ThermNight TNC225R: Advanced, Affordable Multispectral Optic

When we started developing the ThermNight TNC225R, we aimed to develop a compact, feature-rich general-purpose hunting optic at an accessible price point.

Whether stalking or hunting from a blind, we recognized that at some point the user is going to have to hump this thing around, so keeping the weight down was a major factor as well as reducing overall bulk. 

With a weight of 25 oz the TNC225R clocks in 28% lighter than other equivalent stand-alone digital day/night scopes that lack the thermal capability of the ThermNight.

The feature that truly sets the ThermNight apart from its competitors is the ability to rapidly switch between the thermal & day/night displays at the push of a button, and have them both available in a picture-in-picture format.

The major benefit of this integrated format is that the shooter now has an easier time locating and confirming their target when transitioning from their handheld scanner to their rifle-mounted optic. Thermal imaging helps detect targets that may be hiding or obscured by vegetation, and digital night vision allows for a higher-resolution image to confirm positive identification (PID).

The onboard ballistic calculator is another feature that lets the shooter stay in the scope, instead of having to abandon their sight picture to check a DOPE card or make windage/elevation adjustments. Individual load data can either be entered directly into the optic or uploaded via the mobile app so that firing solutions are always available.

The built-in gyroscopes will automatically account for inclination or declination, which can be one of the most challenging variables in precision long-range shooting.

Once the shooter ranges the target, the optic can either display a second hold-over reticle or simply shift the primary reticle for your new point-of-aim/point-of-impact at distance. Press and hold the LRF button to cancel the calculation and the reticle will return to zero or the hold-over reticle will be removed.

We recognize that the convenience of a typical all-in-one device is appealing but if it’s prohibitively expensive that doesn’t help anyone. At the same time, we had to make sure we didn’t cut corners just for the sake of affordability.

Our thermal optics use vanadium sensors, which provide better image clarity than the less-expensive silicon sensors, and we source our display screens from the same provider that supplies optics that cost 4 times more than the ThermNight.

Not only did we emphasize clarity and image quality on the in-optic display screen, but we also made it even easier to use our optics!

You can pair the ThermNight TNC225R as well as all other DNT digital optics with the DNT Optics mobile app, which allows you to screen-cast the scope view directly to your smartphone! This is especially useful when zeroing since the shooter can see what’s going on in the optic without having to be down behind a bagged rifle. It’s also helpful for teaching new shooters, allowing you to see their sight picture in real-time before taking the shot.

Given the ThermNight’s ability to record, we realized that capturing quality audio was just as important as image integrity.

All these efforts combined to create the first all-in-one, multispectral digital optic that can be had for under $1,500.