Bushnell Digital Night Vision Monocular

Product Description

Features

• Digital Night Vision monocular with 6x magnification, 1-3x digital zoom and a 50mm objective lens
• Day or nighttime use (Daytime color with IR off); built in Infrared Illuminator for long distance viewing up to a 1000 ft. viewing distance
• Multicoated glass objectives produces outstanding optical clarity; Picatinny style rail for accessory mounting
• Video out capability; video recording and image capture using up to 32GB Micro SD Card (sold separately). Recoil tested to 350 g
• Rugged water-resistant housing; tripod mountable; operates on 4 AA batteries (not included)

Top Reviews

Great NV For The Money.
by Aaronm (4 out of 5 stars)
September 26, 2014

This is a really good product for the money.

Here are the things I did not really like though.
1)- Don't expect to be able to look out your window on a dark night and see much. On a night without a bright moon you will need the illuminator and it will not work through the window (you will only see the reflection of the bright 'light'). If you step outside and turn on the illuminator - WHOA! It is impressive what you can see.
2)- It takes a lot of focusing. If you go from looking at something 40 feet away to something 100 feet away you will need to crank on the lens quite a lot to get the focus right. It is not a fast focus like some of my binoculars either. You have to turn the lens several turns for even short distance changes. It is very awkward to do with one hand so if you are carrying something in the other hand you will probably need to set it down.
3)- The view. You are really only looking into a small digital screen inside of the body of the camera. It is not like a viewfinder on a digital camera though where it fills the entire view. It is more like a viewfinder at the end of a toilet paper roll. It is really pretty far away and it gives the effect of looking at a screen at the end of a hallway or something. It does not fill your whole view.

Thinks I like:
1)- The illuminator is awesome. Works very well even at long distances.
2)- Very solid feel. Nice rubberized texture. It feels very durable. I'm not scared to just toss it in the jeep and drive around.
3)- The price.
4)- Long battery life
5)- Ability to record video & images right from the camera.
6)- Close up viewing capability. I was worried that you would not be able to see close up things but you can. I focused on things as close as 4-5 feet without problems (lots of focusing though).
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The view was very limited and not at all like the images I saw on the website when I ...
by C. Marlowe (1 out of 5 stars)
October 20, 2016

I returned it after one day. The view was very limited and not at all like the images I saw on the website when I did research. Never could get it focused just right - decided it wasn't worth the hassle. Vendor was GREAT - gave an immediate refunds, no problem.
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Effective, with limitations
by Christopher (4 out of 5 stars)
June 26, 2014

I've been intrigued by night vision devices for some time now but have resisted purchasing anything until now due to the almost universally poor reviews of traditional Gen 1 devices (as well as the early digital devices). But with the release of the new Equinox Z, I decided to take a chance.

Bushnell offers 3 monoculars in its Equinox Z lineup, 3x, 4.5x, and 6x magnification. I chose 3x because I wanted less magnification and a larger field of view for greater peripheral awareness. The 3x device partially delivers on that--the problem is that focusing is slow and laborious, so don't think you can use this while moving around. It's much better suited to stationary use. It should also be noted that the 3x device lacks the video recording feature of its bigger brothers, but 640x480 video wasn't that appealing to me anyway and it's ~$40 cheaper than the 4.5x scope.

Other items of note, which are applicable across the entire Equiniox Z lineup:
1. This device was much larger than expected. It's not exactly pocketable. The included wrist strap isn't that useful...maybe a full-on neck strap would have been better. On the other hand, the lens cap is conveniently attached via a lanyard.
2. Ergonomics are somewhat awkward. The buttons are too close to the IR illuminator on the right side for a comfortable one handed right hand grip. It feels much more comfortable to operate the buttons with my left hand, but there is a fairly useless rail on the left side that gets in the way.
3. When on, the IR illuminator is quite visible to others in low light / darkness. The upside is that it is quite powerful.
4. It is actually useable with no IR illumination in some low light conditions (which can't be said of traditional Gen 1 night vision). You have to toggle the sensitivity which reduces the frame rate to 8 fps, but it is useable. Since the frame rate is slow, it's best suited for slow or stationary objects, but that is an excellent capability for a ~$200 device!
5. Light sources tend to flare in the viewfinder, necessitating toggling the sensitivity button, which still results in a contrasty image that sacrifices details in the shadows.
6. The viewfinder image is very bright, especially in low light. Using this device will practically blind you in that eye until you can readjust to the dark. I wish there was some way to adjust the brightness setting.
7. It takes 4 AA batteries, which is great. I try to stick with electronics that use AA or AAA instead of CR123, so I can use my rechargeable batteries.

