stephanovich

Hi... I thought I`d come back and let you know about this... I now have several of these 940nm illuminator bulbs that cost around £4 - £ 5 each...they took a while to arrive from the far east but they have been well worth the wait...just one of the things illuminates brightly and using them all in a configuration when I need them gives a very bright area indeed...of course,I needed to make up a decent waterproof casing for them but if I`d bought these as complete encased items from the places I see them advertised,I guess they would have set me back about £150 at least (and been easily visible)...I paid just over £15 for the lot.

Thanks...yes I`ve just had exterior lighting put up so that will help and may be the answer...as for the 940nm camera I have,the refund will go towards something that actually does what it`s said to do...

Hi...I have a 940nm sony bullet camera which appears to get a build up of what I think must be condensation on the inner side of the glass in front of the lens...this obviously causes the view to become distorted and blurred...aside from sending the camera back does anybody know if there is anything I can do to compensate or eradicate this ? I`ve already sent one of these cameras back because of a broken internal wire and the current camera is the replacement...it`s very frustrating...thanks.

Yes a normal bullet size would be fine if it kept up the power for around 10m. Do you think I ought to think in terms of around 50% of spec ? There`s a very sharp drop off point with 940nm I`ve learned...the 850nm cameras I have actually perform above the spec

Yes I agree...it just doesn`t seem capable of outdoor use...I`ve tried it indoors and it gives a good 7/8 metres although that is at the limit of it`s range...out of doors is another matter entirely...I thought at first it was just the condensation issue but it`s just not up to the job.Originally I had a long talk with the company I got it from and was assured it was up to it but I realise that along with the problems it`s not too powerful. 10 + metres would be ideal but even 8m would do...I`ve tried it pointing down from a tree in the rear garden but although it picks up a dark/blurry image it`s not good enough (neighbour prowler/peeper is the problem and I`m advised that I need a decent image). I have looked into trying an illuminator and am waiting for a 36 led "bulb" to try to give a bit more distance but it`s a lot of aggro...as said in another thread,these issues shouldn`t be experienced with a new camera but I`m just looking at options.

p.s...I have an 850nm cctv system which is absolutely fine...it`s just this 940nm cam which I thought would help resolve an issue...or rather it would resolve it if it did as claimed

Well there`s a truth I can`t deny any longer... I stuck it out for a while this evening (it`s midnight now) so just a couple hours darkness and to be honest I`ve had enough...I`ve read about and seen some of the images from cameras from China/Hong Kong and it just about sums up this heap of ****...except this is from the south west U.K and the only thing it`s good for is .....a week or so ago,I spoke with a surveillance expert and the conversation came back to the old adage...you get what you pay for... Thanks for all the input folks

[quote="tomcctv hi. the time change in your camera getting condensation can change from hours to weeks. it`s down to the weather outside ..... if it is warm then you will not get condensation. as the nights start to get warmer you might not see it happen till you next get a cold night. ignition sealer is a chemical and can change the colour of plastics and as you are looking at the lens area i would not try that. can you list the camera. Yup...I have to say it`s been chilly but certainly not been freezing...I may see if I can get another front glass/lens cover as I feel the inner ring seal is faulty so it`s not going to matter how I seal the outer threads with vaseline or ptfe as I don`t think that is the problem...I`m no cctv professional though. the camera is 940nm sony super had ccd 420tvl...I`m realising that a lot of the online stuff are not much more than "toys"...the guys with the pro stuff don`t need to advertise I suppose

I used the camera last night with some vaseline around the seal and thread...it was a lot better with no "misting" up until aound 3am...which is 3 hours more than the previous night so there was a little success but not enough...I`ve a feeling there`s a problem with the inside ring/seal (separating the leds from the lens) I`ll give it another go tonight and try the method suggested by Numb-nuts...(was there a particular brand or are they all of a similar make-up ? ) I`ve already spoken to the relevant company and they`re expecting the thing back for a refund but as it has a good view and clarity of image when it isn`t misted-up I`m gonna be optimistic and try to sort this out with a little tinkering...

