DIY nightvision scope

[samguy700]

hey how would i go about making a nightvision scope i already through about buying a regular scope and dissasembling this (http://www.metacafe.com/watch/419684/single_use_video_camera_hack_use_it_over_and_over/) camera and sticking the lens to the back of the scope where you look through so it films through the scope and them putting the screen behind the camera lens so i can see the cross hairs on the screen but i cant figure out a way to beam the infrared light far http://www.metacafe.com/watch/419684/single_use_video_camera_hack_use_it_over_and_over/

[@@@]

YOu could buy some IR LEDs or an IR flashlight. IR being infrared

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12625
The fourth one looks like it would be perfect.

[samguy700]

bought some ir led's ages ago your post offered me no help and to me atleast stated the obvious you seem to have missed the point and the question when i though people would have trouble understanding the camera lens screen scope set up (picture coming).

my question: how do i focus the ir light so it iluminates the feild of view from the scope or even reach that far

[Freelance Tax Collector]

I don't know how one would go about it, but I'd think you'd have to put your night optics in front of the objective lens on the rifle scope. All the tactical night optics we have that are their own unit mount in front of the objective, in fact, we have a rifle mount for AN/PVS14s to go in front of the TA31s, but everybody just uses it as a night vision monocular instead. SAWs have PVS17Cs, and M240s get Thermal optics, but they have to replace the day optics with them.

[Virus]

To be honest, you are wasting time with what you plan to do.

FLTC said it best. Most NV Rifle optics are actually day optics with a monocular mounted in front of them. What you could do is make a threaded adapter fit on the end of your scope similar to a sunshade.

That's the fastest and easiest way.

[Kwinnie Bogan]

Put green cellohane over the end of a normal scope.

[samguy700]

from what i understand you guys are suggesting i put a film of plastic over the front of my scope which enables the naked eye to see ir light instead of putting a camera behind the scope sorta like this (http://www.instructables.com/id/Homemade-Infrared-Goggles!-For-Under-%2410/) but the guy says it only works on a bright sunny day hardly going to work at night my question is how to i focus a beam of night vision light in the feild on veiw of my scope

[samguy700]

if somebody knows how to make a thermal goggle, monocular, bonocular or scope that would be great

[SHARP]

my question: how do i focus the ir light so it iluminates the feild of view from the scope

Simple, you install your IR LED's in the concave mirror from a flashlight and wham bam Bob's your uncle.

or even reach that far

Even reach how far?

As far as the scope "reaches"?

It won't, you can see to the moon through your scope, but then again, that's also possible with the standard Eyeball MkI.
Please explain what you mean.

from what i understand you guys are suggesting i put a film of plastic over the front of my scope which enables the naked eye to see ir light instead of putting a camera behind the scope sorta like this (http://www.instructables.com/id/Homemade-Infrared-Goggles!-For-Under-%2410/) but the guy says it only works on a bright sunny day hardly going to work at night my question is how to i focus a beam of night vision light in the feild on veiw of my scope

I don't know where to begin...

There's a couple of ways to construct a NV scope...

The method I used, was to take a NV mono and mount it behind a rifle scope.
Worked like a charm, and still does.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p124/Arachnoholic/Vermin/DSCN0560.jpg

Another way is to get a camera that can pick up IR light, and mount it behind a scope.
That works very well too, but depending on what kind of camera you use, you might have to look at a flip up screen to aim.

If the camera doesn't pick up IR, get one that does, or get a NV mono!

If you lack IR light, there's a couple of solutions.

As I said earlier, get a bunch of IR LED's, hook them up in a parallel connection, and install them in the concave mirror from a flashlight.
When you flip the switch, the LED's lights up, although you won't be able to see it with the naked eye, but your camera or NV mono will.

Get a professional IR filter for a flashlight, SureFire makes filters as well as flashlights, they're kickass but expensive.

Do a Google on "homemade IR filter", I've seen tutorials on how to make such filters out of the colored cellophane you use to change the color of the spots in disco's and at concerts, it has something to do with finding the right amount of red and green layers to filter out the visible light, yet still allow the IR light through.

Another way, is supposedly (never tried this myself, don't see the need to) to use a couple of layers of exposed/developed camera film (yes, the stuff the negatives are made from), and drop them in front of your lens.
And it is paramount you read this carefully: No, that will not make you able to see in the IR spectrum, but if you put a flashlight behind the filter, the only light that should be able to get through, is the IR light, that your camera or NV mono will pick up!

