Sionyx Nightwave D1 Ultra Low-Light Camera Test

I felt a tinge of skepticism while preparing to test the Sionyx Nightwave D1 ultra low-light marine camera ($1,595) aboard my 21-foot boat on a 30-mile run to the offshore fishing grounds in the dark. I was confident that the camera would produce quality color video that looked like I was boating during the day, based on my experience with the Sionyx Sport handheld scope. But I feared that a fixed-mount camera (which connects to the analog port to view on a multifunction display) would result in a shaky, bouncy, barely discernable picture in choppy seas. I was wrong.
The image from the Nightwave, which was mounted with a Ram mount on an upright of the T-top, was remarkably stable as we cruised at 15 knots in lumpy offshore waters for two hours in the dark. The image moved, but with a smooth, fluid motion that was easy on the eyes and belied the rough conditions.

It proved comforting to see the waters ahead, especially when combined with a chart plotter, AIS and radar. This affordable night-vision camera has no stabilization system, so what accounts for the relatively stable picture? “It is the result of ‘binning’,” says Gio Lepore, global product line manager for Sionyx. “The Nightwave digital system groups four pixels next to each other into a single pixel on the MFD in order to accommodate the standard analog input.”
That binning combined with a relatively wide 44-degree field of view to deliver a picture so stable that it erased my skepticism. And now I don’t want to venture out on the water after dark without the Nightwave D1.
Share
Most Popular

Yamaha Introduces 450 hp V-8 Outboard


Dometic Debuts Optimus Electric Steering for Wake Boats


From Our Partners
Related Posts

Yamaha Introduces 450 hp V-8 Outboard
Designed to replace the 425 in the Yamaha lineup, the 450 offers a host of upgrades.

New York Yacht Club American Magic Names Garmin its Official Marine Electronics Supplier
America’s Cup team depends on cutting-edge technology to prepare for 2024 races.

Dometic Debuts Optimus Electric Steering for Wake Boats
New steering technology targets inboard watersports vessels.

Furuno Introduces Stand-Alone Radars That Pair With NXT or X-Band Antennas
Designated units also offer new Risk Visualizer function.