Buying NV based on FOM is like buying a car based on the monthly payment

[TheGerman]

This FOM bullshit is out of control. Literally everywhere you look they're trying to upcharge the ever living shit out of you for shit like FOM of > 1800 FOM of <2200, etc.

It's bullshit yet its so widely used that people somehow think its a standard, let alone that higher FOM = better. Hell, I don't think half of the people selling it even know this.

FOM is bullshit. It's basically just 2 numbers on the spec sheet (signal to noise SNR and LP which is basically just the resolution) multiplied together. That's it. It ignores every other single variable on the spec sheet. It includes nothing but those 2 factors, but alas, let's sell NV based on those. It's dumb as shit and will only get you to pay more for tubes that have a higher combination of those two factors while ignoring the possibility of absolute garbage performance from other aspects. Total 'sell the sizzle' aspect bullshit.

I've seen high FOM tubes that were complete dogshit. Why? Complete shit halo and a EBI somewhere in the 2.5 range when it should be as close to 0.1 as possible. I've seen 'average' FOM tubes that were fantastic.

Also, make sure on binos that the specs (not just the fucking FOM!) are as close as possible between the two tubes, otherwise weird shits going to go on. Get the spec sheet of the unit you are buying/looking to buy and go from there; dont fall for this 'itll have at least a 2000 FOM' bullshit because all that means is that the SNR and LP will multiply to at least 2000 but any other specs can be literally anything.

BUt IT haS a HiGH FoM!!!! Yeah and that v6 Mustang you bought for only 300$ a month has a shitty engine and a 23.4% interest rate.

Learn to read spec sheets. Don't buy the FOM.

 

[GreenMushroom]

Got my wife a 1701 filmless tube. 37 snr and .6 ebi. Resolution is 57. It's amazing. Don't remember the FOM because FOM is retarded.

 

[jMarine]

I’m here for the ride!

 

[LawnMM]

Your name should be TheRant

 

[roostercogburn98]

Great, now you’ve steered EVERYONE towards the poors night vision selection. Thanks

 

[rlsmith1]

Yes, be smarter so you can be poorer. Did I get it right?

 

[TheHorta]

He just wants to keep all the high FOM tubes for himself.

 

[jMarine]

He just wants to keep all the high FOM tubes for himself.

I knew it!

 

[French1966]

Stop worrying and let the new guys learn the hard way.
Then there are those guys with $10K+ worth of NV gear that don’t even know what they own or how to use it. Let them live in ignorance I say.

 

[Conqueror]

I dunno why one of the bigger companies like TNVC hasn’t come up with some better way of rating them. Like you could multiply LP*(1/halo) and call that “crispness” or something (I’m just making this up but you get the idea). With some careful thought you could probably come up with some way better rating methods that would be more helpful to buyers than FOM, and could help people decide if they want to prioritize absolute intensification power vs image quality vs whatever.

 

[French1966]

I dunno why one of the bigger companies like TNVC hasn’t come up with some better way of rating them. Like you could multiply LP*(1/halo) and call that “crispness” or something (I’m just making this up but you get the idea). With some careful thought you could probably come up with some way better rating methods that would be more helpful to buyers than FOM, and could help people decide if they want to prioritize absolute intensification power vs image quality vs whatever.

Not trying to convince anyone to adopt my methods, but SNR is pretty much my “figure of merit”.

Having owned 12+ units and keeping spec sheets to compare & reference between them, I’ve concluded that SNR is about the only spec I can tell a difference with my eyes that I actually care about.

EBI is probably overly worried about based on comparisons of .4-2.0. Halo is noticeable but doesn’t bother me. I can’t tell a difference between 64-81 resolution.

I’ve noticed a trend among people I know in particular. The elitist guys that obsess over specs and minor blemishes are generally the guys not going out and using their NV gear. Not always the case, but holds true amongst several people I know.

 

[TheGerman]

Not trying to convince anyone to adopt my methods, but SNR is pretty much my “figure of merit”.

Having owned 12+ units and keeping spec sheets to compare & reference between them, I’ve concluded that SNR is about the only spec I can tell a difference with my eyes that I actually care about.

EBI is probably overly worried about based on comparisons of .4-2.0. Halo is noticeable but doesn’t bother me. I can’t tell a difference in 64-81 resolution.

For me its:

SNR 25 and up is GTG
EBI low as possible; anything above 1.0 is no go
Resolution I dont care it just has to match across both tubes
Halo is important if using full power lasers; .6 or lower.

Other feature is the specs need to be similar across both tubes. I've seen vendors advertising 'matched' tubes based on FOM only that had 2 vastly different resolutions.

Irony here is if you can search spec sheets and find a matching 64 resolution with a 25+ SNR the tards basing everything on FOM will sell you the 'cheaper' tube even though it could actually be superior to the more expensive ones.

 

[French1966]

For me its:

SNR 25 and up is GTG
EBI low as possible; anything above 1.0 is no go
Resolution I dont care it just has to match across both tubes
Halo is important if using full power lasers; .6 or lower.

Other feature is the specs need to be similar across both tubes. I've seen vendors advertising 'matched' tubes based on FOM only that had 2 vastly different resolutions.

Great point on FP lasers. I use them but hadn’t considered the effect on perceived bloom (haven’t compared units back to back trying my lasers).

 

[AustinP69]

Mr. German, what are you go-to nods? And are you in the market for new or different nods that the fom advertising is bugging you?

 

[MK20]

 

[MK20]

Ze Deutch are nicht impressed vith ze FOM number.

If ze FOM is too high but ze SNR is low, off to ze camp.

 

[GreenMushroom]

Not trying to convince anyone to adopt my methods, but SNR is pretty much my “figure of merit”.

Having owned 12+ units and keeping spec sheets to compare & reference between them, I’ve concluded that SNR is about the only spec I can tell a difference with my eyes that I actually care about.

EBI is probably overly worried about based on comparisons of .4-2.0. Halo is noticeable but doesn’t bother me. I can’t tell a difference between 64-81 resolution.

I’ve noticed a trend among people I know in particular. The elitist guys that obsess over specs and minor blemishes are generally the guys not going out and using their NV gear. Not always the case, but holds true amongst several people I know.

Filmless with low ebi is important if you're in the woods. My wife's 57res 37snr .6ebi tube crushes my 2300+ fom elbit with 1.5ebi when it's dark dark.

 

[Fenderc91]

@TxWelder35

 

[CoryT]

I spend a fair bit of time in class explaining what the values mean and how to spec out a system. FOM is the least valuable number you can use to eval a tube.