light for the devices full potential? I'm not very experienced in NV, so I'm just trying to get a better understanding.
Sorry been busy busy. Yessir. In some lighting conditions say no moon heavy clouds, dense canopy, the tubes can struggle. You’ll be able to see well enough up close to navigate etc but you’ll want to use an IR illuminator to expand your detection range. Unless of course you’re dealing with bad guys who have nods. That’s where the higher spec unfilmed have an advantage because every extra yard can make a difference when your ass is on the line
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION Awesome to hear! thanks for the reply!
@@cdcopper3438 👍🏼
Hey man! Great video. What are the lighting conditions like in the brighter video portions compared to the darker ones? Thanks!
Jordan Peterson It was between 3/4 and full Moon
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION thanks man! So is the difference IR then?
Jordan Peterson All of the video comparisons where done at the same on the dark and bright nights. The difference is just the tubes. I didn’t use any additional IR light. Is that what you mean?
The photonis didn't show the darker parts of the orion nebula. And the resolution doesn't seem as good as the L3. The halo on the photonis is pretty small though, so it's probably best for high light applications.
Arno nümuss It does very good for high light. I don’t have any comparison videos in high light unfortunately
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION Maybe one day. Your judgement is good enough for now. I'm not buying one soon. But sure like to know what is the best tool for which job.
A really excellent thin film P43 tube can produce superb images. To do a fair comparison, you would have to make sure the tubes have equal specs. Thin film seems to be much better to me in high light situations and when looking at the sky, the thin film tubes seem to show stars as being much more brilliant points with more dynamic range. The sky looks kind of flat in filmless tubes, but a good thin film tube makes the sky really pop. Also, in very low light where the tube image is super dim, *the green is easier to see* . That is my opinion anyway. I have owned about 15 different devices and I would absolutely take a good thin film P43 tube over a so-so filmless WP tube. I have the opinion that most people don't know what makes up a really good tube though and think that if it is filmless WP it has to be great. Paying $4000 for a PVS-14 with a filmless WP tube that has 1.5 EBI though is a titanic mistake when you can get better thin film tubes for $800 less.
Do you have any suggestions for the $800 or less ?? I'm interested in buying something on budget
@@codyfrancis4474 I am sorry, but it is hard to buy Gen 3 gear for that price. You can sometimes find used PVS-7 goggles for $1200 to $2000, but that is about as inexpensive as I know.
@@codyfrancis4474 The only thing that I could recommend for less than $800 would be the Sionyx Aurora Sport camera. This is not going to work nearly as well as a Gen 3 night vision device so really dark locations are not going to be suddenly like daytime, but in suburbs and such it works well enough. Not out in the middle of nowwhere with no moonlight though. Even a sliver of moon will let you see though.
@@codyfrancis4474 he meant 800 dollars LESS than 4,000. 3,200 dollars. There are great PVS-14s with thin film tubes for 3,200 dollars which is 800 less than 4,000.
Sweet video. Does L3 thin filmed have the same color phosphor as L3 filmless?
JohnBoy No, it’s different. Same for Elbit WP. I have had a chance to compare one yet.
Wow the images are amazing! I have a pvs15c and the tubes say mx-10160/UV, do you happen to know if they are Omni VII or VIII? I’m not to sure myself and I don’t wanna open up the housing. Thank you
To be honest, I'm not the Omni expert, but I believe the newer Omni VII-VIII 10160's are 10160C.
What’s the main difference between filmed wp and unflimed wp?
@ryan cummiens The filmless tubes perform better in low light conditions, have higher clarity, and are capable of achieving much higher signal to noise ratio than filmed tubes.
Elbit has been producing thin filmed WP tubes with very high specs similar to filmless but on average they are lower from what I have seen. There are filmless tubes with low specs, so just because it's filmless doesn't mean it's a high performing tube.
NITEWALKER okay that makes a lot more sense thank you I appreciate it!, I was having a hard time trying to decide between l3 wp unfilmed and a l3 wp filmed. But that clears that up. Thanks man appreciate it.
Would you be able to see a coyote at 2-300 yards with the L3 on a little to no moon night?
Steve Vedder Not without a good IR illuminator, some elevation, and it depends on the terrain. It also depends on what you’re using also. A head mounted monocular or goggle is limited by the 1x magnification. A weapon sight or clip on with a good illuminator would definitely get that job done
That makes sense. Think you’d need atleast 30-40% moon for a monocular to work out?
Steve Vedder I think at least a 1/4 but the terrain is a big factor because of how well animals can blend in under nods. Especially if you’re not using IR and relying on seeing movement. Using an illuminator makes a huge difference because once you get their shine it’ll be easier to spot them and keep track of them. If you haven’t used NV yet, things can be completely invisible to you but once you see it like using IR, you’ll be able to see it even after you turn off IR. Not always but a lot of times. Another factor will be how good the tube is. Do you want to spot them that far or take shots at that range?
