Why do all night vision have a small magnification?
Consider the distance you need to look through and the overall area you are observing or searching. For most surveillance or search applications, the higher the magnification or narrower the field of view, the more difficult it is to scan the area to avoid missing important objects or events. Usually a 1:1 lens with a 40° field of view provides optimal performance. For long-range observation or weapon sight applications, the magnification number will vary. However, be sure to consider the other performance characteristics of the device. As the magnification increases, the field of view decreases, reducing the amount of light captured. Consequently, you will need an image tube with better performance at very low-light levels and/or big high-performance lenses. All these considerations limit the night vision magnification. It normally does not exceed 2x for the first generation devices and 4-5x for the second and third. The long-range observation models also exist on the market. However,
