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9/2/2015 10:38:28 AM EDT
What's everyone's thoughts on automatic gain? Specifically the Mod3. After spending a weekend with a PVS-14 I feel like I would prefer manual but I've never tried auto before. I also read in Augee's review that there was a manual gain Mod3 in the works so it may be worth waiting... Unless auto is the bees knees and I'm overthinking things.
9/2/2015 11:53:17 AM EDT
[#1]

Quoted:


What's everyone's thoughts on automatic gain? Specifically the Mod3. After spending a weekend with a PVS-14 I feel like I would prefer manual but I've never tried auto before. I also read in Augee's review that there was a manual gain Mod3 in the works so it may be worth waiting... Unless auto is the bees knees and I'm overthinking things.
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I can go either way with gain.  Having spent a lot of time under goggles without manual gain control, I can say that the only time I ever missed it was in bright areas.  At that point, the ambient light is so great that the image seemed to glow too much.  But, it could also be argued that these conditions would negate the need for NVG's.  



A lot of people don't ever use the manual gain control in the way it is intended.  In fact, most guys never touch the gain knob to begin with.  They simply crank it up to its brightest setting and leave it.  



Does it serve a purpose?  Yes.  Can it be useful in certain situations?  Yes.  Is it necessary?  No.  Is it another thing that can possibly fail?  Yes.  Honestly, I'd say it's not a big deal.  Sure, it's another feature, but it adds cost and complexity to a system.



 
9/2/2015 12:14:14 PM EDT
[#2]
Well that sums it up nicely, much appreciated. I found myself using it quite a lot and tended to keep it towards the darker side so that I could still see out of my naked eye, but I would say I'd be pleased with the auto gain according to your post. I'm teetering on f$@k it, Mod3 as my first.

Either way, you guys are taking all my hard earned money...
9/2/2015 1:40:02 PM EDT
[#3]
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Quoted:
I can go either way with gain.  Having spent a lot of time under goggles without manual gain control, I can say that the only time I ever missed it was in bright areas.  At that point, the ambient light is so great that the image seemed to glow too much.  But, it could also be argued that these conditions would negate the need for NVG's.  

A lot of people don't ever use the manual gain control in the way it is intended.  In fact, most guys never touch the gain knob to begin with.  They simply crank it up to its brightest setting and leave it.  

Does it serve a purpose?  Yes.  Can it be useful in certain situations?  Yes.  Is it necessary?  No.  Is it another thing that can possibly fail?  Yes.  Honestly, I'd say it's not a big deal.  Sure, it's another feature, but it adds cost and complexity to a system.
 
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Quoted:
Quoted:
What's everyone's thoughts on automatic gain? Specifically the Mod3. After spending a weekend with a PVS-14 I feel like I would prefer manual but I've never tried auto before. I also read in Augee's review that there was a manual gain Mod3 in the works so it may be worth waiting... Unless auto is the bees knees and I'm overthinking things.
I can go either way with gain.  Having spent a lot of time under goggles without manual gain control, I can say that the only time I ever missed it was in bright areas.  At that point, the ambient light is so great that the image seemed to glow too much.  But, it could also be argued that these conditions would negate the need for NVG's.  

A lot of people don't ever use the manual gain control in the way it is intended.  In fact, most guys never touch the gain knob to begin with.  They simply crank it up to its brightest setting and leave it.  

Does it serve a purpose?  Yes.  Can it be useful in certain situations?  Yes.  Is it necessary?  No.  Is it another thing that can possibly fail?  Yes.  Honestly, I'd say it's not a big deal.  Sure, it's another feature, but it adds cost and complexity to a system.
 


Great answer ! I use it under snowy conditions and many times on the water due to refraction off the water. When it is calm the water reflects a lot of light which blinds my 14 at times. Turning the gain down is helpful. Most of the time I just leave the gain all the way up and don't fool with it Sometimes I use my PVS-7 on the water and it works just fine with its autogated tube handling brightness and gain. No gain control needed for me most of the time. As you said it is nice to have but not a must have.
9/2/2015 1:59:56 PM EDT
[#4]
I have both the manual and the auto mod-3. The only time I touch the gain on them is when I split them apart. I never touch the gain as binocs, and its almost a burden because it is just one more thing to fail.

