Motion lights for I of DORI

[Twister]

Can motion lights lights help at night or would they blind the ir. My cameras

https://www.cctvsecuritypros.com/content/pdfs/CSP-IPB3.pdf

Thought if camera on motion starts and then 2 seconds later light comes on. I know on lights it's distance and sensitivity. Also have this on NVR.

 

[wittaj]

Most here find that cameras and motion activated floodlights ends up causing problems with image exposure and are bad for surveillance cameras.. What happens is then the camera is momentarily blinded and you lose the ideal capture when the lights kick on and the camera adjusts from basically no light to a lot of light.

But they are not a deterrent. There are enough videos here showing that perps do not flinch when a floodlight turns on. They avoid homes all lit up, so go with floodlights on all night.

Either keep the lights on all night or not at all to ensure the best chance of capture.

Here is usually what happens when a motion activated floodlight comes on - it just about completely blinds the camera right at the moment of optimal opportunity to get the picture. There are 3 deer in this picture and two of them are lost in the blinded white while the camera's exposure adjusts to the rapid change in available light:

Some cameras can take 20 seconds to adjust and the perp would be long gone.

 

[Twister]

Got it. That's what I thought.

So even low light like some of the solar spots could give enough light to help the night vision and not cause whiteout. I have a garden that I'm trying to do. What if lights came on before camera motion is activated. That can be done easily.

 

[wittaj]

The newer cameras can certainly react faster than some of the older ones.

Given the recent score you got based on your other thread, the IR that completes a full circle around the lens tend to be the slower to respond.

The 5442 series or the 4K/X camera are really responsive. The 4K/X especially doesn't need much light.

And yes, if you could get lights to come on before the perp is in the RECOGNIZE, but certainly before the IDENTIFY distance range, then the camera should adjust in time.

 

[Twister]

I opted to change location of cameras for now. ROI is close enough for each that it's working good. Down the line will be upgrading 2 locations. One with a 5442 and the other with a PTZ that can track automatically. I know, big $$$ for that one, but it's for front street.

 

[Teken]

I'll add my $0.0000000000000000000001 to this discussions more so, for food for thought. Any extra lighting on the property is a good thing. It enhances the curb appeal, provides health & safety as it relates to lighting a path way, while increasing the ambient back ground.

As others noted with anything it comes down to the equipment, installation, and environment.

Like external IR lights if spec'd correctly, installed correctly, this will increase the area coverage. While reducing incidents of bugs, IR glare, and extend range. Given the advancements of solar lighting that span from 2700 ~ 6500 K and come in all types of sizes and features.

It's never been easier, cheaper, or a better time to invest in the same . . .

You install any of the garden lights that can shine on the side of the building? You've not only increased the curb appeal of your home but you have increased the target area from zero to more. You install a perimeter flood light that is properly angled with enough light spread again this will increase the lux from zero to more. Like others if you use something that turns on (motion activated) the hardware in place must be capable of reacting to the same.

Otherwise you will literally miss anything that transpired . . .

Regardless of all the above its important to stress that some cameras should always be locked in day vs night mode. This avoids the camera having to switch the IR filter and thus causing a missed shot. As has been stated countless times on this board and others everything must be tested, validated, and follow up.

Because the environment will change with the change in seasons . . .

Thus, something that was fine in the summer isn't going to be rocking in the dead of winter. Conversely, you may very well find due to the fact there is snow on the ground this will increase the cameras ability to see better longer due to the light reflection!

Given, most people are hard pressed to have five cameras never mind 20~64 on their property. I can understand why people leave the equipment on auto vs locking the same to day vs night. In the ideal world all three would be used to address the intended goal of that money shot.

Not everyone has won the lottery or made of money so I understand when people say I only have this but want that! At the end of the day compromises happen but this limits what you're able to get. So it really comes down to investing more to allow a person to attain that goal.

 

[Holbs]

The only security event that happened to me when I had security lights... the perp approached my house & driveway when it was near pitch dark out. Motion security lights came on. The only thing those lights did was to help the perp see my tires more clearly

Do not rely on security lights to dissuade any perps. I changed my front motion flood light to high lumen LED sundown-to-sunrise. Not to dissuade anyone but for me to see things better on my cameras to identify someone, especially when using color camera. Plus, as mentioned above, the older motion lights could come on and blind the cameras which took time to change their profile. Now, because LED and uses little power, they run on a LUX light sensor. Before installing the new LED lights, I did talk to my neighbors to make sure everyone was ok with it as they are really really bright.

 

[wittaj]

There are enough videos here and on NextDoor that perps do not even flinch with motion activated lights.

They are more deterred from the place being lit up all night and will skip it to go somewhere else.

Watch this video someone posted and how the floodlight comes on and they don't even flinch. But then the audio comes on and they don't know which way to run LOL.

https://ipcamtalk.com/attachments/whatsapp-video-2020-07-28-at-7-23-08-pm-mp4.73970/

 

[Teken]

The only security event that happened to me when I had security lights... the perp approached my house & driveway when it was near pitch dark out. Motion security lights came on. The only thing those lights did was to help the perp see my tires more clearly

Do not rely on security lights to dissuade any perps. I changed my front motion flood light to high lumen LED sundown-to-sunrise. Not to dissuade anyone but for me to see things better on my cameras to identify someone, especially when using color camera. Plus, as mentioned above, the older motion lights could come on and blind the cameras which took time to change their profile. Now, because LED and uses little power, they run on a LUX light sensor. Before installing the new LED lights, I did talk to my neighbors to make sure everyone was ok with it as they are really really bright.

Dude, I have to call liar you're this guy at the 38 second mark!

 

[Holbs]

Dude, I have to call liar you're this guy at the 38 second mark!

Luckily, my LED lights point down my 50' driveway, not directly into my neighbors bedroom window
btw, that was a good movie too!

 

[Teken]

Luckily, my LED lights point down my 50' driveway, not directly into my neighbors bedroom window
btw, that was a good movie too!

It still holds its own truly a good movie to watch. Every time I install or see others install exterior lighting this is the first thing that comes to mind! I can't lie as I was that guy for a a couple seasons because we couldn't get a boom ladder out due to shortage of vehicles and break downs.

One poor soul had to endure three months of sun light power every night because fixing bolts weren't tight enough. So when a huge wind storm came in it tilted the square light fixtures toward one specific house in the area. The ironic thing was it wasn't a problem before as he had a large elm tree in the front.

But, later the city came by and cut it down due to elm bark disease so thus there wasn't anything blocking the twelve massive LED lights!