Bering Optics’ Showing at SHOT Show 2019
Although the brand name might not be instantly recognizable to every industry novice, Bering Optics is a true veteran of night vision and thermal imaging devices. Its story began in 1998 with the creation of Gen I night vision binoculars that were launched onto the market while the minds of today’s Bering Optics were still learning the ropes of the business, working for other optical brands. The company’s creatives continued to hone their skills, engineering generations of NV and thermal imaging optics before moving on to found this very promising company. At NSSF SHOT Show, Bering Optics unveiled the brand new addition to their PRODIGY series of thermal monoculars called PRODIGY Mini.
Mini by Name, Maxi by Might
The first thing that catches the eye is the size of this thermal monocular. With the objective lens diametre of 13 millimetres and near feather-light 370 grams, this is their smallest unit yet. Thanks to the compact build PRODIGY MINI is sure to fit into every pocket, while the rugged and rubberized housing is sturdy enough to withstand the harsh natural elements. The body of the device is water and dustproof, with an extra comfortable eyecup design.
Looking at physical properties of this model we can see that Bering Optics put the ease of use at the very top of the list. All functions of the PRODIGY Mini thermal monocular can be operated by the four control buttons on top of the device that are ergonomic enough for a single-hand operation with gloves on.
PRODIGY Mini thermal monocular uses a specially engineered LWIR (8-14µm) sensitive thermal core. This automatic shutter-based core is able to detect warm parts of observed objects up to 400 metres away, no matter the weather and terrain conditions.
The device can offer all the practical features of standard PRODIGY models except the Wifi connectivity and at an insanely affordable price. If you’re looking for a user-friendly thermal monocular that has a built-in LED flashlight, small (2x) digital magnification, and can be mounted with a tripod but don’t want to reach too deep into your wallet, PRODIGY Mini is the perfect solution for you.
Since PRODIGY Mini comes with a precise internal eyepiece focusing mechanism, there is no need for hand focus adjustments on the objective lens. The user can switch between 3 different polarity modes: Black Hot, White Hot and Red Hot and manually adjust the brightness levels of the display. What amazed us is the LCD display with a 720×540 resolution and the 17-micron pixel pitch, which is great for such a small unit.
Bering Optics claims that this little device has a longer battery life than any other thermal monocular on the market, offering up to 15 hours of run time. Even if you found yourselves running low, there is the power-save standby mode that has got you covered in a pinch. The programmable screen auto turn-off timer doesn’t hurt either. Another point in the battery’s favour is the quick and practical battery recharge via computer or smartphone USB port 5V DC.
What’s Next?
All in all, this is a truly neat device that embodies the best of both worlds – compact design paired with capable core features. Bering Optics understands the everyday customer and is here to maximize the user experience, ensuring practicality without compromising the optical performance of the thermal monocular. As the market of NV optics expands, companies that value the target audience have a head start therefore it’s no surprise that experts behind Bering Optics are quickly putting its name on the map.
