IR Illuminator vs Regular backyard flood light for night vision camera?

[Lebowski]

The IR range on my outdoor mounted surveillance camera out back is pretty poor, but I wasn't expecting it to light up the entire yard or anything. I was looking at some IR Illuminators online and the prices aren't that bad, it'd also allow me to place one or two somewhere other than where my camera is to control the lighting much better. Might even tinker with converting one or two to solar power as well, but that'd be more of a learning project than something that is needed. (I can mount to house or building out back if need be for electrical power).

Someone else suggested I just get a flood light or motion activated flood light to light up the back yard if I wanted it to show up on camera better at night.

Both seem to have their benefits, but I sort of like the idea of the backyard still being 'dark' to the naked eye but lit up brightly on the camera and the IR light is much less likely to annoy neighbors or make the house stand out. Thoughts? I'd also imagine that the IR lights would operate on less power than a normal flood light?

Something like this is what I am considering: http://www.amazon.com/CMVision-IR11...qid=1418590297&sr=8-2&keywords=ir+illuminator It's not the cheapest, not the most expensive. It seems pretty well reviewed and the price is reasonable. The before/after photos give me confidence that one (or two) of these would be a great choice and I'm looking at other similar options as well.

So, IR Illuminator or just a regular flood light or motion activated flood light?

 

[Cameramonkey]

First, a GOOD illuminator is neither cheap nor small. Second, non incandescent floods don't put out a lot of IR so you will get questionable video performance unless you use huge halogen floods (150 w won't cut it very far)

second, make sure your camera is IR friendly. If it has onboard illuminators it will work with the external illuminators. If not it may have an IR cut filter to improve color performance. Those are useless with ANY illuminators. I've tried.

I have also learned to take the manufacturers specs with a grain of salt. All IR distance ratings should be cut in half in the real world. (If not more)

And yes, illuminators use less power. But a motion flood is only using power while on. So long run the motion will probably cost less to run.

bottom line is until you try for yourself, you won't know for sure.

oh, and I like the motions personally. Some less determined jackholes will move on for fear of being seen. I'll take that over getting them on video and trying to figure out who they are any day.

 

[melensdad]

I have several of those IR illuminators in that link from Amazon, in fact I've even reviewed it.

After several years they are holding up well. One of them has lost about 25% of its IR transmitters. The others are good to go.

IR Illuminators, if properly positioned, can light up your property far away from the cameras. I have IR illuminators placed 100' away from cameras that flood the area where the camera is pointed and spread the illumination so things can be properly recored. Great if you can position lights on various buildings, building corners, sheds, etc.

Flood lights allow the camera to work in "color" mode instead of B&W mode, and color mode shows more detail. However it will take a good deal more lights and a good deal more power to cover wide expanses of video coverage.

 

[Lebowski]

Thanks guys. The backyard has some light but I'm leaning towards IR illuminators simply because I don't want the backyard to be flooded with visible light all night. The garage itself already has a light on it so unsure where a good spot for a motion activated light would be.

For reference....

Pretty poor conditions at night. I'm thinking one on the garage facing the camera and one mounted beneath the camera somewhere (camera is on second floor) would be good. I'm going to order a cheap one to play with tonight and if I like it I'll get a more permanent and more powerful solution I think and use the cheap one for out front where it's lit up well enough already.

 

[melensdad]

What are the specs on that camera? That is not a very good picture. If it is a color daytime/B&W nighttime camera the area around the lights on the garage should be in color when those lights are on, with the periphery in B&W. That whole image looks like snow/fog and that is bad. I'd recommend changing out that camera.

 

[Lebowski]

What are the specs on that camera? That is not a very good picture. If it is a color daytime/B&W nighttime camera the area around the lights on the garage should be in color when those lights are on, with the periphery in B&W. That whole image looks like snow/fog and that is bad. I'd recommend changing out that camera.

It looks good during the day, it's in full color and 720p. In low light it switches to night vision mode and that's where the camera fails.

Night vision on the other cameras I have work pretty well but thats because there is more ambient light in those areas and they're smaller areas.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Thanks guys. The backyard has some light but I'm leaning towards IR illuminators simply because I don't want the backyard to be flooded with visible light all night. The garage itself already has a light on it so unsure where a good spot for a motion activated light would be.



For reference....

Pretty poor conditions at night. I'm thinking one on the garage facing the camera and one mounted beneath the camera somewhere (camera is on second floor) would be good. I'm going to order a cheap one to play with tonight and if I like it I'll get a more permanent and more powerful solution I think and use the cheap one for out front where it's lit up well enough already.

Be careful with that. Too powerful and you could affect picture quality. Just think about how hard is it to see into the shadows as you are facing a bright light? Try to keep any light source as far away or out of the view of the camera for best results.

And I would agree. That CCD looks like it has some low light issues. Might be time for a new one as well.

 

[woowoo2]

The camera you posted a pic from, is it inside shooting through a window? It looks like the IR light is being reflected back into the lens.

 

[Cameramonkey]

The camera you posted a pic from, is it inside shooting through a window? It looks like the IR light is being reflected back into the lens.

I meant to post similar but my thought train derailed as I was typing. Good save Woowoo. Assuming its not, it might be time to clean the lens cover inside and out as grime on the glass will cause that fogging. Be careful as that might affect the watertightness of the unit. wouldnt hurt to smear a small film of clear silicone over the seam where the cover meets the body to reseal it after you put it back together. (Just enough to prevent water penetration, but not enough to prevent unscrewing it later)