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Night vision you can carry like a flashlight? The OPMOD DNV 1.0 is about the size of a mini deck of cards and costs around $99.
I bought the OPMOD DNV 1.0 Limited Edition from OpticsPlanet (no sponsorship). As far as I can tell it’s a rebranded Carson MiniAura in black, and the Carson version on Amazon was a few dollars cheaper. Here’s the hardware, how it did at dusk and indoors, and whether it beats a flashlight.
- Truly pocket-sized
- Runs on everyday AAA batteries
- Digital, so it’s daylight safe
- Built-in IR illuminator makes a huge difference
- Belt pouch included
- Narrow sliver of a view
- Pixelates past about 80-90 feet
- Nearly useless indoors without the illuminator
- A good flashlight is more practical for walking around
▶ Watch the full review on YouTube
What it is
It’s a tiny digital night vision monocular. My earlier night vision used an image intensifier tube and is about three quarters the size of a binocular. This one is digital, which cuts down the size and, I think, makes it daylight safe since there’s no tube to burn out.
It comes with a nylon Velcro pouch with a strap on the back, so you can wear it on your hip.
Hardware tour
It’s about the size of a mini deck of playing cards and fits in my hand, with a soft-touch matte finish that feels great but may scrape up over time.
Batteries are 3 AAAs, no CR123As needed, and the door seems pretty weather resistant. Up front are the camera lens and the infrared illuminator. On top: a power button (hold about 3 seconds) and an IR button that steps through 3 levels. Two knurled rings handle objective and eyepiece focus.
Dusk test outside
Right after sundown, everything shows in black and white and looks almost like daylight. Focusing is a little tricky. Trees about 80-90 feet away were well within its wheelhouse. Trees maybe 250 yards out were visible but pixelated.
As it got darker, I couldn’t see anything but a black blob with my naked eye, while the monocular still showed the trees.
Indoor test: the illuminator is everything
Indoors in a dark room with the IR illuminator on, I could pick out the couch, a sculpture, the bookcase, a sliding door, curtains and a teddy bear on a chair. It feels like looking at a tiny screen about 4 inches in front of your eye, and it’s a narrow sliver of a view.
With the illuminator off, I couldn’t see much at all. Honestly, my naked eye did better by nightlight. Turn it back on and it’s a huge difference.
Is it better than a flashlight?
A bright flashlight is more practical for walking around and seeing a wider area. I wouldn’t walk around with this at my eye; depth perception might be an issue.
But if you want to observe wildlife, stay low impact or be stealthy, or you’re night fishing or hunting scorpions or feral pigs, I can see it being useful. It’s small enough for a pocket, backpack or fanny pack, and at about $99 it’s cheap night vision.
FAQ
Is the OPMOD DNV 1.0 a Carson MiniAura?
As far as I can tell it’s a rebranded Carson, mainly with a different color scheme.
What batteries does it use?
3 AAA batteries.
How far can it see?
It’s advertised to about 80+ feet. Past roughly 80-90 feet, things get pixelated.
Does it work without the IR illuminator?
Barely indoors. The illuminator makes a huge difference.
Is it daylight safe?
It’s digital, so I believe so. There’s no intensifier tube to burn out.
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