How Does a Night Vision Security Camera Work?

Security cameras can blur at night if there are strong reflective objects near the lens or if they point at light sources like patio lights that stay on constantly. Also, small insects can interfere with the camera’s ability to produce clear images.

When shopping for a security camera with night vision, review the specifications to ensure that the IR illumination distance is sufficient for your home.

IR LEDs

IR LEDs are used in night vision security cameras to illuminate the area surrounding them. They use infrared light, which is invisible to the human eye but can be detected by a camera’s image sensor. This allows the camera to capture a clear image even at night, which can help deter criminal activity on your property.

The IR LEDs in the camera have a diode design, which allows electric current to flow in only one direction. When the IR LEDs are turned on, electrons from one part of the diode fall into holes in another part, and these emit a beam of infrared radiation.

If the IR LEDs are too strong, they can cause whiteout images. To prevent this, a camera uses Dynamic Smart IR, which recognizes when the scene is over-illuminated and adjusts the intensity of the IR LEDs accordingly. This can also help improve the quality of the image by reducing backlight ripple.

Sensors

IR illuminators are what makes night vision security cameras work. These spotlights of infrared light are used to illuminate the area around a camera so it can capture images/video in complete darkness. Look for a model with powerful illumination and a FOV (field of view) that matches the camera lens. This ensures the IR beam is illuminating the entire FOV so all areas will be recorded and visible.

The reason why night vision footage looks black and white is because our eyes can see black and white much more easily than other shades. This is why most security cameras use a monochrome filter to make it easier for us to understand the footage.

The best security camera with night vision will have a clear and detailed picture day or night. The more details you can see, the better your chances are of catching a criminal in the act and/or deterring them before they do any damage to your property.

Aperture

The aperture is the size of the opening used to let light into a camera’s lens. The larger the opening, the farther the camera can see in low light. Night vision cameras use a much wider aperture than conventional CCTV cameras.

Security cameras use image-intensifier tubes to convert light energy into electrons that can be processed by the camera’s sensor. The electrons are then grouped into pixels to form an image.

Aperture in surveillance cameras can vary between manual and auto, with the latter providing a more flexible range of light processing capabilities. If you need a surveillance camera to survey an area with lighting variances, look for a model with an auto iris lens.

A quality colour night vision camera can capture high-resolution, identifiable footage in any dark setting. Grainy black-and-white images are a thing of the past with this advanced technology, which utilizes technologies like Wide Dynamic Range and long-range IR illuminators.

Noise reduction

In a low-light environment, a camera’s image sensor may capture multiple pixels that are not the same. This is called ghosting and results in a double image that can cause the video to appear blurry. A good night vision security camera should have a lens coating to reduce the appearance of ghosting.

Using a polarizing filter can also help reduce the effects of ghosting and enhance image quality. Also, positioning the security camera away from surfaces with a lot of light can minimize the problem.

There are two types of noise in digital images, color and luminance. Color noise shows up as flecks of black and white in solid dark or light areas and is more noticeable than luminance noise, which affects all pixels evenly and gives the image a grainy appearance. Reolink’s latest color night vision technology, ColorX, works around these issues by combining F1.0 super aperture, advanced 1/1.8″ sensor and 3000K adjustable warm light to deliver true color video footage in extreme low-light conditions without needing any other additional illumination.