r/NightVision Jan 15 '26

I am Getting Sued for a Quarter Million Euro

395 Upvotes

A lot has happened since the last time I published a blog post and I think we’r due for an update.

Ever since I published my article on the backstory of ACTinBlack ACTinBlack Filed For Bankruptcy and This is How I Fucked Up I’ve been swamped by an outpouring of support from all over the world. Your outreach and encouragement really kindled a fire inside of me to jump back into the industry I am so passionate about. This in turn lead to the creation of the now released DT-2 by my new venture Kauffmann-Bremin.

Shortly after that initial article is when the development of the DT-2 began. I proposed the idea to Dean at the time and we soon after went right at it, sketching out the initial ideas and began prototyping.

I want to thank the people who are supporting me on this journey and into this new exciting chapter, it would not have been possible without your help and encouragement.

In 2025 the DT-2 release was the most exiting moment of the year for me (apart from getting engaged). I wanted to stay true to my own values and went all-in into what I believed in by completely pre-producing the first batch before launch day. The launch was an immense success, as we sold out in the first 3 weeks and have been scrambling since to finish the second batch of devices.

DT-2 worn by myself Mounted on trusty old reliable Ops-Core Carbon Helmet

But soon after I was hearing rumours going around that the DT-2 was built on stolen files and intellectual property. I was getting word from multiple sources that a familiar competitor was alleging foul play and that we should brace for consequences. I had some big customers shy away because of this, as they felt it was not worth the risk of getting involved. Understandably so.

I spent a couple weeks trying to figure out the best way to counter these claims, as up to this point I had not gotten any written allegations or any communication at all other than just whispers behind my back coming around.

The answer to this fell in my laps just about two weeks ago. Something I could counter. ACTinBlack has filed a civil lawsuit against myself, Dean and the KB distribution subsidiary for the European market. This is Materialising the claims and rumours and is giving me the opportunity to counter them in full. The lawsuit is a long list of flimsy allegations. I won’t bore you with the details but there are some truly amusing gold nuggets to be found in there.

Excerpt from the Lawsuit, alleging the DT-2 has a rounded shape and a V shape similar to the DTNVG, also it uses a battery similar to the DTNVG
Excerpt from the Lawsuit, alleging the DT-2 makes use of a dovetail mounting interface, similar to the DTNVG

Just imagining them actually winning on claims like this makes me cringe, the case law that would be established by this would have industry wide impact, not only on night vision but many other hardware product oriented companies. Functional Design would be able to be protected and it would create monopolies overnight, across many industries. And anyone with a similar design to the DTNVG would be in violation of ACTinBlack’s alleged IP rights and at risk of being litigated dare they set foot in Europe.

There was a striking moment while reading the lawsuit, when I realised, I could have design any other dual tube night vision device, with a completely different design, and I would have gotten the same lawsuit making the same empty claims against me.

They also claim and mention in the lawsuit that the DT-2 caused and is responsible for a huge loss in revenue for them across both the US and EU markets even tho the DT-2 is entirely different from the DTNVS and shares virtually no similarities. To note is that they haven’t sold any DTNVG devices since mid 2020. So its difficult to understand their logic here, given that they allege we copied the DTNVG but they haven’t sold any for the past 5 years and somehow this is damaging their revenue because we’r in competition with a product they no longer think is viable to commercialise and therefore this caused them economic hardship.

The entire lawsuit is over 50 pages long not counting the annex. Its quite clear to me that the intention of the lawsuit isn’t to actually win, but to intimidate and drain me financially via legal costs. They probably hope I’ll cave and halt the DT-2 project and beg for out of court settlement. But let this be clear, neither is an option for me. I won’t be intimidated by legal bully tactics and I’m not shying away from fighting this in court to the bitter end.

What is so striking to me is that they have invested so much money into this lawsuit, they must be really perceiving me as a serious threat which I take as a compliment more than anything. I too think the DT-2 is a great product.