That make sense. I’ve got a thermal scope and scanner but I’d like to roll with a night vision mono as well just to make 100% certain that I’m shooting s coyote. I shoot around a lot of livestock and don’t want to make a mistake
NITEWALKER on a no moon night with cloud cover and no city lights how far are you able to see with the L3?
I really wilishvyou had a wp elbit but other than that great video
Thanks. I did another video comparing an XLSH to unfilmed WP
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION I should have checked before commenting. Just watched it. Great video, thanks. In your opinion would you pay an extra 800 for an L3 pvs 14 over an elbit?
@@vladstepanov9767 Yes, I would personally, and a couple reasons.
#1. Modern L3 tubes used in PVS-14s can be easily converted to a different format and used in pretty much all available commercial goggle housings. I don’t recommend voiding a warranty to do it yourself (go through the dealer if they will maintain the warranty) but that is an excellent option to have in your back pocket. Elbit tubes require desoldering work and soldering in a resistor. Most vendors won’t do it and if done wrong can ruin the tube.
#2. The L3 Mil-grade unfilmed tubes on average have higher specs and perform better IMHO
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION awesome thanks for the tips
Can we have the links to the websites you got them from?
Sure. The particular tubes in this video I purchased from below:
L3Harris unfilmed white phosphor
nvisionoptics.com/product/pvs-14-monocular-unfilmed-l-3-iit-zone-3-blemish/
Photonis Echo White Phosphor
www.jrhenterprises.com/Photonis-PVS14-White-Phosphor-ECHO-SPEC-monocular-nvdphotonis14ECHOspec.htm
Elbit Green Phosphor
I bought it direct from Night Vision Devices but you can also buy it from JRH Enterprises
www.nvdevices.com/products/night-vision/monoculars/pvs-14-night-vision-monocular/
www.jrhenterprises.com/PVS14-High-Performance1900-Pinnacle-Autogated-Night-Vision-PVS14.htm
Although I did not buy any of these from them, I highly recommend TNVC (Tactical Night Vision Company). They usually have a long lead time but they are in my opinion one of the top, if not the #1 highest reputable companies.
Great vid again, do u recommend the power bridgemount tnvc for 2 pvs14s, event though it's heavy
Morale Patches I do, in particular if you won’t be separating them often. I think the single power knob on the bridge is a killer feature. The downside is the extra weight and some people might not like the aesthetics with the battery inserts.
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION yeah I like the fact I can separate and give to anyone when we go hike or shoot. Figure I can counterbalance with external batt since it has a port. Thanks for the info!
Didn't see much of difference between my ITT pinnacle vs my l3 unfilmed pvs14 in performance. Maybe a little less scintillation in my unfilmed. The specs are better overall with the l3 unfilmed
It would have been nice to see apples-2-apples as far as the elbit wp w/ the L3's with wp also. 4 people i kn I w have seen this and asked why elbits performance is so much dimmer when in reality their wp tubes with good specs are almost identical. (I've owned 8 nvg devices, deal in the business myself, and im just throwing it out there because there are alot of people who scoff at elbit and think if its not L3 that its not good).
If you look on the channel there is a video ESA vs L3H both WP
But this is Not the smart gain right? And the L3 hast more res
Am I missing something? The video says green Filmless yet never appeared ??
I updated the title with a comma to better separate it and make it more clear that it's L3 filmless versus the others.
Is the elbit whine noticeably loud? I would want to avoid them if they made that annoying whine constantly
It’s hit or miss. All of the Elbit and Harris tubes I’ve personally had were fairly loud but others have had quiet ones and same for L3 tubes.
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION what exactly is it that makes the tubes whine?
@@devingardella678 It’s the autogating. If you don’t know what that is, here’s good video ruclips.net/video/cafwVZSc5jU/видео.html
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION Oh gotcha. I must be lucky then lol. I have an L3 gp autogated PVS14 and nothing
Buy a coti/pas29 so I can live vicariously through you :)
Any experience with AGM Defense units?
Gabriel Medina None
Is jhr enterprise good to go for these items, I’m in the market
Joseph Herbert Yessir, he sells all three and they come with a 10 year warranty
glad I went l3 unfilmed... but at the price I paid compared to elbit? idk. lol.
Lol
Can I ask what the EBI was on those tubes above? Curious myself, I'm running a 1.2 EBI but 82+ res thin filmed.
It’s in the description
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION unless I'm blind you merely give the FOM
You said these are gen2? My photonis echo gen 3 is a lot brighter than what I saw on here
Are they al sett to max gain ?
Yes, they were all at max gain
I just ordered the Elbit gen 3 whp aviation grade light film omni 8 pvs14. The l3 filmless was my first choice but the elbit was in stock and I hear they are awesome. I'm worried about the auto gating whine though. Do the L3s whine at all and do all Elbits seem to whine? Which would you choose?
