Have you ever spotted a trophy buck from a distance, only to lose sight of it in the blink of an eye? Or perhaps you’ve got feral animals running rampant on your property after dark, making night-time control essential?
Whether you're a hunter struggling to track targets at range or in low-light conditions, or a farmer grappling with feral dogs/pigs, you’ve likely considered investing in night vision or thermal optics.
But what’s the real difference between the two? Both promise to help you see in the dark, so how do you choose which is right for your needs?
If these are the questions on your mind, you're in the right place. Skip the hours of YouTube rabbit holes and join us as we break down the key differences between night vision and thermal optics in this quick, yet thorough guide.
*Quick Note: We also have an ‘All Killer, No Filler’ summary at the end of this blog article for anyone who wants a shorter straight to the point rundown.*
Digital night vision provides users with an enhanced image in low light conditions. This is achieved by optimising existing ambient or artificial light to provide a clear visible image for the user.
Moonlight/starlight are common sources of natural light. Whereas infrared torches and spotlights may be sources of artificial light.
Advantages
Believe it or not - these images are from the same digital day/night vision scope. This shows off the versatility of digital day/night vision scopes in both day and night conditions.
Here are some other notable advantages and why digital day/night vision may be right for you:
Identification -
Most digital day/night vision devices will boast a HD or 4K image resolution. This is a major factor when it comes to image detail, quality, clarity and ultimately positive identification of a target. With a good light source and the right environmental conditions, this means no more guesswork.
Versatility -
Digital day/night vision devices can be used both during the day and at night - this provides excellent versatility in numerous applications and scenarios.
Affordability -
Most 4K resolution (3840 x 2160 px) night vision optics are a lot more affordable than say a HD resolution (1280 x 720 px) thermal device. This often means better image quality at more affordable prices.
Excellent Value -
Mid to high end night vision optics can come equipped with useful tools like Laser Range Finder and Ballistics calculator.
Disadvantages
Can you spot the deer?
I bet it took you a good couple of seconds
This is a good example of how night vision may struggle with detection of targets and the impacts available light source and environmental surroundings/conditions can have on the performance of night vision optics.
Here are some other shortcomings of night vision devices that we think you should know about:
Detection -
Night vision devices are less effective at detection compared to thermal optics. Night vision images are shown in a traditional black/white color palette. Whereas, thermal devices do a great job highlighting thermal signatures in multiple different color palettes (white hot, black hot, red hot etc.)
Environmental Conditions -
You may struggle to find targets with night vision in dense shrub/bushland during the night or in thick foggy conditions.
Above is footage of a night vision camera during a foggy night. You can barely make anything out here because the fog reduces light transmission to the night vision device.
Your ability to use night vision effectively in these challenging conditions can be determined by a few factors
How heavy is the fog or dense is the shrub in your area?
Having a strong light source
Your target facing your direction for eye shine
Your ability to identify the target by the body outline/movement/behaviour when you catch a glimpse of them through the bushes or fog
Light Source -
Night vision devices require a natural/artificial light source to work. The detection range of your night vision device can often be heavily dependent on how much light is available, the range of the light source and environmental conditions.
Pest and feral animal control
Traditional Rifle Hunting (twilight and night time conditions)
Commercial contract shooting
Entry Level - $500+
Mid Level - $999+
High Level - $1500+
Thermal imaging relies on the use of a thermal sensor to detect the differences in temperature between objects/targets. The sensor then transmits this information onto an OLED screen for the user to see.
The image quality of a thermal device is dependent on several factors - the most important of those being:
Pixel Resolution-
The number of pixels that fit on your screen (vertically and horizontally). The higher the number of pixels, the greater the image quality and Field of View you are likely to get.
Checkout the difference in image quality above where the image scales from a (160 x 120px) to a (640 x 512px) resolution.
Pixel Pitch-
Pixel pitch refers to the distance between pixels in a thermal imaging sensor. This is measured in microns (µm) and the smaller the pixel pitch, the better detail and clarity you will notice in the image.
Thermal Sensitivity (NETD) -
Noise equivalent temperature difference is the unit of measure for thermal sensitivity. This is often expressed in millikelvin (mK).
The smaller the NETD, the better the thermal sensitivity is for a device and the more detail and contrast will be shown in the image.
Spot the difference!
You’re actually looking at the same image, just through different lenses. On the left we are looking through a night vision lens. Whereas, on the right we are seeing things through a thermal lens.
It’s clear thermal optics have much better detection capabilities than night vision optics.
Having said that, let’s do a deeper dive into the other advantages of thermal optics!
Advantages
Detection -
Thermal devices offer great detection of targets. This is primarily because thermal optics allow targets with thermal signatures to be highlighted very clearly through the use of various color pallets.
Environmental Conditions -
Thermal optics excel where night vision may struggle. Environmental conditions such as dense bush, low light and fog severely impact how much light reflects off targets for night vision. Whereas, there is much less of an impact on thermal signatures.
Versatility -
Thermal devices come many different variations (monoculars, scopes, clip-ons) and can also include many other features you find with night vision devices (laser range finder, ballistics calculator etc)
Disadvantages
When it comes to thermal optics the saying “you get what you pay for” rings true. Have a look at the image quality at 50m between an entry level Hikmicro Lynx Pro LE15 and a mid level Hikmicro Thunder TH35.
Here are some other shortcomings to think about when it comes to thermal optics:
Identification -
In situations where identification is crucial (animal species, gender etc.) thermal optics can sometimes struggle. Thermals just don’t offer the same level of identification detail than night vision does. The ones that come close can require a significant investment.
Price -
Image quality of entry level thermals tend to struggle at mid-long ranges. Thermal optics that excel in image quality at longer ranges can require more significant investments.
Restrictions -
Most states in Australia impose strict use of thermal optics on public land, which can sometimes limit its applications.
On the other hand, digital day/night vision scopes offer more versatility. Because detaching and stowing the IR torch from the scope transforms it into a standard digital day scope - which can be treated as a standard day scope.
Pest and feral animal control
Traditional Rifle Hunting (note laws vary state to state)
Commercial contract shooting
Entry Level - $700
Mid Level - $2000-3000
High Level - $5000+
Ultimately, the answer to this question depends on your specific scenario. Many factors come into play and it would be a slap in the face to suggest that this can be determined through a simple blog article.
Whether you are looking to cull a few feral dogs/pigs/foxes or if you are just going after sambar deer, there is no room for guesswork or uncertainty when the stakes are high!
So our advice is to drop us a line, so we can give you no nonsense technical advice and find the perfect solution for your needs and budget.
Phone: (03) 7071 0777
Email: sales@primalhunter.com.au
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