Even though it is easy for you to see everything in the daytime, that is not the case at night. And the infrared binoculars appeared to help us have better night vision.
Night Owl NOB5x is appreciated as one of the advanced, innovative binoculars out there. It is well-known for providing clear and bright images even in completely dark conditions.
Why does it receive so much respect from users? Let’s check it out!
Overview Of Night Owl NOB 5×50 Binoculars
For those who are interested in infrared binoculars, Night Owl NOB 5×50 and Night Owl NOB 3×42 binoculars are 2 familiar names. They are high-quality, durable, have various impressive features, and are available at a very affordable price.
You can use them for diverse purposes: from hunting, animal observations to sports watching and security, etc. Now, let us compare some vital specifications for you.
| Technical Data | Night Owl NOB 5×50 Binoculars | Night Owl NOB 3×42 Binoculars |
| Objective Lens | 50mm | 42mm |
| Magnification | 5x | 3x |
| Exit Pupil | 5.0mm | 4.2mm |
| Twilight Factors | 15.8 | 11.2 |
| FOV | 53 feet/ 16.2m | 70 feet/ 21.3m |
| Close Focus | 6.7 feet/ 2m | 6.7 feet/ 2m |
| Eye Relief | 16mm | 16mm |
| Prism | Roof | Roof |
| Optical Quality | Prism and Prism Coatings: BaK4-glass
Lens coating: Fully Glass Optics. Glass type used: Extra-low dispersion (ED). Light transmission = 94 % |
Prism and Prism Coatings: BaK4-glass
Lens coating: Fully Glass Optics. Glass type used: Extra-low dispersion (ED). Light transmission = 94 % |
| Chassis Material | Plastic | Plastic |
| Focusing | Central Focus | Central Focus |
| Diopter Adjustment | Standard | Standard |
| Gas Filled | No | No |
| Weatherproofing | No | No |
| Size | Standard | Standard |
| Uses | Hiking/ Travel
Birding/ Hunting Outdoor, camping, and hiking activities Nature observation General use |
Birding/ Hunting
Outdoor, camping, and hiking activities Nature observation General use |
| Brand | Night Owl | Night Owl |
These data are extracted from Night Owl – the manufacturer homepage. As you can see from the table, both have impressive and potential numbers, representing their great performance. In terms of magnification, objective lens, and viewing range, it does an incredible job and exceeds our expectations.
We guess that for some customers, this technical info is unfamiliar to some extent. In that case, don’t worry and keep reading because we are about to review Night Owl NOB 5×50 Binoculars more detailedly right now and leave Night Owl NOB 3×42 Binoculars for another time.
Detailed Review and Analysis of this infrared binoculars
Solid And Robust Construction
Anyone who has ever bought a poorly built product will understand how annoying it is. And with Night Owl NOB 5×50, you do not have to worry about that.
Its main body is made of hard plastic materials and extra rubberized coating, while the lens housings are from moldable and pliable thermoplastic. Those coatings will protect this pair of binoculars from external impacts.
Infrared (IR) Illuminator
A feature that infrared binoculars cannot lack is the IR illuminator. No matter how bad the light conditions are, its final images are still clear and sharp.
With close range, you can see as far as 50m. If you want to see further, switch on powerful spotlights. However, the IR effects will reduce when you view the target so far away.
Powerful 5x magnification
On the binoculars market, 5x magnification is quite powerful and enough for most outdoor activities, especially infrared binoculars. Some users may wonder as they can see 8x, 9x, or even 10x magnification binoculars. They think right, but those binoculars are for daytime use.
The higher the magnification is, the thicker glasses and lens are. There will be less light getting through, which will be a major problem in night time. Therefore, this 5x magnification is ideal for producing bright, clear, and detailed photos.
Weak Points
No weatherproofing
It is a pity that this model is not waterproof and fogproof. So, be careful if you intend to use it for night surveillance because it can have unexpected rain or snow.
Focusing
A special feature of this Night Owl NOB 5×50 over others in this type is its single centrally positioned focusing wheel. We find that rotating the objective lens’s end to adjust the focus is not a problem for monoculars but not binoculars. It is quite time-consuming and annoying because you have to change the lens’s focus when you target objects.
Night Owl Optics NOB5X 5×50 vs. Luna Optics LN-SB50 5×80
Overall we would say that the Night Owl Optics NOB5X 5×50 is one of the best in the infrared section. To understand the reasons why, let us compare them with another competitor – the Luna Optics LN-SB50 5×80 to see how powerful these 5x magnifications are.
| Factors | Night Owl Optics NOB5X 5×50 | Luna Optics LN-SB50 5×80 |
| EASE OF ADJUSTMENT | 9 | 9 |
| CLARITY | 10 | 9 |
| BRIGHTNESS | 10 | 9.5 |
| COMFORT | 9 | 9.5 |
| CONSTRUCTION QUALITY | 8 | 10 |
| FOV | 9 | 8 |
| MINIMUM FOCUS | 10 | 9 |
| PRICE | 10 | 9 |
| BRAND AND WARRANTY | 10 | 10 |
It is difficult to determine the winner in this battle, since each competitor has their different strengths. The Night Owl Optics binoculars excel at brightness, sharpness, and clarity. You can see everything clear from long distances, even in low ambient light or without IR. The image quality is even better with the IR illuminator, making it outstanding among other cheap night vision devices on the market.
The Luna Optics binoculars with the Generation 1 technology work well to produce bright images at reasonable contrast. They are also great for achieving the minimum focus distance of 10 feet. That number is quite impressive for 5x night vision binoculars. However, Night Owl Optics binoculars even do a better job reducing that distance to only 6.6 feet.
To sum up, both Night Owl Optics NOB5x 5×50 and Luna Optics LN-SB50 5×80 do a great job delivering high-quality images in the darkness. The latter, with heavier weight, gives you a sturdy body and a secure feel when holding it, while the former focuses on the technology and features.
The Bottom Line for this infrared binoculars
Night Owl Optics NOB5x 5×50 deserves to be the best in the mid-priced range among all infrared binoculars. Their performance, construction, and quality come over our expectations. We are all amazed at their capability to produce clear and sharp images in low light and black conditions.
With the powerful 5x magnification, these binoculars are excellent for watching targets from long to close ranges. That function is beneficial to nighttime hunters, hikers, and wildlife observers.
Yes, they are good enough to try. So why are you still hesitating? In the event of any concerns, leave us your comment, and we will respond to you as soon as possible.
Thank you for reading!