I looked all over the internet for actual user reviews for the Spark and only found questions. I wasn't sure if it was worth the $499 since there were not end user reviews that sounded like they came from someone with nightvision experience. I had been saving for a TNVC/PVS-14 for a while, but that is not a short process when your'e sole source of income is the mighty VA. Anyway, I was still researching, when my wife sold here Cannon 7D and bought it for me, since it was in our cart at Amazon.
My reasons for looking towards the Spark were this: I am spoiled when it comes to night vision after being a Squad Designated Marksman and infantry team leader in the 82nd Airborne, with 15 months in Sadr City and a little short tour in Afgan with 2nd Ranger bat. I tried a multitude of Gen 1 devices and they are the only thing more frustrating than suran wrap or Great Value toilet paper. They are pretty much garbage as far as I'm concearned. The Spark got my attention because it had the same resolution as Gen2 night vision and the same recoil rating seing as how it has a ceramic based tube, but at 1/3 the price. On to the actual review...
The first thing I noticed was that it didnt look like a toy, as do most Gen 1 units.
She bought me a skull crusher too, and it is 10x as comfy as the military skull crushers, which I am fully aware, is not saying much.
Another huge bonus to me, being budget minded, is the versatilty. It can be weapons mounted, camera mounted, head mounted, used as a 1x device for navigation, or can have 3x or 5x adaptors added to it for a reasonable price.
I have spent a couple weeks with it now and feel that it has just as good of a picture as any of the several Gen2 units I have played with. Is it a set of PVS-15's? No, but its as good as a Gen2 PVS-14, picture wise. I havent jumped out of a C-130 with the spark, or ran over it, so I can't really attest to its durability, but it looks well made, and has handled the recoil of several hundred 5.56, .300 BLK and 6.8SPC rounds without a hitch.
There are NO artifacts or blems in the picture of any kind. I don't know if that is a result of the manufacturing process, or if it is just a good tube. But I do know that the 14's, 15's, Anvis', and even the Raptor's that I used in service had artifacts of some sort, albiet most were tiny and at the peripheree.
It does have to be focused a little more precisely than some of the Gen2 14's I have used, but this is only when trying to see fine detail, it doesnt seem to make a difference when ID'ing yotes or pigs at killing distances.
I tried to take pics through the unit, but without a camera adapter, it was tricky, so I ordered a camera adapter that should be in this week. When it gets here, I will post some pics of the same objects at the same distance through it, a Gen 1 ATN device, and will try to borrow Gen 2 and 3 devices to compare as well.
I use it with a UNIMAX IR laser, which I am not happy with. Its the first class1 IR laser I have used, and as to be expected, it's not a PEQ-15. But, what was not expected is that the dot (no its not blooming, we are talking even at distance) looks like an uber hairy 8" star fish covered in shag carpet. Not cool. Is that how they all look or do I have a bad unit? I would love some feedback on that if any of you own one.
I also have the Armasight IR810W illuminator, as well as a Streamlight illuminator and an IR Surefire head for a 6xp. The surefire head failed the first time I used it weapons mounted. The streamlight is ok, but it is HUGE. What I like about the IR810W is that it is focusable down to a very tight beam, on out to a wide flood. It is also adjustable for intensity so that it can be used for a few hundred yard shot, or turned down and focused out for use in an SSE scenario, or some other similar indoor fiasco where the streamlight would wash out the picture.
Here are a few pics of the rifle I use with it, and the monocular itself. Also, ignore my Tactical english setter, he was just preforming my pre mission PMCS on my kit for me while I watched the bachelor. I will get some thru-the-tube comparison pics as soon as I get my adaptor.
My reasons for looking towards the Spark were this: I am spoiled when it comes to night vision after being a Squad Designated Marksman and infantry team leader in the 82nd Airborne, with 15 months in Sadr City and a little short tour in Afgan with 2nd Ranger bat. I tried a multitude of Gen 1 devices and they are the only thing more frustrating than suran wrap or Great Value toilet paper. They are pretty much garbage as far as I'm concearned. The Spark got my attention because it had the same resolution as Gen2 night vision and the same recoil rating seing as how it has a ceramic based tube, but at 1/3 the price. On to the actual review...
The first thing I noticed was that it didnt look like a toy, as do most Gen 1 units.
She bought me a skull crusher too, and it is 10x as comfy as the military skull crushers, which I am fully aware, is not saying much.
Another huge bonus to me, being budget minded, is the versatilty. It can be weapons mounted, camera mounted, head mounted, used as a 1x device for navigation, or can have 3x or 5x adaptors added to it for a reasonable price.
I have spent a couple weeks with it now and feel that it has just as good of a picture as any of the several Gen2 units I have played with. Is it a set of PVS-15's? No, but its as good as a Gen2 PVS-14, picture wise. I havent jumped out of a C-130 with the spark, or ran over it, so I can't really attest to its durability, but it looks well made, and has handled the recoil of several hundred 5.56, .300 BLK and 6.8SPC rounds without a hitch.
There are NO artifacts or blems in the picture of any kind. I don't know if that is a result of the manufacturing process, or if it is just a good tube. But I do know that the 14's, 15's, Anvis', and even the Raptor's that I used in service had artifacts of some sort, albiet most were tiny and at the peripheree.
It does have to be focused a little more precisely than some of the Gen2 14's I have used, but this is only when trying to see fine detail, it doesnt seem to make a difference when ID'ing yotes or pigs at killing distances.
I tried to take pics through the unit, but without a camera adapter, it was tricky, so I ordered a camera adapter that should be in this week. When it gets here, I will post some pics of the same objects at the same distance through it, a Gen 1 ATN device, and will try to borrow Gen 2 and 3 devices to compare as well.
I use it with a UNIMAX IR laser, which I am not happy with. Its the first class1 IR laser I have used, and as to be expected, it's not a PEQ-15. But, what was not expected is that the dot (no its not blooming, we are talking even at distance) looks like an uber hairy 8" star fish covered in shag carpet. Not cool. Is that how they all look or do I have a bad unit? I would love some feedback on that if any of you own one.
I also have the Armasight IR810W illuminator, as well as a Streamlight illuminator and an IR Surefire head for a 6xp. The surefire head failed the first time I used it weapons mounted. The streamlight is ok, but it is HUGE. What I like about the IR810W is that it is focusable down to a very tight beam, on out to a wide flood. It is also adjustable for intensity so that it can be used for a few hundred yard shot, or turned down and focused out for use in an SSE scenario, or some other similar indoor fiasco where the streamlight would wash out the picture.
Here are a few pics of the rifle I use with it, and the monocular itself. Also, ignore my Tactical english setter, he was just preforming my pre mission PMCS on my kit for me while I watched the bachelor. I will get some thru-the-tube comparison pics as soon as I get my adaptor.
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