Color Night Vision – A Technological Leap Or An Expensive Toy?

Until recently, only animals could see well in the dark. However, the development of technology has given humans this gift. Binoculars, sights, goggles, clip-on night vision systems and other devices available today work effectively and make visible what was previously hidden from us in the dark. Recently, developers have devised a way to switch from monochrome night vision to color. Some experts have called this innovation a real technological breakthrough, while others have called it an expensive toy created only to increase manufacturers’ income. We tried to understand this issue and determine whose version is closer to the truth. If you are interested in the final result, read our article for a few minutes.

What is color night vision?

For many years, night vision was monochrome. It was used on all devices without exception but remained far from ideal. The operating principle of various optics that produced monochrome images was to collect and then amplify ambient light. In this process, a phosphor played an important role, which gave the final picture a characteristic green tint. The creators explained the use of this color by its excellent safety for the eyes, but they did not know how to add other shades to the image. This problem has already been solved today, and color night vision (CNV) is available to us.

Modern optics that use CNV technology differ from those that can reproduce only one green color. Its design includes more advanced CMOS sensors that can capture broader spectrum light. They work in tandem with special software for which artificial intelligence plays an important role. Thanks to the above, it is possible to “color” the visible image in different shades and make it more transparent, brighter, and more detailed.

The main advantages of color night vision

Color night vision has many advantages over monochrome. Three main aspects should be highlighted, in which the gap from its predecessor is the greatest. These include simpler visual perception, better detailing and a wide range of applications.

Easier visual perception

In any situation, people always look for the best solution for themselves. This is inherent in nature, so we can’t change anything. In this regard, many will choose color night vision, not monochrome. It makes it possible to simplify the visual perception of the image as much as possible so that our eyes can clearly distinguish different colors and shades. Even though color rendering is still far from ideal in modern night optics, it will still be a better solution than just a green picture on the screen.

Better detail

The ability to see small details in the picture is the best proof of the effectiveness of night optics. In the case of color night vision, the detailing will be much better than with monochrome. This advantage will make it possible to make the image more informative and valuable for the user. This is especially important in cases where small details play an essential role (for example, determining the features of a criminal who committed an illegal act at night). In addition, color night vision is distinguished by the ability to form a more complete picture, where even at the edges, you can see various small objects.

A more comprehensive range of applications

The emergence of CNV has significantly expanded the range of applications for night vision optics. It can now be used to perform various tasks where the user needs to distinguish the colors of an object. First, we should remember the activities of security guards and police officers. With the ability to see a color image, they can identify violators, determine their location, and detect signs of aggressive behavior. Part of this work can be done by monochrome night vision. However, it will not be able to show what color hair the criminal had or separate the violator from the general background in cases where his clothes have a similar shade to the surrounding objects. Color night vision will also expand the capabilities of rescuers, doctors, scientists, members of environmental organizations, and representatives of many other professions.

The main disadvantages of color night vision

There is nothing perfect in our world, and color night vision is no exception. It has three significant drawbacks, which mean it cannot completely replace its monochrome counterpart. The main disadvantages include lower efficiency in low light conditions, inaccurate color rendering, and high cost.

Less efficiency in low-light conditions

The main problem of color night vision, according to all experts, is its low efficiency in low-light conditions. The fact is that all devices capable of creating a multi-color image use special sensors that record a broad spectrum of light. For this, they have lower sensitivity than monochrome versions, which is why they cannot create high-quality pictures under certain conditions. The latter has much noise, so achieving clarity and good detail is impossible. However, this drawback may well be eliminated shortly.

Inaccurate color rendering

Modern devices using color night vision can accurately convey various shades only if an optimal illumination level of a particular area exists. At the same time, any deviations in one direction or another will automatically create problems with color rendering. In some cases, this drawback will be insignificant. However, when it is necessary to determine a particular object’s color accurately, the user will have difficulties. Inaccurate reproduction of shades is especially pronounced in conditions of extremely low illumination of the inspected area. The developers cannot correct the situation yet, but there is hope that in a few years, they will be able to get rid of this problem.

High cost

Another significant drawback, due to which color night vision has not yet become super popular, is the high cost. It is easily explained by the fact that everything new has a higher price than the old. The cost is also affected by using additional components in the devices, more modern parts, and the most complex software. Naturally, the price of night optics using CNV will gradually fall over time. However, what its minimum value will be is not yet clear.

Technological leap or an expensive toy?

After many years of using monochrome night vision, people finally got their hands on its color version. It was far from ideal but still ahead of its predecessor in many ways. From this point of view, the emergence of color night vision can be regarded as a technological leap. It makes it possible to improve the visual perception of images, increase detail, and significantly expand the range of night optics applications. On the other hand, lower efficiency in low light, inaccurate color rendition in certain conditions, and high cost make us believe that color night vision is still far from perfect and today is just an expensive toy.

Analyzing the situation and comparing all the pros and cons, we can conclude that color night vision will be helpful and effective only in certain situations. For example, security activities will make it possible to clearly identify violators by determining the color of their clothes, hair and car. CNV will also become indispensable in studying nocturnal animals, diagnosing various diseases, driving vehicles, and much more. At the same time, monochrome night vision will not disappear completely. It will be used as an inexpensive alternative that effectively copes with its task in a meager light.

The recently introduced color night vision was received differently by users. Some called it the most interesting new product of the current decade, while others criticized the developers for wasting time and wanting to increase the price of night optics. However, the truth is somewhere in the middle. In some cases, seeing a color image will be helpful; in others, it will only create additional difficulties with reading information. Everything depends solely on the user’s goals and the conditions in which the night optics will be used.