A night vision housing is the body of a monocular, binocular or goggle: it holds the image intensifier tubes, the optics, the power supply and the controls. This page compares the housings in our database, grouped by type. Click a maker for its profile and product history. For tube types see tube formats and compatibility; all pages: night vision database.
How to read the tables: weights are as published and depend on the configuration (housing only, with optics, with tubes, with battery), so compare them with care. The Data column shows whether figures come from the maker or only from secondary sources such as dealer listings, press reviews or encyclopedias; such figures are also marked in the cell. A dash means the value was not published or could not be confirmed.
Housing types
- Monoculars
- Binoculars – articulating
- Binoculars – fixed bridge, modular and other
- Panoramic (four-tube)
- Bi-ocular (one tube, two eyepieces)
- Other goggles (configuration not stated in sources)
Monoculars
| Maker | Model | Tube format | Weight | Power | IR | Key features | Status | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low Light Innovations | MH-14 | Any standard 18 mm, incl. MX-10160 and MX-11769 (manual gain with 11769/3-pad tubes) | 244 g, lightest configuration | 1x AA, 50+ h | Yes, dual | Manual gain; Dual IR (low-power flood and high-power spot); Can be upgraded to a binocular via the MH-1 MBS bridge | Listed by maker | Maker |
| L3Harris Technologies | AN/PVS-14 (M914A) | Gen III MX-11769 (18 mm) | 350 g with battery | 1x AA, about 48 h at 25 C | Yes | Variable gain, autogating; Built-in IR LED; Low-battery indicator in eyepiece | In production | Maker + secondary |
| Elbit America / Twenty-Six Defense | AN/PVS-14 (F6015) | 18 mm Gen 3 (MX-11769 family) | 351 g (secondary source) | 1x AA (secondary source) | – | – | In production | Maker + secondary |
| AB Night Vision | RVM-14 | MX-11769-style | 300 g with mil-spec optics and battery | 1x CR123, about 75 h | Yes | Rotary power/gain; Built-in IR; Two units combine into a binocular via RVM-14 Bridge | In production | Maker |
| Night Vision Devices (NVD) | PVS-14 | 16 mm or 18 mm (Elbit, Photonis, L3Harris) – per-model mapping not stated | 309 g (no battery) | 1x AA, 50+ h | Yes | Gain control; IR; 1x, 9.8 in to infinity, -6/+2 dpt | In catalogue | Maker |
| Night Vision Devices (NVD) | UL PVS-14 (UL-14) | 16 mm or 18 mm (Elbit, Photonis, L3Harris) – per-model mapping not stated | 237 g (no battery) | 1x AA, 25+ h (pack 85+ h) | – | Lightweight optics optimised for P-45; Push-button power/IR/gain; 1x, 9.8 in to infinity, -6/+2 dpt | In catalogue | Maker |
| Nivisys | MUM-14 (Multi-Use Monocular) | Gen III (format not stated) | about 260 g | 1x AA 20+ h or 1x CR123 40+ h | Yes | Built-in IR; Detachable eyepiece; 40° FOV | – | Secondary |
| Photonis Defense | PD-PRO-16M | 16 mm 4G filmless | 38% lighter than a PVS-14 (maker claim) | – | – | – | Announced December 2020 | Maker + secondary |
| PCO S.A. | MU-3M | 16 mm 4G | – | – | – | – | In catalogue | Maker |
Binoculars – articulating
| Maker | Model | Tube format | Weight | Power | IR | Key features | Status | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kauffmann-Bremin (KB) | KB DT-2 | 18 mm MX-10160 (dealer data) | 557 g with standard mil-spec optics and battery (dealer data) | 1x CR123A, about 25 h (dealer data) | No (by design) | Large glove-friendly on/off lever; Pods switch off when rolled out of view; unit switches off when stowed; Very low stow from the angled-arm design | In production | Maker + dealer data |
