White Phosphor?

[ptrlcop]

We had L3 come down for a demo yesterday and I was able to check out the white phosphor PVS-15s. They seemed to be quite a bit clearer than the green version. I felt I could distinguish facial features much better with the whites. I actually liked them better than the GPNVG-18s(green) they had.

Anybody with time on these have input if they are worth the extra coin? We are looking at buying 19 PVS-15s and 5 CNVD-LR.

 

[ptrlcop]

@Chappy
@DARC1

 

[AresGear_Jake]

I've been told that the strongest argument in favor of the WP tubes is their DRASTICALLY longer lifespans...but I have not confirmed this with a manufacturer yet. Anyone else know?


- Jake

 

[ptrlcop]

@Roland Deschain
@anybody?

 

[Presscheck Consulting]

White phosphor is the future. I can ask around about tube life. TNVC is selling scopes in white phosphor that are actually only GEN II I believe but are supposedly as clear as some low end Gen III green tubes.

As a result the white Gen II scopes are rediculously inexpensive compared to Gen III systems.

On the high end making the highest end Gen III tubes in white phosphor the realization of 3,000 FOM tubes may soon be realized.

I am going to sell my 74 ln/pr resolutuon avation tubes in my personal PVS-23's and replace them with Super high FOM white Phosphor in the next 3-5 years.

 

[Presscheck Consulting]

L3, L3, L3..... ITT was the only game in town for high FOM stuff after L3 moved their factory from the old Litton/Northrop Grumman Electro Optics location in Garland Texas (outside Dallas). For years, L3 couldn't make the high end shit and couldn't figure out what they fucked up when they moved.

Well they threw millions of dollars at the problem and will have three draw towers (the multi story facility where heated glass is pulled into rods by gravity to make micro film plates) automated and computer controlled for consistency from batch to batch.

Their newer shit blows ITT out of the water.

L3 makes the best shit on the market now. No question.

 

[CrazyDoc]

So if one was about to buy a gen III PVS14 would they be better off to wait for the WP to come out?

 

[KevinB]

I would not buy a 14...

Some of the foreign stuff to (France) is getting scary too.
There is a ton of new NV stuff coming down the pipe -- WP tubes in excess of 3,500 FOM - and can see a lot of stuff you can't see usually with II tubes...

 

[DARC1]

So if one was about to buy a gen III PVS14 would they be better off to wait for the WP to come out?

It will be a long wait. L3 has the ability to manufacturer WP '14 tubes but they are not in production and not currently available. From what I understand, most of the WP tubes are being made for the 31's, pano's and some aviation stuff. The good news is that several organizations are requesting PVS14 WP upgrades...

"White phosphor is the future." - very true statement and the future is here.

WP is not really new tech. Actually, they can make the tubes any phosphorous color you want.
Why were they green? The human eye can detect more shades of green than any other color.
So then, why is WP better? Image clarity and brightness is unbelievable and much better when comparing a high FOM filmless WP tube to an equiv GP one.

The gen2 WP tubes for sale on the commercial market are more than likely Photonics... In my experience, most folks look through something like these tubes and think they are great (they aren't). IMHO, I think it's just the novelty effect... If you had some L3 WP tubes and did a side by side comparison, well, there isn't any comparison.

 

[CrazyDoc]

I would not buy a 14...

Some of the foreign stuff to (France) is getting scary too.
There is a ton of new NV stuff coming down the pipe -- WP tubes in excess of 3,500 FOM - and can see a lot of stuff you can't see usually with II tubes...

Kevin,

What would you pick up that's in the same price range as a 14? We'll say 3400. I'm looking for them for work and maybe some hunting on the side.

 

[KevinB]

I'm a big fan of dual tubes. If you are planning on them for work - I just find the 14/18's are very limiting

 

[Matt]

So here is a question that will probably become common when L3 Gen III WP (I assume probably somewhere in the $5k-$6.5k range?) becomes widely available to the public:

What is a better choice for the money - dual tube Gen III GP or Gen III WP monocular?

 

[JCSpringer]

I still can't afford them.

 

[CrazyDoc]

S

I'm a big fan of dual tubes. If you are planning on them for work - I just find the 14/18's are very limiting

It's not that the 14 is bad just a single tube is the limiting factor?

Price checking the dual tubes puts them well out of my price range.

 

[mark1911]

Its already been said, L3 and WP, very good combination. The WP BNVD's are awesome, pano's too. Binoculars over the single tube.

 

[Presscheck Consulting]

Dual tube green beats WP monocular hands down.

 

[lee84101]

I'm in the same boat as CrazyDoc, i'm looking to make my first nvg purchase and would like to stay around $3,000-$3,500 so I've been looking at pvs-14 genIII. Is that going to be my best bet in that price range or can someone suggest something better?

 

[KevinB]

Guys search your DRMO's -- 6's turn up there, and get them for your departments.

Mono's are really limiting to your SA - even 6's and 9's are - but not in the same degree. I see way too many guys with 14's think their are a night warrior, and don't realize what they are not seeing. I've been running duals for over 10 years, and the juice is worth the squeeze, I know on a individual budget it can hurt past the point of pain, but if you ever think your going to use them for work -- what's your life worth?

 

[shooters101]

So are the WP tubes also more durable? Can they be mounted on a 308? Or are they still rated to only 223?

Not that's it's big issue but while I'm out hunting sometimes I brake my 14 binos up and run a 14 on my week eye for scanning and a 14 on my gun for shooting. I find I am a little more accurate like this at distances than with my IR laser.

I would love to be able to do this with my AR-10.

I clip on is in my future but it it is still a ways down the road.

 

[ptrlcop]

I think that is going to depend on the specific optic more than the white/green difference.

FWIW the purchase order goes out tomorrow for 5 CNVD-LRs with white tubes and ..... Yes, I have a gear boner.