Classification of night vision equipment

Night vision equipment can be roughly categorized into three main groups:

Spotting scopes - Spotting scopes are generally hand-held and can also be mounted on a weapon, they utilize a monocular (one eye) body. Since spotting scopes are handheld devices and are not worn on the body like eyepieces, they are more suitable when you want to take a more detailed look at a specific target and then return to normal observation conditions.

Eyepieces - Although eyepieces can also be handheld, they are usually worn on the forehead. Eyepieces have a binocular (two-eye) body, with either a single or compound lens, depending on the style. Eyepieces are perfect for extended observation (e.g. when patrolling around poorly lit buildings).

Night Vision Cameras - Cameras with night vision technology can transmit images to a monitor for instant playback, or a VCR can be used to record the incoming images. Cameras come in handy when we need high quality night vision observations at a constant location, such as on a fixed building, or when fitting night vision devices as on-board equipment for helicopters. Many newer cameras already have built-in night vision capabilities.