| Kauffmann-Bremin (KB) | KB DT-M (Dual Tube Modular) | 18 mm and 16 mm; manual gain with 3- and 4-pad tubes | 496 g with RPO PVS-14 optics | 1x CR123 or 1x AA, 25 h at 18 C. External power via a waterproof USB-compatible connector, 1.5-5.5 V, with automatic internal/external switchover. Adapters for Fischer-style, ANVIS Lemo-style and USB-C packs. | Yes, 1–3 emitters | AsymMCS sealed magnetic controls (patent pending); Manual gain with left/right calibration; Onboard IR, external power and service port | Current model (announced July 2026) | Maker (KB press release) |
| Low Light Innovations | LLUL-21 | 18 mm, PVS-14 optics | 460 g with standard PVS-14 optics (dealer data) | External 4x AA pack, about 90 h | – | Individual pod on/off; IPD stops; IPD 51-73 mm | Discontinued (dealer data) | Secondary |
| Low Light Innovations | MH-1 | Any standard 18 mm, incl. MX-10160 and MX-11769 | 434 g housing, lightest configuration | Modular: CR123 housing; Universal Battery Compartment (AA/CR123 with Fischer external input); or external-only port. 25-90 h. | Yes, dual | Modular Bridge System splits it into two monoculars; Plug-in 4-pin manual gain, no soldering (keeps tube warranty); Rotational pod shut-off | In production | Maker + secondary |
| Low Light Innovations | UH-1 | Any standard 18 mm, incl. MX-10160 and MX-11769 | 459 g minimum (housing) | AA onboard plus Fischer 4-pin external with automatic switchover; 25-90 h | – | Solder-free manual gain; User-serviceable; IPD 54–78 mm | In production | Maker |
| L3Harris Technologies | AN/PVS-31A BNVD | Gen III white phosphor MX-11769 variable-gain, 1600 to 2376+ FOM | <450 g with 1x AA | 1x AA lithium, >=8 h (average 16 h); optional 4-cell pack >=24 h (average 50 h) | – | Manual gain; Rotating pods, low stow, monocular use; Auto-off when stowed | In production | Maker |
| Elbit America / Twenty-Six Defense | F5032 / AN/PVS-31D SBNVG | 18 mm Gen 3 | about 533 g (press review) | 1x AA, about 30 h; remote pack option (TFB) | Yes | Reed-switch pod shut-off; Bridge IR (double-tap); 12-step manual gain | In production | Maker + secondary |
| THEON | NYX | – | – | – | – | Independently flip-away monoculars; Helmet, head or handheld use; 18-month KSK acceptance test (arctic, desert, jungle) | In production | Secondary |
| THEON | MIKRON (BNVG) | 2x 16 mm (Exosens/Photonis) | – | 1x AA; optional external pack | Yes | Integrated IR; Independently folding monoculars | In production (Germany/Belgium OCCAR programme) | Maker + secondary |
| THEON | MIKRON-D | 16 mm | about 403 g without battery (press review) | remote AA pack in tested setup | – | Reed-relay shut-off on mount flip-up and pod fold; Fits Wilcox G69 | – | Secondary |
| EOTech (housing attributed to THEON by a press review) | BinoNV-C / BinoNV-W | 16 mm (C version, press review) | about 431 g with battery, C version (press review) | 1x AA (about 25 h lithium) | Yes | Rotary stepped manual gain; IR via double-tap; Remote pack port | – | Secondary |
| AB Night Vision | RNVG-A (ARNVG) | MX-10160-style | 170 g housing only; 567 g with mil-spec optics and L3 tubes, no battery | 1x CR123, about 16 h; 4-pin LEMO external | – | Pods switch off when raised; fold flat to helmet; Coin-adjustable swing force; Drop-tested beyond MIL-STD-810H | In production | Maker |
