Seeing in the Dark – Low Light vs Night Vision

When it comes to CCTV systems the inevitable requirement will always arise for the cameras to be able to see in the dark. Well this is definitely possible and it really comes down to the choice in camera of which there are 2, Low Light or Night visio
By: Hayden
 
April 27, 2010 - PRLog -- When it comes to CCTV systems the inevitable requirement will always arise for the cameras to be able to see in the dark. Well this is definitely possible and it really comes down to the choice in camera of which there are 2, Low Light or Night vision. Both technologies have their advantages, and likewise disadvantages. Let’s take a quick look at both.

Low Light

The low light CCTV camera  comes in 2 forms, either the traditional body cameras that need to be placed in a housing if going outdoors, or one of the more modern Vandal Resistant Domes which can be internal or external with no additional housing. Both work the same way utilising any ambient light at low light levels without the need for any built in IR (infra red) illumination. These are usually the preferred choice for low light environments such as Pubs and Clubs, or city and town centres when there is an abundance of ambient street lamps and shop lighting at night. However they also have a much more useful function when the question comes up of capturing vehicle number plates.  As this technology does not use its own IR illumination it will not suffer from IR bounce back, providing a clear image rather than a reflective white haze in place of the number plate. The one big disadvantage however that if the area you are trying to monitor is in complete darkness then you really won’t see much at all. Refer to link below for Low Light Dome Camera with 3D-DNR:
http://www.digitaldirectsecurity.co.uk/professional-very-...

Night Vision

As the name of the security camera suggests this technology allow the user to see at night with the use of its own built in Infra Red (IR) illumination. These night vision camerascan see different distances depending on the quantity and intensity of the IR bulbs used, this cam be from as little as 5 metres all the way up to  100m + in complete darkness. The IR light that is omitted cannot be detected by the human eye, the only clue you will get is that is looking directly at the camera you will be able to see a very faint red glow but nothing more. When looking at the footage though a monitor you will get quite a different picture, a well illuminated black & white image showing up surprisingly good detail. If you’re trying to be covert then maybe you will feel the infra red gives away the position of a camera, arguably though this kind of camera will be more of a deterrent which surely is the whole point of having a Camera system. The downsides to this tech are only a few, obviously you will struggle to capture number plates due to the chance of IR bounce back, and an image can be over exposed if the camera you are using has a much greater IR range than the distance of the object you are monitoring. Refer to link below for Night Vision Cameras:
http://www.digitaldirectsecurity.co.uk/cctv-cameras/night...

Conclusion

To be honest no one tech is really better than the other, both are very good in their own right and one will not dominate the other in the future. Both technologies will continue to be developed to improve upon the generation before.  The camera choice will almost always be determined by the environment in which it is to be situated.

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Source:Hayden
Email:***@digitaldirectsecurity.co.uk Email Verified
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Tags:Security Cameras, Night Vision Cameras, CCTV Cameras
Industry:Technology
Location:Cambridgeshire - England
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Page Updated Last on: Apr 27, 2010
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