Night Vision Binoculars & Cameras
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Learn MoreThermal cameras provide total visibility, day or night.
Often confused with old-school night vision scopes which amplify small amounts of light so you can see in the dark, the night vision devices for boats offered by West Marine are actually thermal cameras that detect and display relative differences in heat, not light. This gives rise to the biggest advantage that thermal cameras have over old-school night vision devices, which is that thermal cameras provide boaters with total visibility, day or night. While product descriptions often only concentrate on the visibility that thermal cameras provide at night, their ability to improve visibility during the day cannot be overstated. For example, in a daytime MOB situation, a thermal camera can easily register the difference between the heat signatures of the water and an otherwise difficult to see person’s head.
Thermal Camera Features and Specs
The bulk of the thermal cameras offered by West Marine are manufactured by FLIR (Forward Looking InfraRed) Systems, the parent company of Raymarine. Small handheld and larger fixed-mount models are offered. Factors to consider when shopping for a thermal camera include its resolution and its range. Generally, the better the resolution, the more the camera will cost. Range is quantified in two ways: “Person in the water range” and “Small vessel range”. The camera’s ability to pan and tilt (quantified in degrees) are two other factors to consider.
Available Accessories
For fixed-mount models that do not include a remote, one accessory that you won’t be able to do without is the Joystick Control that Raymarine offers for FLIR thermal cameras.