What is an IR Illuminator?
An IR Illuminator emits light in the infrared range of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum. With IR light, a scene that still looks dark to the human eye, is visible for security cameras with nighttime capabilities.
[…]
Invisible IR Light for Security Cameras
IR Illuminators provide IR light that enables true Day/Night day Security Cameras to capture clear images at night or in low-light. Infrared light is invisible to the human eye. True Day/Night security cameras are sensitive to IR light and can use it to capture images. Adding infrared light to a scene significantly improves the cameras performance at night.
The Visible “White” Light Spectrum
We can see the world around us because objects reflect light that our eyes can see and interpret as images. Light is electromagnetic radiation ranging from ultra-violet to the far infrared. The human eye only sees a portion of the full light spectrum, from about 400nm to 700nm.
IR Illuminators Improve a Security Camera’s Performance in Low-Light
Although humans cannot see light beyond about the 700nm wavelength, many security cameras can. Adding infrared light to a scene significantly improves the cameras performance in low-light or at night.
With an IR Illuminator, a scene that looks dark to the human eye, is visible for security cameras with nighttime capabilities. The IR Illuminator adds light for the security camera while remaining invisible to our eyes.
IR Illuminators have many advantages, since IR light is invisible to humans so does not cause light pollution. Also, perpetrators often are not aware that they are being observed because it appears dark to their eyes.
Images Captured Using IR Light are Black & White
Images captured using infrared light are Black & White. Only white light has the wavelengths (400nm to 700nm) that our eyes see as color. See the examples below of scenes captured using a security camera at night without and with an IR Illuminator.
SCENE captured with security video camera in NIGHT mode with no IR light added.
