Shinenyx G1A Review: Merging Thermal and NV

By Forge Posted in #Gear

Editor’s Note: In this article, Forge reviews the Shinenyx G1A. This monocular combines thermal and night-vision technology to improve performance in low light. The G1A Thermal + Nightvision Fusion Monocular was provided to the author by the company for review.

Night vision (NV) and thermal vision devices are becoming an ever more popular tool with today’s shooters. They provide such a great advantage in many scenarios and are finally within monetary reach of many civilian users. The Shinenyx G1A is the latest development in this arena, but with a surprising advancement — a true merger of NV and thermal into a single overlay.

Most people who have served in any of the branches of service in the last 30 years or so have certainly been users of this tech, but may not be very familiar with how it all came about. So, before I get into the particulars of the G1A, a brief history of this amazing technology is in order.

From Starlight Scopes to …

World War II, Korea and Vietnam saw the first real combat use of night vision. Early devices were mostly active IR (an IR spotlight plus a sensor), then later Gen 1 passive “starlight” scopes that amplified existing light. These systems used early image intensifier tubes and gave users a greenish and grainy, but game-changing view in the dark.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Gen 2 and Gen 3 tubes added microchannel plates and gallium-arsenide photocathodes, massively improving brightness and resolution in very low light. These analog tube systems are still the gold standard for pure image-intensified night vision today.

Thermal Imaging Arrives

In parallel, thermal imaging developed around long-wave infrared detectors that “see” heat instead of reflected light. Early thermal systems were big, cooled, and vehicle/aircraft-mounted. However, by the 1990s–2000s, uncooled microbolometer sensors made handheld and weapon-mounted thermals practical for troops and, later, hunters.

Thermal excels at detection — spotting warm bodies through brush or against cluttered backgrounds — while image intensification (or modern digital NV) is better for recognition and context (terrain, wires, branches, facial features).

The Fusion Idea

Naturally, militaries wanted both at once. That led to fusion goggles: overlays that combine thermal and night vision into a single image. The U.S. AN/PSQ-20 Enhanced Night Vision Goggle (ENVG), fielded from the late 2000s, is a well-known example. It fuses an image-intensified channel with a long-wave thermal channel so the user can run NV only, thermal only, or a blended overlay.

Modern ENVG variants and similar systems from other nations added better sensors, digital processing, wireless links to weapon sights, and more sophisticated fusion modes. Until recently, though, this technology lived almost entirely in the high-dollar, restricted military space.

Civilian Fusion, Today

As digital sensors and uncooled thermals got cheaper, companies started building civilian “fusion” monoculars and binoculars. The reason that “fusion” is in quotes is that many of the examples listed are not true fusion.

Most of the other civilian brands say they have fused the NV and thermal overlays, but in reality they just have both available in their sight and allow you to toggle between the two, or to have a picture-in-picture (PIP) of one while the main screen shows the other overlay, or they might offer a thermal that can be mounted ahead of a NV tube.

The few that do offer true fusion of NV and thermal into one single image such as GSCI QUADRO-G are usually either outrageously expensive or very large and bulky and fill a single role such as a handheld or helmet-mounted binocular.

Impressions of the Shinenyx G1A

So, what makes the G1A so unique and special? The most exciting thing about this monocular is that it is a true fusion of NV and thermal pictures. The G1A blends a digital low-light sensor with a thermal sensor on a single display in a small, light unit that can be used for multiple roles.

It’s aimed at LE, Search and Rescue (SAR), and serious hunters and shooters who want a true overlay without paying military or agency prices. The G1A truly fuses the NV and thermal together in one overlay, termed F.I.T., or lets you choose to see NV only or thermal only. That is pretty revolutionary at this price point, in my opinion. And what’s that price? An MSRP of $3,999.

There are few other things that I believe set this device apart from competitors. One is its wide field of view. There is a vast difference between looking through common helmet-mounted NVGs and thermals and looking through the G1A. Other more common monoculars feel like you are viewing the terrain in front of you through pipes and there is not much peripheral situational awareness.

When you view through the G1A two things are different. One, you have an extremely wide (60.4 degrees) field of view, but you also have your other eye free to view your surroundings because since the overlay is fused you are not looking through two separate monoculars. This makes navigating terrain more natural and efficient.

The second great thing is its controls. They are simple, uncomplicated and uncluttered. There are two buttons on top (power and mode) and a dial on the left side. Push the button in the center of the dial to make the menu appear across the bottom of the 2.1” screen, making it easy to choose what function you need to adjust and rotate the dial to the desired menu option.

Punch the center button to enter that selection and scroll through the options with the dial. It makes it easy, for instance, to move through the overlay options of NV, thermal or both with the top button while using the dial to zoom in or out between 1X, 2X and 4X.

I am not super tech savvy, and I hate too many options and things going on when I am performing an already complex night-time maneuver, but the G1A is extremely easy to master and operate even in difficult environments, like bad weather, total darkness or unfamiliar territory. 