| AB Night Vision | MGA (Manual Gain Articulating) | MX-11769-style | 210 g housing; 580 g with mil-spec optics and L3 tubes; 492 g with RPO 3.0 | 1x CR123, about 30 h; 4-pin LEMO external | Yes | Rotary power/gain switch; Push-button IR; Assembly without removing tube flex cables | In production | Maker |
| Boson Systems | Proton MNVG | 18 mm MX-10160 or small ANVIS-type auto-gain | 179 g housing; 569 g reference build (dealer data) | CR123A about 25 h or AA about 15 h via swappable Lower Module (ERGO-LOCK) | Yes, programmable | Interchangeable PVS-14 or ANVIS-format pods; Patent-pending cableless, solderless module disassembly; Programmable VCSEL IR (18 and 60°) | In production | Secondary |
| Code-4 Defense | BNVH-40 | MX-10160, PVS-14 optics | about 507 g assembled (dealer data) | 1x CR123A, about 20 h | – | Push-button; Bungee points; Made in USA | In production (dealer data) | Secondary |
| Nocturn Industries | Katana (UANVB / ANVB-M, molded) | MX-10160 | Not listed (published figures awaiting confirmation) | 1x CR123A, 26+ h; LEMO 00B 2-pin external | No | No IR, no manual gain; Low-battery indicator; Individual pod stow shut-off, IPD stops | In production | Maker + secondary |
| Nocturn Industries | Katana-R (UANVB-R / ANVB-R) | MX-10160 | Not listed (published figures awaiting confirmation) | 1x CR123A, 26+ h; LEMO external | No | No IR, no manual gain; Low-battery indicator; Individual pod stow shut-off, IPD stops | In production | Maker + secondary |
| Nocturn Industries | Manticore (UANVB-FC / MNVB-M, molded) | MX-11769 | Not listed (published figures awaiting confirmation) | CR123A or AA (separate caps) 26+ h; AAA cap 10+ h; LEMO external | Yes | Onboard IR; Manual gain (digital tactile buttons); Low-battery indicator | In production | Maker + secondary |
| Nocturn Industries | Manticore-R (UANVB-FCR / MNVB-R) | MX-11769 | Not listed (published figures awaiting confirmation) | CR123A or AA 26+ h; AAA 10+ h; LEMO external | Yes | Onboard IR; Manual gain (digital tactile buttons); Low-battery indicator | In production | Maker + secondary |
| Nocturn Industries | Raptor (ultralight articulating, single control) | – | Not listed (published figures awaiting confirmation) | CR123A or AA 26+ h; AAA 10+ h; LEMO external | Yes | Onboard IR; Manual gain (digital tactile buttons); Low-battery indicator | In production | Maker + secondary |
Binoculars – fixed bridge, modular and other
| Maker | Model | Tube format | Weight | Power | IR | Key features | Status | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low Light Innovations | Aeternus | – | 535 g without battery (dealer data) | 1x CR123, about 40 h | No (by design) | No integrated IR, to save weight and power; Sealed, reinforced pod joints; IPD 51-73 mm | Production status not confirmed | Secondary |
| Elbit America / Twenty-Six Defense | AN/PVS-33 BiNOD | Gen 3 18 mm gated, high-FOM white phosphor, drop-in replaceable | 525 g with lithium battery | 1x AA, >24 h; external pack connector | Yes | Side stow and flip-up; Integrated IR and variable gain; Shares components with the PVS-14 | In production | Maker |
| THEON | NYX-BiNOD | high-FOM white phosphor (format not stated) | – | – | – | Designed to US Army BiNOD specification; Usable as binocular or monocular; Stereoscopic | Production-ready (per Theon) | Maker |