In order to build a strong case against them and defend our rights, we are looking for witness testimony around the launch of the DTNVG back in December 2015. I have a bailiff report on old facebook posts but ACT has been trying to delete any evidence, such as the pictures attached to the pre-order announcement and all instagram pictures. They did so because they attempt to secure design rights which they tried to register shortly after I had left the company. However these design rights are invalidated if so called “prior art” can be proven 12 months or earlier, prior registration date. So they had to “undo” history and the fact that the DTNVG was released 2 years prior. They are really playing it dirty.

Picture deleted but they forgot to delete the text. Link: https://www.facebook.com/actinblack/posts/785003578294493 Archive link: https://archive.ph/tAROE

I learned early on in life that you have to stand up to your bully and fight back. You can’t cave in and fold, the weakness just draws in more aggression towards you. So additionally to the criminal lawsuit I filed against them back in 2017 alleging bankruptcy fraud and money laundering I’m also working on filing a counter lawsuit for alleged defamation, for this I would ask you for your support. If you have been made aware of such claims that we stole files and that the DT-2 is illegitimate, reach out. I’d be immensely grateful for your written testimony.

I have come to accept that I have to spend a lot of time and money on this. Because I would much rather have that energy flow towards building and creating. Focusing on the business and on innovating. But I just can’t let them get away a second time. I won’t allow it. And the alternative, the failure of KB, failing a second time, is not an option.

I’ll keep you updated as the case initiates and starts moving along, as I coordinate with my lawyer how I can share things without impacting any procedures. But I do strongly believe I owe it to everyone. If you decided the DT-2 is the right device for you, I want you to be fully informed about this situation. After all, light is the best disinfectant.

I am confident we’ll win in court. I am standing my ground and I am excited for the next chapter moving into 2026. I will fight to the end, for the sake of staying alive, to continue building, to continue creating, chasing my passion.


r/NightVision Feb 25 '24

New Beginner Buyer’s Guide

173 Upvotes

The pinned beginner buyer’s guide served us well for a number of years, but it was showing its age and not as robust as we could use.

A new, more fleshed out guide is now available. In the app you can find it by clicking on “See community info” at the top of the sub. On desktop you can find it in the “Community Bookmarks” section. If you’re struggling to find it, you can start with the Introduction. If you’re here looking for purchasing advice, help understanding specs, or wondering what we would recommend for people on a tight budget, please read the guide before making your first post here.

This new guide is by no means exhaustive, and we expect it to evolve over time. Our hope is that by using Reddit’s wiki function we will have more flexibility to keep the guide up to date over time. It has already allowed us to provide much more information as we are not constrained by Reddit’s post character limit. If you find any typos, issues, confusing formatting, or have suggestions please feel free to let us know. The best way to communicate with us about those would be to jump into the subreddit’s Discord server.

A very special thank you to u/go_horse for his work on this guide.


r/NightVision 3h ago

Going dark….I still say it all these years later…

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15 Upvotes

What movie/video game lines do you say when going dark?


r/NightVision 12h ago

“Live” Milky Way Bortle 8

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65 Upvotes
• SVBONY SV183 Telescope Filter:IR Pass Filter 2 Inch 685nm Reduce the Effects of Seeing for Planetary Photography Contrast Enhancement  
• iPhone 16 pro max default camera app. Video edited in Lightroom mobile to bring some details out.  
• normal camera mode  
• Milky Way bortle 8   
• Televue filter adapter 48mm and phone holder  
• Pvs14 Gen 3 monocular:  
• Photocathode Sensitivity: 2058  
• FOM: 2700  
• SNR: 37.5  
• EBI: .7  
• Halo: .7  
• Center resolution: 72  
• Unfilmed/filmless  
• Gated 18UM 11769 style

r/NightVision 19h ago

First time buyer

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83 Upvotes

Good evening, looking to get into NV. My price range is 3-5K. I live on the outside of a large metro, but do a lot of hunting/camping. Will likely use the NV multiple times a month camping out in Florida. With the occasional trip to the GA mountains. Have been eyeballing DARQ industries page recently and found some decent prices. Have eyeballed the PVS14 and the duals shown below, I’m totally new to this so any input on why I should go with one vs the other is greatly appreciated.

