Another bad idea

[WizardG]

Anybody seen the "Night Hero" binoculars? ( https://www.target.com/p/as-seen-on-tv-atomic-night-hero-binoculars/-/A-53808231 )

I saw these in wally world last night while I was waiting in line at the register and saw the words "night vision laser" on the box so I checked it out wondering what wavelength of IR the things were using. I had thought these were set up with regular optics in one barrel of the binoculars and a cheap IR sensitive camera chip in the other barrel. But NO, these are a pair of cheap plastic binoculars with a 532nm green laser built in to illuminate things at night.

The laser is claimed to be 5mW, and is not focused into a tight beam but this still seems like a bad idea. How many 5mW DPSS lasers are actually 5mW? And even though the laser is defocused into something like a tight flashlight beam it seems like catching a reflection from something, especially at close range, while looking through binocular optics could result in flash blindness....or worse.

Your thoughts?

 

[paul1598419]

I have not seen these before now, but you are correct. They look like crap.

 

[WizardG]

I have not seen these before now, but you are correct. They look like crap.

The reviews I've found online strongly confirm your intuition.

 

[paul1598419]

I'm not surprised. They shouldn't be more than $10.00 each, if that. That is often the case with items tagged "as seen on TV".

I got the impression that the good reviews for these were from the company that sells them.

 

[Encap]

Down at the bottom of the page there are 2 other Binoculars that are more expensive with a similar green laser set up being offered by Target as "night vision" at $79.99 and $99.99 as well.
Hard to imagine they are being offered without meeting all FDA requirements for safety but who knows? Anything can happen.

See: https://www.target.com/p/cassini-k-...r-roof-prism-binocular-dark-gray/-/A-54538050
and https://www.target.com/p/cassini-k-...ght-green-laser-binoculars-black/-/A-54537995

Also being offered by a dozen other retailers--amongst them Best Buy, Walmart, Opticsplanet and on AMAZON where they say:
Cassini 8X Green Laser Day/Night Binocular with Case
"Unlike traditional, expensive, Night Vision technology that can cost THOUSANDS of dollars, can only be used at night, has low or no magnification and is subject to distortion and artifacts, the Cassini K-9 can be used as regular high quality optical binoculars by day without damage to the laser emitting components – the multi-coated 8x32mm rubber covered roof prism design provides bright, crisp to-the- edge images and increased contrast & clarity, and brings your target object 8 times closer.
After the sun goes down, simply push a button on the K-9 to activate the green diffused wide angle laser, and illuminate even the darkest object in the darkest areas up to 100 yards away. (SPOT DIAMETER: 4m @ 50M ) A field of view of 294 feet @ 1000 yards provides a wide viewing range and the rubber eyecups increase comfort and help block out stray light. The CASSINI K-9 also features a full range center focus wheel with right eye focus adjustment, water resistant comfort grip rubber armoring, optics protected from heavy dust and foggy, moist conditions, and a tripod socket. The Cassini K-9 8x32mm Green Laser Binoculars Features and Benefits: Comfort Grip Rubber Armoring Full Range Center Focus Cassini Limited Warranty The Cassini K-9 8x32mm Green Laser Binoculars Optical Specifications: 8x Power 32mm Objective Lenses Multiple Layer Coating Field of View: 294′ @ 1000yds Minimum Focus Distance: 13′ Exit Pupil Size: 4mm Eye Relief: approx. 12.5mm Relative Brightness Index: 17.36 Twilight Factor: 24.49 Includes Case and neck strap The Cassini K-9 8x32mm Green Laser Binoculars Laser Specifications: Color: Green Wavelength: 532nm Operating Voltage 3V Operating Current: 200~350mA Spot Diameter: 4M @ 50M Range: Up to 100 Meters Optical Power: < 5mW Battery "

This seems to be the diffused green laser unit the company puts on whatever binoculars to make them simulate image intensifier night vision and providing active illumination at night: http://www.cassinitelescopes.com/Binoculars/C-IL.html

 

[MurphyMurph]

I was going to post a thread on this, but I just found yours. A few weeks ago, a friend was showing me that his wife got him these for Christmas. I was actually surprised to see that unsafe junk like this is being sold. I didn’t get a pic, but because of the super unfocused beam, I had to position it pretty close to the LPM to get it all on the sensor, and it actually hit 6mW.



Here is how it looks to the naked eye, the unfocused "beam" gets bigger and bigger the further it goes.



Using my modified action camera with the IR filter removed, below you can see the IR light from this thing completely shrouds the “beam”.