Spy Gear Goggles for handling panchromatic films?

[sanking]

Does anyone have experience with the Spy Gear Ultimate Night Vision Goggles?
https://www.amazon.com/Spy-Gear-Ulti...SRR6MEBZPHR10Q

I need to sort and cut some panchromatic film in the dark and wonder if these might be useful. With the recommended #3 dark green filter I can barely see/

Sandy

[Pere Casals]

Sandy, this is an interesting toy...

IMHO it should work, from what I see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxAV3SVgEPk

all silicon sensors are sensible to +1000nm, allowing IR vision, in fact all digital cameras have cut off filters to avoid IR and UV. The most expensive component of this toy would be the (low quality) screen in the ocular.

Single problem it may be there is that illumination LEDs may be IR but too close to red (to have a higher yield, see graph) so perhaps it can fog a bit, this should be tested. In that case I would be possible to place an external IR light source in the darkroom with known IR nm, for example TV remote command LEDs that can be 940nm, cheap and very far from what film can see.

See a typical sensor sensitivity:



I'm considering buying one !!! Here $30 https://www.amazon.com/Spy-Gear-Ninj...Vision+Goggles

[Nodda Duma]

$30 NVG's. You get what you pay for.

Whatever you purchase, be aware that the eye cups are probably not light tight and will illuminate your face. The reflection will fog your film. So you will need to deal with that

[MrFujicaman]

There are several 940Nm LED light sources listed on Ebay...anywhere from $11.99 on up.

[photonsoup]

I think mine were even cheaper! Mine is a toy for kids. The eyecup sealed to my face pretty well. I held a film holder with unexposed hp5 a couple of inches iin front of it for 5 minuets. After developing there was no fogging. I wasn’t able to detect the edges of the film holder. The plastic eyecup was pretty hard and uncomfortable against my nose and eyebrow so I stuck on some 1/4” self adhesive foam window insulation. It feels much better and probably seals a littl better to my face. Undeveloped film looks bright white through it

[jon.oman]

I think mine were even cheaper! Mine is a toy for kids. The eyecup sealed to my face pretty well. I held a film holder with unexposed hp5 a couple of inches iin front of it for 5 minuets. After developing there was no fogging. I wasn’t able to detect the edges of the film holder. The plastic eyecup was pretty hard and uncomfortable against my nose and eyebrow so I stuck on some 1/4” self adhesive foam window insulation. It feels much better and probably seals a littl better to my face. Undeveloped film looks bright white through it

So, what brand are you using?

[Greg]

Have been using a ATN NVGOVIPX10 Viper X-1 Magnification Night Vision Goggle for almost a year now and love it. It does take a while to get used of using, especially with its narrow angle of view and necessity to focus its image, but I found not a problem after using it maybe a half dozen times. The head strap that comes with it, I found useless. Instead I attached the Viper X-1 to an old rock climbing helmet I had hanging around. Very comfortable and holds the Viper X-1 very steadily in front of my eye. Contraption looks funny, but who cares... You will adore it the first time a sheet of film accidentally lands on the floor. I always use it to load my JOBO Expert multi film tanks, but IMO not worth the time to put it on to load film holders.

[Mick Fagan]

As a person who has lost almost all feeling in my palms and fingers, I have wondered about something like this for loading and unloading sheet film into film holders and developing systems.

I do wear glasses though, anyone know if they can within reason be adjusted, so I could get a sort of close to correct dioptre correction?

Mick.

[j.e.simmons]

I’ve used the Viper for nearly 10-years. It probably took two years to get the head straps adjusted properly. For me, I can see much better with an additional outboard infrared light. I’m amazed at how much easier it makes loading 35mm film onto reels, and equally amazed that I only thought of using it for that about six months ago. I’ve never seen evidence of fogging, so I think I would recommend it over a child’s toy.

[photonsoup]

So, what brand are you using?

I have the Spy Gear ones from amazon. Looks almost like the ones linked in the OP, mine have a different color red instead of blue. I think mine were $20 a year ago.