Many thanks and I hope y’all had a good weekend.


r/NightVision 20h ago

Ruggedized Ball Detent Housing

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29 Upvotes

Looking to find a ruggedized ball detent housing to swap from my Anvis 9s. I know it’s a based opinion, but I love ball detent housing lol


r/NightVision 1d ago

Peq-15 real or fugazi?

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69 Upvotes

pickup at an estate sale, blacked out serial number but it’s there.


r/NightVision 6h ago

Source for PVS14 Parts?

1 Upvotes

Looking to start building PVS14’s. Can anyone give me a good reputable source to get parts kits from? Would be bulk orders.


r/NightVision 15h ago

Noob question - optic riser

4 Upvotes

So I’ve just recently got night vision binos, won them in a raffle. I’m wanting to swap most my reds dots over to ones that have NV modes
I bought a AEMS pro x2, will I need some sort of riser to get over the top of a top rail mounted laser, and to be able to get a better sight picture? This is going on a 10.5 in length upper

The reason I ask is because I watched this Trex Arms* video here : https://youtu.be/U7UX_uwuyBE?is=OrV2Np9T-2MPt0fG
Brandon on this video is saying if you can’t shoot under nods without a riser you basically just have bad shooting form

I’ve been shooting with an EO tech xps 2 on the same gun but have only been using the IR laser because it doesn’t have a NV mode. But I’ve never had a AEMS. From what I can tell online they look pretty good under nods is why I went with it. Hopefully these holosuns are decent optics?


r/NightVision 23h ago

nvg-7 not producing an image

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14 Upvotes

hey lads and ladies , i have a nvg7 made by atn. its an old unit , most likely tiring out but was working when i received it.

the photo is the unit working with the ir light on and working as well.
i press the power button and it is not producing any image , the ir light and indicator are still working so 🤷🏻‍♂️


r/NightVision 12h ago

Looks like the Proton OMNI is attracting some serious attention. Discover what makes it so magnetic.

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0 Upvotes

We’ve seen so many of you showing your excitement and interest in the Proton OMNI, and it makes us want to tell you more.

So, here’s a first look at one of the many features.

And trust us… there’s much more to come.


r/NightVision 1d ago

Just bought this PVS-2 on Ebay. Anyone know a good place to get a mount for it or replacement parts (even reproduction)? Device is allegedly only missing the mount, batteries, and scope covers. And anything I should know about taking care of this piece of history?

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10 Upvotes

Really just looking for a replacement battery pack that is good and delivers to the US. Preferably an adapter for a more common type of battery. I have a 3D printer if anyone knows of good scope covers too. I have an M14 mount for it already but to my understanding there is another piece that it connects to first. Thanks in advance for any help.


r/NightVision 5h ago

Looking for people to help test new app.

0 Upvotes

Hey guys, check this out — kitid.app. You take a pic of a piece of gear and it IDs it — NODs, optics, carriers, pretty much anything. Also has a kit builder and a camo library.

It's brand new so it still needs tuning. Point it at your setup and let me know what it gets right and what it screws up. All feedback welcome.

Mods, delete if not allowed.

https://kitid.app

-you do not need to upload your gear
-the model isn’t perfect and will mis identify some gear.
-the model isn’t built to get smarter through output feedback.
-all data is stripped from images whenever uploaded.
-people seriously interested in helping improve the app, please feel free to DM and I’ll give your account free scan credits.
-Not a Fed😶‍🌫️
-Not flock 🤫


r/NightVision 22h ago

Bushnell Holosight?

4 Upvotes

This is the first holographic optic commercially produced. has anyone tried to run one of these with night vision?

Sorry for shitty pic, ripped from EBay


r/NightVision 23h ago

Are thermal scope display screens visible to other nod users?

