Unlike cats, our vision is pretty rubbish in very low light conditions. Fortunately, technology can help us reveal the hidden secrets of the night. The Nightra night vision monocular is just such as gadget, and promises to reveal "every detail in vivid, full color."
Pitched at nocturnal wildlife watchers and outdoor enthusiasts who are drawn to the dark side, the Nightra monocular features eight-layer optics with multi-layer coating to minimize reflections and light loss. The F1.2 aperture lens soaks in whatever ambient light is available for "starlight-level low-light full color."
The handheld window into the cloaked world beyond is reported to boast an "effective viewing distance" of up to 800 m (almost 2,625 ft) in "total darkness," sporting a 10x digital zoom to complement the built-in lens. It also features an 850nm IR illuminator with seven levels of adjustment for punching into the deep black.
The user views this otherwise hidden world via a 1.6-inch high-definition LCD display rather than an eyepiece. The imaging sensor inside makes for photo resolutions up to 10 megapixels and 4K video footage. Such things are saved to microSD media, with the device supporting cards of up to 512 GB capacity.
The night-vision monocular is fashioned from aluminum alloy and ABS, and sports a non-slip grip as well as an intuitive button layout, which should make for comfortable long-haul single-handed operation. But it does have a M6 thread for mounting to a tripod if your mitts aren't steady enough.
The Nightra's makers say that the device will operate in temperatures running from -5 °C to 50 °C above (23 - 122 °F), and is weather-sealed to IP54 standards. That means it should shape up as a reliable companion on almost any adventure.
Lastly, a 4,000-mAh internal battery is reckoned good for up to 6 hours of use per charge, and is topped up over USB-C – which can also be used to transfer data from the monocular.
The Taiwan-based Nightra team has launched on Kickstarter to fund production of its night-vision monocular. Pledges currently start at US$99, a saving of 38% on the expected retail price. The usual crowdfunding cautions apply, but if all goes to plan with the already funded campaign, shipping is estimated to start from April. The video below has more.
Source: Kickstarter
