Understanding Night Vision & Infrared

There are two basic night viewing methods that cameras use: image enhancement and thermal imaging. Both methods use infrared radiation (IR) to see in the dark. If you have seen black and white high contrast night vision images, then you are familiar with image enhancement technology. It allows you to distinguish facial features and identify people and objects with great accuracy. With thermal imaging, the subject appears in bright colors because the camera detects based on heat.

Security cameras that use image enhancement technology collect tiny amounts of light and amplify them to the point that you can see images clearly in the dark. The light that is collected is called infrared light. This type of light is not detectable to the human eye but is present in everything.

Surveillance cameras usually have built-in infrared illuminators. These make it possible to see far away at night. LED type illuminators are generally preferred over bulb type illuminators because they are small (smaller than a thumb tack), require little power, and have a long life span. Infrared LEDs can provide enough light for a security camera to capture high quality images, even in complete darkness. The more LEDs a camera has, the greater the intensity and the farther away it will be able to see in the dark. The SPARTAN1 camera has 12 LEDs which allow you to see up to 15ft away at night. This would be sufficient for monitoring an entrance or storage area at a home or business.

What’s Best For Me?

• Image Enhancement: low cost, decent quality, realistic picture
• Thermal Imaging: high cost, typically gets a longer range