Price would be the determining factor for me.
9/2/2015 2:07:20 PM EDT
[#5]
I find manual gain far more useful for a monocular than a goggle. By using it to adjust the screen brightness to closer match what your eye is seeing it allows your brain to put the images together better. I've got a MOD3 without it and I don't miss it. If you plan to mostly use them as goggles and only occasionally as monoculars, I'd say save the money.
9/2/2015 8:02:19 PM EDT
[#6]
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Quoted:
I find manual gain far more useful for a monocular than a goggle. By using it to adjust the screen brightness to closer match what your eye is seeing it allows your brain to put the images together better. I've got a MOD3 without it and I don't miss it. If you plan to mostly use them as goggles and only occasionally as monoculars, I'd say save the money.
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This
9/2/2015 9:12:24 PM EDT
[#7]
If you skip manual gain, i would still make sure you get autogated tubes, though. Unless you get a deal on non-gated...
9/2/2015 9:28:53 PM EDT
[#8]
Does manual gain help protect the tube from bright lights (turning it down when it's so bright that these "trails / waves" start to appear)? In other words, is it the photocathode or the MCP that gets damaged usually?
9/2/2015 9:43:04 PM EDT
[#9]
Well I ordered a TNVC PVS-14 L3 today, I swear I put the Mod3 in the cart 15 times but just couldn't stomach the price for a first NVD. Also got a Steiner IR/green laser to go with my MK3 I got used. Hopefully in a year or so I'll get my hands on an IR Patrol and then a Mod3 or Sentinel.

Thanks for all the first hand knowledge, sure is a lot of it in this forum. I don't ask many questions, was able to find mostly everything searching and reading through here the last several years.
9/2/2015 10:39:04 PM EDT
[#10]
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Quoted:
I find manual gain far more useful for a monocular than a goggle. By using it to adjust the screen brightness to closer match what your eye is seeing it allows your brain to put the images together better. I've got a MOD3 without it and I don't miss it. If you plan to mostly use them as goggles and only occasionally as monoculars, I'd say save the money.
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I agree here on the Monocular gain aspects. While wearing a single I do like gaining down in extremely dark environments (when not using active Lum) when the scintilation is high. Turning the gain down mitigates this effect quite well.

Vic
9/3/2015 11:04:25 AM EDT
[#11]
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Quoted:


I agree here on the Monocular gain aspects. While wearing a single I do like gaining down in extremely dark environments (when not using active Lum) when the scintilation is high. Turning the gain down mitigates this effect quite well.

Vic
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Quoted:
I find manual gain far more useful for a monocular than a goggle. By using it to adjust the screen brightness to closer match what your eye is seeing it allows your brain to put the images together better. I've got a MOD3 without it and I don't miss it. If you plan to mostly use them as goggles and only occasionally as monoculars, I'd say save the money.


I agree here on the Monocular gain aspects. While wearing a single I do like gaining down in extremely dark environments (when not using active Lum) when the scintilation is high. Turning the gain down mitigates this effect quite well.

Vic


I agree. I also like my Photonis tube which even in very low light shows little scintillation. I have this tube in a 14 housing and I really like it. I find myself using it more and more. I still love my milspec Omni VII tubes. Both have advantages as well as disadvantages.
9/3/2015 11:16:00 AM EDT
[#12]

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Quoted:
I agree. I also like my Photonis tube which even in very low light shows little scintillation. I have this tube in a 14 housing and I really like it. I find myself using it more and more. I still love my milspec Omni VII tubes. Both have advantages as well as disadvantages.

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Quoted:



Quoted:


Quoted:

I find manual gain far more useful for a monocular than a goggle. By using it to adjust the screen brightness to closer match what your eye is seeing it allows your brain to put the images together better. I've got a MOD3 without it and I don't miss it. If you plan to mostly use them as goggles and only occasionally as monoculars, I'd say save the money.




I agree here on the Monocular gain aspects. While wearing a single I do like gaining down in extremely dark environments (when not using active Lum) when the scintilation is high. Turning the gain down mitigates this effect quite well.



Vic





I agree. I also like my Photonis tube which even in very low light shows little scintillation. I have this tube in a 14 housing and I really like it. I find myself using it more and more. I still love my milspec Omni VII tubes. Both have advantages as well as disadvantages.





 
Green glass. The best thing about EGAC settings is to adjust it as high as it will go, while still removing all the visual disturbances, so it looks like you're just looking through a green piece of glass...  That's usually where I like to adjust mine. :)




It's worth mentioning that the EGAC doesn't disable the automatic brightness control - it just sets the target level.




Regards

David
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