Night Vision

[Len R]

Dose anyone have experience with Flir or Sionyx cameras? Good, Bad, or personal preferences. I am running Garmin 8600xsv and would like to add this.

 

[Pascal]

No experience with Syonix but from I read it is not thermal, it amplifies existing light so if it s really dark, will it work? Not sure

I installed a FLIR on the boat I run and it s very helpful at night because it is an RPH. Even with everything dimmed in the PH, visibility thru the glass isn’t great. Especially morons with missing running lights

I have it hooked up to a large monitor so it is very readable. I can usually spot day markers from almost half a mile although on hot very humid night it s more like 1/4 mile or less.

You need some decent screen real estate to make it useful, so if you have two large MFDs it’s fine otherwise with just one you re going to share the screen with radar and plotter. Not ideal
Frankly on an open flybridge, I wouldn’t bother.
One last thing, since FLIR was bought by Raymarine, they have limited the connectivity. For instance to connect the output to an external screen you need an IP to HDMI converter. The one they supply can only be configured with a PC running some obsolete windows driver. One work around is to use a laptop to display the output by connecting it to the network.

 

[Len R]

Pascal, My lean has been on FLIR. The newest is around 8k, I'm not going to be running 40kt through a heavy chop to warrant image stabilizing. I'm using 8616xsv & 8616. Raemarine is not really an option due to compatibility. Sonix seems to enhance the available light as Flir looks to be thermal.

 

[rsmith]

We have the Sionyx on our CC coupled to 2 4312 garmins works well. Still no matter what the technology eyeballs are still the best collision avoidance. We just had another 3 engine CC run up on the FtPierce jetty. Thats 3 in the last 2 years. All had FLIR Radar and large gps map screens. My dad always impressed on me how important it was to preserve your night vision. I see these other CC’s running 50kts 10+ people on the boat all the courtesy and under cockpit lights on. No way they can see anything outside my boat. I’m more scared of someone hitting me than I’m am of hitting anything. These idiots with these big CC’s are as bad as the Miami Vice days when it wasn’t unusual to see an Apache up on someone’s sea wall

 

[Len R]

These idiots with these big CC’s are as bad as the Miami Vice days when it wasn’t unusual to see an Apache up on someone’s sea wall

More money than brains.
I'm more concerned with night running and being able to see pot markers and floating debris. I'll cover screens and check every 5 min. or so to keep the eyes adjusted depending how dark it is.

 

[Sadey]

Funny, it’s the same on the road. People have their large nav screens on full bright driving down dark roads. The screen on my wife’s car won’t go dim enough when we’re out in the boonies for me. As mentioned above, more credit than brains.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Funny, it’s the same on the road. People have their large nav screens on full bright driving down dark roads. The screen on my wife’s car won’t go dim enough when we’re out in the boonies for me. As mentioned above, more credit than brains.

Most car screens can be turned to dark mode. I turn it off completely when I get to dark areas with no lights.

 

[Sadey]

Same

 

[7837]

We run an analog Sionyx with a Garmin 8600 and I am really happy with the performance, especially considering the moderate cost. The gulfstream is a 100 mile run for us, so running at night is a necessity if we want to fish offshore.
On one 8600 we run radar overlay over gps. We run Sionyx full screen on our second. I can't imagine running at night without it. The level of clarity it provides is impressive. I actually find night running easier than running in intense sun. GPS / Radar for big picture and Sionyx for what is right in front of the bow.
Thermal has advantages over low light in fog but I have been happy with our choice based on how we typically use the boat. Ideally one would have both thermal and low light cameras. Neither is a replacement for radar IMO.
Attached are a couple photos of our setup in daylight and at night. That specific night was moonless and cloud covered. We were running back from the steam after a significant storm system passed.
Last, Sionyx customer service is top notch. We had an issue with a cable and they overnighted a cable and offered to send a new camera the next day if that didn't fix the glitch. Can't ask for better than that.

 

[Dominion]

I purchased a product from Boateye 360 for my 23' center console and it works great. I believe it is a commercial security camera encased in a stainless steel housing. Call and ask for Dru, the owner, as he is informative and helpful. I have it connected to my 12" Garmin. Cost was a little over $1,000.00. I fish out of Oregon Inlet and Chesapeake Bay, so I believe that is two good reference points. he has his screen , as well if you don't want to use yours.I believe it would be equally good around ports along the waterway. Elizabeth river is pretty well lighted, but the screen picks up day-markers and crab-pots, along with lumber. We have had no issues for the year we have operated it. I will be purchasing another for my 41 project when completed. needs some light, as I believe you would expect and misty mornings leaving out is hazy. I enjoy the added feature, but as others do, before all this, I would throw towel over gauges and cut machines off when running familiar territory. Also would slow down, saw long legged seagulls in Hatteras one time, and have avoided them so far ever sense!

 

[Len R]

GPS / Radar for big picture and Sionyx for what is right in front of the bow.

I have an hour run through bays to get to open water. We get a lot of debris, dock piles, trees, ect, washing from rivers on the main land in the spring. The radar overlay is great but but has a hard time with small or submerged hazards.

 

[Bernd1972]

There´s a manufacturer for standard surveillance cams that does ultra-low-light full Hd colour night vision, same low-ligth sensitivity as Sionyx. Look for Hikvision (not sure if spelled right), they have some colour night vision with AI picture enhancing function that, at 4k resolution, even get away with 20% of the light Sionyx needs, and they´re dirt-cheal in comparison and proper outdoor quality.

If you do not need thermal imaging I think HikVision is the way to go. If money is no topic I´d love to have both a forward-facing 110° HikVision colour Night vision cam and a FLIR unit. The HikVision will cost less than 10% of the FLIR.

 

[Pascal]

I ve been meaning to take a picture of our FLIR in real world condition and finally remembered a couple of days ago. Day markers can be seen up to about little over 1/4 miles. The FLIR output goes to a 20” monitor

Humidity was average that night so sometimes in hot humid summer nights the results aren’t as good.

 

[Len R]

Humidity was average that night so sometimes in hot humid summer nights the

Thank you for the pics and following up on the post. You mentioned Humidity. My mind went to Fog. Light enhanced systems or thermal in fog?? This can turn into a discussion of preferences. I am very interested in both sides of the discussion.

 

[Pascal]

Well here in sofl I ve never tried it in fog! I don’t think light enhanced cams will do good in fog though. FLIR? I don’t know. As I said on hot humid summer night it still works but not as good

 

[Len R]

Is anyone familiar with BOATEYE360?
The video seems very good

 

[madhatter1]

A friend just installed it on his boat. I don’t run at night but with the pictures he’s getting and at that price point I may join in for piece of mind.

I don’t run in fog but have been caught in it. Radar is a life saver. So same consideration to me.

 

[JD5652]

Is anyone familiar with BOATEYE360?
The video seems very good

I just went on the site and looked at it.... VERY INTERESTED!!!

I like that the company is local to me as well and it's a small business.

 

[edward]

Checked out LookOut ? AI assisted .

 

[JD5652]

Checked out LookOut ? AI assisted .

Nice... but $14K....