Night vision goggles are a useful but very expensive device. They are actively used in army units and are often found among the mandatory attributes of civilians. The latter use them for tracking game, observing animals, driving a vehicle, and a variety of other purposes. Such optics are easy to use and enable users to perform a wide variety of tasks, from responsible military operations to night hunting.
How much cost night vision goggles?
NV goggles are state of the art devices with many features available. Most often they have a very high cost, so not everyone can afford to buy them. However, if you still decide to spend a large amount, then every cent invested will fully justify itself. This will be possible due to the high quality of all manufactured models, their versatility and ease of use.
The price of all models available to civilians varies in a wide range and directly depends on many factors. The most popular are second generation glasses. On average, their cost is $ 2500-3000. At the same time, sometimes there are models, for the possession of which you will have to pay up to $ 4,000. Such devices make it possible to obtain an image of good quality. They are distinguished by high rates of light amplification, photocathode sensitivity, and resolution. In addition, such optics has a fairly compact size and low weight.
Among the popular devices include glasses of the third generation. Most often, their price starts at $4,000 and often reaches $10,000. The most advanced models in this category can cost up to $20,000. All these devices have excellent performance characteristics and amplify the light well, providing the user with a high quality picture.
The most expensive NV goggles are those designed for the military. These modern multifunctional devices are true works of art. They are made of advanced materials, are extremely reliable and are not afraid of environmental factors. In addition, models produced specifically for military use provide high-definition images with excellent detail. Their cost is fully consistent with the status and often reaches $ 100,000. In most cases, military night vision goggles are produced on special order and even civilians with unlimited financial resources will not be able to purchase them.
Why are night vision goggles so expensive?
Night vision goggles are always very expensive. It consists of several factors that manufacturers take into account when calculating the economic component of the models produced. Depending on this, the price automatically increases or remains within certain limits.
Components of the high cost of NV goggles:
- Regular introduction of special developments. Night vision technology has not yet reached its peak. They are constantly being improved and adjusted to the needs of customers. In this regard, all manufacturers have to spend a lot of money on new developments. This will help them to remain competitive in the market and increase the number of customers. Most often they are army units and law enforcement organizations that can pay almost any money for a quality device. All this, combined with financial losses, negatively affects the cost of products. As a result, it becomes more expensive and not available to every buyer.
- The high price of the production itself. Making night vision goggles is very difficult. During their production, you need to use expensive equipment, as well as use modern materials. The latter also have a high price, which automatically leads to an increase in the final cost. Also, wages to employees of the company, who are distinguished by a high level of professionalism and will not work for little money, are paid into the production cost item.
- Economic component. For several previous years, night vision goggle manufacturers had suffered losses. They were associated with long-term contracts (mostly with military units) for production, which included the sale of devices to customers at predetermined prices. These contracts did not take into account the increase in the cost of materials and equipment used in the production process. As a result, manufacturers had to raise the cost of their products sold to civilians. Also, the negative economic effect became more noticeable against the background of the coronavirus pandemic, during which the demand for various optical devices and many related products fell sharply.
- Relatively low demand. NV goggles are not overly traded. They are used by representatives of several professions, as well as lovers of hunting at night. Despite all this, manufacturers have to keep the company running, pay salaries to employees and incur other financial losses. To recoup the latter, it is necessary to raise the cost of products and sell them at an inflated price. Such a financial policy of companies allows them to “survive” and receive at least some profit.
- Legislative restrictions. In some countries and regions, the problem of illegal use of goggles by hunters has arisen. With their help, they illegally hunted various animals and caused great damage to the ecology of a particular region. To get rid of such a problem, legislative restrictions were introduced that provide for a complete or partial ban on the use of this optics in certain places in a particular country. This reduced the demand for night vision goggles and led to their natural rise in price. Also in some regions there are restrictions on the number of products produced annually. Because of this, manufacturers are forced to build on the established limits and sum up all their economic calculations under them.
- Component of security. Night vision goggles can be bought not only by decent and law-abiding citizens. Some criminals use such optics to commit crimes at night. They lie in wait for their victims in the darkest places and take advantage of the use of optics to commit crimes that often remain unsolved. In this regard, the government of some countries prohibits sellers from reducing the price of devices so that they do not become affordable for most people. This approach allows to slightly reduce crime and increase the safety of citizens.
- Logistics component. There are not many companies in the world that produce night vision goggles. In this regard, there is another item of expenditure – delivery. It is carried out almost anywhere in the world and can be quite expensive. This feature leads to the need to increase the cost of products, including additional transportation costs. The latter can be carried out by road, water and air transport, as well as by rail. Depending on the option chosen, the price of goggles may differ, even if they are purchased from the same manufacturer.
- Durability of models. Almost all NV goggles have a long service life. This was made possible thanks to the use of high-quality components in the production and testing of each model before being released for sale. All this requires additional financial costs, which inevitably increases the cost of the models produced. In addition, the long service life of the devices eliminates the need for frequent replacement of optics, which increases the frequency of its purchase.
- Multifunctionality. Most of the produced night vision goggles perform not only their direct task, but also many related ones. Such multifunctionality requires the introduction of additional elements into the design, which negatively affects the cost of optics and its individual components. The lack of additional functions will make the products uncompetitive in the global market and lead to serious financial problems for the company.
- Brand popularity. Almost all manufacturers of night vision goggles are well-known companies. They conduct large-scale advertising campaigns and allocate a lot of money to popularize their own name. In this regard, buyers have to pay more for the brand, the logo of which will be located on the case and other design elements of the device.
Night vision goggles always meet the user’s expectations. These versatile devices do an excellent job of their main task, providing people with the ability to see clearly in the dark. The high cost of such optics is its main disadvantage. However, given the characteristics and available features, it is fully justified.
