AFTER-DARK OPTICS DATABASE
Thermal, night vision and trail camera specs — side by side.
Sensor resolution, NETD, refresh rate, detection range, trigger speed. Published specifications, compared in one place.
16Devices compared
5Spec tables
4Categories indexed
3Sensor technologies
TABLE 01 — TECHNOLOGY HEAD-TO-HEAD
Which system do you actually need?
Thermal reads emitted heat. Night vision amplifies reflected light. Trail cameras trigger on motion. They are not interchangeable.
| Attribute | Thermal imaging | Night vision optics | Trail & game cameras |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detects | Emitted heat | Ambient or IR light | Motion, then IR flash |
| Zero ambient light | Works unaided ★ | IR illuminator required | Works unaided ★ |
| Fog, smoke, light brush | Penetrates ★ | Blocked | Blocked |
| Identification detail | Low to moderate | High ★ | Moderate |
| Stated detection range | 1,300–2,840 yd ★ | 200–400 yd | 80–100 ft |
| Operates unattended | No | No | Yes, for weeks ★ |
| Head-mountable | Limited | Yes ★ | No |
| Recording built in | Most models | Digital yes, analog no | Always ★ |
| Typical entry cost | $$$ | $$ | $ ★ |
| Strongest use | Locating and scanning | Identifying and moving | Passive monitoring |
| Category index | Thermal imaging → | Night vision optics → | Trail & game cameras → |
KEY — ★ marks the strongest option in that row. Cost bands are relative across all three technologies: $ under $300 · $$ $300–$900 · $$$ $900+.
TABLES 02–04 — SPEC SHEETS BY CATEGORY
Published specifications, by device class
02 · Thermal imagers
| Model | Sensor | NETD | Refresh | Objective | Detection | Band | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulsar Thermion 2 XP50 Pro | 640 × 480 | < 25 mK | 50 Hz | 50 mm | 1,970 yd | $$$$ | 9.4 ★ |
| InfiRay Bolt TH50 V2 | 640 × 512 ★ | < 25 mK | 50 Hz | 50 mm | 2,840 yd ★ | $$$$ | 9.1 |
| AGM Rattler V2 TS35-384 | 384 × 288 | < 35 mK | 50 Hz | 35 mm | 1,750 yd | $$$ | 8.6 |
| Burris BTH 50 | 400 × 300 | < 40 mK | 50 Hz | 50 mm | 2,187 yd | $$$ | 8.5 |
| HIKMICRO Lynx LH19 | 384 × 288 | < 20 mK ★ | 50 Hz | 19 mm | 1,312 yd | $$ ★ | 8.3 |
| AGM Rattler TS25-384 | 384 × 288 | < 35 mK | 50 Hz | 25 mm ★ | 1,422 yd | $$ ★ | 8.2 |
KEY — NETD lower is better; under 25 mK resolves fine temperature difference in humid air. Detection is the manufacturer’s stated human-sized-target figure, not identification range. Bands: $$ $700–$1,500 · $$$ $1,500–$3,500 · $$$$ $3,500+. Related: thermal binoculars · thermal for security.
03 · Night vision optics
| Model | Type | Magnification | Built-in IR | Records | Head-mount | Band | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGM PVS-14 NL1 | Gen 3 analog ★ | 1 × | Yes | No | Yes ★ | $$$$ | 9.0 ★ |
| ATN X-Sight 5 4K | Digital | 5–25 × | Add-on | 4K ★ | No | $$$ | 8.7 |
| Sightmark Wraith 4K Max | Digital | 4–32 × ★ | Yes, 850 nm | 4K ★ | No | $$ ★ | 8.6 |
| AGM WOLF-14 NL1 | Gen 2+ analog | 1 × | Yes | No | Yes ★ | $$$ | 8.3 |
| Bushnell Equinox Z2 6×50 | Digital | 6 × | Yes | 1080p | No | $ ★ | 7.6 |
KEY — Analog tubes outperform digital in near-zero light and are the only head-mountable class here. Digital units record and cost far less. Bands: $ under $300 · $$ $300–$900 · $$$ $900–$2,500 · $$$$ $2,500+. Related: helmets and mounts · crossbow NV scopes.
04 · Trail & game cameras
| Model | Type | Photo | Video | Trigger | Detection | Band | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browning Recon Force Elite HP5 | Standard SD | 24 MP | 1080p / 60 fps ★ | 0.10 s ★ | 80 ft | $$ | 9.0 ★ |
| Tactacam Reveal X Gen 2.0 | Cellular | 24 MP | 720p | 0.5 s | 96 ft ★ | $$ | 8.7 |
| Moultrie Edge 2 Pro | Cellular | 36 MP ★ | 1080p | 0.4 s | 80 ft | $$ | 8.4 |
| Stealth Cam Deceptor MAX | Cellular | 40 MP ★ | 1440p | 0.4 s | 100 ft ★ | $$ | 8.3 |
| SPYPOINT FLEX-M | Cellular | 28 MP | 1080p | 0.4 s | 90 ft | $ ★ | 8.2 |
KEY — Trigger speed matters more than megapixels on trails; anything above 0.5 s photographs the tail end of the animal. Cellular models add a data plan cost not shown. Bands: $ under $130 · $$ $130–$300. Related: SD card readers.
TABLE 05 — MINIMUM SPEC BY USE CASE
The threshold below which the device stops working for the job
| Use case | Device class | Minimum sensor | Minimum refresh | Range needed | Band | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed-position property security | Thermal, mains or PoE | 256 × 192 | 25 Hz | 200–400 yd | $$ | Thermal for security → |
| Scanning open ground for predators | Thermal monocular or binocular | 384 × 288 | 50 Hz ★ | 1,300 yd+ | $$$ | Thermal binoculars → |
| Positive target identification | Night vision, analog or 4K digital | Gen 3 or 4K ★ | 30 fps | 200–300 yd | $$$ | Crossbow NV scopes → |
| Moving on foot in the dark | Head-mounted analog NV | Gen 2+ minimum | Analog, no frame rate | 40° field of view | $$$ | Helmets and mounts → |
| Aerial search and recovery | Thermal drone payload | 640 × 512 | 30 Hz | Altitude-dependent | $$$$ | Thermal drones → |
| Weeks of unattended monitoring | Trail camera + storage | 20 MP | 0.4 s trigger ★ | 80 ft+ | $ ★ | SD card readers → |
KEY — Thresholds are research-based minimums drawn from manufacturer specifications and verified owner reports, not measured test results. ★ marks the spec most often under-bought for that job.
AT A GLANCE — EXTREMES ACROSS ALL FIVE TABLES
640 × 512
Highest sensor resolution — InfiRay Bolt TH50 V2
2,840 yd
Longest stated detection range in the thermal table
< 20 mK
Lowest NETD — HIKMICRO Lynx LH19, best thermal sensitivity
0.10 s
Fastest trigger — Browning Recon Force Elite HP5
40°
Field of view on 1× analog tubes — the head-mounted standard
50 Hz
Refresh rate shared by every thermal unit listed above
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HOW THIS DATA IS COMPILED
Every specification above is taken from manufacturer-published documentation. Scores are research-based, synthesized from expert consensus and verified owner reviews. We do not conduct hands-on field testing and we do not claim to. Confirm current specifications on the product listing before purchase.
BROWSE THE FULL INDEX
Thermal imagingScopes · monoculars · binoculars · drones · security
Night vision opticsAnalog tubes · digital scopes · helmets · mounts
Trail & game camerasCellular · standard · SD storage · mounts
ReviewsVerdicts across all three sensor technologies