We were excited to try out the StealthView, which uses a CMOS sensor instead of a light-intensifier tube and projects the image on a miniature internal screen.
Sadly, we found it to be an overpriced disappointment.
First, the good. This Russian-made monocular is quite small at 4 x 2.5 x7 inches, and was the most portable of the bunch. A bottom-side mount will let you fix it onto a tripod or viewing stand for prolonged nighttime spy sessions. The 5x power magnification was the best of the bunch,letting you see (in theory at least) quite far away. And of course because it sports an IR lamp, it doesn't require ambient light and will work in complete darkness.
But all of that was more than outweighed by the bad. As for that 5xpower, Spaghetti Monster forbid you need to actually change magnification powers. We found changing focus on anything to be a massive chore, and our few successes seemed almost accidental. Even when in focus, however, it felt like peering through a keyhole, with a viewing area so small that it was practically useless.
Finally, although the monocular has a dimmer, we found that even on the low settings the black and white image was too bright, leaving us night blind and stumbling when we stopped looking through the viewfinder. All told, you'd be stealthier with a spotlight and a tuba.