The third thing I noticed was how clear and bright the NV was. Again, this makes it so much easier to identify obstacles as you navigate or to identify targets or search objects in detail. This is due in part to its seven aspherical lenses, 2.1” screen and 1.7” detector, allowing depth of field and clear focus from arms-length away to far out.

Beyond that, the G1A incorporates a rapid target outline or RTO mode that outlines targets in red. This can be constant or pulsing on and off. The advantage of the RTO is that you get instant identification of possible targets. The disadvantage is the outline can make positive identification difficult because the red outline can obscure details. The option to pulse the outline on and off seems to be a great compromise so you can quickly lock on to targets and then positively identify what the target is when the red outline temporarily disappears.

Another great advantage of the G1A is its battery life. Those who use thermal sights will be familiar with a very quick battery drain on most of these devices. The G1A battery lasts an extremely long time. I kept checking as we tested it to see if we needed to recharge it. I didn’t have to worry; it operated on its original charge for days, which involved hours of constant use. This is a great bonus to this unit in my opinion.

Shinenyx G1A — Specifications

Spec	Detail	Notes
Type	Fusion thermal + digital NV	Monocular / helmet / rifle-capable
Thermal Sensor	384×288, 50 Hz	Uncooled microbolometer
NV Sensor	1600×1200 CMOS	1.7″ low-light digital
Thermal Lens	5.45 mm, f/1.05	Wide-angle, short-range
NV Lens	16.5 mm, f/1.3	For contextual night vision
Fusion Modes	NV / Thermal / F1 / F2 / RTO	Full overlay capability
FOV	60.4×47.1 (NV)	45.8×35.2 (Thermal)
Display	2.1″ LCD, 1600×1200	Pancake eyepiece optics
Digital Zoom	1× / 2× / 4×	Menu or rotary control
Detection Range	~150–200 yd	Hog-sized targets
Power	2× 18650 / USB-C	Hot-swap external power
Battery Life	~6–7 hr	Mode dependent
Environment	IPX5 rated	Rain / splash resistant
Operating Temp	−4°F to 131°F	−20°C to +55°C
Weight	~16.7 oz	With batteries
Dimensions	6.93 × 2.83 × 2.68 inches	With eyecup
Mounting	Handheld / Helmet / Picatinny	Optional rifle mount
Extras	E-compass, crosshair	Wide-FOV E2E optics
Price	$3,500–$4,000	Varies by vendor

Evaluation of the Thermal + Nightvision Fusion Monocular

The G1A came to me with hardware to mount to a helmet and to a rifle. We mounted the G1A to both in order to evaluate its versatility and usability in those roles. It worked great from the helmet and provided excellent situational awareness while walking through unfamiliar terrain on an acquaintance’s property.

The night was extremely dark with no moon visible, but the NV was bright and clear needing no artificial illumination and, fused with the thermal overlay, gave me a great deal of confidence. I could easily see tree branches and foliage that might not have been apparent using only a thermal.

Next, we attached the G1A to the picatinny rail of an AR-15 with a 300 Blackout upper behind a 1X red dot sight. We were able to align the crosshairs with the red dot and use them successfully together.

The G1A functioned very well. We were just not able to call in coyotes close enough to test out its ability to locate and identify them, or to accurately put bullets on target. Fortunately, we were able to see multiple deer on multiple nights in the farm field behind us using the G1A as a handheld. The thermal picked them up out past 250 yards, which was better than expected, but without an internal range finder it was difficult to tell the positive identification distance (PID) of the deer as they moved in towards us.

We decided to run a test of thermal detection distance versus PID using a handheld range finder. We tested at 150, 100 and 50 yards. Although detected at 150 yards, targets were hard to identify. Positive identification was iffy even at 100 yards but very positive at 50 yards (see accompanying photos). With a 5.45mm focal length for the thermal lens, the G1A is obviously designed for a very wide FOV and near to mid-range use, not for extreme distances and it fills that role exceptionally.

If I had any complaints, it would be that the G1A did not have the capability of recording video, nor did it have a laser range finder. Those are both incorporated into Shinenyx’s AIM101 rifle scope with NV/thermal fusion. Maybe it was just not possible to pack any more into this light 17-oz., compact unit without making it too bulky for handheld and helmet use, and if so, I understand. However, those are two useful functions, especially for hunting, but maybe not as critical when used for its LE, tactical or search and rescue roles.

If you feel you need those added features, the Shinenyx M1 Pro Thermal + Nightvision Fusion Monocular (looks almost like a big brother to the G1A) was just announced. It does come at a much heftier price and is not quite as portable as the G1A, though.

Final Thoughts on the G1A

Overall, I feel the G1A has excellent versatility and great capability as a close and mid-range monocular. This is a cutting-edge tool that incorporates the most important features, including true NV and thermal fusion, that allow it to excel in several roles including tactical LE operations, search and rescue, scouting, and hunting. In my opinion, the G1A from Shinenyx is well worth the price and you should check it out if you engage in any of these activities.

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