| AB Night Vision | MOD-3 | 18 mm, PVS-14 optics | about 650 g, manual-gain version (press review) | 3 V lithium (CR123) | – | Detachable pods convert to two monoculars; No wiring through the IPD joint; Manual-gain and auto-gain variants | Legacy | Secondary |
| AB Night Vision | RNVG (Ruggedized Night Vision Goggle) | 18 mm | about 570 g with battery, as an assembled system (dealer data) | 1x CR123, about 30 h; ANVIS-style aux connector | Yes | No exposed wires (contact strip); PVS-14-style power/IR knob on bridge; Built to be more impact-resistant than polymer goggles | In production | Maker + secondary |
| AB Night Vision | RPNVG (panning) | MX-10160-style | 605 g without battery / 621 g with; mono adaptor 320 g | 1x CR123 (about 16 h bino / 30 h mono); ANVIS-style aux pack | Yes | Switches between collimated straight-ahead and wide-angle panning (40-65°); Tool-free pod removal; mono adaptors; Built-in IR | In production | Maker |
| Boson Systems | Proton Lite (and Proton Lite-O monocular) | Small ANVIS / MX-10160 | about 545 g binocular; about 270 g Lite-O (dealer data) | 1x CR123A (mono about 40 h) | – | Nitrogen-purged sealed pods, swap mono/bino without re-purging; Simple analogue push-button controls, no electronics; Screwdriver-only field service | In production | Secondary |
| Night Vision Devices (NVD) | BNVD-SG | 16 mm or 18 mm (Elbit, Photonis, L3Harris) – per-model mapping not stated | 540 g (no battery) | 1x AA, 25+ h | – | Single gain; About 90% parts commonality with PVS-14; 1x, 9.8 in to infinity, -6/+2 dpt | In catalogue | Maker |
| Night Vision Devices (NVD) | BNVD | 16 mm or 18 mm (Elbit, Photonis, L3Harris) – per-model mapping not stated | 525 g | 1x AA, 25+ h | – | No gain; Auto-off when flipped up; 1x, 9.8 in to infinity, -6/+2 dpt | In catalogue | Maker |
| Night Vision Devices (NVD) | UL BNVD-SG | 16 mm or 18 mm (Elbit, Photonis, L3Harris) – per-model mapping not stated | 465 g | 1x AA, 25+ h | – | Hybrid polymer/glass optics; Optional 3x afocal; 1x, 9.8 in to infinity, -6/+2 dpt | In catalogue | Maker |
| Night Vision Devices (NVD) | UL BNVD | 16 mm or 18 mm (Elbit, Photonis, L3Harris) – per-model mapping not stated | 450 g | 1x AA, 25+ h (3-AA pack 50+ h) | – | 4-position switch to disable auto-off; 1x, 9.8 in to infinity, -6/+2 dpt | In catalogue | Maker |
| Night Vision Devices (NVD) | MINI B AA | 16 mm or 18 mm (Elbit, Photonis, L3Harris) – per-model mapping not stated | 395-435 g | 1x AA, 25+ h | – | Push buttons, single gain; 1x, 9.8 in to infinity, -6/+2 dpt | In catalogue | Maker |
| Night Vision Devices (NVD) | MINI B AAA | 16 mm or 18 mm (Elbit, Photonis, L3Harris) – per-model mapping not stated | 380 g (16 mm) / 420 g (18 mm) | 1x AAA, 10+ h | – | Lightest NVD dual-tube; Detachable battery compartment; 1x, 9.8 in to infinity, -6/+2 dpt | In catalogue | Maker |
| Photonis Defense | PD-PRO-16B | 16 mm 4G filmless | Up to 30% lighter than 18 mm versions (maker claim) | – | – | – | Announced December 2020 | Maker + secondary |
| Photonis Defense | BiNOD (US Army) | Exosens image intensifiers | – | – | – | – | Low-rate initial production: 1,600 systems, deliveries 2026–2027 | Maker |
| Thales | Bi-NYX (NELLIE-based) | – | <460 g | – | – | 47° FOV; Optimised for vehicle driving | In production (2,000-set batch order Dec 2023) | Secondary |
| PCO S.A. | PNL-2ADM | – | – | – | – | – | In catalogue | Maker |
| PCO S.A. | MZN-1 | – | – | – | – | – | In catalogue | Maker |
| PCO S.A. | MU-3ADM | 16 mm 4G | – | – | – | – | In catalogue | Maker |