But as I own a NV mono, I have never had any reason to mess around with cellophane or negatives, one thing I've found out though, is that a small laser (2mW) pointer with the beam diffused by an objective from a 4X20 scope, will create a 2m Ø circle of light you can hardly see at 50+ft, but any halfway decent NV rig will pick it up very clearly, unfortunately it's still in the visible spectrum, unlike IR light.
I have one such contraption mounted on the side of the rifle scope.

If you need extreme range, mount a standard laser on your NV rig, even a shitty little 2mW will do.
When you hit the switch to turn on the laser, make sure the beam can reach the target area unobstructed, early version NV's can be ruined by A) shining a bright light into the objective, or by B) picking up the reflection of high energy light, so make sure the laser dot will hit something far away from your NV.

If this doesn't help, you'll need to explain exatcly what you're trying to accomplish, so far it seems to me you might not understand 100% what's possible with IR, what isn't, and how NV scopes work.

if somebody knows how to make a thermal goggle, monocular, bonocular or scope that would be great

Forget about it.

[Virus]

if somebody knows how to make a thermal goggle, monocular, bonocular or scope that would be great

What's your budget?

[samguy700]

Simple, you install your IR LED's in the concave mirror from a flashlight and wham bam Bob's your uncle.



Even reach how far?

As far as the scope "reaches"?

It won't, you can see to the moon through your scope, but then again, that's also possible with the standard Eyeball MkI.
Please explain what you mean.



I don't know where to begin...

There's a couple of ways to construct a NV scope...

The method I used, was to take a NV mono and mount it behind a rifle scope.
Worked like a charm, and still does.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p124/Arachnoholic/DSCN0560.jpg

Another way is to get a camera that can pick up IR light, and mount it behind a scope.
That works very well too, but depending on what kind of camera you use, you might have to look at a flip up screen to aim.

If the camera doesn't pick up IR, get one that does, or get a NV mono!

If you lack IR light, there's a couple of solutions.

As I said earlier, get a bunch of IR LED's, hook them up in a parallel connection, and install them in the concave mirror from a flashlight.
When you flip the switch, the LED's lights up, although you won't be able to see it wit the naked eye, but your camera or NV mono will.

Get a professional IR filter for a flashlight, SureFire makes filters as well as flashlights, they're kickass but expensive.

Do a Google on "homemade IR filter", I've seen tutorials on how to make such filters out of the colored cellophane you use to change the color of the spots in disco's and at concerts, it has something to do with finding the right amount of red and green layers to filter out the visible light, yet still allow the IR light through.

Another way, is supposedly (never tried this myself, don't see the need to) to use a couple of layers of exposed/developed camera film (yes, the stuff the negatives are made from), and drop them in front of your lens.
And it is paramount you read this carefully: No, that will not make you able to see in the IR spectrum, but if you put a flashlight behind the filter, the only light that should be able to get through, is the IR light, that your camera or NV mono will pick up!

But as I own a NV mono, I have never had any reason to mess around with cellophane or negatives, one thing I've found out though, is that a small laser (2mW) pointer with the beam diffused by an objective from an 4X20 scope, will create a 2m Ø circle of light you can hardly see at 50+ft, but any halfway decent NV rig will pick it up very clearly, unfortunately it's still in the visible spectrum, unlike IR light.
I have one such contraption mounted on the side of the rifle scope.

If you need extreme range, mount a standard laser on your NV rig, even a shitty little 2mW will do.
When you hit the switch to turn on the laser, make sure the beam can reach the target area unobstructed, early version NV's can be ruined by A) shining a bright light into the objective, or by B) picking up the reflection of high energy light, so make sure the laser dot will hit something far away from your NV.

If this doesn't help, you'll need to explain exatcly what you're trying to accomplish, so far it seems to me you might not understand 100% what's possible with IR, what isn't, and how NV scopes work.



Forget about it.
this is all i needed to know

[SHARP]

^^You're welcome.

EDIT: If you go for the NV mono/scope option, I'd suggest you use a scope with zoom function (mine is 3-9X40), as it seems to be easier to get a clear picture on various distances when you can combine the NV's focus with the zoom capability of the scope.

