Thread: Question - 850nm or 940nm IR torch?

I'm going to be bringing in a torch host to have custom LED modules I'll be building of White, Red, IR 850nm or 940nm, possibly a green if there's any interest.

What do people use most? Would it be beneficial to have both options or is 850nm all most use? I certainly don't want a whole heap left untouched.

I'm pretty sure animals can detect 850, so some people might prefer 940. But can a tube designed for 850 be used effectively with 940 illumination?

Originally Posted by Danger Mouse

I'm pretty sure animals can detect 850, so some people might prefer 940. But can a tube designed for 850 be used effectively with 940 illumination?

Thanks for the reply

Yeah, I know they can see it, but heard most will use it more often since 940nm drops the light back quite significantly. Maybe I need to make an IR kit with both included so I'm not left over with modules.

It's a zoomie light so any LED will work decently. Not everyone will like the square beam it focuses in to, but focus it out slightly and it's no longer an issue. With the Osram white LED I get 1,400m.

I was looking at the Brinyte T28 updated version with Red, IR850nm, 940nm that has a lever to change between LEDs. Not sure what range everyone needs though, the T28 gets around 300m at a stretch.

Originally Posted by Phil_H

I am perhaps an odd one here. I am currently using green and it is working for me at this time. The torch was a cheapie no-name off Ali Express. I only last night ordered a Osram C8+ Green from you as it holds the promise of giving me better range than I am currently getting with my cheap AliExpress.

I would most definitely give red a go if I could find one with the good range at a reasonable cost. 660 nm would be desirable rather than the 620 nm which I am lead to believe is the manufacturing industry standard.

Cheers
Phil

Hi Phil,

I'll have your order sent out tomorrow, thank you. I still need to assemble that light so I better get off here before it gets too late.

The Osram red LED I use is 617nm which most brands use now also. The Cree XP-E2 offers 660nm but range would be very limited. Maybe this new host I'm getting in would be suitable with an adjustable focus. I could always order this LED and test it. What kind of range would you find usable? It could also be fitted into the Osram L21A, but of course it can't be mounted.


Regards,

Jacob

The inbuilt 850nm illuminator on my pard works but animals do respond to it. Rabbits will move off if it's focused on a tight beam pattern. That's a laser illuminator from memory. I'd be interested in what the price and range for a 940nm led would be.

I've been using that C8+ in green from time to time and that's very effective. I suspect because it's different so rabbits and pigs haven't learnt it means danger.

I have both 850nm and 940nm illuminators in use with my Pard NV008. A 940nm illuminator with a larger aspheric lens than the inbuilt 850nm illuminator give similar detection range, while not being visible.

I have used IR laser illuminators, and these are infinitely better than LED solutions. If I could find a good ir940nm laser illuminator, that would tick all of the boxes.

Good stuff! Be warned, don't borrow a night vision unit to have a look with. You'll be left with a need to get one. Then in 12 months time repeat the process with a thermal.
Experience, that thing you get just after you needed it....

Well well well, seems I haven't been getting notified of these comments, even though I'm subscribed to the thread...very odd.

Thank you for the feedback Phil, if at any time you want to switch to white, it'll only be about $12 instead of buying another torch. Any chance you could leave a feedback on the website? It helps a lot when it's something I'm building. I had that red light there for 3 months of no sales, managed to sell one and asked for a review to be left. Immediately after, I sold around 10 of them, same story for the C8+ green and L21A.

I've read on a lot of forums that animals spook the same for any color once they know it means danger. Many have had mixed success with both red and green, so it sometimes makes it hard as of what to recommend someone.

This is a video demonstrating the range of the Osram LED in the torch I'm wanting to bring in. Made it for the company hoping they would use the Osram LEDs so I didn't have to assemble everything myself . Unfortunately they weren't really that interested, even though it destroys the stock version.



I'm having a hard time trying to decide on an IR setup, is that head too large? it's 70mm. How do people usually mount an IR torch, on the scope or on a picatinny rail or? I'm super new to IR. Maybe I should hold off and get some help from a flashlight forum. Maybe I should start off with just the white, green, and red LEDs and see how people like them before getting into IR straight off. I think that would be the wise approach. I almost need to get NV equipment to test my own builds and that's not cheap....hmmmm.
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First time looking through Dad's Pard SA-45 thermal and wow it's quite something, easily spotting animals over 1km. If only it didn't cost 5.5k secondhand.

