The Advantages of Having Day and Night Cameras For Your Video Camera Surveillance Needs
Electronics - Gadgets
Written by Dan Musse   
Monday, 09 November 2009 08:17
A Quick Background
by DanMusse


A Quick Background

Color and black and white CCTV security cameras both have their unique strengths for your video camera surveillance needs. Color security cameras have the obvious benefit of providing the detail of color. Being able to record the color of a suspect's skin tone, clothing, or vehicle is beyond important - it can truly make the difference between solving the crime and the bad guy going free. In order for color security cameras to accurately produce colors, during manufacturing an IR cut filter is placed over the imager. The cut filter allows the camera to only see light in the visible spectrum (400nm to 750nm). Consequently, color surveillance cameras fall short when it comes to producing usable images in low light scenarios.

On the contrary, black and white video camera surveillance setups don't have an IR cut filter because they are intended to interpret color. Without the filter, B...W CCTV camera options can utilize other light frequencies like infrared. Infrared which come from a numerous sources, including the sun, fluorescent lights, incandescent lights and especially infrared illuminators. Consequently ,B...W surveillance cameras operates notably better in low light and some can see at light levels 0.0001 lux which is almost complete darkness. Other advantage of B...W video surveillance cameras is the ability to illuminate an area with IR. It provides the camera with sufficient lighting but gives natural darkness which can help in suspects' arrest.

The Advantages of Day/Night Cameras

Day/Night security cameras offer the unique advantages of both color and black and white CCTV camera setups. D/N video security cameras work just like color cameras during the day and switch to a B...W mode at night, using a removable IR cut filter. As daylight fades, day/night cameras sense the lower light levels and mechanically remove the IR cut filter, instantly switching to a more sensitive black and white mode.

Day/night surveillance cameras are offered in all forms to get the satisfaction needed in every establishment or home.Effective undercover operations gadgets like dome cameras, fixed cameras, bullet cameras and even in tiny board cameras are presented in many D/N technology forms. Those mentioned gadgets are very helpful since secret operations sometimes happen in diverse lighting circumstances. Numerous day/night CCTV cameras also present built in infrared illumination, which makes an excellent turn-key camera package.

D/N security cameras are frequently referred to as the true day/night cameras and and the most effective tool. On the other hand, digital day/night cameras (or electronic day/night cameras) also exist, which electronically regulate colors during the day, as a substitute of with an infrared filter. This gives the digital day/night cameras to send comparable benefits of true day/night cameras, although at a lower cost. Because of the innovation, without the filter, digital day/night technology can be adopted to be used in smaller and more modern gadgets, such as bullet cameras.

Regardless of the type of day/night camera you choose, I recommend considering the following areas to ensure you get the very best solution for your application:

1. Lux ratings - Unlike traditional cameras, day/night cameras typically have two lux ratings - one for the camera's color mode, and one for its black and white mode. Understanding both will allow you to draw a true comparison between day/night and more familiar traditional CCTV cameras.

2. Lenses - If you are buying a fixed security day/night camera that requires a C- or CS-mount lens, be sure to get a CCTV camera lens that is rated for use with infrared light. IR ready camera lenses allow for the proper passage of IR light, the full use of the camera's day/night capabilities, and of course, lower light performance.

3. S/N Ratio - Numerous surveillance cameras in the marketplace with low lux ratings, however it does not automatically mean they will produce a high-quality picture in low light. To make sure you get both, choose a security camera with a signal-to-noise ratio of 48dB or higher.

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