Night Vision vs. Thermal: Understanding the Differences

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<p><strong>Please include attribution to <a href="https://nightvisionguys.com/">Night Vision Guys</a> with this image.</strong></p> <p><a href="https://nightvisionguys.com/articles/post/infographic-night-vision-guys-night-vision-vs-thermal-understanding-the-differences"><img src="https://nightvisionguys.com/media/mageplaza/blog/post/n/i/night-vision-guys-night-vision-vs.-thermal_-understanding-the-differences.jpg" alt="Night Vision vs. Thermal: Understanding the Differences" width="900" /></a></p>

Whether hunting season is upon you or you’re in law enforcement or military and want to do your own experiential research, understanding night vision vs. thermal is essential. Here’s our breakdown:

1. Night Vision
1. How It Works
1. Takes in light and magnifies the image using an image intensifier tube, increasing effectiveness 
2. Best Applications
1. Hunting at night
2. Nighttime military operations
3. Pros
1. Older technology = Lower cost
2. Due to technology, optics tend to be smaller than thermal devices
4. Cons
1. Only used at night
2. Requires some ambient light to produce an image i.e., IR. Clouds may tamper with effectiveness
2. Thermal Vision
1. How It Works
1. Identifies and detects the heat of specific objects
2. Best Applications
1. Hunting
2. Security & military operations
3. Pros
1. Day and night applications
2. Detects subjects from greater distances
4. Cons
1. Newer technology = Higher cost
2. Due to technology, products tend to be larger

References: 

• https://pulsarvision.com/useful-information/thermal-vs-night-vision
• https://www.agmglobalvision.com/Night-Vision-vs-Thermal-Optics