One of the greatest challenges for security cameras is capturing clear video at night. Just like the camera in your phone, professional broadcasting and photography, security cameras require proper lighting to produce an image. If there is no light, there is no video. In other words, without a proper illumination source, security cameras will yield dark images that are useless for incident review, identification, detection and ultimately, incident prevention.
As the saying goes, crime never sleeps. It is imperative for facility managers to ensure infrared (IR) illumination technology is part of their night video surveillance solution. IR illumination is light that is invisible to the human eye; it ranges from 700 nanometers to 1,000 nanometers in the electromagnetic spectrum, and it is what enables security cameras to capture images even in total darkness. There are two ways to add IR light to your surveillance system. The first is through an IR integrated camera, and the second is with an external IR illuminator that is mounted beside, below or above the camera. Here are some key characteristics and distinctions between the two.
IR cameras, often referred to as integrated cameras or true day/night cameras, either feature IR light-emitting diodes (LEDs) around the camera lens (integrated), or they have a light sensor with a mechanical IR cut filter to remove IR illumination during the day (true day/night). The overall appeal for IR cameras is that they provide an all-in-one solution and are very effective for close-range monitoring applications.