Justin Mikola My L3’s don’t whine at all. They’ll probably have some whine to them. Some are loud and some quiet so it’s hit or miss. Which tube I’d choose would depend on the specs, availability, and price. The Elbit’s have been coming out with some good specs so you should be good to go
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION So is the Elbit tube autogating because the fact it is an Elbit tube? Or are both the L3 and Elbit tubes autogating and its just that particular set of Elbit tubes that have a louder whine?
@@hasakeyyyy8796 the tube isn’t “autogating” but rather it’s the Elbit’s autogated power supply making the whining noise which it does all of the time. Some tubes are worse than others when it comes to a constant audible whine. Some are loud and others are silent until the tube actually “autogates” from bright flashes like muzzle flashes, lightning, etc
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION ah, so it isnt a L3 vs Elbit thing?
@@hasakeyyyy8796 no
What happens when someone blasts your nods with a ir laser? Will it ruin them?
Laser pointers will damage them causing blemishes in the image
Hi what Make was the L3 Filmless WP ?
I think you mean who did I buy it from? The manufacturer of the unfilmed tubes is L3Harris. I bought it from N-Vision Optics. Most of the bigger L3H dealers are getting tubes with really good specs. N-Vision is the only bigger name dealer I know of that is selling the zone 3 blemish tubes for a lower price. Another place to check is Kosher Surplus. I’ve seen them list zone 3 blemish unfilmed tubes for decent prices and they also list the specs so you can choose which one you want to buy. Last I heard, N-Vision is backed up on tubes so you have to buy blindly, but I haven’t heard of them asking anybody a lousy tube as of uet.
i just bought apair of gen 3 1400 and up bnvd mil spec tubes what kind of performance could you compare it too
If you mean 1400+ FOM, then it will look similar to the green phosphor in the video
How is thin flim brighter when echo have more FOM? so do you think that thin flimed have more SNR?
Surgeon Cham The gen 2 has lower gain than gen 3.
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION Really? for all gen 2? thats something I have never heard
Surgeon Cham This video explains it pretty decent. You can find info on the internet too. It’s well known and documented. The Echo & Intens are supposed to have a higher lifespan than most other gen 2.
ruclips.net/video/_FluxGa8md8/видео.html
Was this Photonis ECHO 4G? If not, how does regular echo specs compare their echo 4g? Nearly identical is 4g better at all in low light?
Echos sold in the USA are supposed to just be called Echo however they are called Echo plus outside the USA. According to Photonis there is no such thing as Echo 4G.
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION I had a look on the photonis website, and it appears that you are correct. There is a miltary grade version that is "4g" ( think that is "intens") but the echo doesn't have such labeling. This is interesting because several companies in the usa build pvs-14's and bino's with tubes labeled "photonis echo 4g" (ultimatenightvision.com, nightvision4less), etc. maybe that is a mislabel?
@@sonicnofadz I think it's mainly due to them changing their naming conventions & nomenclature for marketing reasons.
Hi! In Photonis homepage they sell 4G for military Fom 2400, Echo Fom 1600 and Echo+ Fom 2000+ for civilians.
How does the US Night Vision Gen 3 WP compare to the L3 and Photonis? Which one is it closer to if anyone knows?
Dont Matter Dont Matter They sell devices
with Elbit tubes in them, so the comparison would be Elbit thin filmed WP vs the other two. Unfortunately, I haven’t had a chance to use Elbit WP but I’m hoping to change that in the near future.
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION Alright thanks. So it would be better than the Photonis WP most likely?
Dont Matter Yes, it’ll be brighter and work better in low light conditions then the Echo
@@NITEWALKER-NIGHTVISION Thanks bud
Dont Matter 👍
Dude, turn your volume up. Can barely hear you.
This 4 minute youtube video is probably going to end up costing me 4k USD now that I know the difference between the Photonis and the L3.
Thanks... I guess..
👍🏼
Awesome video! Question: I've heard filmless tubes have a shorter lifespan than thin filmed ones. Any truth to that?
No, that's not correct information. When filmless was first developed 20+ years ago it had a short lifespan but that has been corrected. You will usually only hear this from sellers who primarily or only sell thin filmed tubes.
How baller are you with out telling how baller you are...
Honestly your not saving much money. If youre going to pay for photonis you can wait a month and save for l3 just get l3
I know this vid is quite old but how would you rank the L3 filmless GP against the L3 WP? I prefer the gp over wp personally and im looking into getting my first pair of 14s
That’s a good question. For me it all depends on which one has the best specs and screen cosmetics. In some conditions GP is better than WP and also vice versa but overall I prefer the unfilmed WP color
For my eyes elbit and l3 have no difference just a diferent color...
remmo _ It’s hard to capture on camera. In low light shadows, I can resolve images much better with L3 than thin filmed green. The really dark nights like at 1:45 in the video and darker, I can never get the camera to show it properly.
What grade tubes are the elbits?
The tube in this video was a 9815SLG