Also, it must be said that digital night vision devices lack the allure of traditional devices. You don't get the high pitched whine or green tinted image (at least with the Equinox Z). Instead of feeling like Sam Fisher, you feel like you are looking through a sensitive camcorder, which isn't far from the truth! Still, this is a pretty good package for the entry-level price.
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It's Been Fun
by DaveH... (3 out of 5 stars)
July 28, 2016

This is my first Night Vision, gizmo, the 6x is just that, you can't go to less than 6x so if you expect to view in the woods like what we have here in Michigan don't think this will work at all, now if you want to look out across the hay field at night out to about 275 yards for coyotes this thing rocks, with a moon you don't need the IR light turned on. It's a bit coarse in its resolution so the digital 1-3x (which is 6x + 1-3 power) does help at times on those pesky little things moving around at night.

Would I recommend it to a friend, Yes
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Bushnell is not into quality anymore
by Haddo (1 out of 5 stars)
November 20, 2018

Could not get it to focus. This is the second device I have purchased that would. Not focus. I thought with a name like Bushnell I expected more. My cheaper SOLOMARK works great. I wanted the Bushnell because it had a rail to attach an IR flashlight to, but I had to return it. Maybe black Friday will get me a better deal on a better one. Some say they had a good experience, so take a chance if you must.
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Ok but big drain on battery
by maria judka (1 out of 5 stars)
October 9, 2018

My observations.

During a clear night works great. Not that good looking through a forest, Corn field, etc.

Tried to use in a low fog / misty day and no joy. It pretty much works as others stated. I am going to modify the design by adding an external battery. Going to try Velcro and a short cable.

Update: Been using this most of the season. I am lowering the score because of the battery issues. Basically you only get 3 hours on them. Pretty much useless in any woods or brush. If you use in a home or connected to a power source this is a good choice.
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Know what you're getting
by Michael harrington (4 out of 5 stars)
October 20, 2018

Let me first start off by stating that I am thoroughly impressed by the performance of the bushnell. This is to say that it meets or even exceeds its claim that you'll be able to see 1000 yards; and with clarity! You won't be able to use the night vision at that distance but for it to see over a half mile, that's impressive. It really is an absolutely fantastic monocular but it definitely has its flaws and may not be for you. Let's start off with how it works. You can not see through the lens unless you turn it on. So, the eyepiece that you look through is a lit screen; with 2 brightness levels. So I was really surprised when I saw no lag time or frame rate issues. This really pleasantly surprised me. Like I said, the performance of the monocular is outstanding, but let's get to the night vision because that's what you're trying to purchase. I'm once again on the positive here. It does a very good job out to 100 yards easily and i am well pleased. So, in terms of performance, i give it 5 stars but you might not want this. The way this works is: you set the eyepiece for your vision (this is a one time adjustment) and then adjust the monocular for the object you want to view. Now you'll need to adjust the monocular if the object moves about 20 further or nearer to you. So for those looking to paintball or any other athletic purposes, it won't work, Scouting would work though. Another factor about the night vision; there's an infrared light that when you put on, is visible IF you look at it; and its noticeable. It doesn't project a visible light like a flashlight does, so it's nowhere as noticeable as a flashlight, but if you're concerned about stealth, this would be a major issue. To be precise, if the object that you want to view is in the light, you won't need to turn on the ir. The monocular will amplify any light. The worst offense against the bushnell is it is in no way intuitive with its function buttons. You will have to read the manual. Also, you would think the buttons on top could be identified by feel since you'll probably be in the dark; but you're going to just learn where the buttons are. This is a major flaw! Now there's other concerns like field of vision but its what's to be expected. I am absolutely impressed by bushnell in terms of performance but design issues abound. Hope this helps
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WARNING--- SELLER DID NOT HONOR AMAZON RETURN POLICY
by MJ Erikson (1 out of 5 stars)
January 1, 2019

The night vision worked well at day break and twilight--but when pitch black at night, I could see very little except what in areas where there was some moonlight. I have trust Bushnell products in the past, including my rangefinder and my son's binoculars, but they should call this product "Low light vision monocular" not "night vision monocular." Product seems sturdy and very clear but not at night. Worst thing is that Bushnell ignored me when I sent the product back--I have USPS proof of delivery but they still have the product and my money-- I lost more than $240 purchasing this Bushnell product through Amazon.
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In an open area it works great - 700 feet
by mp mcgrath (2 out of 5 stars)
July 24, 2016

Gen 1 technology updated. Not a true view as you are actually viewing an LCD image produced on a screen. Major "washout" issue (IR light reflects back from trees, leaves, any object really) so distance viewing is a problem. The only practical use I can see is for open field, nighttime viewing. In an open area it works great - 700 feet, easily. Mountable on tri-pod or weapon rail system. Little pricey for a backyard kids toy for critters. Cheap alternative if your hunting at night in an open field.
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Huge undocumented feature!
by steve (4 out of 5 stars)
October 14, 2014

Works as advertised. Excellent at anything less than 50 meters. After that, the picture quality gets grainy, but that it to be expected. The IR light gets dispersed with distance.
**Huge undocumented feature! I was eating through batteries and then discovered that it can be powered via the mini-USB port. I attached a Limefuel Blast L60X for $30 and it lasts for hours and hours at the highest settings. Any USB charger should work. Connect the charger to AC and you can run this all night without having to worry about batteries.

I've no idea why they don't integrate or advertise this.

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