I can only assume the same applies to the camera/scope combo.

BTW, check out this, there's a couple of NV ratting vids, and a short instruction on how the camera was mounted: Link. (http://www.youtube.com/user/snypercat)
It's the same rifle as mine, but mine is longer and packs a hell of a lot more punch as I'm not restricted by UK laws.

[Kwinnie Bogan]

SHARP, how in the hell did you get a Gen III nightvision monocular? I'd love to get one, but I don't have the thousands of dollars to spend on something ASIO will lock me up in their basement for merely thinking about.

[Virus]

SHARP, how in the hell did you get a Gen III nightvision monocular? I'd love to get one, but I don't have the thousands of dollars to spend on something ASIO will lock me up in their basement for merely thinking about.


That most likely isn't gen 3. It looks like a $200.00 night owl gen. 1 tube.

If you'd like a NV monocular, this is the cheapest I've been able to find:

http://search.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/search.do?keyword=night+vision

It's gen 1, but hey if you're in a dark room and can't use a flash light, i'd use an NVG.

[Kwinnie Bogan]

Ah, might be - though I've seen some gen 3s that look very similar. Behind safety glass of course, away from civilian hands.
The stuff on that site looks a bit cheap.

Gen 1 or 2 doesn't really appeal to me as much because they're not passive / most of the prey you'd hunt at night with it are capable of viewing some of the IR spectrum (whether they're good nocturnal vision or are equipped with nightvision equiptment), and will see the IR beam that's used by gen 1 and gen 2 (I think) systems.


Thermal imaging (EDIT: As in the black/white or multicolour kind)would be even cooler :D, there are very few ways of remaining undetected to thermal imaging, and you can't employ them if you're an animal or are unaware that thermal imaging is being used.

[samguy700]

ok call me a newb but how do you know if its 1st 2nd or 3rd gen?
and about the thermal imaging i l research it though somehow i think the guy that said forget it is right

[SHARP]

SHARP, how in the hell did you get a Gen III nightvision monocular? I'd love to get one, but I don't have the thousands of dollars to spend on something ASIO will lock me up in their basement for merely thinking about.

I didn't, Kwinnie, it's a Gen I, although not the cheapest one I've seen, but close...:D

Bought it used off a mate years ago, these days I could get a decent NV scope w/ illuminated reticule and all that nifty jazz, but I haven't felt like spending the money on it as it'd be something I'd rarely use.

That most likely isn't gen 3. It looks like a $200.00 night owl gen. 1 tube.

Yup, Gen I Night Owl, but I can't say if that price is accurate, I can't seem to find it on the DK site I found it on last time I checked, and I can't remember model/version...

[SHARP]

Gen 1 or 2 doesn't really appeal to me as much because they're not passive / most of the prey you'd hunt at night with it are capable of viewing some of the IR spectrum (whether they're good nocturnal vision or are equipped with nightvision equiptment), and will see the IR beam that's used by gen 1 and gen 2 (I think) systems.

Yeah, as far as I know, Gen III are strictly military/law enforcement, but Gen I & II are available to the public.
About active/passive modes, my Gen I can easily run in passive mode, and it is possible to see what's going on if there's just a tiny bit of light, like if someone is smoking, Gen I & II does not necessarily have to run in active mode, and I think all but the cheapest Gen I NV's have the option to run in either.

Thermal imaging (EDIT: As in the black/white or multicolour kind)would be even cooler :D, there are very few ways of remaining undetected to thermal imaging, and you can't employ them if you're an animal or are unaware that thermal imaging is being used.

Correct, it's just about impossible to hide from TI, as it doesn't rely on light at all, but on the heat produced from your body, from an engine, or from the friction caused by tires on tarmac.
Some of the best I've seen, will even pick up your footprints.
The cheapest I can find in DK, runs at roughly 22.000 USD.

[SHARP]

ok call me a newb but how do you know if its 1st 2nd or 3rd gen?

Should be clarified by the manufacturer, but the price should give you a hint, later generations cost more...
Here's a link you might find useful: Clicky McLink (http://www.atncorp.com/HowNightVisionWorks).

and about the thermal imaging i l research it though somehow i think the guy that said forget it is right

So do I.;)

[hoseluCky]

It sounds like very well. I want to make it . Thanks for sharing this.
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