Understanding the Intricacies of Night Vision Cameras and goggles.
A night vision camera provides people with a black and white image of something even when it is completely dark outside. How does this happen? The use of this night vision technology in security cameras is catching up due to the widespread benefit of catching footage even when it is completely dark outside. Night vision devices are commonly available in the form of night vision cameras and night vision goggles. Night vision cameras are primarily used for night/low-light environment surveillance.
How does Infrared Vision Work?
The most commonly used night vision which is almost always seen in security cameras is the use of infrared light vision. The tiny LED bulbs that are usually visible on the front of any camera are IR lights. These lights light up the darkened area with a flood of light when it starts to get dark outside. However, this IR light cannot be seen by us so we don’t really feel like the area is being flooded with light.
Most night vision cameras use a monochrome filter because it receives footage that is black and white and not very clear. The DS-2CD2725FWD-RV from Hikvision, is an example of a such, which is a well-known security camera, along with many others use an infrared cut filter. These filters are used to detect daylight so that the IR light is automatically blocked out at that time and the footage colours look normal. This filter is removed automatically when it gets dark outside, allowing more light to come in, with the IR light.
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How do Intensifier Tubes Work?
On the other hand, night vision goggles make use of, what is known as, intensifier tubes. These tubes have camera sensors that are extremely sensitive, which increase intensity. The light that enters the goggles is turned into electrons, which is converted into some sort of electronic signal. With the help of a photo multiplier, the electrons are multiplied and pushed through a screen made of phosphor, giving rise to a brighter image.
Irrespective of what colour enters the goggles, it gets converted into a greenish colour on passing the phosphor screen, which is responsible for the images we usually see. After all, compared to other colours, the human eye is most sensitive to the colour green.
Protecting Your House When You’re Away
Night vision goggles can be used even when in low lighting conditions, but isnt effective in environments where it is pitch black. These goggles use moonlight or streetlight and then amplifies this light making it possible to capture footage. The same holds for most cameras. A picture taken in a dark room will be far brighter than the actual sight due to the capturing and amplifying of available light. However, if there was no light at all, the camera would have difficulty in make a high quality capture as when a regular camera lens is set to long-exposure, it will capture an image in pitch darkness (not at high quality).
That is why this kind of night vision is only seen in the goggles that are used for night vision, while most cameras that are used for night time security purposes use standard infrared light sensors to enhance their night vision-a highly recommended as this solution is not only a cost-efective alternative, but also packs along a footage quality that is far better.