Luna Optics LN-G3-M44 5x-30x44 Gen-3 Digital Technology Day/Night Vision Monocular with 12MP Camera

My interest in this monocular was primarily for Astronomy, and secondarily to find out if that really was Sasquatch rustling in the trees just beyond my backyard.Upon opening the box and putting the monocular to use gives a great first impression; good construction design from the outside, smooth adjustment of the high quality optics, and it just feels good and balanced in your hand. Operation is straightforward and the menu selector is just intuitively genius. The position of the buttons are well placed and make for easy use while keeping your eye on your target.The views were sharp and focused to the edges. However, I did notice a dark coma or aberration in the central portion of the ocular, almost like a cat's eye, which I found mildly annoying. The Green view was just simple too bright (even at the lowest intensity setting), to the point that it actually hurt my eye after moderate use. Black/White was easier on the eye, but pretty grainy. The Color mode worked pretty well for sky observations.The second night. Started off well as the first night. Then less than 5 minutes in things got glitchy as I was using the built-in IR light source to begin my search for Sasquatch. Simultaneously the resolution of the screen image deteriorated and intermittently the IR light source would fail. Within a few minutes the IR light would not turn on at all and it seemed as if the resolution was not as good as it was the first night.The third night. I really wanted this thing to work for me. Undaunted and knowing that my primary purpose was for Astronomy, I turned my focus to mounting the monocular on a tripod (the 5x was really too much for a handheld when coupled with the frame rate) and using the WiFi and iOS application combination to view remotely. The named ROADCAM mobile application (created for Dash Cameras) was an absolute waste of 1s and 0s, a shameful, embarrassing piece of garbage. I should have ran away when I read as a key troubleshooting step to delete and re-install the application to resolve connection issues.The forth day. After a full hour in a chat session with an Amazon support representative we finally came to an agreement on a return and refund for this monocular. The uneasiness of an equipment malfunction this soon was almost excusable. But to have such a crappy piece of software "check the box" for a $500 item was beyond the pale for me.

Ever since I first used PVS-5 goggles at Ft. Bragg many moons ago, I've been fascinated with this technology. I purchased a First Generation unit about 7 years ago (performed fairly well) which went missing when I moved a few years later.I replaced that with a Night Owl iGen 20/20 sometime in 2018, which I thought was good (but not excellent). Sadly, I knocked the unit off my desk and chalked it up as a total loss, then looked at some reviews and purchased the Luna LN-G3-M44. In the interim I fixed the Night Owl device, but didn't cancel the Luna purchase out of curiosity.The Luna arrived and I read the manual to minimize any pilot error. Page 9 states: "Since the Image Sensor does not actively amplify the available light, you will need to utilize the IR illuminator often in the nighttime conditions." After reading that, I started boxing it up for return but then figured I should at least try it out.I'm glad I did.Even in the default color mode (without the IR assist), I could clearly visualize dark pockets within 150-200 meters. What's even more impressive is the product's immunity to over-exposure when panning through the field of view and encountering the intense lumens generated by porch or street lights (it automatically minimizes them).Compared to the Night Owl iGen 20/20 (which I liked), the Luna (at $100 more) is a quantum leap forward. I'm in accord with the previous reviewer wondering why this unit isn't more popular.

Like the heading says know what you are looking for. You need to do your research before you buy. I thought I did and bought the wrong thing and had to send it back and research harder. The first one I got was just mainly infa-red I.R. it was good for about 30 Ft. in the dark. Worked great in the day but that was it. If you want one that works well in the dark you have to have the Gen. 2 or 3 system. This is where the night vision comes in way better system. My yard is a 100yds. deep and I can see every inch of it. I am still playing with the scope but the extra money spent was well worth it. The only problem is you need a tripod to tune it in and I am going to use one when I use it do to it's power and at night it makes it hard to see at a long distance. All in all I like it and it's true night vision.

Came a day early. Boxed very well and everything is included to use it right away. Day vision is high quality and easy to focus. Menu also very easy to use and clear easy on the eyes. The optics are top quality. Night vision is as simple as unscrewing and removing the day lens. Night time turns bright and easy to focus to a sharp clear picture. Buttons are simple to use and learn. 3rd gen night vision is worth the extra money. Hard to find anything I don't like. Worth the money, you will like it, go buy it.