| Opticoelectron | OE NVG-40 / OE NVG-50 | Super Gen / Gen 3 / 4G; green or white | – | – | – | 40° (NVG-40) or 50° (NVG-50) FOV | In catalogue | Maker |
| AGM Global Vision | NVG-50 | Gen 2+ or Gen 3 | 615 g | 1x CR123A or AA, up to 20 h (80 h with pack) | Yes, 2 levels | 51° FOV; Manual gain; Built-in IR, 2 levels | In production | Maker |
| Steiner eOptics | AN/PVS-21 / NVS-21 (Low Profile NVG) | – | – | 1x AA | Yes, 2 LEDs | See-through beam-combiner window; 2 IR LEDs; Adjustable-tilt dovetail | Commercial NVS-21 discontinued (dealer data) | Secondary |
Panoramic (four-tube)
| Maker | Model | Tube format | Weight | Power | IR | Key features | Status | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L3Harris Technologies | GPNVG-18 (Ground Panoramic Night Vision Goggle) | 4x 18 mm MX-10160-style | <800 g without accessories | Remote pack: 4x DL123 (low-profile) or 4x AA (cold-weather), 14 h at 25 C | Optional IR beacon on pack | 97 x 40° FOV; Solder-free replaceable tubes; Detachable monoculars usable handheld | In production | Maker + secondary |
| Photonis Defense | PD-PRO-Q | 18 mm and 16 mm 4G filmless (hybrid) | Up to 30% lighter than 18 mm versions (maker claim) | – | – | – | Announced December 2020 | Maker + secondary |
| Thales | PANORAMIC | – | 740 g | Battery; optional external pack | – | Extra-wide FOV; Compatible with Thales Xtraim; Funded by the French Defence Innovation Agency | Unveiled 2025 | Secondary |
Bi-ocular (one tube, two eyepieces)
| Maker | Model | Tube format | Weight | Power | IR | Key features | Status | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elbit America / Twenty-Six Defense | AN/PVS-7 (F5001) | 18 mm (Gen 3 installable) | 520 g; 680 g with head mount (secondary source) | – | – | – | Legacy; in service | Secondary |
| Night Vision Devices (NVD) | PVS-7 | 16 mm or 18 mm (Elbit, Photonis, L3Harris) – per-model mapping not stated | 680 g | 2x AA, 40+ h | – | MIL-PRF-49313 / MIL-STD-810G; 1x, 9.8 in to infinity, -6/+2 dpt | In catalogue | Maker |
| Thales | LUCIE | 18 mm (10130-type, as PVS-7) | about 438 g | 1x AA, 45 h | – | – | Legacy | Secondary |
| Thales | O-NYX (MINIE-based) | – | – | – | – | – | In service (about 12,960 units, French Army) | Secondary |
Other goggles (configuration not stated in sources)
| Maker | Model | Tube format | Weight | Power | IR | Key features | Status | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senop | EVA M (Finnish designation VV M25) | – | – | – | – | Aspherical and composite optics; small and light | In production (FDF order Jan 2025) | Maker |
| Safran Electronics & Defense | E-NYX | latest-generation French tubes | <500 g | – | – | 47° FOV; Compatible with ECOTI/ECOSI clip-on; Made in France | Ordered by two NATO countries | Secondary |
| Newcon Optik | NVS 7 | 18 mm Gen 2+ or Gen 3 | 480 g | 2x AA, >80 h (>30 h with IR) | Yes | – | – | Maker |
| PCO S.A. | GN-1MD | – | – | – | – | – | In catalogue | Maker |
| PCO S.A. | PNL-3M | – | – | – | – | – | In catalogue | Maker |
| PCO S.A. | PNL-3X | – | – | – | – | – | In catalogue | Maker |
Notes and corrections
- The L3Harris GPNVG uses four 18 mm MX-10160-style tubes according to the current L3Harris spec sheet. An early 2011 report mentioned 16 mm tubes.
- The Elbit F5032 (AN/PVS-31D) is, according to a THEON representative quoted in a press review, built on a housing-and-optics kit supplied by THEON that corresponds to its NYX.
