Yukon Ranger 5×42 Digital Night Vision
This is partially its own unique review, but its also a follow-up to my Bushnell Stealthview review so it will have a lot of comparisons to that unit. Heres the page –
http://talonairgun.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=508
The Yukon is basically the same as the Bushnell with some minor functional and physical differences.
First off, it costs $100 more than the Bushnell. In addition to the RCA output cable and lens cloth that the Bushnell comes with it also comes with a nicer case (IMHO), AC power cable & DC power cable. It also has two lens covers for the IR and Lens instead of just one for the lens like the Bushnell.
The reason I think the Yukon carry case is nicer is because its a bit bigger and has a larger pocket on the inside for accessories. It also has a rubber Yukon brand name and a neck lanyard. So its easier to put the device into it and easier to carry it.
Close up of top
Bottom
Front
Back
Physically the devices are similar, they both have an offset lens/eyepeice but they are opposite orientation. The Yukon is more symetrical and the large IR is the same housing as the lens – which makes it wider overall aswell.
The IR is adjustable via the + and – switch on the top and the display brightness is adjusted via a wheel near the front.
Image quality is exactly the same as the Bushnell, same lousy eyepeice too. I compared the eyepeice image to the image on my Sony Camcorder by running the RCA out to the camera and it isnt just the size… it really is a just a cheap viewfinder.
I tested it in my yard and got the same results as the bushnell so I wont repost a video that just looks the same so I walked to the cranberry bog alongside my house. Theres a building accross the bog which is 300 yards away (I used Google Earth to take the measurement) and I could see it without using the Illuminator. When the Illuminator turned on the image got a little bit brighter and I could see reflection of a tractors tail lights very brightly.
I compared it to my Sony’s Night Shot and I couldnt see anything in regular Night Shot mode and when I turned SUPER Night Shot on all I could see was a grey top half where the sky was and a black lower half for the ground. I then turned the Yukons large IR to full and used it with the Sony and all it did was give me a brighter green ciricle in the middle of the display.
To me the $100 price difference is worth it just to get the adjustable IR. On the Bushnell you”ll either have the small IR on, or the large IR on… With the Yukon when the main IR is turned on, but turned down to its lowest level there is No IR illuminaton which should extend battery life quite a bit when theres a moonlit night.
Its nice having the DC and AC cords and the case is a LOT easier to use also….
BUT.. the image quality is EXACTLY the same on both devices.
I’m a right handed shooter… The eyepeice and the lens are not straight through, the eyepeice is off to the right of the device, the lens is off to the lens. I’m anticipating that is going to cause me some problems when I go to mount it behind a rifle scope….. If I was left handed it might be different. I might have been better off keeping the Bushnell because of this.
I’ll Post the video I took at the Bog and my attempts to mount it to my rifle tomorrow.
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ohh i know the resolution aint as good….the security cameras resolution is compareble to crappy webcams…..
but as the talk went about the security cams i wanted to tell about the up and downs of these units….
Cygnusx….
The CCD in the Yukon / Bushnell is a LOT better than the CCD you find in a wireless “NV” camera.
monocular would be way more easy to mount behind scope !
i got the wireless model of the camera that has IR diodes built in…the IR part is great for lowligt, such as dusk where it will produce good picture…but once it it totally dark and it rely’s on the IR, the range is drasticly reduced….i would say 5 yards for non reflective targets….but you will be able to animals eyes out to about 5 yards…
resolution is about 320×240…or that is what i would compare it to on a pc.
if your planning to film you yard…adding a red floodlight will help greatly…adding more cameras to the same place filming at different angles will help alot too, as each of them will work as an IR flashlight….buying an IR lamp will help alot, but they tend to be expensive
the downside to the wireless models are they are running in the 2.4ghz spectrum…which is used for wireless networks that will create noise in the picture when in use….also telephones, microwave ovens, generate noise…i for ex cant use the wireless and get a picture worth watching.
upside to the wireless is they are easy to place….they can run off a 9v battery….i went to radioshack and got a 8xAA battery holder, it has the 9v plug in the end and allows me to use 8 AA rechargeables….which has far greater capasity than any 9v…..with this i can place camera where i want with no wires, and run it for 11 hours at night when the IR are on, turning it on when it gets light in the morning, it will run close to 18 hours on a set of 2700 mah AA rechargeables….
heres video of nighttime mode http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-3602526542796980406
Nice review YN
Which do you like better, the monocular or the digital? just guessing the monocular is way easier/better for mounting behind a scope.