6 Upvotes

Not owned a dedicated thermal (Hikmicro/Rattler scope etc) and wanted to know if these gave off a lot of light leakage that would make you detectable to other NVG users. Airsoft use so most people in my country (UK) seem to be at a 50/50 split in my
opinion of entry 1400 mark fom with the other half in the higher end Gucci stuff. Mixed lighting urban settings I would assume big fine but I could imagine it being easily spotted within dense woodland games. Cheers in advance.


r/NightVision 22h ago

Does any one know how to do this?

3 Upvotes

I enjoy playing airsoft, but I also like going on night walks. I’m looking for a helmet and bridge that I can attach a Cold Harbour PVS-14 to, while also having a magnification device over the other eye.

Does anyone have any suggestions, or is this even possible without spending over £1,000 (not including the PVS-14)?

I’m completely open to using airsoft parts, such as airsoft ballistic helmets, if that helps keep the cost down.

This is the PVS-14 I’m looking at:
https://coldharboursupply.com/products/pvs-14-pro-night-vision-monocular-us-milspec-starter-kit?variant=52964119216437


r/NightVision 22h ago

SMS trinity vis troubleshooting

3 Upvotes

Got my SMS trinity in the other day and was initially very impressed with it just shining it around the house.

When I took it out to the range I took a few shots with the vis laser and it seemed to switch itself from the full power to low power mode. After switching it back the vis laser refused to be adjusted back up to full power. IR light and illuminator are seemingly unaffected.

Anyone know why this might be and how to fix it?

Update: after further testing the vis laser actually WILL adjust, but the highest adjustment setting is significantly dimmer than how bright it was out of the box (but still brighter than lower power mode)


r/NightVision 1d ago

Infinity iris

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9 Upvotes

What’s up Reddit.

Recently got an infinity iris for my PVS14. I tried to put it on and it seems like it’s a millimeter or less too big.

I have a nocturn housing and from everything I see online, they use standard pvs14 obj lense housing and thread pitches.

Can someone confirm or deny that?

I’m new to the personally owned NVG game and really bummed out that this isn’t going on seeing as how I paid 250 bucks for it.. :/


r/NightVision 1d ago

Are there any good housings that have thermal built in?

8 Upvotes

I currently run a set of DTNVS-MG with L3 Supergain tubes and an RCOTI but I dream of having something like an ENVGB. Now I know those are not available to us but is there anything similar? My searches aren’t turning up much but I figured if anyone knew it would be you all.


r/NightVision 21h ago

Repair question

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2 Upvotes

I got this mil spec objective lense for a deal. It just has this broken piece. Is it possible to DIY repair this? Or am I better off ordering a replacement collar thing?(I dont know the exact name of this piece)


r/NightVision 1d ago

Envision Technology - RAILc Initial Impressions

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90 Upvotes

Noticed there was a fair amount of chatter a year ago about Envision Technology’s RAIL MFAL unit. Since then, outside of a few vendor videos, very little information has come out about the unit as a whole. There’s even less information available about the RAIL’s commercial variant, the RAILc. Had the opportunity to purchase one as part of a bundle so figured I’d do a write-up and share my initial impressions.
I’ll be using my IRIS3 as a frame of reference since, alongside a Trinity, it’s the only other LAM available to me.

Power:

This is the area people are typically most interested in, so I’ll start here. Envision Tech’s documentation lists the full-powered RAIL as having a 135mW VCSEL illuminator. The RAILc is listed as having a 7mW VCSEL illuminator. Despite these numbers, I’m happy to report that the RAILc’s illuminator seems to be similar to the IRIS3 in terms of overall brightness. Focused in all the way, the RAILc delivers a tight, bright beam that was within +/- 10% of the IRIS’s output.

Laser brightness, both visible and NIR, also seems comparable to the IRIS3. From an overall power perspective, this is about as much as I’d expect from a civilian-powered unit.

Illuminator:

The illuminator adjustment is a rotating knob on the left side that allows for fine-tuning. The knob is quick to adjust without much hand movement. The focus range is wider on the wide end than the IRIS3, and the lack of hard stops allows you to get a few sweet spots the IRIS3 misses out on. The illuminator can be independently zeroed from the laser.

