Acusense and 1/1.8 sensor

[wittaj]

Infrared is invisible. You cannot purchase visible IR lol. The camera needs a special filter to be able to see that light.

Now there are two types of IR sold are two wavelengths. 850nm is what most cameras see. If you look directly at the camera straight on, you may see two little red glow eyes LOL. 940nm you do not see the red glow when looking straight at the camera, but it's range is not as great, if the camera will even see it. But again, you will not see the IR light walking around and someone on the sidewalk won't know they are being blasted by IR light.

In most instances, the IR that is on the camera is sufficient. Some will use external IR, but those are unique situations or you have a situation where bugs are triggering the camera all night as they pass by the IR.

All of mine using IR are using the on-cam without any external IR.

I'd suggest you get a camera that has IR capability and then test it and see which works better. And it may be seasonal as well. I have one camera that I will change from color at night to IR based on the season.

 

[sebastiantombs]

I'm the opposite of Wittaj. I use external IR illuminators extensively, but I am also pushing the range of the cameras. I've found that they tend to fill in darker areas and the relatively narrow pattern from cameras. Keeping the bugs and spiders away is a secondary benefit. I have a 50 watt one which floods the back yard out to about 250 feet. It's mounted fairly high so there is little washout when close in to the cameras but the cameras can see quite far so observe and recognize distances are quite good at night, even a dark, rainy night.

 

[Flintstone61]

Don't buy that man a beer, Buy that man a Camera!

 

[wittaj]

Yep, that is why we say buy one camera and test it. Given you plan to add lighting on your house, and the street light out front, you may be able to get away with just the camera IR without additional external IR.

Every situation and field of view is unique. I have one camera that gets no bug IR bounce, but the camera on the other side of the house does.

 

[Flintstone61]

I'm just book marking this thread, and emailing my self some of the great info......Wittaj posts this data alot, I better capture it before the men in the white coats come for him....ya never know.....he could snap.....

 

[sebastiantombs]

I should have added that I'm "out in the country" and there is very little ambient light. The front sees some, two streetlights with one about 200 feet away and the other abut 400 feet away, so extra IR is pretty much needed to cover the yard, both front and rear.

 

[amrogers3]

I should have added that I'm "out in the country" and there is very little ambient light. The front sees some, two streetlights with one about 200 feet away and the other abut 400 feet away, so extra IR is pretty much needed to cover the yard, both front and rear.

That's good to know and am important distinction from my situation. I have lights in front supplemented by a street light. I will take Wittaj's suggestion and buy one and see how it goes and work from there.

 

[Flintstone61]

Makes sense.....I'm gonna have to research external IR's It's pretty dark at home in the back yard by the shed/boat.

 

[sebastiantombs]

There are lots of options for IR lighting. I've been using these wih good success but as with everything YMMV -

External IR
Blaster

Amazon.com

Smaller IR

Amazon.com

 

[wittaj]

I'm just book marking this thread, and emailing my self some of the great info......Wittaj posts this data alot, I better capture it before the men in the white coats come for him....ya never know.....he could snap.....