Jim.
I tried using the Yukon with the 2x lens behind my 3-12x44mm leapers scope set to 3x. Didnt have much luck being able to see anything clearly in my yard, have 4 things to get in focus and its a bit of a balancing act so I’ll try again tomorrow in daylight in basement tomorrow to make it a bit easier.
Here’s some video of the 5x looking in yard followed by the 2x, and then neighbours car at 5x followed by 2x.
I got the replacement 2×24 and 3×42 Yukon lenses today
These are designed for the NVMT but I bought them anyway hoping Yukon just used the same thread on all their stuff so I could reduce the zoom on the 5x Yukon which is a bit too much for my liking… and they fit!
Thats the 2×24 mounted, the 3×42 didnt really have any noticable difference from the stock 5×42 so its going back to the store.
At first I was a bit dissapointed in the lack of a difference in image between the 5x and the 2x, but once I took it outside theres a decent enough difference for me to keep it. I defintly less than 5x, but I dont think its 2x when used with the ranger, because its CCD vs Tube on the NVMT.
Now my only problem is that this lens is a lot smaller…. and has a curved profile making it VERY difficult to mount behind the scope with my usual method with a pipe coupler….
Actually I just have a day time video from that camera…. not very good colour representation. looks like an old B&W movie after its been colourized. I have Night time somewhere.. will post it when I find it.
And incase anyone is wondering… NO I dont shoot ANY domestic cats. I had camera running all day and happened to video this guy who I only just found out lives two streets away… I forgot to ask them how he lost his tail.
I was thinking of one of those el cheapo BW security cams they have all over the place now. They are already set up to use IR as a light source. I think I even have a box of REALLY old camcorder eye pieces somewhere. I dont think the reso is very high on them though.
I had one of the wired “IR” cams that cost $49 from Home Depot and the picture wasnt that good, and the sensitivity wasnt that great either. Wasnt as good as Sony Night shot.. and Sony isnt good enough for hunting. I think I have a video of some cats through that camera somewhere…
I was thinking of one of those el cheapo BW security cams they have all over the place now. They are already set up to use IR as a light source. I think I even have a box of REALLY old camcorder eye pieces somewhere. I dont think the reso is very high on them though.
It seems Yukon sell seperate lenses…
http://www.opticsplanet.net/yukon-nvmt-lenses.html
I’m going to order the 2×24 and 3×42 and will let you guys know if they fit/work.
If you put the Yukon without an objective lens behind a scope then you’ll just get a blurry image. If you remove the scopes eyepeice and mount it that way you might be able to get an image.
A cheap B&W might work, just depends on how sensitive it is. Might need to remove an IR filter infront of the lens to get it working. be a good project.
Here’s video of the cranberry bog. Building in background is 300m away. Moon was out but it was cloudy. In the second part the edge of the bog starts about 30 yards away from where I was standing.
What would happen if you put the CCD without the lens at the focal length of the scope? Inside your adapter tube of course.
Also, I bet you could take an old camcorder eyepiece and hook it up to a cheap BW digital camera, they are so cheap these days, and make your own? All that would be needed would be an illuminator, which is where it would get expensive I think.
I was able to hold the Yukon behind my Leapers scope set 3x and get a nice image of the crosshairs and my target 10m away. Is a LOT of magnification due to the Yukon having 5x magnification itself.
I didnt get to the store and buy a plumbling coupling though, will get that from Home Depot in the morning after work.
What I did find out is that the objective lens just unscrews –
This exposes the CCD (or is a CMOS… I have no idea)
What I’m hoping is that I can get a replacement lens of a smaller focal length which will give me 1-2x magnification… which would be awesome.
Yukons all seem to use the same parts… Going to give them a call and see if I can get to talk to a tech and see if they know the focal length of this objective lens and if the lens from another of their devices will fit the threads…. They have the NVMT which has 2.5x zoom.. Will try and buy one of those to try it out if I cant get any help from Yukon.
What is also an option would be to get a cheap scope, remove the eyepeice and connect the Yukon directly to that and see what happens.
But it being removable gives me a ton of options. If I can get the mag down this will be a LOT more usefull.
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I ended up selling this because I couldnt get it mounted to the scope in a way I found comfortable to shoot it because of the offset design and large size.
Here’s a picture I found of a way someone mounted theirs… WAY too high for my liking.
If they made it so the eyepeice was inline with the objective lens and a tad smaller then it would be MUCH better… I’m hoping one will eventually come out that way that doesnt cost the same as a supervision.