Thanks soundy...I have just spoken to the guy who dealt with my first camera complaint,(which included moisture build up)...he said he`d placed a silicon bag inside the camera but I think the other advice you`ve given will be well worth a try...the night vision of the camera otherwise is good...so far,since I first acquired cctv,I`ve had nothing but frustration with equipment...the first DVR I had needed to go back due to a fault,then a camera that was faulty...I`ve learned a great deal though,mainly not to trust salesmen

Thanks tomcctv for the reply... As I feared,I`ll be sending the ******* thing back...I thought it would be so but just didn`t want to face up to it !!! However this time I`ll be asking for a refund...it is as you pointed out with the seal not up to the job as it`s supposed to be weather proof and operate at -10 up to 50 degrees...ah well...excuse me while I just go outside to find a wall I can bang my head on

Hi...hope I`m posting in the right place I recently bought and set up a cctv system in my back yard in order to find out who was/is dumping large amounts of rubbish around 4 times a week in the dead of night...and after just 2 days I saw that it was coming from next door...as there is only one person living there it has to be him,so,problem solved but I haven`t been able to catch him full frontal,yet... because ot the red glow of the cams,and because he`s not stupid (just very sly and sneaky ) I can`t face the cameras directly on him and so I got a blue led cam so I can point it directly at him... but here`s where I could really do with some advice from you guy`s...I guess too,I`m gonna have to lower my expectations ...it seems to me that the blue led cam doesn`t see as well as the normal IR cam and I`m asking if anybody will be kind enough to spare the time to talk about the differences and limitations in operation here between the blue and red IR...my "blue led cam" is of 8 metres range but just seems very fuzzy,even up close and seem to be a little blinded by window light nearby whereas the red IR sees clearly all the time,although they are of greater range capability... hope someone can advise...

I`m impressed with the quality of this image...(at first I thought for long time that a fox was responsible...some territorial type thing or something...even discounting large bottles and huge bags of food/rubbish/excrement,as I couldn`t imagine a grown adult doing a thing so pettily malicious). I considered the "deterrent" route but was curious to know who this was once I realised it was deliberately being done and got the cctv etc...now I know I will be making sure it`s all visible...I must say that I`ve learned a lot whilst the above has been going on and the technological gadgets etc I`ve seen are remarkable,easily available and generally affordable for the public...thermal imaging aside !

I`m aware this isn`t an airing of grievances forum so I`ll apologise for going off on a tangent here...initially I posted in order to learn/find some information about 850nm and 940nm cameras and have sidetracked in order to explain why and what I want to know...henceforth I shall refrain from gossip...

Well I know what you are saying pal251 but there is a lot more which I`ve not mentioned here...criminal damage and theft on a number of occasions and the fact that around 6/7 months ago I mentioned to this guy what was going on with this issue...I live in a small cul-de-sac and there`s too many sly and mysterious instances of damage gone on to place it here...I am not the type of guy to get someone nicked...but there`s a limit to what is acceptable...leastways that`s how I feel at the moment and picking up human excrement ain`t something that endears me to feeling charitable...perhaps I`ll ponder some ways of giving him an "open door" or way out so to speak but I ain`t crazy about it....

Thanks Numb-Nuts...that sounds like an exhibition I`d like to visit...don`t know if I`ll have the time but will check it out and see

Just a quick "hi" to all...I`m here to see what info I can pick up as a novice cctv guy...I recently bough cctv to catch a neighbour dumping huge amounts of rubbish in my property and while looking for some answers on IR cameras came upon this site...I`m hoping somebody here can help...thanks

Many thanks for this reply and information...I`ve actually had to send the 940nm camera I had back to the suppliers as there were several faults from a loose internal connection to moisture collecting on the inner/underside of the glass lens...(not condusive to clear images) so perhaps that was some of the problem...I`ll read up on IP cameras too. On the plus side,I did manage to get the camera to within a decent range of him and although I didn`t get a clear facial image,I did get other identifying features...it`s really just for my own satisfaction now that I want the clear facial image as there`s almost enough to give to the police now...I have a months footage of him exiting his rear door and dumping large amounts of household rubbish in my garden...the "why he does it ?" is another query altogether ...he`s always been pleasant to my face,is a professional man and outwardly very respectable,but now he lives alone and by the amount of bottles coming over,he has a hefty drink problem,so who knows why...he won`t be doing it much longer and is in for a mighty shock when the knock on his door arrives ...pardon the gossip !

I`ve read up a little and understand some of the problem but from what I can see there`s not much info for the layman that I can find...another difficulty is that the "covert" no glow cam is possibly going to be seen physically...not the glow itself but just the fact of the camera being in the range and position needed to catch this guy full face in order to be identified... I`d still appreciate any input or explanations of limitations etc regarding the blue leds... and any suggestions on what to use or where to go ? the "blue" led cam I have is a 940nm sony "bullet" type but I`ve wondered about some of the wildlife cameras that are available...has anybody used these ?