More man once in the run-up to this test, we were told that file different 'generations' that feature so heavily in night vision catalogues and spec sheets are indicators of the technology used, rather than of the fact that you really do get what you pay for a Gen 2 picture really is several times better than a Gen 1 picture. Later - generations - on paper at least - are even better, but you'd need exceptionally dark conditions to realty be sure. On a cloudy night, the glow of Southampton's streetlights, 15 miles away, was enough to mask any benefit that might have been gained by spending an extra couple of thousand pounds on either of the Cobras compared with the ATNs. For some reason, everyone who makes Gen 1 night vision equipment seems to think that we want a magnified image. But we don't. As the makers of the more 'professional' products obviously realize, a magnified image can be disorientating and can only be achieved at the expense - of a narrow field of view. The field of view problem is exacerbated by the fact that all the Gen 1 images suffered from more or less severe distortion towards the edges.