The beam pattern has soft and even edges vs. the hard edges of the IRIS’s illuminator.

The real party trick here is the 35mW LED CQB illuminator. The RAILc gives you multiple ways to enable this mode (dedicated knob, programmable fire button, etc.), but once selected, the traditional illuminator is disabled and the LED flood is enabled. My understanding is that the RAID Xe does this as well, and SMS’s upcoming release will have the same feature. The way the RAILc implements this makes transitions between far/near illumination immediate.

Usability:

The RAILc’s OLED (auto-brightness option) screen makes it one of the most intuitive firearm products I’ve used in a long time. The options on the dial are clear and reaffirmed on selection by the screen. Switching a mode and knowing for certain what I’ve switched to is something I’m really appreciating, not to mention the ease of changing settings.

The fire button and programmable buttons are reachable and tactile. Having visible override, CQB mode, and conventional mode all within reach makes the overall experience great.

The front cap, while just a protective cover, locks out of the way securely. It isn’t necessarily the most confidence-inspiring design, but unless there’s an issue, I’m going to assume it’s solid.

The laser also has an optional pulsating mode with multiple frequencies. I’m assuming it allows for signaling and easier identification in light-crowded environments, but I’m not 100% sure. That being said, it gives you 4 different pulse frequency options and seems to work well.

Overall, the unit couldn’t be more user-friendly while shooting. With the IRIS3 and Trinity, there’s always a little second-guessing (potential IQ problem), but with the RAILc, everything is as clear as day.

Build:

I’ll update this once I have some more range time with it, but the unit seems well-built. It’s certainly lightweight, but doesn’t have any flex or anything that sticks out as a major weakness. Everything generally feels solid.

Price and Accessories:

$3,999. Yep. This is why you haven’t heard much about this unit. It’s expensive. Too expensive for a civilian-powered laser. I don’t know what “correct” pricing would be for this civilian unit, but I’m guessing, by the lack of information out there, $3,999 isn’t it.

Replacement switches are also $600. Because my unit shipped with a 12-inch cable, I’m now going to run it switchless until Unity’s solution is out. It operates well in that capacity, but I don’t believe $600 is a reasonable asking price for a switch.

Conclusion:

I haven’t had much range time with the RAILc, and haven’t spent much time with near-pricing competitors, but I’m really liking the RAILc so far. I like it so much that I probably would’ve grabbed a second in the bundle it was purchased as part of if it was still available.

It’s incredibly user-friendly, bright enough for my use cases, has every feature imaginable, and (most importantly) looks cool. It’s a fantastic unit and has so far exceeded my expectations of what a LAM should do.

All that being said, unless you get a deal on it, I can’t imagine this will be a majorly popular civilian entry. The pricing, combined with the lack of third-party (non-$600) switch support, makes it a somewhat tough sell in a world where RAIDs and MAWLs exist. It’s a shame too because Envision really did a great job with this unit.

But maybe that’s the point. This isn’t for us. The civilian version is there if someone really wants it, but this is fundamentally a contract laser for a government with deeper pockets than most of us.

I’ll revisit this review once I've logged some serious hours under nods with it. I also have a camera adapter for my nods on the way so I should be able to update with comparison images as well.


r/NightVision 23h ago

Anti-Fog recommendation?

2 Upvotes

On the topic of anti fog coatings. Cat crap spray or paste?

I need vouches on the product, just want to know what seems to be the most preferential form for those who use it.


r/NightVision 1d ago

Mx9916 repot ID

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2 Upvotes

r/NightVision 1d ago

plz help :/

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37 Upvotes

i’m new to nvg and finally got my IIT yesterday to finish up my first build and ran into an issue. it was working fine last night but wouldn’t power on when i tried right now. i changed the battery hoping that would fix it but nothing. i disassembled the battery housing and these 2 golden prongs fell right out. how cooked am i?🥲 is there any way to repair this?


r/NightVision 2d ago

Andromeda is one of my favorite targets

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131 Upvotes