Do you want to be able to see clearly at night what’s happening around your home, driveway, or business? Then you need a camera with night vision. But not all security cameras offer the same night vision capabilities. Some cameras use infrared and produce black-and-white images in the dark, while others can still display color even in low ambient light. Some models even activate additional lighting. The best choice therefore depends mainly on where you want to mount the camera and how much light is available there at night.
A camera needs light to capture an image. During the day, that’s no problem, but at night, the camera must gather sufficient information in a different way.
Many security cameras therefore use infrared lighting. These infrared LEDs are virtually invisible to the human eye, but the camera can use the light. The result is usually a clear black-and-white image.
Other cameras are equipped with highly light-sensitive sensors. With a little street lighting, garden lighting, or other ambient light, these can maintain a color image for longer.
When comparing different types of security cameras, don’t just focus on the resolution—pay special attention to the night vision technology used.
Which technology is best depends on what you want to see.
Infrared is suitable for places where it gets truly dark at night. Think of a backyard, a side path, or a storage room without lighting.
The advantage is that the camera doesn’t need to use visible white light. You’ll typically get a black-and-white image, but people and movements can still be clearly visible.
Do you want to be able to recognize details such as the color of a jacket, car, or other object? Then color night vision might be a better option.
A light-sensitive camera can continue to display colors when there’s enough ambient light. If it’s completely dark, many full-color cameras need additional visible light to produce color images. This light can come from built-in white LED lights, for example.
You’ll make the best choice by first considering the situation, not just the highest megapixel count.
1. Check how dark it actually gets
Is there street lighting at night, or are there lights on the property? If so, a light-sensitive color camera might be a good option. If it gets completely dark, opt for a camera with good infrared capabilities or one with its own lighting.
2. Determine which details are important
Do you mainly want to be able to see that someone is walking through the yard? Then infrared may be sufficient. If you also want to distinguish clothing colors, vehicles, and other features, color night vision provides more information.
3. Consider the distance
A front door requires a different camera than a long driveway. Therefore, check the specified night vision range, but keep in mind that actual performance is also influenced by the environment and placement.
4. Pay attention to visible light
A camera that emits white light can produce excellent color images, but that light is also visible. For a front door, that can actually be a good thing. Under a bedroom window or pointing toward the neighbors, it may be less desirable.
An 8-megapixel camera isn’t automatically better in the dark than a 4-megapixel camera.
For nighttime images, factors such as the sensor, lens, and amount of available light are important. A good light-sensitive sensor can therefore be more important in some situations than just high resolution.
Also pay attention to placement. A wall, roof edge, or downspout directly in front of the camera can reflect infrared light. This results in a bright spot in the image while the rest remains dark.
Within the AlarmsysteemExpert product range, you’ll find various Hikvision cameras designed for situations where clear imagery in low light is essential.
Hikvision uses technologies such as DarkFighter in various camera series to preserve as much usable image quality as possible in low ambient light. Other models combine infrared and visible light.
That doesn’t mean one technology is always the best. A dark backyard has different requirements than a well-lit parking lot.
Dahua cameras are also available with various night vision solutions.
For example, Dahua uses Starlight technology in various models for better performance in low-light conditions. The lineup also includes cameras with infrared and models with other night vision capabilities. AlarmsysteemExpert lists both Dahua’s Starlight and Hikvision’s DarkFighter as technologies for low-light conditions.
Position a camera so that the key area is clearly visible. This could be a front door, garden gate, driveway, or the entrance to a commercial building.
Don’t mount the camera unnecessarily high. While this provides a wide view, it makes it harder to recognize people. Also, avoid objects directly in front of the lens that could reflect infrared light.
Consider, for example, a 20-meter driveway. In that case, you’ll benefit more from a camera that’s aimed to clearly capture that access route than from an extremely wide-angle camera where people in the background are barely recognizable.
For a completely dark garden, high-quality infrared is often the most practical solution. If you have street or garden lighting and want to be able to distinguish colors, a light-sensitive color camera is a better option. If you also want to see colors in complete darkness, choose a camera that can utilize visible light as well.
So first consider lighting conditions, distance, and the level of detail you need, and only then look at resolution and additional features. This way, you’ll avoid buying a technically impressive camera that isn’t well-suited for the location where it will be installed.
Would you like to see different night vision images side by side? Stop by our showroom in Gorinchem. We can explain which technology best suits your home or business.
Yes, if the camera uses infrared lighting or its own visible light source. A camera that relies solely on ambient light won’t have enough light in complete darkness to produce a good color image.
Not necessarily. Color images provide additional information, such as clothing and vehicle colors, but infrared works exceptionally well in completely dark areas without visible white light. The best choice depends on the location.
That varies greatly depending on the camera. The specified IR or night vision range provides a general guide, but lighting, weather conditions, the lens, mounting, and the surroundings all affect the actual results.
First, consider how much light is available at night, the distance you want to cover, and whether you need color. Then choose the right night vision technology, and only after that should you look at resolution and other features.
Not necessarily. Resolution determines how much image information is captured, but good night performance also depends heavily on the sensor, lens, and lighting.
