Night Vision Which tube would you pick?

[mikefraz]

Both Elbit thin film WP F9400 XLSH tubes. This is a PVS-14.

2511 fom (31snr 81lpmm)
.80 halo
.39 ebi
Zone 2 dark spot (.008)

2041.6 fom (31.9 snr 64lpmm)
.62 halo
1.1 ebi
Clean cosmetics

I don’t have it in front of me, but photocathode sensitivity was ~2400 for both.

The zone 2 dark spots is at 6:00-7:00.
I’m leaning towards the 2nd tube with the clean cosmetics because I’ve heard that the average user can’t tell the difference between 64 and 81 lp/mm. The EBI is also better, though tube 2 isn’t exactly terrible either.

Which one would you choose and why?

Edit: Here’s the higher FOM tube with the blem.

And here’s the non-blem tube (option 2)

 

[Lowdown3]

For XLS tubes both are pretty clean and good numbers, either look to be good choices.

 

[Pusher591]

The lower ebi tube will be more effective in low light. That would be my choice. The dark spot will wash out most of the time with your back ground in any environment other then a clean wall

 

[mikefraz]

81lpmm tube.

Why?

 

[johnelot]

i would go the first one 80lpmm and the ebi being lower so better too , i would never notice the blem -

 

[jwramp]

Second tube. Blems bother me more than other folks and the slight bump in S:N is more important to me than the EBI or Res differences. Clean tube will hold resale better than one with a big spot in it (it’ll look bigger in person than in the photo).

 

[mikefraz]

I ended up going with the 2nd tube (clean cosmetics). I know deep down that the blem spot would bother me, and the lower halo and slightly higher SNR helped. It came down to, was I willing to trade a little EBI for a cleaner tube. 1.1 isn’t exactly a terrible EBI either. I live in northern Indiana, so it’s not super hot and humid for most of the year where EBI matters the most. I’m sure I would have been happy with either option, so it was a win-win either way.

 

[Rerun7]

You should get the second one and then tell me where to find the first one

 

[mikefraz]

You should get the second one and then tell me where to find the first one

Goonin Gear LLC. They have a big Instagram presence and they have a website by the same name. I’m not sure if the higher FOM unit is going to the next in line, but it would be worth asking about. I had less than a two week wait before these tubes came in for me to pick from. It’s supposed to be delivered to my door this week. Very happy so far with their customer service and price. It’s a smaller operation from what I can tell, but they’ve answered my Instagram DM’s at midnight on like a Tuesday. What more can you ask for?

 

[WhereNow&How]

Second tube. Blems bother me more than other folks and the slight bump in S:N is more important to me than the EBI or Res differences. Clean tube will hold resale better than one with a big spot in it (it’ll look bigger in person than in the photo).

Yeah, I'm kind of with you there JW

I like mine clean, but will tolerate some Zone 3 blems/spots cause I run my units out so far that they never get seen anyway.

I run mine out so far Im probably only getting a 30 degree view but don't have to worry about them fogging up and can look to the side and under and just have way more situational awareness.