Infrared Security Cameras: See what is There In Total Darkness

Many home owners and businesses concerned about break-ins after dark are choosing to use infrared security cameras instead of adding lighting to record surveillance videos. Often referred to as night-vision cameras, an infrared security camera should not be confused with day-night cameras that rely on tiny amounts of light from the stars and moon, coupled with a wide lens opening, to capture images in dim light situations.

An infrared security camera has a series of LEDs around the camera's lens emitting light in the infrared spectrum, which is invisible to the human eye. This technology produces an image nearly as clear as it would appear in daylight. In many cases, adding even a small amount of light, such as from a full moon, and the scene captured by the infrared security camera will look like it is in the middle of the day. Too much light may wash out the image, however, but many of the better quality cameras can automatically turn off the LEDs when they are not required.

For outdoor installation, a straight mounting case is recommended for use with an infrared security camera as the glass in a globe case may cause the infrared light from the LEDs to be reflected back to the camera lens. The light available to create the image could then be too limited to be effective.

Infrared Cameras and Distance

While the idea of seeing in total darkness is appealing to many security professionals, the use of an infrared surveillance camera is limited by the range of the LED emissions. On average, cameras are capable of viewing about 50 feet in complete darkness, however there are a few units that can observe up to 300-feet into the dark. Most users are pleased with an infrared security camera that can see 100 feet effectively, as the average is about half of that distance.

Many infrared security cameras could be considered hybrid cameras since under normal lighting conditions they will produce an excellent color image. When the light decreases to an extremely low level the camera will automatically switch to infrared mode and render a black and white image in total darkness. When the sun or other lighting continues, it returns to its normal full color image capability. These are the types most preferred for business and home security  because when in total darkness many thieves are unaware of the surveillance capabilities and are apprehended.