Reviews & Ratings for Night Owl Optics iGen 2.6x41mm Night Vision Viewer Monocular — 7 reviews — Page 1

Works as described. Great product for the price. I'm not sure how much better the night vision is than using natural vision while not using the infrared light. I've used it in the house or around the house with all the lights off, but not in the field yet. I hope to soon. With the infrared light on, the Night Owl is definitely clear and easy to see. What I'd like to find out is if using the red light in the field will make much difference in being detected by animals. The kids definitely had a good time playing with it.

Very nice NV for under 500. The IR splashes nicely but it does show a red light when on and that's visible for about 20 yards. Much better than any GEN 1 equipment I've owned.
Pros: Clarity, ease of use, focus
Cons: Red light when IR is on

The product does as advertised. It lets you see in dark places at night. The menu setup has some good options. The color options are not really that helpful, as the "white" setting is the clearest, and has the best contrast. The menu dial is pretty weak. The dial on my unit was defective. I had to send it back to the manufacturer for repair. This scope would be even better if ruggedized and waterproofed.
Pros: Clear, undistorted picture.
Cons: Some features do not add usability to product.

My intention was to investigate this product as an assistive device for people with night vision problems (as with retinitis pigmentosa). It performed well as an orientation tool for people with scotopic blindness negotiating low light environments. The sole problem is trying to maintain proper focus for mid-distance observations. When properly focused, the image quality is excellent (field of view/resolution/contrast). The IR illumination is also extremely effective. The jury is still out about using it effectively as a low vision device, but it sure is fun to use in pitch black outdoor environments.
Pros: Excellent performance; excellent resolution; easy to use (except focus); low cost
Cons: Focus is somewhat cumbersome (a non-issue for many applications)

The I.R. is about as big as nickle and in very dark situations with limited light you have to use the I.R., and it's bright! So, if you are wanting to stay 'undercover' this will definitely give your position away. However, if there is moon light even with a light to medium cloud cover you can get away without using the I.R. and it works quite well. The viewing quality is actually very good - a friend of mine is on SWAT has a $5000 night vision and he commented on the quality of this visual with the Night Owl. Also, I did a little testing to see how well the unit would work if the I.R. was restricted. So I placed a metal washer over the I.R. covering all but a little less than a pencil eraser size hole to allow the I.R. light through. Yes, the quality of the visual was lessened but only by about 10 to 15% - still making it very usable. I am going to make a cap that has a pencil size hole in it to decrease the amount of illumination the I.R. gives off thus lowering the chances of giving my position away.
Pros: Affordable, Quality night vision, Flexible
Cons: Because of big I.R. very difficult to not be seen by a potential treat