Btw Maxtoch are allowing me to review their new L3K flashlight. They gave me a nice discount. I have the whole kit coming.

The Maxtoch L3K is an LEP with a 3,000m beam range, that's just crazy. I'll get some decent footage and I'll post it in this forum once it's done. I'd never buy a Maxtoch at their prices, but I definitely wasn't turning down a chance to own one of these at a heavily reduced price. Maybe someone will want it once I'm done

During Maxtoch's development phase (with significant kiwi input by a couple of stirling guys on this and other forums) they were selling for $70 ish USD, with the Kiwi at 80 odd US cents, so were dirt cheap. Now they have a name they have jacked their prices up sky high

Originally Posted by XR500

During Maxtoch's development phase (with significant kiwi input by a couple of stirling guys on this and other forums) they were selling for $70 ish USD, with the Kiwi at 80 odd US cents, so were dirt cheap. Now they have a name they have jacked their prices up sky high

I believe it had a lot to doing with being fair on dealers in NZ. I struggle enough with the brands I sell not caring how low they sell for, very hard to stop people buying direct. The only thing that's better buying local is good support and a warranty you can rely on.

I heard years ago that this was why they increased their pricing. They have to also set a MSRP and MAP pricing just like all the other top brands.

This may be a bit off-topic, though is there much interest / supply in IR lasers, as opposed to LED IR illuminators?

Originally Posted by Nasty Factory Trigger

This may be a bit off-topic, though is there much interest / supply in IR lasers, as opposed to LED IR illuminators?

I think there would be a fair amount of interest in a decent performing Lazer IR illuminator that was available at a reasonable price, to run as an add-on to the likes of Pard units, to throw extra light, to either increase usable distance, or just thro more light for better image quality and target ID at the far limits of the reach of the built in IR,

There are some nice units available in the UK etc, but they seem to be hard to get here, and are around $500+

I have an external IR illuminator that works reasonably well for my uses, got on a limited deal via a member here that imported some chinese ones, it was hell cheap, like $50 IIRC, it's a bit finachy with its zoom adjustment and the lens that focuses the beam, but once you get used to that it can shine a tight IR beam out to 500 yards to give a decent IR image via my Pard Nv008. This is far beyond what I need, I mainly use it on 17 hmr, so 150 yards is a long shot in the dark, on properties where i know distances, as i dont have the range finder model.

Originally Posted by GWH

I think there would be a fair amount of interest in a decent performing Lazer IR illuminator that was available at a reasonable price, to run as an add-on to the likes of Pard units, to throw extra light, to either increase usable distance, or just thro more light for better image quality and target ID at the far limits of the reach of the built in IR,

There are some nice units available in the UK etc, but they seem to be hard to get here, and are around $500+

I have an external IR illuminator that works reasonably well for my uses, got on a limited deal via a member here that imported some chinese ones, it was hell cheap, like $50 IIRC, it's a bit finachy with its zoom adjustment and the lens that focuses the beam, but once you get used to that it can shine a tight IR beam out to 500 yards to give a decent IR image via my Pard Nv008. This is far beyond what I need, I mainly use it on 17 hmr, so 150 yards is a long shot in the dark, on properties where i know distances, as i dont have the range finder model.

Thanks GWH,

Yup - have spent a few days now trying to sift thru the internet for laser illuminators for NZ - even AliExpress is a hard find for lasers - plenty of LED ones of course... As usual for NZ, almost everything is either expensive or unobtainable..
Have just picked up the Sytong Add-on unit - and the 940 torch works - though when you change the focus, the beam heads for the trees!! uggh... hence the search for something a bit more useful...

Appreciate your time

Have been looking outside of nz myself as hoping to pick up a night vision scope shortly..

https://www.nightvisionstore.co.uk/b...or-c2x38328799
https://www.nightvisionstore.co.uk/b...or-c2x28497639
https://www.mmsporting.co.uk/shop/ma...r-laser-torch/

www.nightvisionforumuk.com Bit of relevant info in this forum if you join and sift through it...