- Nocturn Industries publishes weights for its housings that appear to exclude optics and tubes. We will add them once the configuration is confirmed.
- Photonis Defense does not disclose which company makes the housings for its PD-PRO systems.
- Release years are missing for most commercial housings because makers rarely publish them.
Sources
- kauffmann-bremin.com – manufacturer
- KB DT-M press release KB-PR-001 Rev A (kauffmann-bremin.com)
- defence-catalogue.luxinnovation.lu – official registry/catalogue (Luxinnovation defence catalogue)
- Introducing the KB DT-M Night Vision Binoculars (medium.com)
- DTNVG How it All Began (medium.com)
- From Sketch to Dual Tubes (medium.com)
- abnightvision.com – manufacturer
- Friday Night Lights: ABNV MOD-3 (thefirearmblog.com)
- agmglobalvision.com – manufacturer datasheet
- L3Harris Technologies Completes Sale of Harris Night Vision Business (l3harris.com)
- Twenty-Six Defense to Strengthen Innovation and Domestic Manufacturing (soldiersystems.net)
- 26defense.com – manufacturer
- en.wikipedia.org – wiki (secondary)
- GPNVG18 (soldiersystems.net)
- lowlightinnovations.com – manufacturer
- lowlightinnovations.com – manufacturer
- manualmachine.com – manufacturer manual (mirror)
- nvdevices.com – manufacturer
- equipnor.com – manufacturer catalogue (hosted by distributor)
- officer.com – trade directory
- nivisys.com – manufacturer
- NIVISYS Industries Announces Publicly Available NVS (ammoland.com)
- nocturnindustries.com – manufacturer
- opticoel.com – manufacturer
- pcosa.com.pl – manufacturer
- Photonis Defense Releases Ultralight 4G Night Vision Goggles (officer.com)
- Photonis Announces New PD-PRO Night Vision, Including Quads (thefirearmblog.com)
- Exosens US BiNOD order (exosens.com)
- cotsjournalonline.com – press (COTS Journal)
- Finland to purchase more night vision goggles from Senop (senop.fi)
- Friday Night Lights: PVS-21 Revisited (thefirearmblog.com)
- Friday Night Lights: Thales LUCIE (thefirearmblog.com)
- Thales makes first shipment of 300 Bi-NYX night vision goggles (fragoutmag.com)
- Thales unveils Panoramic NVG (euro-sd.com)
- How THEON SENSORS became a world leader (defsec.net.nz)
- NYX-BiNOD launch at DSEI 2025 (theon.com)
- HENSOLDT and THEON receive OCCAR contract for 20.000 night vision goggles (hensoldt.net)
- THEON Secures Record Contract For Over 100,000 NVGs (thefirearmblog.com)
- THEON announces the acquisition of Harder Digital (theon.com)
- esut.de – press (ESUT)
- shop.lowlightinnovations.com – manufacturer
- shop.lowlightinnovations.com – manufacturer
- shop.lowlightinnovations.com – manufacturer
- cdn.shopify.com – manufacturer datasheet (hosted by dealer CDN)
- en.wikipedia.org – wiki (secondary)
- l3harris.com – manufacturer datasheet
- l3harris.com – manufacturer sell sheet
- l3harris.com – manufacturer spec sheet
- 26defense.com – manufacturer
- Friday Night Lights: Elbit F5032 SBNVG/PVS-31D (thefirearmblog.com)
- 26defense.com – manufacturer
- 26defense.com – manufacturer
- milipolqatar.com – trade-show catalogue
- Friday Night Lights: Theon Sensors MIKRON-D (thefirearmblog.com)
- abnightvision.com – manufacturer
- abnightvision.com – manufacturer
- abnightvision.com – manufacturer
- abnightvision.com – manufacturer
- Friday Night Lights: EOTech BinoNV-C (thefirearmblog.com)
Last checked: 9 November 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us in the forum.